Splat book feats

[Brett]

OK, without having the Tome of Blood source book, what exactly do twin spell and chain spell do?

-Brett

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Twin Spell: Casts a spell twice, using all the same "targeting data." A twinned fireball causes two explosions, a twinned charm forces two will saves, etc. In some cases, failing both causes redundant effects (like the charm).

Chain Spell: Turn a ray spell (I think) into a chain lightning-like spell. Affects initial target at full effect, then affects additional targets at half-effect, up to caster level additional targets.

 

[Li Shenron]

Twin Spell effectively doubles a spell (+4 slot increase). It works just like two separate but identical spells were cast at the same time, so there may be 2 saving throws, 2 caster checks vs SR, etc. Depending on the rolls, you may have both spells succeed, both failed, or one succeed and the other fail. If the spell has an effect other than damage or healing, the effects would not stack.

Chain Spell is more complicated, and I only remember that it turns a single-target spell into a multi-target spell, with limitations on the number of targets, and they also must be close to each other. If the spell is damaging, secondary targets get less damage and an extra reflex to save; if it's not damaging, I think they get a saving throw bonus.

 

[jRocket]

What is the advantage of Twin Spell? It works just like Quicken Spell in that there is two saves, two spells, etc.

 

[Li Shenron]

What is the advantage of Twin Spell? It works just like Quicken Spell in that there is two saves, two spells, etc.

Are you kidding?

A Twinned spell costs one +4 slot.

Two equal spells one of which quickened cost one normal slot PLUS one +4 slot.

Hence they are two very different things! The second is more costly but you are not limited to casting 2 identical spells.
Twin is sometimes very close to a double-empowered spell (when it was possible to stack the same mm feat) in the sense that for the same +4 you get a +100% effect, only that each "half" gets its own save; for non-damaging spell twin is usually worse than double-empower, unless the spell is not empowerable since the start.

 

[Someone]

The latest version of Chain spell is in the XPH (thus named chain power) It only works with ray powers that deal energy damage; IIRC, it's a feat only for the Energy Ray power.