I notice that all the barrier spells have a restriction to the "line" target word, which is understandable.. however, do they work like dragon's breath-style lines, where they have to originate from the caster?
If so, this could limit the effectiveness of those spells immensely - you won't be able to seal off a hallway or anything like that.
However, if you get to originate the line from wherever you please, does that mean you can make a spell like lightning bolt that can just shoot out of thin air somewhere?
There might need to be some clarification, or perhaps even a "wall" style target word that allows for flexible origin points and shaping.
Yeah, I noticed that, too. I think there does need to be a "wall" target type, because one of the neat things with a lot of wall spells is that they're shapeable (or at least, not restricted to a 5' wide line). Wall of ice, wind wall, wall of fire, heck, all the walls except for iron and force are at least somewhat malleable in form. And it is very important for barriers to be able to be created away from the caster.
Instantaneous damaging or other effects in shapeable walls could be really fun, though! Perhaps just make them more expensive than lines to account for the increased flexibility (and lower the cost of the wall-only words to balance it out).
A wall of fog comes to mind, or a suddenly flashing wall of electricity. Mixing this with the "lingering spell" metamagic from the APG could lead to some fun as well.
I thought long and hard about including a wall target word. Problem is that is serves only one group of spells that can only use that particular word....
Hmm...
Jason
Nah, there's all kinds of uses for a Wall target type other than just the barriers, especially if it's more expensive than a similar-length line. Even just with evocations, it'd be neat to be able to put down a shapable winter's wrath or the like (again, so long as the wall version is more expensive than a line of the same length).
EDIT: 'Rixx is a ninja robot.
I think wall would be a good target word. Especially if you add a 'tentacles' effect word that does grappling damage. :)
Haha, people really want their black tentacles back!
You'd think there was a group of people on the internet who had some kind of fixation with tentacles for some inexplicable reason.
I thought long and hard about including a wall target word. Problem is that is serves only one group of spells that can only use that particular word....
Hmm...
Jason
One could include a Shape taget word, a shapeable area, to be used for walls and other effects, like fires or acid and the like.
Wall word should be usable with other effects as well - think of wall of wreck - anyone passing through is stricken with sickness.
Hmmm, shouldn't it have double duration then? one for time in which wall exist and one in which subject suffers from affliction?
Adding a meta word that acts like the Lingering Spell feat would make walls of other effects very useful:
You may cause an instantaneous spell that affects an area to persist until the beginning of your next turn. Those already in the area suffer no additional harm, but other creatures or objects entering the area are subject to its effects. A lingering spell with a visual manifestation obscures vision, providing concealment (20% miss chance) beyond 5 feet and total concealment (50% miss chance) beyond 20 feet. A lingering spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.
Adding a meta word that acts like the Lingering Spell feat would make walls of other effects very useful:
You may cause an instantaneous spell that affects an area to persist until the beginning of your next turn. Those already in the area suffer no additional harm, but other creatures or objects entering the area are subject to its effects. A lingering spell with a visual manifestation obscures vision, providing concealment (20% miss chance) beyond 5 feet and total concealment (50% miss chance) beyond 20 feet. A lingering spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.
Can't you just apply metamagic feats as normal?
Yes, but if it's a part of the spell, you don't have to increase the level or casting time.
Could a word category like "Border" or "Boundary" be used, to make it a bit broader than wall? For Walls, Protection from X, dimensional anchor, hallow/unhallow type effects?
Could a word category like "Border" or "Boundary" be used, to make it a bit broader than wall? For Walls, Protection from X, dimensional anchor, hallow/unhallow type effects?
+1. This seems like a nifty way to handle those different effects, especially where they don't fit easily into other thematic groups.