Reflect Attack

[Cheiromancer]

Based on Seed: Reflect and Spell Turning. Is it balanced? Any suggestions/improvements?

[sblock=Original Spell, before revisions suggested by Ltheb Silverfrond]
Reflect Attack

Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until expended or 10 min./level

Melee attacks targeted against the caster rebound on the original attacker. One attack per four caster levels (maximum 5) are automatically reflected back. The reflected attack rebounds on the attacker using the same attack roll. Once the allotted attacks are reflected, the spell is expended.

Arcane Material Component
A small silver mirror.[/sblock]

[sblock=First revision, before Sepulchrave II's comments]

Reflect Attack

Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until expended or 1 round/level

Melee attacks which strike the caster have the potential to harm the attacker instead. After a melee attack roll has been made, but before damage has been assigned, resolve the attack against the attacker using the same attack roll. Treat the attacker as if he were in the caster's actual position, being attacked by an exact duplicate of himself. The reflected attack rebounds on the attacker using the same attack roll, and special effects such as poison apply if the attacker is vulnerable.

One attack per five caster levels (maximum 4) are automatically reflected. Once the allotted attacks are reflected, the spell is expended.

Note: Some sources of bonus damage will not apply when an attack is reflected; for example, a paladin's smite evil ability won't affect him (but will still count as used) since a paladin is not evil, a high level rogue will not receive sneak attack damage when flanked (because of uncanny dodge) and so on.

Arcane Focus
A small platinum mirror worth at least 200 gp.[/sblock]

Second revision:

Reflect Attack

Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until expended or 1 round/level

Melee or ranged attacks with weapons (but not effects or spells which otherwise require an attack roll) which strike the caster have the potential to harm the attacker instead. After a successful attack roll has been made, but before damage has been assigned, resolve the attack against the attacker using the same attack roll. If the attacker is struck by the reflected attack, special effects such as poison will apply if the attacker is vulnerable. Treat the attacker as if he were in the caster's actual position, being attacked by an exact duplicate of himself.

One attack per five caster levels (maximum 4) are automatically reflected. Once the allotted attacks are reflected, the spell is expended.

Note: Some sources of bonus damage will not apply when an attack is reflected; for example, a paladin's smite evil ability won't affect him (but will still count as used) since a paladin is not evil, a high level rogue will not receive sneak attack damage when flanked (because of uncanny dodge) and so on.

Arcane Focus
A small platinum mirror worth at least 200 gp.

 

[jaker2003]

I don't know anything about balancing spells, but i'd suggest changing the mirror to a focus rather than a component and dropping the spell level by one or two.

It might help to mention a saving throw or Spell Resistance.

 

[Sound of Azure]

I don't know anything about balancing spells, but i'd suggest changing the mirror to a focus rather than a component and dropping the spell level by one or two.

It might help to mention a saving throw or Spell Resistance.

I agree on the focus part.

As for saving throw or Spell Resistance, the target is "You", so both would be No/ne (Harmless).

As for the spell, it seems strong. It's better than Iron Body (A level up from it). Perhaps you could make it retributive damage reduction or something. Like stoneskin, but any damage it prevents is reflected back on a melee target (but not with a reach weapon), or something.

"Melee Attacks". Does this include melee touch attack spells?

 

[Cheiromancer]

I used the stat-block for spell turning, as it seems to be the closest thing to "reflect spell". It didn't have an entry for saving throws or spell resistance, so I left it out. Spell turning has a mirror as a material component, but I agree that it would also make sense as a focus.

The wording is adapted from the Reflect seed in the ELH. There are three possible applications for the seed; you can either reflect spells, melee attacks or ranged attacks. Because of the sharp distinction I think that reflect attack wouldn't do anything to spell damage; just the kind of attacks that DR would affect.

My gut feeling is that it is awfully strong; but I'm writing it up to see if people agree. It's especially strong if you are considering epic games where a 7th level slot is a fairly small cost, and an attack can do a heck of a lot of damage. If nothing else, this is a great anti-assassin spell. Although the seed doesn't define exactly what "reflect" entails, I'm pretty sure that a literal meaning of "reflect" would mean that the special qualities of the attack should be reflected as well; an assassin could very well end up killing himself. That should probably either be confirmed, or it should be stated that special effects (poison, energy drain, etc.) aren't reflected; only hit point damage.

I was kinda hoping that more folks would weigh in on this mechanic. Anyone else have an opinion?

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

...
I was kinda hoping that more folks would weigh in on this mechanic. Anyone else have an opinion?

I like.
I think its a little strong for a 7th level spell.
- It reflects up to 5 attacks of ANY strength.
- It lasts a decent ammount of time, so a mage, knowing a fight was near, could cast this.

My suggestions:
- Reduce the number of attacks it could reflect. Like limit it to 4 attacks. That way it can still negate one fighter's worth of attacks, *but* things like Haste can sneak an attack by.
- Specify *when* attacks are reflected. If its before the attack roll is made, then any attack, like punching the caster will be reflected no matter how pointless. If it is after the roll is made, then only the attacks that can hit are reflected.
- Reduce the duration to 1 round / level. -> Then casters have to cast it during combat; meaning there is a chance to stop it. (Dispel, counter, disrupt, etc) Other wise theres no way this potentially deadly spell can be detected and stopped before it cripples the fighter with his vorpal weapon.
EDIT: - Also, as you said, it should be noted in the spell what this reflects; I don't think an assassin's death attack could be reflected. (He didn't study himself) I think it depends on "How" the attack is reflected; Is it just damage? Is it that the melee attack litterally bounces back and hits them?


It looks solid otherwise. Reminds me of Old school stoneskin.

 

[Cheiromancer]

@Ltheb Silverfrond: Thanks for the comments!

Deciding what exactly gets reflected is tricky. If it's a vorpal strike, does the attacker get his head cut off? If the caster is being flanked and so takes sneak attack damage, does this damage reflect to the rogue who is attacking him? If a paladin is using smite evil, does the extra damage reflect too? What if it is a bane weapon that applies to the caster but not the attacker? Does the fire damage from a flaming sword get reflected? What happens if the caster has DR- is damage reflected before or after DR applies?

The statement in the Reflect seed that you use the original attack roll doesn't provide much guidance.

I remember reading a teleportation spell that exchanged the caster and the target, but also put a disguise on them so that each resembled the other. I wonder if something like that would work here- adjudicate the attack as if the attacker were where the caster is, and with the caster's shape, and were being attacked by the attacker's exact duplicate. This is a momentary effect that happens after the attack roll succeeds, but before damage is rolled.

Let's see how that answers the questions above: The vorpal effect would work, flanking bonuses probably wouldn't apply (because a rogue attacker would likely have improved uncanny dodge- easily checked), smite evil wouldn't work, the bane effect wouldn't work, fire damage would apply, the caster's DR wouldn't apply.

That seems clear enough. I think it would work for assassination attempts too. Although the success of the attack depends on the ignorance of the target, it is likely that the assassin would be unaware that his attack will be reflected, and so would be unable to guard against it.

4 attacks would be OK- 1 attack per 5 levels is almost as good. So is 1 round/level.

Sounds good.

[edit] Revisions have been incorporated into the original post.