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I don't think there are enough interesting ray spells, so here go some I thought up right now.
First up, a pair of scorching ray variants to give a bit to the other elements.
School evocation [electricity]; level sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one or more rays
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
You throw a ray of electricity that arcs from one target to the next. You may fire one ray, plus one additional ray per four levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of three at 11th level). Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of electricity damage.
When firing the second and subsequent rays, you must determine range and line of effect from a space occupied by the creature hit by the previous ray. You may target the same creature. If any of the attacks miss, you lose the additional rays you have not fired yet.
School evocation [cold]; level sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one ray
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
You launch a ray of biting cold. You fire one ray that deals 4d6 points of cold damage plus an additional 4d6 damage per four levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of 12d6 at 11th level).
And now for something unusual:
School transmutation; level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw will negates; Spell Resistance yes
You afflict a creature with a magical attraction to rays. While affected, the creature suffers a -4 penalty to AC, saves and spell resistance against rays. If any rays fired on targets within 15 feet of this creature miss, they may hit this creature instead, rerolling the attack as if this creature were the original target. If two creatures under the effect of ray attraction are eligible, the closest one is targeted.
This also applies to attacks from members of the batoidea superorder of cartilaginous fishes.
I like them. I also think there aren't enough mid-range attack spells. Especially when your trying to play a battle mage.
I'm going to start on evocation rays of levels 3-5 as soon as I can think of some interesting ideas that aren't just single ray zaps or scorching ray clones.
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A spell that surrounds the caster with an aura of energy (say, fire) and acts like a weak fire shield, and confers the ability to fire rays of fire throughout the duration of the fire aura, could be neat.
I've always loved spells like that, that give the spellcaster a series of magical attacks for the duration of the spell. (Spell Compendium had a couple of light nimbus auras that allowed one to shoot light beams, for example, and even Vampire the Masquerade had a ritual called 'Touch of Hemlock' that surrounded the thaumaturgist with a poisonous green aura and allowed him to fire bolts of toxic energy for a time.)
Not every 'ray' needs to manifest as an actual laser beam of energy. One could make a spell that conjures up globules of acid that orbit around the body, and can either intercept some attacks or be sent out to make ranged touch attacks. A rare conjuration 'ray' spell. If it made globs of tanglefoot goop, instead, it would still used the ranged touch attack mechanic, and count as a 'ray' spell (and if it had the orbitting defense option, attackers might find themselves entangled!).
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I don't think there are enough interesting ray spells, so here go some I thought up right now.
First up, a pair of scorching ray variants to give a bit to the other elements.
School evocation [electricity]; level sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one or more rays
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yesYou throw a ray of electricity that arcs from one target to the next. You may fire one ray, plus one additional ray per four levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of three at 11th level). Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of electricity damage.
When firing the second and subsequent rays, you must determine range and line of effect from a space occupied by the creature hit by the previous ray. You may target the same creature. If any of the attacks miss, you lose the additional rays you have not fired yet.
I like them.
To make this one a bit less of a clone of scorching ray once you have multiple rays have them jump from one target to the next, all targets must be within 30 feet of each other. Or you can continue to zap the same target. This will not change the power of the spell (but could change cover mods as you would direct your line from one target to the next not from caster to each target) and makes it a bit like a mini Chain Lightning.
School evocation [fire]; level sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a firefly encased in amber)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level (D); see text
A ring of fire appears above your head and you may direct its burning wrath. For the duration of the spell you may cast scorching ray as a spell-like ability at this spell's caster level. Each time you use this ability, the remaining duration of this spell decreases by 1 round. Metamagic feats applied to this spell modify the effects of the scorching ray.
Halo of Storms and Halo of Winter for the other posted rays?
I like them.
To make this one a bit less of a clone of scorching ray once you have multiple rays have them jump from one target to the next, all targets must be within 30 feet of each other. Or you can continue to zap the same target. This will not change the power of the spell (but could change cover mods as you would direct your line from one target to the next not from caster to each target) and makes it a bit like a mini Chain Lightning.
I may have to work on the wording, but that's basically what it's supposed to to. You hit the first target with ray 1. Ray 2 springs out of that target and hits another (or itself). Ray 3 comes from the second target. It chains.
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Great ideas! Run with them! Rays, shot from crooked pointy fingers, wands, eyeballs, etc, have long been a staple of magic in literature and print. There simply aren't enough of 'em, IMO.
Consider also some variants of ray of enfeeblement that affect the other ability scores, DR, SR, saves, HP, or just about any other mechanic of the target.
1. A ray that zaps away a single spell from the target's repertoire.
2. A ray that disintegrates a small item he's holding (instead of the whole creature).
3. A ray that acts as a telekinesis, so long as you maintain concentration on keeping the ray visibly connected with the target. (I'm thinking of Syndrome's glove on "The Incredibles.")
4. Naturally, a ray that does raw damage, like a laser beam.
5. As a 9th level spell, a ray called "balefire" which does exactly what Robert Jordan describes in his "Wheel of Time" series.
Then, when you have this plethora of rays, you can build a ray-based specialist caster, complete with the feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (ray), and Improved Critical (ray). Can be loads of fun!!
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Razorbeam
Sorc/Wiz 2nd evocation
Range medium
Casting time standard
Duration 1round/level
Save none
Spell resist yes
A ray of flat interdimensional energy strikes you target. A razorbeam can be fired as part of casting the spell or held and fired off as an attack action. If you cast Razorbeam while holding another razorbeam then the new razorbeam must be fired off and may not be held. A razorbeam is a ranged touch attack that deals 1d4 per level, up to 10d4 and threatens on an 18+. At 12th level a razorbeam deals x3 on its critical hits. While a razorbeam is held the threat range for all your ray attacks are double.
Posted from my phone, so some things are not complete.
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I may have to work on the wording, but that's basically what it's supposed to to. You hit the first target with ray 1. Ray 2 springs out of that target and hits another (or itself). Ray 3 comes from the second target. It chains.I like them.
To make this one a bit less of a clone of scorching ray once you have multiple rays have them jump from one target to the next, all targets must be within 30 feet of each other. Or you can continue to zap the same target. This will not change the power of the spell (but could change cover mods as you would direct your line from one target to the next not from caster to each target) and makes it a bit like a mini Chain Lightning.
Must have just been my reading of it. It spells it out plain as day. For some reason I just did not read it that way. Must have had Scorching Ray on the brain.
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Ray of the Ram - this ray conjures up force energy that vaguely resembles the head of a charging ram. The blast of force inflicts no physical damage, but can be used to inititiate a bull rush, disarm, reposition or trip attack. The CMB for this maneuver is equal to your caster level + your Intelligence modifier or your Charisma modifier (whichever one governs your spellcasting) + any bonuses to your Evocation save DC (from Spell Focus, for instance).
The Spectacular Spider-Ray - 1st level conjuration, this pale grey-white ray solidifies into a stream of spider-web like material, entangling it's target as per the effects of a Tanglefoot Bag.
Strength of Shadow - 2nd level necromantic ray that acts exactly like ray of enfeeblement, but for the duration of its effect, the caster gains an enhancement bonus to strength equal to the amount lost by the victim.
Elven Stamina / Ray of Blighting - as ray of enfeeblement, but affects Constitution (and cannot reduce Con below 1). Named by a dwarf, obviously.
Bull's Grace / Ray of Gracelessness - as ray of enfeeblement, but affects Dexterity (and cannot reduce Dex below 1).
Ray of Affliction - 3rd level necromantic ray that acts like ray of enfeeblement, bull's grace and elven stamina, at the same time. Roll once and apply that result as a penalty to all three physical attributes.
Balor's Brilliant Gaze - 1st level evocation, caster's eyes glow with lantern intensity light for the duration of the spell (one minute / level), and once per round, as a ranged touch attack, he can cause a blinding ray of light to shine on a single target, which must make a Fortitude save or be Blinded for 1 round, and then Dazzled for 1d4 rounds thereafter. Even if the target makes this saving throw, it will still be Dazzled for 1d4 rounds. Targets that have the Daylight Vulnerability, Light Weakness or Light Sensitivity racial traits suffer a -2 penalty to this saving throw, endure the effects for twice the duration, and suffer twice the penalty of the Dazzled effect. The blinding rays emerge from the casters eyes, and do not require a free hand to use, and, indeed, could be used as part of an iterative attack in combination with ranged or melee combat actions.
Shuddersome Ray - 2nd level necromantic ray that inflicts negative energy damage, and, similar to vampiric touch, returns half of the damage inflicted to the caster in the form of healing. The ray inflicts 2d6 damage, and can be maintained on a single target, requiring a new ranged touch attack roll each round, if the target is in motion or otherwise able to move and avoid the beam. The duration is 1 round / 2 caster levels, and the target is allowed a Fortitude save each round to take half damage. If it succeeds on two consecutive Fortitude saves, the beam ends. If the spellcaster targets an undead creature with this ray, the effect is reversed, and the undead is healed for 2d6 damage, while the caster loses 1d6 hit points per round. Due to a flaw in the spell's design (some say, a deliberate one...), when this occurs, the spell automatically maintains itself, so long as the undead target is willing, and it is the spell's caster who must make Fortitude saving throws to attempt to mitigate or end the effect (or move in such a way to block line of effect). In such a case, the spell continues to drain the casters life-energy even if he drops unconscious...
Revelation - 1st level divination ray that shines 'the light of knowledge' upon a single target, causing it to become momentarily stunned by unwelcome insights into everything around it. The target must make a Will save or be stunned for a single round, and then blinded and deafened for 1d4 rounds thereafter. If the target saves, they are still blinded and deafened for a single round, their senses overwhelmed with items that would normally be beyond their normal visual or aural range. Longer range than color spray, but not quite as buff and single-target only.
Sunflower - 4th level conjuration that calls up from the earth a strange creation that has the stats of a medium fire elemental, but is immobile and serves only to produce scorching rays at your CL each round for 1 round / level. It can choose it's own targets (generally the closest non-allies), or you can take a move action on a given round to instruct it to choose a specific target or targets. It does not resort to physical attacks unless an enemy moves close enough to provoke an attack of opportunity, choosing to fire scorching rays each round of it's duration. Anyone attacking it is automatically dazzled until it's next turn, due to the intensity of it's glare, and it produces light equivalent to a bonfire. [Yeah, that's right, it's a scorching ray *turret!*]
Hmm. Too much evocation, necromancy and conjuration. Need to make some divination, transmutation, illusion, enchantment and abjuration rays!
I'm not really interested in much outside of creative evocation. A lot of these seem like ordinary non-ray spells with the ray delivery system tacked on. They need a reason to be rays.
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School evocation [cold]; level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a small, flat length of wood)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one ray
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw reflex partial; Spell Resistance yes
You blast an enemy with a ray of cold that encases them in ice. The ray deals 1d4 points of cold damage per level, to a maximum of 10d4. If the creature is damaged, it must make a reflex save or become trapped in ice (entangled). The ice may be attacked as if it were an item worn by the creature. The ice has hardness 0 and 3 hit points per level, and is vulnerable to fire. The creature trapped within takes half of any damage dealt to the ice.