Spells for Sneaky Mages

[Patlin]

I'm not playing an arcane caster in LEW at the moment, but thought a little variety would be nice for such characters. I know I'd certainly miss complete arcane and complete adventurer if I were to port my Arcane Trickster into LEW. Keep in mind in balancing these spells the effectiveness they would have in the hands of a character with the sneak attack ability -- either a multiclass character or a rogue with use magic device.

Rays of Precise Force
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more rays
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell enshrouds the casters hand in a nimbus of force. As a standard action, the caster can cause the nimbus to shoot out a very weak but extremely accurate ray of force, which strikes as a ranged touch attack and deals one point of damge to any target it hits. Attack rolls made with rays of precise force recieve a bonus to of 2 points +1 per 2 caster levels, to a maximum of +10 at level 16 or higher. The nimbus dissipates once one ray per caster level has been used, or as soon as the caster stops concentrating on the spell.

Ball of Thunder and Lightning
Conjuration [Sonic][Electric]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Orb of Energy
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None

This spell conjures a burst of energy which flies at the caster's target, striking as a ranged touch attack. If it hits, it does d3 points of sonic damage and d3 points of electric damage, plus an additional d3 points per 2 levels after 1st, to a maximum of 5d3 electric and 5d3 sonic at 9th level.

Disturb Equilibrium
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One or more creatures, no two of which may be more than 30' apart
Duration: One round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject becomes dizzy, losing its dexterity bonus to AC and taking a -10 penalty on balance checks. Each round on its turn, as a move action, an effected creature may make a new saving throw to end the effect.

 

[El Jefe]

I'm wondering what end the first two spells serve that something like say, Magic Missile doesn't do.

On the other hand, Disturb Equilibrium has promise, since it doesn't do something that a dozen other spells already do. I might argue whether it is truly a first level spell, for the following reasons:

Only very high level targets are going to be able to take a -10 and still make their balance checks
The spell is likely only to be used when balance checks are of high importance
The spell affects targets of any level (unlike, say, Sleep)
The spell is AoE and affects any number of targets

If you disagree, consider the impact of the Redcap in The Faerie Woods being able to cast Disturb Equilibrium just once or twice during the rubble fight. I think Disturb Equilibrium could be very "swingy". And it almost guarantees a clean getaway when the sneaky mage who casts it is in a situation where they have to run across a narrow beam to escape a posse...all the pursuers are almost guaranteed to "fall into the crocodile-filled moat".

Just my 2 copper pieces. 2nd level sounds about right to me.

 

[Knight Otu]

Rays of Precise Force
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more rays
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell enshrouds the casters hand in a nimbus of force. As a standard action, the caster can cause the nimbus to shoot out a very weak but extremely accurate ray of force, which strikes as a ranged touch attack and deals one point of damge to any target it hits. Attack rolls made with rays of precise force recieve a bonus to of 2 points +1 per 2 caster levels, to a maximum of +10 at level 16 or higher. The nimbus dissipates once one ray per caster level has been used, or as soon as the caster stops concentrating on the spell.

I suppose the third sentence should read "The caster receives a +2 bonus on this attack roll. This bonus increases by +1 for every two caster levels, to a maximum of +10 at 16th level."
I think there should be another limit on the number of rays, possibly 15.
Concentration is already a standard action, so shooting the spell should be a move action at best.

Ball of Thunder and Lightning
Conjuration [Sonic][Electric]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Orb of Energy
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None

This spell conjures a burst of energy which flies at the caster's target, striking as a ranged touch attack. If it hits, it does d3 points of sonic damage and d3 points of electric damage, plus an additional d3 points per 2 levels after 1st, to a maximum of 5d3 electric and 5d3 sonic at 9th level.

This should honestly be evocation, and allow SR.

Disturb Equilibrium
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One or more creatures, no two of which may be more than 30' apart
Duration: One round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject becomes dizzy, losing its dexterity bonus to AC and taking a -10 penalty on balance checks. Each round on its turn, as a move action, an effected creature may make a new saving throw to end the effect.

Seems ok.

 

[Patlin]

I'm wondering what end the first two spells serve that something like say, Magic Missile doesn't do.

Magic missile is a fantastic spell, and will almost always be prefferred by a normal wizard or sorceror for general purpose hurting things. However, from the odd perspective of an Arcane Trickster or a Rogue, the fact that it always hits and doesn't require an attack roll has one serious weakness: you can't use magic missile to deliver a sneak attack.

On the other hand, Disturb Equilibrium has promise, since it doesn't do something that a dozen other spells already do. I might argue whether it is truly a first level spell, for the following reasons:

Only very high level targets are going to be able to take a -10 and still make their balance checks
The spell is likely only to be used when balance checks are of high importance
The spell affects targets of any level (unlike, say, Sleep)
The spell is AoE and affects any number of targets

If you disagree, consider the impact of the Redcap in The Faerie Woods being able to cast Disturb Equilibrium just once or twice during the rubble fight. I think Disturb Equilibrium could be very "swingy". And it almost guarantees a clean getaway when the sneaky mage who casts it is in a situation where they have to run across a narrow beam to escape a posse...all the pursuers are almost guaranteed to "fall into the crocodile-filled moat".

Just my 2 copper pieces. 2nd level sounds about right to me.

El Jefe, did you take into account that the spell allows for a save each round, a la hold person? Half of the mob in question (even assuming they were so tightly clustered as to all be effected) would likely make the initial save, and another half each round.

Perhaps you would be more comfortable with it at first level if we changed it to no targets being more than 15' apart, rather than 30? Or reduced the balance penalty to -5? At 2nd level, it competes with hold person, which completely disables one opponent. That seems to be to be a lot better than a minor de-buff to several.

 

[Patlin]

I suppose the third sentence should read "The caster receives a +2 bonus on this attack roll. This bonus increases by +1 for every two caster levels, to a maximum of +10 at 16th level."
I think there should be another limit on the number of rays, possibly 15.

OK, I can live with that. The circumstances in which a 16th level or higher mage would want to concentrate on this spell for more than 15 rounds are extremely limited, I would think.

Concentration is already a standard action, so shooting the spell should be a move action at best.

Hmm. I think you're probably right about that. I had been under the impression that if you actually *use* the spell to do something, that action would include the standard action for concentration. However, I find absolutely no support for my memory in the rules. In that case, I would like to make firing a ray a free action, rather than a standard action or a move, or possibly change the duration to 1 round per level and keep firing a ray as a standard action.

This should honestly be evocation, and allow SR.

I think it's similar to acid splash, which is conjuration without SR. (Also to Lesser Acid Orb, Lesser Sonic Orb, Lesser Electric Orb, Lesser Freezing Orb, and Lesser Burning Orb from Complete Arcane, but those aren't in the SRD.)

 

[kyloss]

Rays of Precise Force
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more rays
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell enshrouds the casters hand in a nimbus of force. As a standard action, the caster can cause the nimbus to shoot out a very weak but extremely accurate ray of force, which strikes as a ranged touch attack and deals one point of damge to any target it hits. Attack rolls made with rays of precise force recieve a bonus to of 2 points +1 per 2 caster levels, to a maximum of +10 at level 16 or higher. The nimbus dissipates once one ray per caster level has been used, or as soon as the caster stops concentrating on the spell.

Ball of Thunder and Lightning
Conjuration [Sonic][Electric]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Orb of Energy
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None

This spell conjures a burst of energy which flies at the caster's target, striking as a ranged touch attack. If it hits, it does d3 points of sonic damage and d3 points of electric damage, plus an additional d3 points per 2 levels after 1st, to a maximum of 5d3 electric and 5d3 sonic at 9th level.

Disturb Equilibrium
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. plus 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One or more creatures, no two of which may be more than 30' apart
Duration: One round/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject becomes dizzy, losing its dexterity bonus to AC and taking a -10 penalty on balance checks. Each round on its turn, as a move action, an effected creature may make a new saving throw to end the effect.

On the two that say one or more I would put a per 2 level addendum with a max of say 5 and for thunder and lightning just follow the example of flame strike 1d6 half and half again max 5

 

[Knight Otu]

I think it's similar to acid splash, which is conjuration without SR. (Also to Lesser Acid Orb, Lesser Sonic Orb, Lesser Electric Orb, Lesser Freezing Orb, and Lesser Burning Orb from Complete Arcane, but those aren't in the SRD.)

Those five spells were originally evocations with no attack roll, allowing saves and SR. Whatever devil rode the people who changed it in 3.5 I don't know, but those spells do not conjure anything in any sense of the school description. There have been a number of discussions surrounding that controversity.

 

[El Jefe]

El Jefe, did you take into account that the spell allows for a save each round, a la hold person?

Oops, nope. That makes it a lot less ferocious...effectively they get one save to avoid the effects of the spell, and a second to avoid "falling in". 1st level is good.

 

[IcyCool]

On Rays of Precise Force:

I'd suggest changing the duration to 1 round/level, and getting rid of the "number of rays equal to caster level" bit, as changing the duration will already account for that. After that, I'd even say that you could up the damage a bit (to say, 2 or 3 points of damage).

On Ball of Thunder and Lightning:

I've gotta go with Knight Otu on this one. Hurling about lighting and sonic force is evocation. You could potentially change this spell to use acid only, and keep it as a conjuration. And as far as being level 1, it looks as though it easily out damages Melf's Acid Arrow.

On Disturb Equilibrium:

This spell looks about nice, and there'd be absolutely no reason for anyone with a rogue in the party not to take it. Provided the victim fails their save, the rogue gets to freely sneak attack them. I'd suggest lowering the balance penalty to -5. That said, it's probably ok for a 1st-level spell.

 

[Velmont]

For Ball of Thunder and Lightning, I think like KO. It should be Evocation. The things why I say that it is the spell is a nice substitute to Magic Missile, and for someone who have Evocation as a forbidden school (example, Opale di Senzio, my illusionist), it would almost become a must...

Conjuration have few damaging spells, and they all have one thing in common, they are acid base spell (Melf's acid arrows, Acid Fog...), and they never do as much damage as an evocation spell of the same level.