The Solidify spell: http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Custom_Earth_Spells#Solidify
I think I've made this spell slightly too weak. As in, I can't actually think of anything useful to do with it as is. So I want to bump up its power just slightly and I have three ideas for doing that. I want some feedback on whether any of these ideas are open to abuse.
- I could remove the "no fine details" restriction, which would allow me to preserve writing in clay and make (non-masterwork) stone weapons if it came to that.
- I could remove the "can't be part of a larger mass" restriction, which would allow me to preserve a footprint in the dirt, or given time build up a larger stone object. This option might be a bit powerful, so I wouldn't mind raising the time a step (10 minutes).
- I could leave things as is and reduce the time to a full round action. I have no idea what I'd do with it, but at least I wouldn't hold things up while I did it.
I always get a bit confused when I get no responses. Does that mean that none of these options are too powerful or too weak? Or does it mean that no one reads the House Rules section of the board? ;)
Bump. No opinions? Anything I could do to get more comments from threads like this?
I see no reason to use this spell as it stands. reversing Rock to Mud would be a lot easier on soft earth, and if it's dry dirt then just sprinkle it with water until it's a dense mud. If you want the spell to be a viable option, i'd say decrease the casting time to a full-round action and make it able to affect parts of a larger mass (allowing for a tactical use of the spell; harden areas of dirt into a ceramic-like substance would definately slow creatures with a burrow speed in my opinion).
A lot of people were arguing that a cantrip shouldn't be able to do permanent transformations, so I was trying to get rid of most tactical uses for balance (although that one's probably minor enough to not matter).
Don't make it a permanent transformation. make it only last about 5 minutes. Long enough to be of use, but not permanent and thus not cutting into the area of the higher level Rock to Mud/Mud to Rock spells.
The point is that it's a permanent transformation. I don't want to change that. I'm trying to figure out how to balance it with it being permanent.
I don't mind it not having much tactical use. It's a cantrip.
Basically, it's supposed to provide the same effects as baking the clay or mud (ceramic or earthenware) without the time or heat.
Bump again. Does anyone see any use or abuse for any of the options in the OP?
Honestly, allowing the "part of a larger mass" isn't too bad, so i'd say go for it. but otherwise, leave the spell as is. just make sure to stress that it makes a fragile substance, much like earthenware. a good smack from a hammer or other weapon should probably break it.
Let's see. What could I do with 1 cubic foot per minute?
A bridge would probably require a Knowledge (Engineering) roll to not collapse either half way through or when I step on it.
If you assume a person occupies about a 3x3x6 box, it'd take an hour to solidify a statue.
You could stuff dirt in a lock and turn it to stone. Not too bad for 1 minute, but I think arcane lock works much better (as it should).
Solidifying a whole 5x5x5 cube would take just over 2 hours, so you'd have to prepare way ahead of time to block off even a small area from earthgliding/burrowing creatures.
On the other hand, if you can spread it out, you could solidify the top ~1/2 inch of a dirt floor in a 5x5 square in one casting. (That might be a bit of a stretch though.)
None of that seems too abusive. (Can you think of anything else you could do with it?) I'll have to run it by my GM though.
Thanks for the input.