Am I alone in wanting the energy-based spells to be a little more blanket in scope. Here is what I was thinking:
Instead of having fireball, cone of cold, lightning bolt and such have variable energy types as different spells. Ray of Heat, Cone of Lightning, Freezing Hands would all be options under this. Each time a caster chose a specific spell they would specify which version they learned. A caster could have freezing ball, fire ball and sonic ball all at the same time. The alteration could be addressed in a single spell description for each form (ball, sphere, cone, etc).
The Energy Substitution feat would instead allow the caster to change the energy type of a memorized spell to another type. Energy Admixture would require the caster to know both energy versions of a spell.
Thoughts?
-Weylin Stormcrowe
Weylin Stormcrowe 798 wrote: Am I alone in wanting the energy-based spells to be a little more blanket in scope. Here is what I was thinking:
Instead of having fireball, cone of cold, lightning bolt and such have variable energy types as different spells. Ray of Heat, Cone of Lightning, Freezing Hands would all be options under this. Each time a caster chose a specific spell they would specify which version they learned. A caster could have freezing ball, fire ball and sonic ball all at the same time. The alteration could be addressed in a single spell description for each form (ball, sphere, cone, etc).
The Energy Substitution feat would instead allow the caster to change the energy type of a memorized spell to another type. Energy Admixture would require the caster to know both energy versions of a spell.
Generally, I just do this as a "penciled in" house rule. Thus, if somebody wants a Ray of Disintegration, then it's edit/replace for Ray of Any Other Energy Type (acid/disintegration). The major problem with this is Sonic, which has traditionally been gimped by the creators. I don't entirely disagree, but for as many creatures that aren't resistant to sound there are just as many not weak to it either (did that make sense?). Thus, the jury's still out.
I motion to strike sonic from the system. No ne uses it and its concept is on chaky ground anyway, you can just call it all force damage and save the elementalists the headache.
While I agree, I think that fireball, lightning bolt, etc. are all so iconic that to change them to the psionics-esque versions is a sort of blasphemy unto D&D.
Solution:
1. Copy iconic elemental spells into generic elemental spells of the same level that a Wizard applies an element upon memorization.
2. Make feats that improve efficiancy of spells with a chosen element.
3. Give different bonus to iconic spells so there is still incentive to take them.
4. Profit.
Pneumonica wrote: Generally, I just do this as a "penciled in" house rule. Thus, if somebody wants a Ray of Disintegration, then it's edit/replace for Ray of Any Other Energy Type (acid/disintegration). The major problem with this is Sonic, which has traditionally been gimped by the creators. I don't entirely disagree, but for as many creatures that aren't resistant to sound there are just as many not weak to it either (did that make sense?). Thus, the jury's still out. I mostly agree with your house-ruling. I make these spells less available (a bit more legwork finding them and/or a bit more money involved) but I allow them as new spell learned when leveling up. But Sonic and Acid use die one step under (ex.: d4 instead of d6) since there are less "resistant" creature around and they affect material/hardness differently, sonic moreso than acid but the loud "sonic-boom" usualy tied with the basic damage effect (what the f** was that at the gate?) balances it out IMHO.
I wouldn't allow Force versions (or may be with a 1/2 dice to try it out) and I think Disintegration isn't energy (our did you just use it for a name of the acid effect?).
Slime wrote: I mostly agree with your house-ruling. I make these spells less available (a bit more legwork finding them and/or a bit more money involved) but I allow them as new spell learned when leveling up. But Sonic and Acid use die one step under (ex.: d4 instead of d6) since there are less "resistant" creature around and they affect material/hardness differently, sonic moreso than acid but the loud "sonic-boom" usualy tied with the basic damage effect (what the f** was that at the gate?) balances it out IMHO.
I wouldn't allow Force versions (or may be with a 1/2 dice to try it out) and I think Disintegration isn't energy (our did you just use it for a name of the acid effect?).
Actually, I might have just ported something over from 3.0. I remember at some point the damage types described as acid/disintegration, cold/ice, fire/heat, lightning/electricity, and sonic/concussion, but can't find it now.
himwhoscallediam wrote: I motion to strike sonic from the system. No ne uses it and its concept is on chaky ground anyway, you can just call it all force damage and save the elementalists the headache. Motion denied. Sonic weaponry is used both in the real world and in fantasy (sounds that kill are frequent features of the magical world). Also, as a player who routinely uses sonic damage, I disagree with your premise that no one uses it.
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