Shrieking Eruption (PEACH)

[Rechan]

After not finding anything thta really satisfied me, I thought of this particular spell:

Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Wiz/Sor 1
Component: S, V, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard
Range: Close (25+5/level)
Effect: 10' Radius Burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex (half)
SR: Yes

An explosion of sound fills a 10' radius spread. It does +1d4 Sonic Damage/2 levels (Max 5d4 at 9th Level).

Balancing: Compare this spell to Burning Hands. A 15' cone versus a 10' burst. BH does 5d4/level, while the damage for this scales twice as slow. It was said in another thread that sonic spells should always be d4s due to nothing being resistant to them.

 

[Ilium]

The fact that nobody has responded yet should give you some satisfaction. No calls of "So borken, dude!"

I think it looks great. You might consider adding it to the bard list as well (maybe at 2nd level?) since they seem to get just about all the good sonic stuff.

 

[Rechan]

Thanks for responding. I was thinking that it was so boring that I should just convert "Burning Hands" to "Screaming Cone" or something and call it a day.

 

[Meeki]

I like the spell flavor. If you want to know how I would tweak it I posted below.

You have a 10' raidus burst so its going to be a 20' diameter, which will hit a considerable amount of people. It does scale slower so maybe you could even make it no save, 5' radius burst (or just say 10' burst), and (to go along with a sonic theme) fort save vs deafen for 1 rd. I think that would even further differentiate it from burning hands and add that sonic flavor.

 

[Nifft]

It's balanced up to 5th level (when it deals 3d4 vs. burning hands 5d4). I'd stop the progression there. It's only a 1st level spell after all, and the damage type & targeting are superior to burning hands and shocking grasp; the area is superior to magic missile.

(IMC magic missile caps at 5th level rather than 5 dice of damage.)

Cheers, -- N

PS: Don't use PEACH here. It doesn't help, but it does irrationally annoy certain people.

 

[Rechan]

I forgot Radius = 1/2 Diameter. I meant a 10' burst period (four collective squares).

As for scaling: While Burning Hands stops scaling at 5th level, Magic Missile stops scaling at 9th - you get your 5th missile at 9th level.

 

[Nifft]

I forgot Radius = 1/2 Diameter. I meant a 10' burst period (four collective squares).

As for scaling: While Burning Hands stops scaling at 5th level, Magic Missile stops scaling at 9th - you get your 5th missile at 9th level.

Yes. This is why IMHO magic missile is too strong (at 9th level) but also balanced (from levels 1-6).

Basically, at 9th level, there's very little reason to prepare shocking grasp when you could instead prepare magic missile. That's bad design IMHO.

Your spell is similar: it's balanced against burning hands until 7th level, and flat out better at 9th level.

So I'd suggest capping it before that.

Cheers, -- N

 

[freyar]

This is off-topic, but can someone tell me what the "PEACH" thing is all about? I keep seeing that in house rules here and the couple times I've browsed the WotC forums...

The spell looks fun, BTW!

 

[Rechan]

PEACH stands for Please Evaluate and Critique Helpfully/Honestly.

 

[freyar]

PEACH stands for Please Evaluate and Critique Helpfully/Honestly.

Wow, ok, I never would have figured that one out. Thanks!