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Hi Paizonians,
Once again I'd like some advice on the appropriate levels for these spells I've designed for my Pathfinder campaign. Thanks in advance.
Attentive Arbour
School transmutation Level cleric, druid, ranger
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute per level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance No
This spell causes the forest itself to conspire to conceal its caster. Branches and leaves shift as the caster moves, helping to hide him from his enemies.
This spell is effective in a woodland setting, as well as other areas where the vegetation is thick enough to provide some level of concealment. If the caster moves out of the vegetated area into open ground (such as moving into a clearing), then the spell ends and all benefits are lost (even if the caster subsequently moves back into the woodlands).
The spell grants the caster concealment, including a 30% miss chance. The caster can move freely through undergrowth as if he had the woodland stride special ability. He gains a +5 bonus to all Stealth checks and can move his full speed and still use Stealth with no penalty.
Firetether
School: Evocation (fire) Level: Druid, Sor/Wiz
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: 1 creature
Duration: 1 round per level
Saving Throw: No Spell Resistance: Yes
The spell causes a coil of fire to form. One end is fastened to some part of the target creature’s body (usually the ankle), whilst the other is linked by invisible arcane means to the space the target occupies (usually the ground, but this can also be a point in space if the creature is flying). As the creature moves, the fiery coil trails behind him, forming a wall of fire in his footsteps.
The spell creates a wall of fire originating at the location occupied by the target when the spell was cast. Each time the target moves, the wall of fire extends as well, exactly following the movements of the target. Each section of the wall of fire occupies a 5-ft. square. Thus, as the target continues moving about the wall of fire grows progressively longer and more intricate.
The target cannot move more than 50-ft. in a single round. If he does so, the firetether is stretched too thin, and the entire spell collapses. Likewise, if crosses through the wall of fire created by the firetether, the spell fails.
The firetether does no damage to the target, but anyone passing through it suffers 2d6+1 fire damage per level of the caster. The target can force creatures into its path by tumbling through their occupied space.
Concealment normally has a 20% miss chance, unless the spell did it differently, though I'm thinking you just made a mistake because of the way you worded it.
That aside, I'd say a either a first or second level spell, but I'm leaning second because of precedent. Blur is a second level spell that's similar, but it only adds concealment (no stealth bonus), but it also lacks the need for vegetation and can be used on touch, as opposed to personal so I think it evens out.
Terrestrial Ejection
School transmutation Level cleric, druid, sorcerer/wizard
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a handful of clay)
Range Medium (100-ft. + 10-ft. /level)
Area 40-ft. radius spread
Duration 1 round/2 levels
Saving Throw No Spell Resistance Yes
Popular amongst creatures that dwell in subterranean realms, this spell prevents creatures from burrowing into earth and rock, violently ejecting burrowing creatures from the ground.
The spell must be targeted at an open space (the target cannot be solid rock). When the spell is cast, any creature burrowing within the spell’s radius (including above or below the spell’s target) is immediately transported to the nearest area of unoccupied, open space, smashing out of the earth in an eruption of soil and dirt. The creature suffers 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per three caster levels. Anyone in an adjacent space to an ejected creature also suffers 1d4 bludgeoning damage from the explosion of rubble.
Any burrowing creatures entering the spell’s radius during its duration are similarly ejected. Ejected creatures cannot use their burrow speed to move whilst within the spell’s radius, although other forms of movement are unaffected.
I went for 30% miss chance as this is the miss chance afforded by areas of heavy vegetation. 2nd level seems like a good judgement to me.
Any thoughts on the other spells?
Looking at them I'd gauge Firetether as a 2nd level. It most closely resembles Flaming Sphere, a second level spell, but Firetether can be used to create a barrier and you can force the damage with an acrobatics as part of the move and it has no save, but is also limited by where you can move... and Flaming Sphere was never all that great.
Terrestrial Ejection is hard to place because it's so specific as to not get any play unless you were a prepared caster that knew you were going to need it. As far as other spells go, there's Burrow which gives a burrow speed for minutes per level and is a 3rd level spell, but it's not really much of a comparison as it gives what your spell would stop at minutes per level instead of a round per two... yeah I really couldn't see it as more than a 1st level or at most a 2nd level. It's just too specific and the duration is just too small.
Attentive Arbour
Level 3. The 30% concealment is pretty good. This only is level 2 worth.
woodlandstride and +5 stealth makes it level 3. The duration is ok. Why is this spell for a Cleric? I would put this in one of the domains. It is a very nature spell.
Terrestial Ejection
Tough to place. Very functional though when it pass by. I should add it to the rangers list.
Level 2 i think. Because an open space is very debatable.
This spell is effective in a woodland setting, as well as other areas where the vegetation is thick enough to provide some level of concealment.
If the area already has concealment, then this spell is less beneficial. Rangers and druids already get woodland stride (unless they give it up for some archetype) and I agree with Count Duck about it being a cleric spell. It would be more useful if you changed it from personal to creature touched. Probably a 2nd level spell.
You should probably add a cap to the damage firetether does. Wall of fire caps at +20, so I could see this being anywhere from +5 to +15. A 2nd or 3rd level spell.
Terrestrial ejection should provide a saving throw, be at least 1 minute per level, and prevent creatures from entering rather than eject them outright (with a save), but each round could force them to make a save or be ejected. I think a cylinder would be a more appropriate shape for this spell (maybe as sleet storm). And put a cap on the damage. A 2nd, maybe 3rd, level spell.
Alternatively you could make this more of an attack spell and have it throw stones and dirt out of the earth to deal damage to enemies in the area; the expulsion of any burrowed creatures would just an extra effect. This would make terrestrial ejection a more versatile spell and much less circumstantial. Depending on damage, or if you add some other effects (difficult terrain, as stone call), this could be a 3rd or even 4th level spell.