New Spell: Glitterburst!

[Brasswatchman]

The following is the result of my need for a low-level spell that can somewhat fill the role of a flashbang grenade.

Glitterburst
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M.
Casting Time: 1 standard action.
Range: 20 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst.
Duration: Instantaneous (see below).
Saving Throw: Will negates (blinding only).
Spell Resistance: No.

A burst of golden particles jumps out from the caster’s hands, covering everyone and everything in its path. Creatures affected by the spell become blinded, and invisible persons or objects are visibly outlined for 1 round/level after the spell is cast. All within the area are covered by the dust, which continues to sparkle until it fades.
A character covered in the dust can remove it by spending a full-round action to clear the dust off of herself. Any creature covered by the dust takes a -40 penalty on Hide checks.

 

[Pyrex]

Uh, isn't that a little redundant to Glitterdust?

*wonders if he's missing something*

 

[Brasswatchman]

There's one key difference - where Glitterdust creates a constantly moving cloud of dust, which blinds anyone who moves into it, Glitterburst settles, so that anyone who moves into the room afterwards isn't beholden to its effects. It's a spell to use when you want to make an entrance; clear the door, fire off the spell at those inside, then once they're blinded you send in the fighters. You try that with Glitterdust, the fighters run into the cloud you've created and are just as badly off as the people inside the room. Do you see what I mean?

 

[Lopke_Quasath]

I like it. Except if you want it like a flashbang grenade, why don't you keep the medium range (100ft +10ft a level) and make it a 20ft burst. Add a ranged touch attack to hit the square you want, AC 10 (higher than a usual grenade/splash item because of the extra distance).

Makes for a great SWAT-esque room entry by the party.

 

[helium3]

There's one key difference - where Glitterdust creates a constantly moving cloud of dust, which blinds anyone who moves into it, Glitterburst settles, so that anyone who moves into the room afterwards isn't beholden to its effects. It's a spell to use when you want to make an entrance; clear the door, fire off the spell at those inside, then once they're blinded you send in the fighters. You try that with Glitterdust, the fighters run into the cloud you've created and are just as badly off as the people inside the room. Do you see what I mean?

Doesn't that make it better than glitterdust? Shouldn't it be a correspondingly higher level spell? Also, this is probably a question for the rules forum, but the way I've seen glitterdust played is that it covers creatures and objects in the area of effect when cast and lasts for one round per level, but doesn't persist in the air like you seem to be assuming it does.

 

[wuyanei]

Glitterdust is a spread, not a cloud or emanation, so by the RAW it covers creatures in its area when cast, but does not affect any creature that enters the area later.

On the other hand, a glittercloud spell would be a very nice 3rd level spell indeed...

 

[Pyrex]

Huh, what?

So you're saying Acid Fog has no effect on creatures that enter the area after the initial casting? It's a spread too...

 

[Corsair]

First, addressing the spread issue: Fireball is a spread too. Clearly that has nothing to do with the argument.

You're all missing one small but crucial difference, but re-reading the spell description of Glitterdust, I can see how you could make the confusion. The difference between Glitterdust and say, Acid Fog, Freezing Fog, Cloudkill or Fog Cloud:

Area: Creatures and objects within 10-ft.-radius spread

It clearly effects the creatures and objects. Where as Acid Fog (and Freezing Fog, and Fog Cloud, etc) has an effect line...

Effect: Fog spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high

Given this difference, the assorted Fog and Cloud spells clearly create an actual cloud, as given in their Effect line. Glitterdust is more mechanically similar to Bless in that it has an Area and a Duration. In your games, do allies who move into the area of a Bless gain the effect of it even if they were not present when it was cast?

I suppose as long as you're consistent, it doesn't matter either way, but I (and everyone I've ever played with) have understood that a spell with an Area and a Duration only affects those who were in the Area when it was initially cast, and the Duration was how long the spell lasted on them.

 

[Pyrex]

Ahh, I had missed the distinction between "Area: Spread" and "Effect: Spread".

I don't know as anyone in my group has noticed that distinction before. Looks like you may be right.

*looks into it further*

 

[Brasswatchman]

Corsair, that's a solid interpretation if I ever heard one. But that having been said, that isn't the only interpretation I've been exposed to, and the spell description still seems somewhat ambiguous to me. Maybe I should take this issue to the Rules forum?

Helium3 - there's one key balancing factor between Glitterburst and Glitterdust - glitterdust's effects can't be cleaned off. Glitterburst's effects can, and it takes up a somewhat smaller area. I believe that their relative advantages are situational.