Shadow of Damocles, Basalt Pillars, & Hunger’s Deconstruction

[Beholder Bob]

Shadow of Damocles, Basalt Pillars, & Hunger’s Deconstruction

I'm working up a list of spells to flesh out my alternate spell school system and feedback as to the level of power would be great! In addition, areas needing better description, reduncency, suggestions and the like are also greatly appreciated

The 1st I posted was Gestating Putrescence, but it was on another thread, so I'll leave it there -

Shadow of Damocles
Wizard 4
Illusion (Shadow)
Components: V S
Casting Time: 1 Minute
Range: Touch
Effect: 1 creature
Duration: Permanent
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resist: Yes

This spell places a condition or goal, declared at the time of casting and is interpreted as per Geas/Quest spell. If a goal is declared, a deadline must be given, such ‘slay the patriarch by before the moon rises whole again’. A condition is generally not time based, usually in the form of ‘you must never look into a man’s eyes again’ or you may never speak ill of the prince’. Whatever the condition or goal, once determined, failure to achieve or stay true to it triggers the spells primary purpose, animated the targets shadow so that it may kill them. Treat the attacking shadow as the monster except advance its HD equal to the targets, increasing its base attack, saves, and such as normal.

Basalt Pillars
Wizard 6
Evocation
Components: V F
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: M (100’ + 10’/LV)
Effect: 1 Pillar/5 LV
Duration: 1 R/LV
Save: Special
Spell Resist: None

This spell raises one or more basalt pillar from the earth, pushing upward with tremendous force. These pillars have a 5’ radius, an 8 hardness, and 900 HP per 5' sq. The caster controls the pillars independently from each other, rising or falling at 10' each round as a free action. The caster can speed up their rate by focusing on them on, increasing them by +10' or +20' for a round by using a move or full round action.
Creatures under a rising pillar are allowed a reflex save, if made the creature falls to the side before the pillar rose beneath them. Creatures caught between a pillar and a solid object take 6d6 damage and make reflex saves each round in order to squirm out between the pillar and the surface. Success is typically followed by falling damage.
These pillars push against solid surfaces with 1000 lb of force per level of the caster, moving lighter surfaces up higher. The pillars are permanent, though after the 1 R/LV their position is permanent. The pillars may not be lowered below ground level.
Material Focus: Basalt Rod.

Hunger’s Deconstruction
Wizard 3
Necromancy
Components: V S
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: C (25’+5’/ 2 LV)
Effect: One creature
Duration: 1 R/2 LV
Save: Fortitude negates
Spell Resist: Yes

The affected creature begins using up its body to fuel its actions, literally devouring themselves to fuel their actions. During the duration of the spell, actions or movement inflicts constitution damage to the target; 5’ move to normal move = 1 CON, moving faster inflicts CON=multiple applied to base move rate. Each attack made inflicts 1 CON and 1 STR, casting a spell inflicts 1 CON and 1 DEX per spell level, and any other standard action inflicts 1 CON.


Well, let me know what ya think!

BB

 

[nameless]

Cool spells! I really like Basalt Pillars. I might yoink it and see what my group thinks.

For the Shadow of Damocles, I'd do a couple of revisions. First, up the casting time to more than can be accomplished in combat. It's very strange to give a major, permanent compulsion like that in the middle of combat, and hard to adjudicate. Being able to do it in combat would bump the spell level up to 6 or so IMO. I think the spell's effects are balanced, it's just too much like Geas at a lower level.

Hunger's Deconstruction looks too powerful as it is. I think it would be perfect with a duration of 2 rounds. Still long enough to cause significant damage if the target wants to do anything, but probably not long enough to kill a target outright.

Basalt Pillars might need some more work. They should definitely move more than 5' per round. I'm thinking they should move any distance each round, but the maximum height should be around 5' tall per caster level. Just moving 5', I don't think they would ever squish somebody. And instead of 1000 lbs per caster level, give them an effective strength score, maybe they have a strength bonus equal to caster level, and if more than one pillar is pushing on the same surface, each adds +4 to the effective strength.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Hunger’s Deconstruction was made using hold person as a guide. Hold person leaves the target helpless and open to CDG, but a new save each round holds hope to escape. Hunger's Deconstruction doesn't make you helpless, but it has a high cost. You could opt not to take actions yet still keep your dex ac (& immune to CDG). The damage is terrible - but you have to choose to take it, heheheh Given this, does it still seem too powerful?

Basalt Pillars: pillarsmove at 5'/R as a free action, 10' as a move action, and 15' as a full round action. Having the ability to move it the full length instantly would allow it too much power (squash, your on the ceiling, fall, squash, fall...), and I liked the idea of the rumbling earth as a pillar rises. It is also a great defense - stand on the pillar as you raise it, you now have a platform to cast spells from, allies fight from higher ground. Why/what circumstance do you think it needs a STR mod? Objects too heavy for a PC to lift do not have DC's for the lifting assigned.

Shadow of Damocles: TTC - oops! Thank you for catching that - definatly not intended to be cast in combat. This does fit in rather closely with the lesser geas/quest... I was looking to make a necromancer version, the spell for evil fellows to use. The fate can be averted/defeated - but your own shadow is a constant reminder of that promise... I thought flavor-wise it was different enough, but maybe....

BB

 

[nameless]

re: Hunger's Deconstruction. Yeah, Hold Person is comparable, and I thought of that. But the save every round is a huge bonus, and mind affecting, enchantments that are compulsions have tons of extra resistances. Plus, if you don't get killed while you're held, then there is no lasting penalty.

I did misread the spell, though. I thought it said that each 5' of movement is 1 CON damage, which would quickly get excessive. Dropping the duration down to a round per two levels is probably better than a flat two rounds. And to make it fair to lower level characters, I'd try to add in a special way to heal the ability damage - a day's worth of meals in one sitting.

re: Basalt Pillars. I guess I expect a lot from my level 6 spells. In my mind's eye, I'm imagining a wizard tearing impossibly huge pillars of stone from the earth and slamming hard into the ceiling, with quick heroes just rolling off the pillars in time to avoid being splatterpaint. The 5' to 15' creep is ominous, I'm just not sure it's enough to make anyone panic... even if you get on top of a pillar, you just hop off easily and avoid getting on top of any more. The spell you quoted would have a tough time dealing damage, so I might lower it to spell level 4 or so. At 5-15 feet per round, it's not going to surprise anybody. Smashing like pistons as a free action might be excessive, but it should definitely be able to crush somebody with a dedicated action. Maybe keep the 5' as a free action, but upgrade the move action to 30' and the full-round to any height within range?

I'd give it an effective strength for times that strength checks might be in order to burst something. Effective strength scores still have lifting capacities listed, but also have the possibility of bursts of strength.

re: Shadow of Damocles. Even if the spell instantly made the person fight his shadow, it wouldn't be insanely powerful (assuming defeating his shadow ended the spell). It's just a bit out of character with the stated purpose.

 

[Hawken]

About the Shadow of Damocles spell, it seems far too weak. Is it supposed to be superior to Geas, or lesser? Having the target's shadow animate and attack as a 1/2 (target's) HD creature is weak. Any target just about would be able to overcome such a Shadow--nevermind if they had any companions or allies nearby to help out! If you are going to make a Shadow attack the subject, make it one of equal HD. And, even better, have the spell animate a similar shadow to attack anyone that assists the target. Maybe have the spell provide some kind of visible mark on the target that would warn others of what the target has done to earn the spell as well as what could befall them for aiding the target.

The school of the spell should be the same as Geas (Enchantment compulsion) and either Summoning or Transmutation (for the Shadow). Also, what consequences/effects would there be for the target slaying his own shadow? Would he never have a shadow again? This could create a new set of problems for superstitious NPCs afraid of vampires.

I'd say make the spell level 6 or higher and change the casting time to 1 minute or longer. Would also make a good clerical spell too.

For the Basalt Pillars:
Make it a full round casting time, add somatic into the components and give the caster 1 pillar/3 levels. That way a 12th caster (min. for 6th level spells) gets three of them.

Make the pillars rise 30' per round, so that a successful Reflex save (allowing them to jump before getting squished) causes them to take 1D6/10' falling damage. Caster can raise/lower them 30' per round. Failed Reflex save means they stay on the pillar until they hit the roof. If the target is not squished in the first round, they can jump off the pillar on their next action.

If the target gets squished, I would up the damage to 1D6/level, as this would be kind of a one-shot thing. Someone lucky enough to escape the pillar would not be getting into a position to get slammed by a pillar again.

Hunger's Deconstruction:
I agree with Nameless on this: It's too powerful for a 3rd level spell. Either up the level (5th or 6th) or reduce the duration (5th caster=1 round, 6-10=2 rounds, 11-15=3 rounds, etc.).

Also, change the school. It would be Transmutation not Necromancy. By the spell's description, you are altering the subject's body, not adding or taking away energy from it. The Con loss is from the body consuming itself, not from an energy drain.

I would lay off the Strength and Dexterity drain as well. There's no reason for them. Also, you could simplify the spell: Free/No action=1 Con drain, Standard action=2 Con drain, Move action=3 Con drain, Full round action=4 Con drain. This has a perk of negating the usefulness of Hasted creatures--they would either cripple themselves in one or two rounds or be forced to do nothing for the duration of the spell.

I would also suggest, make the save Reflex based by having to hit the target with a ranged touch attack. The spell is designed to cause the target's body to cannabalize itself with hyperintense hunger. It should work on the healthy and the sick equally (though with far more dangerous results if the target is not of above average health) and a person with a higher Con should be affected by it as much as someone who has an average or low Con. Providing an attack roll, means the caster could crit the target thereby doubling the Con loss.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Well, I've halved the duration of the hunger spell, doubled the speed of the pillars, and the shadow has HD equal to the target.

I'm considering making a creature whose shadow attacks it permanently lose their shadow (or until a restoration spell is cast on it).

I made the hunger spell necro since I figured it interrupted the normal flow of life energy and turned the body into a cannibalistic beast to feed its need. Given that, I can see the argument for it being a transmutation. Hmm. Now I'm not sure.

I think moving the pillars at 30' as a full round action is decent, though I could make it 10' free action, 30' move action, X' full action....

BB