New Spells- Feedback, Anyone?

[the Jester]

Here are some new homebrewed spells from my campaign world of Cydra, plus one converted 1e spell (tempus fugit). (Some are actually old homebrewed spells converted at last.) I've done my best to capture the essence of the spells while making them balanced and worthwhile and adapting them to the 3e paradigms of magic. What do you think?

BLAST OF DALIBRIUS
Evocation [Electricity, Fire, Force]
Level: Sor/wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’ + 10’/level)
Effect: Line 5’ wide out to end of range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, developed by Dalibrius the evoker several hundred years ago, combines fire, electricity and force into one formidable package. Any creature caught in the effect must make three Reflex saves, one against each effect; a failed save results in 4d4 points of damage of the appropriate type, whereas a successful save indicates no damage of that type.

Material components: A prism, a pinch of sulfur, a bit of amber and a pinch of diamond dust (total value 10 gp).

BROADBLAST
Evocation
Level: Sor/wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 1000’ + 50’/level
Area: 200’ radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell was designed by Delphinite wizards to slay masses of troops, even entire armies, from a great distance. It creates a huge blast of force. It deals 4d6 hp of force damage to each creature within the area. Its advantage (rather than damage) is that it affects a huge area and is devastating against large concentrations of low-powered troops.

OBLIVIOUS JOY
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25’ + 5’/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No

The subject of this spell is filled with joy and becomes extremely introspective. This causes her to suffer a -10 penalty on Listen, Search, Sense Motive and Spot checks. The victim may overlook people walking right past her on a 0 or lower Spot check. While influenced by this spell, the victim suffers a -2 penalty to spells of the Charm subschool

PROLEPTIC VISION
Divination
Level: Sor/wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level

This spell is an ancient variant of foresight, recently brought back into play by a powerful Delphinite wizard who was brought back from the grave.

This spell gives you visions of impending attack concerning five individuals, five locations and five objects you choose. An “attack” must be instigated by a creature or creatures aiming it at the individual, location or object you choose, even if perpetrated through other means (such as poisoning a creature’s food, setting a building on fire, etc.) Traps usually will not qualify (as they are not

The five individuals you select to monitor may include you. They need not be on the same plane as you, and may in fact be on five separate planes.

The five locations you select to monitor may be as large or as small as you desire, but to trigger the proleptic vision the attack in question must endanger a majority of the location. Thus, if you monitor the city of Threeton, a fire engulfing a district of the city will trigger your prolepsis but a fire engulfing a single building generally won’t.

The five objects you select to monitor may be up to Gargantuan in size. An attack on the guardians or wards around the object will not trigger your prolepsis, only an attack on the object itself. However, you can choose to monitor magical wards as some or all of your five objects.

Your forewarning allows you to take a single action only in the round before the attack takes place.

PROTECTION FROM PICKPOCKETS
Abjuration
Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

While the subject is under the influence of this spell, all attempts to pick his or her pockets suffer a -10 penalty.

RIGHTEOUS ZEAL
Transmutation
Level: Clr 9
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You become imbued with the zeal of righteousness, the power of your deity literally flowing through your body. You gain DR 5/-, 100 temporary hit points, a +6 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage and Will saving throws, and a +6 enhancement bonus on strength and charisma.

TEMPUS FUGIT
Illusion (Phantasm)
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, XP
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25’ + 5’/2 levels)
Area: 20’ emanation centered on a point in space
Duration: 1 round/level (see text)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You cause all creatures within an area to perceive the passing of time as either very rapid or very slow. This is a very delicate illusion, easily shattered, and if any creature moves, attacks or casts a spell into or out of the area of the tempus fugit, or uses a special ability, magic item, etc. that crosses into or out of the area, the spell is immediately ended. The spell’s duration is relative to the fastest frame of reference applicable- in other words, it never lasts longer than anyone’s perception of one round per caster level. Depending on whether you choose rapid time or slow time, the effects are as follows:

Rapid Time: Time appears to pass six times as quickly as normal in the field. All affected creatures may perform tasks at six times the normal rate- so if a rogue was taking 20 while attempting to open a lock, it would take him four rounds (rather than 20) to do so. Combat within the field takes place at six times the speed as combat outside the field; all combatants within the field should take one turn on their initiative and every two initiative counts thereafter until they have gone six times in a round, if conditions require that both creatures within and creatures without the field act in the same initiative sequence. At the end of the spell’s duration, all creatures that were within the field reroll initiative. A slow spell counters and dispels this application of tempus fugit.

Slow Time: Creatures within the field perceive the passage of time as very slow- one-sixth the rate outside. Creatures within the field, relative to those outside it, may take partial actions only, have their speed divided by four (round up to the nearest multiple of 5’), and suffer a penalty of -6 to Reflex saves and attack rolls and -4 to AC. All creatures within the field are considered to have rolled a 0 for initiative (plus whatever modifiers they might have). A haste spell counters and dispels this application of tempus fugit.

XP Component: 2500 xp.

 

[VoiceOfReason?]

I'd like to see a cleric with 100 hp use a scroll or something to cast righteous zeal

 

[Vrecknidj]

BLAST OF DALIBRIUS
Evocation [Electricity, Fire, Force]
Level: Sor/wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’ + 10’/level)
Effect: Line 5’ wide out to end of range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, developed by Dalibrius the evoker several hundred years ago, combines fire, electricity and force into one formidable package. Any creature caught in the effect must make three Reflex saves, one against each effect; a failed save results in 4d4 points of damage of the appropriate type, whereas a successful save indicates no damage of that type.

Material components: A prism, a pinch of sulfur, a bit of amber and a pinch of diamond dust (total value 10 gp).

At first I thought that this was too powerful for 4th level, but after careful consideration, I think you chose the right level for the spell. Since it's a line, it has limited applicability, since it allows three saves, it isn't likely to have full effect against creatures of appropriate CR, and since the damage is static and not level-dependent, it will be, on average, less powerful than a fireball for 9th-level casters.

Dave

 

[3d6]

Blast of Dalibruis is a little strong at the level you get it, but after 8th level its kind of weak. I'd like it better if it started of weaker and scaled with level.

I'd probably do something like this.

Blast of Dalibrius
Evocation [Electricity, Fire, Force]
Level: Sor/wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 100 ft. + 10 ft./level line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, developed by Dalibrius the evoker several hundred years ago, combines fire, electricity and force into one formidable package.

The blast deals 1d8 damage per caster level, to a maximum of 10d8 at 10th level. One-third the damage (round down) is electricity damage, one-third the damage (round down) is pure force damage, and the remainder is fire damage. Affected creatures make three Reflex saves, one save vs. each damage type.

Material components: A prism, a pinch of sulfur, a bit of amber and a pinch of diamond dust (total value 10 gp).

Oblivous joy should allow spell resistance.

 

[DaveStebbins]

Two comments:

Broadblast - I think making this a force effect makes it a little too powerful. I think it would have more flavor and better balance as a fire, cold or electricity effect.

Oblivious Joy - Why does this spell not allow spell resistance? Is there a similar spell, or type of spell, that bypasses spell resistance like this? I think enchantments in general and compulsions specifically, always allow spell resistance.

 

[Ferret]

I think that Blast of Dalibruis is strong at the leve but soon looses power, which I think it fair. I didn't catch the Sr on Oblivious joy but I agree.

Tempus Fugit confuses me. If it is an illusion how can it alter time, and if it only alters the perceptions how does it reduce the rounds need for taking 20 or combat, ect? Let alone the way it is done.

The rest are nice spells, I may have yoink a few off them

 

[the Jester]

Thanks for the feedback, gang!

A couple of things:

Oblivious Joy should indeed have SR, I don't know why I put No... will edit and fix.

Blast of Dalibrius is an odd one. Very similar to the 2e version, except it was 5d4 of each type of damage then. That, imho, is too good for the 3e paradigm. The current incarnation is my attempt at keeping that flavorful three-save thing going on and yet still trying to balance it as a 4th-level spell. I definitely think that making it 1d8/level (split three ways) is too good- it starts off dealing 7d8, which is more than my 12d4 already.

Do you guys think the three saves to negate a third of the damage each makes the spell more powerful or less than a comparable spell with a single Reflex half save? What about offering up the triple-typed damage?

Really, would Blast of Dalibrius be a 4th-level spell worth taking if it was 12d4 damage of one type with a Ref half save? Compare to ice storm- 5d6 with no save plus some interference effects (and two damage types).

I'm trying to find the balance here.

Tempus Fugit was originally a 1e illusionist spell from Unearthed Arcana. I made it an illusion thinking that you fool creatures in the area, body and mind. It's a phantasm to signify that it's 'all in your head' and the spell ends if anything crosses the illusion's area. A weird one, I know, but one I'm trying hard to convert to 3e effectively.

Broadblast- I originally planned on making it fire, but when I wrote it I found that it just didn't 'look' right to me as anything but force. Do you think making it 3d6 damage instead would be more balanced?

Finally- whew, I think I got everything here- thanks, everyone! These may well see some use in my game in the near future.

 

[Ferret]

I think that the three saves are worth it, but what if it was once save for shared Fire and lightining and one save for the force?

Also what is broad blast was just physical? You could even make it knock over some of the targets, for less damage maybe.

 

[the Jester]

Also what is broad blast was just physical? You could even make it knock over some of the targets, for less damage maybe.

Hmm, simple bludgeoning damage or something? I think I like it.

 

[Piratecat]

I quite like broadblast; add a snazzy visual effect and you're all set, even if you change the type of energy (I prefer electricity). I'd keep it at 4d6 because 3d6 doesn't do enough damage to knock down the average 1st lvl fighter... if you're casting this at an army, you want them to tumble like bowling pins. Note, however, that for a spell of this type it's a pain in the butt to roll saving throws for everyone.

I just did the math. A 200' radius is over 5000 5'x5' squares; 5026, to be exact. Holy cow.

Personally, I'd raise the spell level by one and make the damage 4d6 bludgeoning, no save. I may just do this, then add the power to a sword in my game named Warwinner. . .

Tempus fugit doesn't work for me. It's great for fast buffing, but it suffers some of the same design flaws that the 1e spell did. I also agree that it shouldn't be an illusion.

I'm adding proleptic vision into my game immediately.