D&D 5E New Spell: Galling Stone

[Whithers]

I am looking for recommendations on this spell. Is it OP? Is it UP? (Frankly, I was thinking of the Rogue Vax and the Bard Scanlan in the Vox Machina battle against Umbrasil when I came up with the idea. I think it is very Scanlanesque. ) Any recommendations for tweaking? This is my second attempt to make a spell for my Homebrew. (The other is a cantrip for maintaining body heat.)

GallingStone
2nd Level Conjuration

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 Feet
Components: V, S, M (A chunk of broken shell – clam, oyster, conch, etc.)
Duration: Concentration

You conjure an immovable small jagged stone into the stomach of your target. The victim of the spell is then Restrained and does not want to move because doing so is very painful. Until they are free of the stone their speed is reduced to 0, attack rolls against them have advantage, and the target has disadvantage on their attack rolls and dexterity saves.

The victim must make a Constitution save against the spell DC in order to move, forcing themselves to take damage as the stone rips through their side. Each failed save results in 1 point slashing damage internally. Attempts to avoid attacks with a dexterity saving throw, uncanny dodge, etc. also triggers 1 point of slashing damage. A successful Constitution save, Dexterity save in response to something else, dodge, or their body being forced to move while the caster maintains the stone in the exact place it was conjured results in 1d8 slashing damage as the stone rips through the victim's side. The stone then falls to the ground, and the target takes no more damage from the spell. For every additional level of the spell add 1 to the internal damage and 1d8 to the damage when escaping the stone. If the caster loses concentration or ceases to maintain the spell, then the stone dissolves ending any further effects. If the spell is cast at 3rd level then each failed save causes 3 points slashing damage and a successful save ending the spell results in 3d8 slashing damage.

If a Freedom of Movement spell is cast on the target the restraint ends, and the victim of the spell takes 1d6 slashing damage when they pass the stone naturally at some later point over the next 1d4 days. Since there is no condition to alleviate restoration spells do very little. Healing spells will cure the damage that has been done, but do not prevent future damage or end the spell.

 

[jaelis]

Doesn't seem unbalanced, but it's too complicated for my taste.

For one, is not being able to move a magical compulsion? Because simply telling a player what they are or are not willing to do is off-putting to me. In particular, could the target simply decide to move and eat the 1d8 damage?

 

[Whithers]

Doesn't seem unbalanced, but it's too complicated for my taste.

For one, is not being able to move a magical compulsion? Because simply telling a player what they are or are not willing to do is off-putting to me. In particular, could the target simply decide to move and eat the 1d8 damage?

Yes, the interest in not moving is simply because it hurts each time they try. For a first level or weaker NPC, it would not be nice - might even result in death. But yes, eating the damage is the purpose of the save. Making the save eats the damage and releases the target from their position. It is sort of like a less powerful hold person, in that they don't want to move but must and will as the dice allow. They are not restricted from fighting defensively, casting, etc. Continuing to act is how the target eats the damage and becomes free of the spell. I figured the target would eat the damage. It is more to harry an opponent while others are damaging more effectively because the target hast to make a save to move and end the restraint.

If you have ever had a gall stone you will understand. If you haven't then you can attempt to imagine. The idea was to make something that is more annoying, and plays more to RP than massive damage. If this were realistic then there would be a lot of bleeding (internally and otherwise) and the probability for nasty infections is really really high with a gut wound. (The digestion and decomposition of things in the middle is not done in a nice antiseptic manner.) But the spell is meant to be more fun than realistic.

 

[Redthistle]

I am looking for recommendations on this spell. Is it OP? Is it UP? (Frankly, I was thinking of the Bard Scanlan and the Vox Machina battle against Umbrasil when I came up with the idea. I think it is very Scanlanesque. ) Any recommendations for tweaking? This is my second attempt to make a spell for my Homebrew. (The other is a cantrip for maintaining body heat.)

Galling Stone
1stLevel Conjuration


Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 Feet
Components: V, S, M (A chunk of broken shell – clam, oyster, conch, etc.)
Duration: Concentration


You conjure an immovable small jagged stone into the stomach of your target. The victim of the spell will not willingly move because doing so is painful. They must persevere through the pain of passing the stone by making a Constitution save against the spell DC in order to move. Each attempt results in 1 point slashing damage internally. Also, attempts to avoid damage with a dexterity saving throw, uncanny dodge, etc. also triggers damage. A successful save or dodge results in 1d8 slashing damage as the stone rips through the victim's side. The stone then falls to the ground, and the target takes no more damage from the spell.

For every additional slot-level of the spell add 1 to the internal damage and 1d8 to the damage when escaping the stone.


If a Freedom of Movement spell is cast on the target the restraint ends, and the victim of the spell takes 1d6 slashing damage when they pass the stone naturally at some later point over the next 1d4 days.

So, you've experienced gallstones, eh? And the experience left you feeling mean enough to want to inflict it on someone else. Heh-heh-heh. You're my kind of devious.

I've never had gallstones myself, but I know people who have, and I've got enough sympathy for their pain that I'm relieved that this spell doesn't exist in the RW.

@jaelis raises some good points.

It is complicated, at least for a 1st-level spell, but complexity ain't necessarily bad. I can live with that.

As to the magical compulsion issue, I think you could re-word it, looking at the paralyzed condition, as well as restraint, for guidance. The spell is an interesting approach to restraint.

In fact, this is kind of a blend of being restrained, partly paralyzed, and taking melee spell slashing damage. Oof-da!

One other consideration. I think you should clarify what happens when concentration ends because the spellcaster deliberately ends it: does the gallstone simply cease to exist, or does it exit the body causing damage?

I'd also add language regarding how a cure wounds or heal spell would affect the galling stone spell. I'm thinking that lesser restoration would negate galling stone.

 

[Redthistle]

One more thing:

Are there any other spells that allow for an object to be magically created within a target's body? I can't think of one off-hand, but I don't know if this spell would violate general RAI.

 

[Tormyr]

As someone who has suffered gallbladder attacks and had their gallbladder removed, you definitely can still move, drive a car, etc. even during severe attacks. That being said the pain is very distracting. Invoking disadvantage on some/all d20 rolls would potentially be a more appropriate effect. Also, it is at least a level 2 spell for the pain it causes.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

This is a really interesting and creative spell! I wonder if it might be better suited as an alternative use for Bestow Curse (it just immediately strikes me as being something I would allow a player to use through that spell).

I'll dissect the spell for ml balance issues and see if wording/complexity can be streamlined a bit and post some feedback a little later tonight/tomorrow. But gut feeling is that it's cool, and cool factor is a big help in getting things approved at my table.

 

[alienux]

Interesting idea. I think as is, I'd make it a level 2 spell.

 

[jaelis]

OK, I'd express it as something like:

You conjure an immovable small stone into the gut of the target, which must be a living corporeal creature. The target's movement speed is reduced to zero for the duration of the spell, and the target has disadvantage on all weapon attacks, Dex and Str saves, and Dex and Str ability checks.

At the start of each turn while the spell lasts, the target can choose to make a Con save. On a success, the target takes 1d8 slashing damage and the spell ends as the stone exits the target's body. On a failed save, the target takes one point of slashing damage and the spell does not end.

If the target is subject to forced movement of any kind, it takes 1d8 slashing damage and the spell ends. While a target is benefiting from the freedom of movement spell or similar effects, it is not affected by this spell.

If the spell lasts for its entire duration, then the stone remains in the target but is no longer held immobile. The effects end, but the target takes 1d8 damage at the end of its next long rest as the stone is passed.

You can use a higher level slot to cast this spell. For each level above (first), the damage taken when the spell ends increases by 1d8 per level, and the damage taken on an unsuccessful save increases by 1 per level.

In that version I think the spell is a bit strong for first level. Increase the damage on a failed save to 1d8 also, and I think it would be good for second level.

--- edit:

Actually, this is better yet:

Galling Stone
2nd Level Conjuration

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 Feet
Components: V, S, M (A chunk of broken shell – clam, oyster, conch, etc.)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure an immovable small stone into the gut of the target, which must be a living corporeal creature. The target is restrained for the duration of the spell.

At the start of each turn while the spell lasts, the target can choose to make a Con save. On a success, the target takes 1d8 slashing damage and the spell ends as the stone exits the target's body. On a failed save, the target takes 1d8 slashing damage and the spell does not end. If the target is subject to forced movement of any kind, it takes 1d8 slashing damage and the spell ends.

If the spell lasts for its entire duration, then the stone remains in the target but is no longer held immobile. The effect ends, but the target takes 1d8 damage at the end of its next long rest as the stone is passed.

You can use a higher level slot to cast this spell. For each level above second, the spell's damage increases by 1d8 per level.

 

[Whithers]

As someone who has suffered gallbladder attacks and had their gallbladder removed, you definitely can still move, drive a car, etc. even during severe attacks. That being said the pain is very distracting. Invoking disadvantage on some/all d20 rolls would potentially be a more appropriate effect. Also, it is at least a level 2 spell for the pain it causes.

All that is true. The part that causes the restraint is that the caster is concentrating on maintaining the stone in the exact X, Y, Z position. Normally a gallstone goes with you. Now imagine one that will not move and is the size of a golf-ball.