D&D 5E New Spell: Galling Stone

[Whithers]

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.

I think the one part that is unbalanced - that just occurred to me is that it violates the approach to saves. Normally a save results in 1/2 or all damage negated. Spells where damage cannot be avoided usually require a line of sight to hit roll - like a Ray of Frost. This spell breaks those rules. Fortunately it is homebrew, so I can DM the results if it gets out of hand. Do you think I should add a "to hit" requirement?

As to having gallstones, I don't think so. I have however had a stupid attack where I ate a 3 lb bag of sunflower seeds whole. I had been yelled at to add more fiber to my diet. And I figured if I chewed the shell enough it was just fiber, right? Well, the shells all banded together into what I swear was a 6" diameter wood cork. So, while I lack the one medical experience, I am probably one of the very few people who has had to go to the emergency room for constipation. I do know how much an immovable object can hurt, lol.

 

[jaelis]

Automatic damage has a fine precedent in magic missile.

 

[Redthistle]

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.

I believe we can all accept this as an expert opinion!

 

[Redthistle]

I think the one part that is unbalanced - that just occurred to me is that it violates the approach to saves. Normally a save results in 1/2 or all damage negated. Spells where damage cannot be avoided usually require a line of sight to hit roll - like a Ray of Frost. This spell breaks those rules. Fortunately it is homebrew, so I can DM the results if it gets out of hand. Do you think I should add a "to hit" requirement?

Yes; ranged spell attack. Also, as others mentioned above, make it a 2nd-level spell.

As to having gallstones, I don't think so. I have however had a stupid attack where I ate a 3 lb bag of sunflower seeds whole. I had been yelled at to add more fiber to my diet. And I figured if I chewed the shell enough it was just fiber, right? Well, the shells all banded together into what I swear was a 6" diameter wood cork. So, while I lack the one medical experience, I am probably one of the very few people who has had to go to the emergency room for constipation. I do know how much an immovable object can hurt, lol.

There's Earned Wisdom, and there's Received Wisdom. Your example is the former; sharing it with the rest of us is the latter. Thank you for taking the bullet for the rest of us on that experience!

 

[Tormyr]

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.

I had missed the immovable part. I would not recommend essentially conjuring an immovable rod in a target, but if you do use it, the spell becomes almost as powerful as hold monster. That boosts it to a level 4 or 5 spell.

 

[jaelis]

I had missed the immovable part. I would not recommend essentially conjuring an immovable rod in a target, but if you do use it, the spell becomes almost as powerful as hold monster. That boosts it to a level 4 or 5 spell.

Well, hold monster actually paralyzes, this just sets your move to zero and applies disadvantage. Not that different from a single-target web. And it is easy to end at the cost of some minor damage. I would never use it at level 3.

 

[Whithers]

It is such a great episode of Critical Role. In my first write up I used the system with which I am familiar, as I am learning to convert from older D&D to current. Originally the damage was in d4s, but it was also based on 1E. Attempting to learn 5E by working at converting things I know. Waiting for more books to arrive today.