ZSutherland
First Post
I'm working on writing a PDF book of 100 new, low level spells, but this is a new sort of project for me, so I would love to get feed back on a few to see if others feel they are balanced and/or worded correctly. I have included eight, one for each school here. While I do plan to publish these when I'm finished with all of them, if you like these consider them a gift in exchange for commentary. If you don't like them, please please please dissect my hours of hard work and tell me where I screwed up. I'm most concerned with what level I assigned them, and the duration on a few, but I'll take any sort of commentary, including what you think you or your nasty players might do to break them. Forgive my lack of bold, italics, and various font sizes. They're rough drafts.
Thanks,
Z
Sabrella's Siren Song
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft + 5/2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
By means of singing audibly at the target, this spell compels the target creature to forsake all other actions and move towards you, taking two move actions each round. The target travels in its most typical manner (e.g. birds fly, fish swim, goblins walk) though it will use other means at its disposal for expedience. For example, a human affected by this spell will climb a wall to get to you, but if he is affected by a fly spell, he will fly. The target is aware enough of his surroundings to avoid terrain hazards, such as a pool of lava, but is not aware of actions surrounding him, so it may provoke attacks of opportunity by passing through threatened squares. The target will approach you via the most direct route afforded it by the above conditions. If it reaches you before the spells duration expires, it will stand in front of and facing you for the remainder of the duration. You may move freely during the casting of the spell, and the target will continue to try to reach you as long as neither you nor the target is farther from the other than the spells range. If you or the target leave the range of the spell, the spell ends. If at any time the target is attacked by anyone, the spell is negated, though the target is considered flat-footed until his next action.
Evenwood's Endless Effluence
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 2/Clr 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour/2 levels
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
By means of this spell, a single container, no larger than one gallon per caster level, containing non-magical wine or another non-magical alcoholic beverage remains as full as it was at the time of casting. As much may be poured or consumed during the duration as possible without exhausting or lessening the contents, and the beverage remains as potent as it was at the time of casting. When the duration expires, all unconsumed liquid which came from the container disappears, including the original amount that existed prior to casting. If the container is broken before the duration expires, the spell ends and all unconsumed liquid dissapears.
Material Component: A pinch of wheat sprinkled in the container.
Fiery Hands
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels)
Effect: One hand of fire
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
A hand shaped flame springs into existence and attacks opponents at a distance as a melee touch attack , as you direct it, dealing 1d4 fire damage, plus 1 point of fire damage per level (maximum +20 at 20th level). It strikes the opponent you designate starting with one attack in the round the spell is cast and continuing each round thereafter on your turn. It uses your base attack bonus (possibly allowing multiple attacks in subsequent rounds) plus your Intelligence modifier as its attack bonus. The hand cannot ignite flamable materials and it illuminates the same area as a torch. It strikes as a spell, not a weapon, so for example, it can damage creatures that have damage reduction. The weapon always strikes from your direction. It does not get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one. Neither your feats (such as Weapon Focus) nor your combat actions affect the hand. If the weapon goes beyond the range, or if it goes out of your sight, the spell ends.
Each round after the first you can use a move action to redirect the hand to a new target. If you do not, the hand continues to attack the previous round's target. On any round that the hand switches targets, it gets one attack.
The spell is incorporeal and thus cannot be harmed by normal weapons. It has improved evasion (half damage on a failed Reflex save and no damage on a successful save), your base save bonuses, and an AC equal to 10 + 4 (size Diminutive) + 1/2 your caster level as a deflection bonus. Your Intelligence modifier applies to the hand's AC as if it were the hand's Dexterity modifier. The hand is immune to fire damage. The hand has 1 hit point per caster level, and is vulnerable to cold attacks (taking 50% more damage from such effects, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or a failure). If its hit points are reduced to 0, the spell ends.
Material Components: A dash of magnesium.
Reflective Sphere
Abjuration
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 free action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: None
Upon casting this spell, you are surrounded by a reflective sphere of protective energy. While the sphere does not impede your own vision, all others see only the reflection cast by the sphere, as though it were an orb shaped mirror. While the spell is in effect, any gaze attack that would normally require a saving throw from you is, instead, redirected towards the attacker. If the attacking creature fails the saving throw, it is affected by its own gaze as normal. While creatures with gaze attacks have immunity to gaze attacks from their own kind, this spell deprives them of that immunity. All other aspects of the attack, including its save DC are unchanged. This spell function versus both supernatural gaze attacks and gaze attacks gained via spells.
This spell does not impede your ability to communicate or cast spells. You can cast this spell with an instant utterance, quickly enough to save yourself if you encounter a creature with a gaze attack. Casting the spell is a free action, like casting a quickened spell, and it counts towards you normal limit of one quickened spell per round. You may even cast this spell when it isn't your turn.
Insight
Divination
Level: Bard 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
By means of this spell, you gain insight into the past, by exploring the knowledge of others. The spell confers an insight bonus equal to the your caster level (maximum +10) to a single use of any Knowledge skill, or the Bardic Knowledge ability or similar ability. Upon completion of the spell, you voice your query aloud as a verbal component and make the check as normal adding the spell's bonus. If your check fails to produce the knowledge you sought, you may attempt the spell again, but all subsequent uses of the spell involving the same question allow only the roll of a d20 plus the modifier conveyed by the spell, ignoring your Intelligence modifier and any ranks or other bonuses (including levels in the case of Bardic Knowledge). You may attempt the spell again, as normal, once you have gained a level, provided that your normal modifier to the skill or ability in question has improved.
The spell does not allow you to gain information which cannot normally be gleaned by means of the relevant skill or ability (such as the current location of a specific creature, or who killed the duke), but only expands your knowledge of the subject at hand. Thus, asking about a specific magic item, the spell might allow you to learn its history and the abilities it is perceived to possess, but any hidden abilities, number of charges, or specific bonuses granted by the item.
Material Component: Incense, which must be burned during the casting, costing no less than 50 gold pieces.
Phantasmal Foes
Illusion (Phantasm) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Bard 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: Yes
You create in the target's mind, a phantasmal image of whatever foes would be necessary to constitute a fight for the creature's life. The target will stand in his current location battling the phantasms. While the target remains aware of his surroundings, and is not helpless, it will not engage anyone else in combat for the duration of the spell. Furthermore, it is distracted by the phantasms suffering a -4 penalty to all Listen, Spot, Search, and Sense Motive checks.
The spell deals no damage to the target and cannot harm it in any way, but if the target fails its initial saving throw by rolling a natural 1, it believes it has died as a result of the attack, falling to the ground, prone and helpless for the remaining duration of the spell. Any actual attack aimed at the target during this time allows it a Will saving throw to disbelieve in its own death, even if another saving throw has already failed. If it succeeds, it is no longer helpless and the spell ends, but it is still prone.
Touch of Pain
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Imbuing you with negative energy, this spell allows you to inflict terrible pain on a single living creature for the duration of the spell with a successful melee touch attack. The affected creature suffers a penalty of -4 to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks.
Additionally, having failed the saving throw, the target is considered flat-footed until his next action. Any attempt by the target to cast spells or use supernatural or spell-like abilities requires a Concentration check by the target with a DC equal to the saving throw for this spell +2.
Spike Skin
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless), no
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless), no
When cast this spell causes sharp spikes of bone, steel, stone, or whatever similar, common material you desire to grow out of the targets skin. The spikes pass through any clothes or armor the target is wearing without damaging them. For the duration of the spell, any unarmed melee attack or melee attack made by natural weapons that hits the target automatically deals 1d6 points of damage + 1 per 3 levels (to a maximum of +5 at 15th level) to the attacker. Furthermore, any successful grapple check made by or against the target also automatically deals this damage against the target's opponent in the grapple. The spikes are too unwieldy for the subject of the spell to use them as a weapon in attacks.
This spell deals damage as a weapon and is therefore subject to damage reduction. However, only the target of the spell receives a saving throw and only the targets spell resistance (if any) opposes the spell. Anyone damaged by the spikes receives neither a saving throw nor benefit of spell resistance to avoid the damage.
Thanks,
Z
Sabrella's Siren Song
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft + 5/2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
By means of singing audibly at the target, this spell compels the target creature to forsake all other actions and move towards you, taking two move actions each round. The target travels in its most typical manner (e.g. birds fly, fish swim, goblins walk) though it will use other means at its disposal for expedience. For example, a human affected by this spell will climb a wall to get to you, but if he is affected by a fly spell, he will fly. The target is aware enough of his surroundings to avoid terrain hazards, such as a pool of lava, but is not aware of actions surrounding him, so it may provoke attacks of opportunity by passing through threatened squares. The target will approach you via the most direct route afforded it by the above conditions. If it reaches you before the spells duration expires, it will stand in front of and facing you for the remainder of the duration. You may move freely during the casting of the spell, and the target will continue to try to reach you as long as neither you nor the target is farther from the other than the spells range. If you or the target leave the range of the spell, the spell ends. If at any time the target is attacked by anyone, the spell is negated, though the target is considered flat-footed until his next action.
Evenwood's Endless Effluence
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 2/Clr 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour/2 levels
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
By means of this spell, a single container, no larger than one gallon per caster level, containing non-magical wine or another non-magical alcoholic beverage remains as full as it was at the time of casting. As much may be poured or consumed during the duration as possible without exhausting or lessening the contents, and the beverage remains as potent as it was at the time of casting. When the duration expires, all unconsumed liquid which came from the container disappears, including the original amount that existed prior to casting. If the container is broken before the duration expires, the spell ends and all unconsumed liquid dissapears.
Material Component: A pinch of wheat sprinkled in the container.
Fiery Hands
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels)
Effect: One hand of fire
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
A hand shaped flame springs into existence and attacks opponents at a distance as a melee touch attack , as you direct it, dealing 1d4 fire damage, plus 1 point of fire damage per level (maximum +20 at 20th level). It strikes the opponent you designate starting with one attack in the round the spell is cast and continuing each round thereafter on your turn. It uses your base attack bonus (possibly allowing multiple attacks in subsequent rounds) plus your Intelligence modifier as its attack bonus. The hand cannot ignite flamable materials and it illuminates the same area as a torch. It strikes as a spell, not a weapon, so for example, it can damage creatures that have damage reduction. The weapon always strikes from your direction. It does not get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one. Neither your feats (such as Weapon Focus) nor your combat actions affect the hand. If the weapon goes beyond the range, or if it goes out of your sight, the spell ends.
Each round after the first you can use a move action to redirect the hand to a new target. If you do not, the hand continues to attack the previous round's target. On any round that the hand switches targets, it gets one attack.
The spell is incorporeal and thus cannot be harmed by normal weapons. It has improved evasion (half damage on a failed Reflex save and no damage on a successful save), your base save bonuses, and an AC equal to 10 + 4 (size Diminutive) + 1/2 your caster level as a deflection bonus. Your Intelligence modifier applies to the hand's AC as if it were the hand's Dexterity modifier. The hand is immune to fire damage. The hand has 1 hit point per caster level, and is vulnerable to cold attacks (taking 50% more damage from such effects, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or a failure). If its hit points are reduced to 0, the spell ends.
Material Components: A dash of magnesium.
Reflective Sphere
Abjuration
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 free action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: None
Upon casting this spell, you are surrounded by a reflective sphere of protective energy. While the sphere does not impede your own vision, all others see only the reflection cast by the sphere, as though it were an orb shaped mirror. While the spell is in effect, any gaze attack that would normally require a saving throw from you is, instead, redirected towards the attacker. If the attacking creature fails the saving throw, it is affected by its own gaze as normal. While creatures with gaze attacks have immunity to gaze attacks from their own kind, this spell deprives them of that immunity. All other aspects of the attack, including its save DC are unchanged. This spell function versus both supernatural gaze attacks and gaze attacks gained via spells.
This spell does not impede your ability to communicate or cast spells. You can cast this spell with an instant utterance, quickly enough to save yourself if you encounter a creature with a gaze attack. Casting the spell is a free action, like casting a quickened spell, and it counts towards you normal limit of one quickened spell per round. You may even cast this spell when it isn't your turn.
Insight
Divination
Level: Bard 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
By means of this spell, you gain insight into the past, by exploring the knowledge of others. The spell confers an insight bonus equal to the your caster level (maximum +10) to a single use of any Knowledge skill, or the Bardic Knowledge ability or similar ability. Upon completion of the spell, you voice your query aloud as a verbal component and make the check as normal adding the spell's bonus. If your check fails to produce the knowledge you sought, you may attempt the spell again, but all subsequent uses of the spell involving the same question allow only the roll of a d20 plus the modifier conveyed by the spell, ignoring your Intelligence modifier and any ranks or other bonuses (including levels in the case of Bardic Knowledge). You may attempt the spell again, as normal, once you have gained a level, provided that your normal modifier to the skill or ability in question has improved.
The spell does not allow you to gain information which cannot normally be gleaned by means of the relevant skill or ability (such as the current location of a specific creature, or who killed the duke), but only expands your knowledge of the subject at hand. Thus, asking about a specific magic item, the spell might allow you to learn its history and the abilities it is perceived to possess, but any hidden abilities, number of charges, or specific bonuses granted by the item.
Material Component: Incense, which must be burned during the casting, costing no less than 50 gold pieces.
Phantasmal Foes
Illusion (Phantasm) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Bard 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: Yes
You create in the target's mind, a phantasmal image of whatever foes would be necessary to constitute a fight for the creature's life. The target will stand in his current location battling the phantasms. While the target remains aware of his surroundings, and is not helpless, it will not engage anyone else in combat for the duration of the spell. Furthermore, it is distracted by the phantasms suffering a -4 penalty to all Listen, Spot, Search, and Sense Motive checks.
The spell deals no damage to the target and cannot harm it in any way, but if the target fails its initial saving throw by rolling a natural 1, it believes it has died as a result of the attack, falling to the ground, prone and helpless for the remaining duration of the spell. Any actual attack aimed at the target during this time allows it a Will saving throw to disbelieve in its own death, even if another saving throw has already failed. If it succeeds, it is no longer helpless and the spell ends, but it is still prone.
Touch of Pain
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Imbuing you with negative energy, this spell allows you to inflict terrible pain on a single living creature for the duration of the spell with a successful melee touch attack. The affected creature suffers a penalty of -4 to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks.
Additionally, having failed the saving throw, the target is considered flat-footed until his next action. Any attempt by the target to cast spells or use supernatural or spell-like abilities requires a Concentration check by the target with a DC equal to the saving throw for this spell +2.
Spike Skin
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless), no
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless), no
When cast this spell causes sharp spikes of bone, steel, stone, or whatever similar, common material you desire to grow out of the targets skin. The spikes pass through any clothes or armor the target is wearing without damaging them. For the duration of the spell, any unarmed melee attack or melee attack made by natural weapons that hits the target automatically deals 1d6 points of damage + 1 per 3 levels (to a maximum of +5 at 15th level) to the attacker. Furthermore, any successful grapple check made by or against the target also automatically deals this damage against the target's opponent in the grapple. The spikes are too unwieldy for the subject of the spell to use them as a weapon in attacks.
This spell deals damage as a weapon and is therefore subject to damage reduction. However, only the target of the spell receives a saving throw and only the targets spell resistance (if any) opposes the spell. Anyone damaged by the spikes receives neither a saving throw nor benefit of spell resistance to avoid the damage.
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Thanks for the time, and let me know what you think of the corrections.
Also, make sure that the spell description specifies that it deals fire damage with each attack. Also, you should note if the fiery hand is capable of setting things on fire or detonating combustibles, and how; does a stricken character have to roll to avoid having their clothes set on fire, for instance, or does the fiery hand only set objects aflame if it strikes the flammable/combustible objects specifically? Is Fiery Hands going to worry folks who wear a Necklace of Fireballs? {:^D
