Spell Idea-Blasting many undead (1 more Judge Vote needed!)

[Bront]

Ahh, didn't notice the swift action part.

Yeah, I like it like that.

 

[Creamsteak]

Here's a pass. Name comes from the 6 towers. I'm not positive if it should be Necromancy, or an evocation (it's somewhat like a light evocation). By making it a light evocation rather than a Necromancy spell, it can be used to counter a darkness spell of an equal or lower level. I would consider that an interesting potential use.

Light of the North Tower
Evocation [Light]
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: Light in your palm
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A soft glow appears in your open hand shedding bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet.

In addition to providing illumination, you can direct rays of light against undead. You can project these rays up to 120 feet by making a ranged touch attack. If the ray hits an undead creature, it deals damage equal to 1d6 +1 point per caster level (maximum +5). Each attack you make reduces the remaining duration by 1 minute. If an attack reduces the remaining duration to 0 minutes or less, the spell ends after the attack resolves.

A light spell (one with the light descriptor) counters and dispels a darkness spell (one with the darkness descriptor) of an equal or lower level.

 

[Wik]

Give it a swift casting time (so you can attack the same round you cast the spell!) and I think it'll be fine. Still not a huge fan of it, for the reasons I mentioned, but still. It could work.

 

[Creamsteak]

I'm not a fan of introducing the swift action casting time to it. If it needs to be a little stronger you could try:

Buffing up the duration to 10 min/level and of course increasing the cost to 10 min/shot. This increases its utility as a "light" primarily. Also note that increasing the duration is probably even better than the swift action casting time because it accentuates the spell as a preparedness buff, not a combat manuever.

Increasing the max bonus damage to 10 or changing the base damage to 2d6 (or both).

Or, of course, reducing the spell level.

As of right now I would still say it's fine for a 2nd level spell, even if a little weak.

 

[Dalamar]

Not sure about the power of the spell, but shouldn't there be some note about the spell healing or not living creatures as it is dealing with positive energy?

 

[Creamsteak]

Just a stray thought here.

Hasted, rapid shot, divine power, 7th level cleric... 14 dex... does all of that stack? I'm not positive, but I guess so. Assumed undead target with a touch AC of 11 for now.



+6/+6/+6/+1 ranged touch, 1d6+5 each. Assuming 75% hit on +6, 50% hit on +1, Average damage 38.25 damage on a round.

Searing light +8 (85%) for 7d6 against undead. Average damage 20.825 per round.



If the spell is also a swift action, the first bit can be repeated. The cleric fires his volley this round, keeps 3 charges for next round. Next round, he fires 3, then as a swift action casts again, and fires 1 more (since you can use a swift action in between attacks). Then the next round he does 4. etc. Also, against a slightly higher AC the mutliple attacks lose slightly more damage I believe. Oh, and of course point blank shot could increase the damage in some random cases.

It's not anything too rediculous (since you are throwing a 4th level spell, a feat, and a buff coming from a wizard, bard, or potion), but I'm just stressing one of my concerns if you want it to be a 2nd level cleric swift action spell.

 

[Creamsteak]

Not sure about the power of the spell, but shouldn't there be some note about the spell healing or not living creatures as it is dealing with positive energy?

The text on disrupt undead doesn't have such a line, though I do believe it may be worth pointing out. I'll change my own version to say rays of light instead of "rays of positive energy."

 

[jaker2003]

Light of the North Tower
Evocation [Light]
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: Light in your palm
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A soft glow appears in your open hand shedding bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet.
In addition to providing illumination, you can direct rays of light against undead. You can project these rays up to 120 feet by making a ranged touch attack. If the ray hits an undead creature, it deals damage equal to 1d6 +1 point per caster level (maximum +5). Each attack you make reduces the remaining duration by 1 minute. If an attack reduces the remaining duration to 0 minutes or less, the spell ends after the attack resolves.
A light spell (one with the light descriptor) counters and dispels a darkness spell (one with the darkness descriptor) of an equal or lower level.

This looks real nice, and I was thinking about the [light] idea before going to sleep last night.
This may still be weak, it's a Clr2 spell, and the produce flame precedent is a Drd1; How about expanding its utiliity with limited healing? Something like, cure damage with a touch, expending 1 minute of the duration. The damage healed could be 1 +1 point per 2 Caster Levels (maximum +5 @ CL10) This might boost it up to lvl2 without overshadowing the cure spells. That's basically doing to the cure minor wounds spell what we did to the disrupt undead spell.

Thoughts?

 

[Creamsteak]

Allowing it as a heal has the concerns that it should be conjuration [healing], and brings in an extra layer of complexity to evaluating circumstances. Also, consider that healing on an attack roll mechanic is somewhat odd. It creates a strange case where a cleric with more attacks heals more. Further, the current version is on the Sor/Wiz spell list (because it originally was taken from disrupt undead) and would give them access to healing (which they don't normally have).

Produce flame is a 2nd level Cleric spell already, if you have the fire domain. This spell should probably be pretty comparable to that. If we had a light domain, I would say this is a 2nd level light domain spell, mirroring produce flame in fire. I also have some concerns now with this spell being on the Sor/Wiz list. If anything the next class to get it (after cleric) would be a paladin.

 

[Rystil Arden]

If it's staying on the Wiz list, it definitely should not be healing. Also, even 1 point +1 per two caster levels (maximum +5) is massively massively better than Cure Moderate Wounds if you have time and morbidly overpowered (This heals up to 120 HP at high level! Cripes, it's almost as good as Heal).