New Spell: Breath of Winter

[domino]

A spell I've developed. Opinions would be welcome.

Breath of Winter

Evocation (cold)

Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: See text
Target, Effect, or Area: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See Text
Spell Resistance: See Text

This spell allows the user to exhale a very cold stream of air from his or her mouth. This has several effects, only one can be used at a time.

First, the stream allows the caster to freeze one square of a size equal to the size of the character of water per caster level (max 10 squares) into a sheet of ice solid enough to support the character and his medium load. (larger characters have greater lung capacity, and can freeze more water. And it's a balance thing)

The freezing effect can also be used against solid surfaces and objects, covering them in a thick, icy rime. This has the same effect as the grease spell.

Third, if concentrated, the stream of air becomes a blast of arctic wind, damaging enemies it is directed at. This has the effect of a ray dealing 5d6 cold damage with a range of close. SR applies.

If that blast is forced into a creature's breathing mechanism (lungs, gills) the must make a fort save, or become stunned for a round, as the moisture in its lungs freezes, preventing it from breathing air. Creatures that do not breath or can survive without air are unaffected. The damage is also dealt. Damage is affected by SR, but the staggering effect is not.

Finally, if the character moves his head, he can cover an area with a radius equal to 5 feet/caster level, max 100ft with the stream of air. This causes all the moisture in the air to freeze, falling to the ground as snow. It also covers all objects and characters in the area with snow as well, outlining any invisible creatures. The snow lasts for 5 rounds, before melting away. Because an area must be covered, the stream of air does not stay on any one creature long enough to do any damage. A character can brush off most of the snow from his or her body in one round, but can do nothing else. His footprints would remain visible, if he were to remain in the area, however. SR does not apply.

Material Component: A swallow of water. Swallowed after the verbal component. Not at the same time.



Opinions? I decided upon the spell level because while it's higher than many of the other spells that mimic its abilities, it has more versatility.

Also, I'm debating keeping the "breathing into another's lungs" thing. It seems a bit too complicated. But I love the idea of kissing someone and then firing a breath weapon into them at point blank range.

 

[Elephant]

I'd think about adding a material component (either a pinch of salt - changes the freezing temperature of water, or a vial of water - because that's what you're affecting)

Also, what is the XP cost?

 

[domino]

The XP cost is a mistake, from when I missed cutting it out of the block I copied and pasted. I edited the spell to reflect that, and to add in the material component.

 

[Nifft]

Some suggestions on existing mechanics you could use:

1/ Seems fine, if underpowered for 4th level.

2/ Nothing wrong with ripping off an existing spell like Scorching Ray, or a Psionic power like Exhalation of the Black Dragon. This spell could give two uses of a breath-ray that deals a fixed 4d6 Cold damage, with a third use of the breath-ray at 11th level and a fourth (and final) use at 15th level.

3/ Rip off the Succubus kiss mechanic. If you're grappling, and you win, you can force a critter to kiss. You may discharge all remaining breath-rays at once, they each deal 4d8 instead, and they bypass SR. Why so powerful? Because grappling is dangerous for magi.

4/ Glitterdust is a nifty spell. I don't know if this spell should emulate it. I think that emulating sleet storm or fog cloud would be good enough.

5/ The "generous" GM and grease -- you should explictily include that. Check out the spell-like abilities of a White Dragon, and you'll see freezing mist. That's a nice effect to duplicate, especially if you have Boots of the Winterlands and they don't.


Hmm... interesting spell, I like it, especially for Sorcerers.

-- N

 

[Nifft]

The XP cost is a mistake, from when I missed cutting it out of the block I copied and pasted. I edited the spell to reflect that, and to add in the material component.

Oooo, also a terminology bug: "Somatic" means "waving hands around". You want a spell that's got Components: V, M

-- N

 

[domino]

I figured that if burning hands has a somatic component of moving your hands to direct the fire, then moving your hands to your mouth to swallow some water works just as well.

Until you have all those people who manage to drink some water without actually using their hands, rendering it moot. I'll change it to M.

The succubus mechanic I'm not going to worry about. If the DM want to use it, he can. But all that's important is that you do it. If you've been swallowed by a creature, you could do that too. It doesn't matter the specifics.

It may seem weak, but I wanted to err on the side of caution. I don't want to be one of those guys who comes in with a spell that does 10d6 per level, at 0th level.

Also, I'm not sure about the spell level. I did it at 4th mostly because I thought that glitterdust was a level 3 spell. But I also think it gives a bit too much flexibility for a third level spell. They're not all direct combat uses, but they can be REALLY useful.

I'll explicitly mention the grease use, though.

The spell has been updated to mention the grease effect, and damage has been changed. It does the same amount of damage as a fireball per level. But, it's got a higher cap than Fireball. It's also got a higher damage cap than Flame Strike, but smaller area, and shorter range. And does just straight cold damage, rather than half divine. I think it balances out.

 

[Nifft]

1d6/caster level, cap 20d6, is way too strong. Look at polar ray. Your spell is 1/2 that spell's level.

(Yeah, cold damage spells are kinda shafted in D&D...)

-- N

 

[domino]

I prefer to think of that as polar ray being too high level.

But it still seems a bit too powerful by comparison. If it was a fire spell, it would be fine. But, as a cold spell, it's too much.

Maybe 1d4 per caster level? Or 1d6 max 10 or 15d6?

Mostly it's because like you said, the cold spells suck.

 

[Nifft]

Or you could do fixed damage: 5d6 cold ray. The spell is very flexible, so low damage is a nice balance factor. Compare with ice storm, of the same level.

-- N

 

[domino]

5d6 it is. The same damage, but a smaller area, attack required, to balance out all the other uses for the spell.