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Message: <blockquote data-quote="comrade raoul" data-source="post: 2878603" data-attributes="member: 554">I should note starting off that the charmingly dry description of vorpal weapons ("Most other creatures, however ...") might be my favorite bit of prose in the D&D rulebooks.I'd say greater vorpal missile actually pretty good for a sixth-level spell, especially if you target all the missiles at the same target. In fact, maybe it's too good: it's probably better than polar ray -- it does almost as much damage (although it's staggered over three levels), but that damage is force damage, rather than cold damage, and once you get about four missiles, the instant kill effect gets really significant (with around a 20-30% chance of at least one natural 20), and the spell's effect can be divided among multiple targets and has better range, to boot. I'd take an empowered greater vorpal missile over polar ray any day.I'd say it's a terrific spell for casters to use against opponents whom they wouldn't otherwise be effective against -- especially once you get multiple missiles, the spell becomes wonderful against opponents with good saving throws and energy resistances.Accordingly, I'm tempted to suggest that the spell require an enhanced normal attack (like mage's sword) rather than a touch attack -- that is, require the caster to make a normal ranged attack with an attack bonus equal to his caster level + his key ability modifier. (Alternatively -- and this might be even more appealing -- you could let the caster make a ranged attack at his normal bonus, with a large additional bonus that scales with caster level, and have the spell deal slashing damage rather than force damage.) Consider something like this:Flying GuillotineEvocationLevel: Sor/Wiz 4Components: V, SCasting Time: 1 standard actionRange: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)Target: One creatureDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: YesA silvery blade of magical energy whirls out from your outstretched palm. Make a ranged attack against your target, adding a +2 enhancement bonus and an insight bonus equal to half your caster level to your attack roll. If you successfully hit your target, you deal 3d6 points of slashing damage that is treated as a magic weapon for purposes of bypassing damage reduction. If your attack roll was a natural 20 and you confirm the critical hit, the missile severs the creature's head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off.Inanimate objects are not damaged by the spell.And then:Guillotine SwarmEvocationLevel: Sor/Wiz 6Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)Target: Up to six target creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apartAs flying guillotine, except as noted. You fire three blades, plus one for every 3 caster levels beyond 11th, to a maximum of 6 at 20th level. They can target the same or different targets. The blades also bypass damage reduction as though they were adamantine weapons, although they still do not deal damage to objects.</blockquote>

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