New Spell - Ansina's Shadow Storm

[Pheonix]

I wrote this up for a villainous spellcaster I am working on whose combat magics are predominantly necromantic. I like to try to stick with one theme for spellcasters, and in her case it was largely level drain (her go-to combat spell is an Empowered enervation). Since the only spells of that type, Enervation and Energy Drain, work on only one target, and no self-respecting spellcaster is going to be without an area-effect spell, I am thinking of giving her this:

Ansina’s Shadow Storm
Necromancy
Level: Wiz/Sor-9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Medium (100’ + 10’/level)
Area: 30’-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Developed by Ansina as a way to both rapidly and efficiently kill commoners and reduce the effectiveness of tougher opponents, Ansina’s Shadow Storm creates an explosion of negative energy centered around a point she specifies. All creatures within the explosion must make a Fortitude save or receive 1d4 negative levels.
If a creature has at least as many negative levels as HD, it dies. Each negative level gives a creature a –1 competence penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spels or special abilities). Additionally, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Negative levels stack.
Assuming the subject survives, he or she regains the lost levels after a number of hours equal to the caster’s caster level.

What do you think? Too good? Not good enough?

Pheonix

 

[SamuraiY]

personally, I'd reduce this to say 1d3 or 1d2 levels and/or reude the radius to 15 or 10 feet. I'm a player not a DM though and I'm looking at this from a position of having to fight it, so I'm not in the best position to be objective.

 

[Greatfrito]

Personally, I don't think it does too much for a 9th level spell. The most I would possibly do to it would be to reduce the radius from 30-20, but that would only be if there was no other choice (I'm not too good at that balance stuff, so I won't venuture whether it is or isn't okay).

Personally, I like the idea, and it is a field that's lacking (scares the crap out of me as a player, but as a DM, I just sorta chuckled with glee when I saw it).

Good work.

 

[Stalker0]

Personally i think the radius is too low Its a 9th level spell with a fort save, and won't kill any high level characters. Compare to energy drain which does 2d4 levels and NO SAVE

 

[VirtualWizard]

I think I would drop the initial Fort save. However, I would decrease the effect to 1d3 levels. Also, I would use the established rules for negative energy drains (24 hours and Fort save or permanent loss). This should be scary enough. I wonder what happens if/when the players get a hold of this spell...hmmm...

 

[Pheonix]

I left the permanent level loss out because it was left out of the enervation and energy drain spells (in 3rd ed, anyway; I would not know about 3.5E). What if I reduced the casting time from 1 full round to one action, the level loss from 1d4 to 1d3, and removed the Fortitude save? Alternatively, what if the Fortitude save halved effect instead of negating it?

 

[SamuraiY]

I've reevalutated my opinion. I would leave it at 1d4, drop the radius to 20, make it fortitude half, and keep it as a full round action. Imagine a hasted wizard flinging two of these in one round.

 

[Al]

Looks fine as is, if a tad underpowered if anything.

Compare with Chained Enervation:
Chained Enervation requires a ranged touch attack, which more or less cancels out the need for a save (cf. Scorching Ray).
Chained Enervation is 7th.
Chained Enervation can inflict d4 negative levels on a group of people.

So, yes, Shadow Storm is fine...you could probably even take it down to 8th level and it still wouldn't be too bad.

 

[Kyramus]

Personally I'd drop the radius to 20. The area of effect will be like that of a fireball.

Now for the other parts.
Shadow Storm seems to imply a storm of shadows. Why not change the negative levels to strength drain. 3d6 str drain save for half. most commoners will succumb to it. Most heroes will have a high enough saving throw to still take half damage, or if they are prepared, they might take none (negative plane protection).

Now the addition. commoners killed by the strength drain, return at once as shadows that attack any living thing around them. The shadows remain "alive" for 9 rounds before dissipating. (1 round per spell level). Now in a 20 x20, you can affect up to 16 creatures medium sized. A pc with a throng of commoner rioters plus this spell could mean the doom of a single pc.
4 pc's with 12 rioters and this spell could mean a very scary fight. hehe