New Killer Spell?

[Pielorinho]

how is a +15 to your touch AC not pretty certain? Assuming your going after a 7th level wizard enemy npc that cast the spell the party isn't also 7th, but heck, let's say they are as well...which wouldn't be much of a fight but whatever.

Actually, I don't think it gets +15 on the touch attack -- in fact, I don't see where it makes a touch attack at all.

Every creature within the area of the spell must make a grapple check, opposed by the grapple check of the tentacles.

So that's +15 on an opposed grapple check, not on a touch attack. And that's nasty, but not unovercomeable.

Interestingly, there's no longer a set number of tentacles: each critter within the AoE faces up against exactly one tentacle. Furthermore, they're not treated like creatures: when you escape the grapple and move away, they don't get an AoO on you. In fact, there's no AoOs for them at all. These changes make it MUCH easier to adjudicate, and lessen the spell's power at the same time.

It'll be interesting to see how the spell plays out.

Daniel

 

[Tellerve]

Ahh +15 grapple...I see yeah that isn't all that nasty. I mean, sure it isn't a push over either. I didn't have my book with me and I'm not much on the SRD so thanks Pielorinho for catching that.

The thing about no AoO when you leave and such sounds great as well, anything that makes spells easier to adjudicate is good by me.

Tellerve

 

[Fanog]

Interestingly, there's no longer a set number of tentacles: each critter within the AoE faces up against exactly one tentacle.

That's exactly why I love the new version of the spell. I tried using the old one a few weeks ago (wizard just acquired it), and I thought the thing was a total pain to play. Find number of tentacles, find random position for each. Then find out which characters they can hit with their reach, do grapples, do damage. Ugh.

I love the simplicity of the new spell. I haven't seen it work to comment on its power, but it seems pretty reasonable for a 4th-level spell.

Fanog

 

[Number47]

Let's say I am in the center of the area of effect when the spell goes off. If I get loose from a grapple, then move away, do I immediately get a grappling check again for moving through the spell area?

 

[Pielorinho]

Let's say I am in the center of the area of effect when the spell goes off. If I get loose from a grapple, then move away, do I immediately get a grappling check again for moving through the spell area?

According to my reading, no (although note you only move at half speed). It looks as if you don't even need to make a grapple check on successive rounds. The spell mentions that when cast, everyone in the AoO suffers a grapple attempt, and anyone who moves into the AoO in successive rounds suffers a grapple attempt, but it makes no mention of folks who begin a round inside the AoO suffering a grapple attempt.

I'll probably houserule this, declaring that anyone who is not grappled and begins their turn in the AoE immediately suffers a grapple attempt. That'll keep it in line with other movement-hindering spells, I think. Given that one of my players has this spell, I doubt anyone will object to this minor beefing.

Daniel

 

[Jhyrryl]

Another vote for "good change."

 

[hong]

Really? I disliked it for exactly the same reasons - whenever I cast it, everyone scattered from the area before it could grapple them

Well, yeah. Just like the purpose of a minefield usually isn't to blow people up (although that helps), it's to slow them down or force them to make a detour, typically into the fields of fire of your own guys. Same with the 3.0 Ev's tentacles: it's a tactical thing. Combine with wall of force or solid fog for best results.

- and the darn thing was 1 hour/level without the option to dismiss, so if I cast it to block a passage or something, we had to either sit around waiting for it to expire, or blow a dispel magic to move on.

It was definitely a spell meant more for NPCs, since they're typically much more likely to be on the tactical defensive than PCs. In fact, IMC it's an NPC-only spell because I'm using the OA spell lists.

 

[Malicene]

A single casting of that spell would have wiped out our Lv3 party

I think here is the point face a 7th level caster with a 3th level party should be a TPK !

BL seems good IMO

 

[Darklone]

Re: Re: New Killer Spell?

I think here is the point face a 7th level caster with a 3th level party should be a TPK !

BL seems good IMO

True?

Cool. I'll try.