Most Mass spells are of the format:
- affect 1 subject per caster level
- deal per subject normal spell effect
- cast the spell 4 spell slots higher
Would it be imbalancing to have a Mass Scorching Ray at spell level 6?
Proposed spell description:
"You blast your enemies with searing beams of fire. You may cast one ray per caster level which deals 12d6 fire damage and require a ranged touch attack to hit. No target can be assigned more than one ray. All rays must be aimed at targets within 60 feet of the caster and are fired simultaneously."
Note the limit of one ray per target for 4x3d6=12d6 and the 60 ft distance from the caster. That are two differences compared to the Level 2 Scorching Ray spell.
Essentially this spell would be a bit like a precision fireball focused on the caster. Draw back, or great fun, would be to roll at least 11 ranged attack rolls (minimal caster level of 11).
Any comments for game balance or streamlining the dice rolling?
As a side question: are there metamagic feats which mimic the "Mass
spell effect"? Would be handy for high level sorceress.
Contagious Flame is the closest to a Mass Scorching Ray that you're going to get, I think.
I think this would be out of balance when compared to other damaging spells. That is ALOT of precision damage potential. If you compare it to chain lightning which would be its closest analogue, you have a considerable advantage in the fact that you are making touch attacks instead of requiring reflex saves (almost always an advantage at high levels).
I only target person with one ray per casting.
Thanks for all replies!
Most answers refer to the APG (selective, intense metamagic feats and Contagious Fire), I was not familiar with these feats and spell. The selective metamagic feat in combination with fireball would approach what I am looking for. If I do not want to spent on that feat, the Contagious Fire would be a nice second option. In short, it seems that home-brewing a spell is not necessary.
For the game balancing feedback, the remark on "spells with saves vs half" and "spells with touch attack" does brings a point for min/maxing to the foreground.
In risk of getting sidetracked, it seems that in Pathfinder all classes have accesses to Evasion like abilities or spells to protect against energy damage. Making fireball a second-rate spell.
While being on a rant on fireball, compared with dnd 3.5 all classes have gained a larger Hitdie and the possibility of an extra hitpoint per level. Effectively giving most characters 2 hitpoints per level more, while the damage per caster level of the spells have not increased. With fireball (or many other damage spell) dealing 1d6/level this means that the damage of fireball has relatively scaled down due to the higher hitpoints for all characters. What I am trying to say: it takes more fireballs then it just to do to take down a character. Should the combination of easy access to Evasion and the increased hitpoints make all damage spells with "save vs half" decrease one spell level?
From a DM point of view the reduced effectiveness of fireball is a plus, it gives me the opportunity to soften-up the PCs and at the same moment the rogues get a heads-up on who to flank.