What level would this spell be ?

[Gez]

Here's a little fiery spell I plan to give to a character, an aristocrat/sorceress with draconic ancestry. Her eyes are highly unusual, with coal-black iris and bright yellow pupils that seems like fire, or like molten gold. I thought it would be perfectly in flavor to use this trait as the base for a spell.

But I'm not sure the appropriate level. I aim spell level 2 or 3.

Inaoko's Fire Eyes
Evocation [Fire]
Level: You'll tell me.
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Target: You
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude half (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

The fire in your eyes becomes insufferably bright to your enemies, so bright that crossing your gaze may cause spontaneous combustion. You gain a dazzling gaze attack that deals 1d8 points of fire damage. The dazzling effect last 1 minute. A successful Fortitude save, which must be made each round the creature is within range, avoids the dazzling effect and halves the damage for this round.
You may decide to reduce the potency of the effect so that it only causes 1d4 points of subdual heat (fire) damage and dazzling.
You may choose not to affect certain creatures, such as your allies.
As a side effect from your luminous eyes, you project light like a torch, bright enough to see up to the extreme of the range (double range for creatures with low-light vision).

Some points to consider:

• 1d8/round+1 round/level is weaker than 1d8/level+instantaneous. Creatures with Fire Resistance 5 will be mostly immune, for example (average of 1d8: 4.5). Creatures may move out of the dangerous zone.
• Gaze attacks are fairly easy to avoid (50% chance to avoid any effect when averting one's gaze, for example). Inefficient on creatures with blindsight or tremorsense (even if otherwise sighted: a dragon, for example, may simply decide to close its eyes and use its keen senses).
• A duration of Concentration prevent from casting other spells, and may be broken by attacks or distraction. If the spell is found too weak, I may change it to simply 1 round/level.
• What if creatures that fail their saving throws risks catching on fire ? (Ref save DC15 or 1d6 damage each round.) Note that I don't think catching on fire stacks with itself -- so a creature that fails all its saves won't be taking 2 or more d6s from catching on fire.

 

[Khaalis]

I am no Guru at understanding the logic of spell creation, but my instinct would be to make the d8 damage (heat) not (fire) so you dont have to deal with flamability.

As for Level: Personally I would say 1st.

Burning Hands is 1st and is an instant up to 20 damage.

This spell is concentration based up to 1 round/lv so up to a possible 160. Granted "A duration of Concentration prevent from casting other spells, and may be broken by attacks or distraction." So even if held for 3 rounds that 24 damage.

I would restrict this (like Burning Hands) to a mazimum of 5 rounds of use (1 per level (max 5 rounds)). This gives a maximum of 40 damage, assuming that Concentration is not lost or the Gaze avoided. These 2 factors I think balance out the double damage of BH.

I think that about covers it for me.

 

[Geoff Watson]

It has advantages over Burning Hands with increased range and area of effect. It basically has an area of a spread with Close radius, and continues to affect enemies as they come into range.
As a gaze attack, it functions through walls of force (or windows) and other things that block line of effect.

I'd say second level, as it doesn't do that much damage, and dazzling has little effect.

Geoff.

 

[ichabod]

I'm leaning between 4 and 3.5. Consider a 5th level caster: he covers a 35 ft. radius area. That's approximately three times the area of a fireball, so even with a 50% for averting gaze, this hits half again as many targets for 5 more points of damage and a -1 to attacks for a minute. And while it is shorter range and concentration, it gets past several thing fireball doesn't, including evasion.

 

[GuardianLurker]

As written, I'd say it's roughly equivalent to Fireball. A little weaker maybe, but definitely more than a 2nd.

With a damage cap, it's a strong second.

 

[Someone]

I believe it´s certainly stronger than Flaming Sphere. Fireball deals more damage, but this one affects only enemies. I voted 3rd level.

 

[Gez]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. So far, the survey is in favor of level 2. If I change the spell so that creatures risk catching on fire, that would be an OK level 3 -- or would it ?

 

[Anabstercorian]

Adding the risk of combustion would place it firmly in Level 3.

BTW, check out Monte Cook's website, www.montecook.com, and check out his latest Line of Sight. It might not be a bad idea to make three versions of this spell, for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

http://www.montecook.com/diary.html

 

[Aloïsius]

Adding the risk of combustion would place it firmly in Level 3.

BTW, check out Monte Cook's website, www.montecook.com, and check out his latest Line of Sight. It might not be a bad idea to make three versions of this spell, for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

http://www.montecook.com/diary.html

For a sorcerer ?

 

[Gez]

Thanks for the feedback.

So, the spell is level 2, but would be level 3 with a risk of catching on fire ?

If the duration was modified to simply 1 round/level (D), would that bump also the level to 3 ?

And with both these variants, would that stay level 3 or reach level 4 ?