Spell idea: Arthritis

[Xarlen]

So, I had a dream about this.

Fort save negates. Spell that can be targetted at the arms, or legs.

Arms: For every level of the caster, this causes a -1 to skills with the arms and hands: Swimming, Handle Animal, Profession or Craft (DM descretion), Pick Pockets, Open Locks, Disarm Device, Tumble, Use rope and Climb. For every 3 levels, instead of a -1 to skills, it causes a -1 to Attack and Damage. For instance, a 7th level mage casting the spell will cause -2 to Attack and Damage, and -1 to these skills.

Legs: For every caster level, causes a -1 to the following skills: Jump, Swim, Tumble, Balance. For every 3 levels, it causes a -1 to the recipient's Ref save.

Or, for the legs, maybe negatives towards a creature's movement speed.

What level does this sound like?

Does it sound balanced?

 

[Xarlen]

Anybody?

 

[Crothian]

Legs, I'd hinder movement and maybe even Dexterity. You might also want to add in some pain penalities.

 

[Xarlen]

Pain penalties? Please, describe.

 

[Sixchan]

What about effects on target mages casting spells with somantic components?

 

[MarauderX]

I would think wizards would have chance of failure if there are somantic components, such as -10% per -1 of attack and damage.

Any level on this torturous spell? How about duration or duration? Definitely necromantic.

 

[Crothian]

Pain penalties? Please, describe.

Arthritis is very painful. I'm not sure how one would incorperate it but it might be some sort of safe to try to do something straining, and then even if the save is made the activity is penalized.

 

[MarauderX]

IMO, it would be the pain from trying to cast that would cause a mage to lose concentration during a spell. Arthitis is very painful, yes, as is getting pierced with an arrow, club to the head, whatever, but a mage still shakes it off and casts another spell the next round.

 

[Khorod]

Instead of dividing up skills like that, why not just speak of Str & Dex skills? Jump, Escape Bonds, Swim, ... they're all still there, and it simplifies things a bit.

Craft skills probably wouldn't be a problem. With D&D abstraction, either an arthiritic jewelery grits and goes on, or his hands are simply too messed up without painkillers.

Also, why should arthiritic intensity be linked to level? This is condition doesn't take more power to make it worse. Rather, I would expect a low level mage to have to do a severe form, and only with more skill could he make it a mild case.

Make it a flat penalty: -4 to skill checks of Str or Dex, -2 to AC & Reflex saves, same %failure chance as deafness.

It is then a 3rd or 4th level spell good for use against anyone.