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<blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 2386054" data-attributes="member: 94">I wrote this earlier and then decided to send it to you privately, but since HH has already raised the issue, I'll repost:Neat, Sigil. Just bought it.At first glance, I think your sample Necromancy spell is seriously underpowered, though. It doesn't compare favorably to Vampiric Touch. At the very least, a 5th level, single target spell should be good for 15 dice of damage (even if the caster would have to be 30th level to do it...) The damage caps for spells are an important balance mechanic, rarely broken without good reason.I think spreading the damage out over multiple rounds (the &quot;jet&quot; effect) is a disadvantage, not an advantage, as opposed to a spell of lingering duration that is &quot;fire and forget,&quot; like Melf's Acid Arrow; or a spell whose total &quot;single target&quot; damage can be spread over multiple targets, but which still takes effect in a single round, like Scorching Ray.EDIT: Just a couple more thoughts on those damage caps. When a spell affects either a single target, or multiple targets of a specific number (for example, one target per caster level) you can use the larger cap. Scorching Ray breaks the cap a little bit, but basically adheres to the 10 dice maximum of a single target, 2nd level spell.When a spell gains an area of effect such that it can affect an unspecified number of multiple targets (ie, however many you may happen to catch in the area of effect), you should use the smaller cap-- if Scorching Ray were a cone effect, it would do 5 dice of damage.Wulf</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Wulf Ratbane, post: 2386054, member: 94"] I wrote this earlier and then decided to send it to you privately, but since HH has already raised the issue, I'll repost: Neat, Sigil. Just bought it. At first glance, I think your sample Necromancy spell is seriously underpowered, though. It doesn't compare favorably to Vampiric Touch. At the very least, a 5th level, single target spell should be good for 15 dice of damage (even if the caster would have to be 30th level to do it...) The damage caps for spells are an important balance mechanic, rarely broken without good reason. I think spreading the damage out over multiple rounds (the "jet" effect) is a disadvantage, not an advantage, as opposed to a spell of lingering duration that is "fire and forget," like Melf's Acid Arrow; or a spell whose total "single target" damage can be spread over multiple targets, but which still takes effect in a single round, like Scorching Ray. EDIT: Just a couple more thoughts on those damage caps. When a spell affects either a single target, or multiple targets of a specific number (for example, one target per caster level) you can use the larger cap. Scorching Ray breaks the cap a little bit, but basically adheres to the 10 dice maximum of a single target, 2nd level spell. When a spell gains an area of effect such that it can affect an [i]unspecified[/i] number of multiple targets (ie, however many you may happen to catch in the area of effect), you should use the smaller cap-- if Scorching Ray were a cone effect, it would do 5 dice of damage. Wulf [/QUOTE]

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