This has probably been covered before but I'm not in a mood to hunt around for a thread ATM.
What's the general view of allowing casters to select an alternate type of energy when learning a new spell? For example, a sorcerer has just achieved 6th level and, as her 3rd level spell she chooses fireball but instead of fire she'd prefer that it deal electrical damage instead; effectively making it a "lightning ball" spell. All other parameters of the spell (except perhaps setting combustible materials on fire) remain unchanged. Forever after she'll be limited to that version of the spell when casting, though she can freely use fireball scrolls, wands or even learn the fireball spell in the future by dedicating another spell known slot to it.
So how's about it? Is there a fundamental difference between the basic energy types: fire, cold, electricity, acid or sonic which should be considered before allowing such a change? Are they interchangeable?
The energy types are pretty much dull and interchangeable except for the common types of energy resistance. Everything and his brother has fire resistance; nobody has water resistance (if you're considering elemental interchanges as well).
There are abilities and items which let you switch out types for your spells as you cast. However, they are mostly useless.
You might want to consider using a variant rule like this one: Energy Effects
Personally, I'd allow such a choice, particularly since you add that they can't change their choice afterwards. It's cool, especially for a character built around a theme.
Moox
So how's about it? Is there a fundamental difference between the basic energy types: fire, cold, electricity, acid or sonic which should be considered before allowing such a change? Are they interchangeable?
I would say no they are not equivalent. As noted, many creatures have fire resistance few have acid resistance. This would give a slight edge to mages using acid or electricity over fire. Would it be game-breaking? Probably not.
Now, that said I would not allow the mage to use fireball scrolls or wands or learn fireball as well as acidball. Double-dipping would let you get around the few creatures that impose a limitation on the acid version.
Under 3.5 rules I played with a sorcerer that had a Prestige class that basically allowed this, but all fire spells became acid spells. Using acid vs fire had distinct advantages, so some limitation should probably be imposed and some cost exacted (such as a feat).
This has probably been covered before but I'm not in a mood to hunt around for a thread ATM.
What's the general view of allowing casters to select an alternate type of energy when learning a new spell? For example, a sorcerer has just achieved 6th level and, as her 3rd level spell she chooses fireball but instead of fire she'd prefer that it deal electrical damage instead; effectively making it a "lightning ball" spell. All other parameters of the spell (except perhaps setting combustible materials on fire) remain unchanged. Forever after she'll be limited to that version of the spell when casting, though she can freely use fireball scrolls, wands or even learn the fireball spell in the future by dedicating another spell known slot to it.
So how's about it? Is there a fundamental difference between the basic energy types: fire, cold, electricity, acid or sonic which should be considered before allowing such a change? Are they interchangeable?
What bloodline is the sorcerer the player is playing?
the elemental bloodline allows this as the bloodline arcana (sort of)for no problem if the energy type matches choice "Elemental Spell"there is a feat in APG that also does this though 3.5 had a better one called "energy substitution" the 3.5 did not change the level of the spell just the energy type
In case there's any confusion, I'm not talking about swapping energy types on the fly or switching all spells to one particular type; those kinds of things that can be accomplished with feats or class abilities.
What I mean is to take existing spells and use them as templates for altogether new, though equivalent, spells using different energy types. So, for example, a starting wizard character could scribe the "freezing hands" spell into his spellbook, at 3rd level he might chose "electrocuting ray", then acid-ball at 5th and "fire storm" upon reaching 7th and so on.
Lightning is way cooler than fire.
Totally agreed. There was actually a 3.5 spell called Scintillating Sphere that was literally a lightning equivalent of Fireball. Pretty sure it was mechanically identical.
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So how's about it? Is there a fundamental difference between the basic energy types: fire, cold, electricity, acid or sonic which should be considered before allowing such a change? Are they interchangeable?
For fire, cold and electricity, I'd allow it for free, if the PC has a specific theme (elemental wizard, cleric with the appropriate domain, sorcerer with a relevant bloodline, such as a dragon with that sort of breath weapon).
For those who do not have something already built into the character to justify that, I'd require them to use the Spell Research rules, but give them a bonus if they already know the normal version of the spell, and perhaps halve the cost, since they aren't so much creating fireball from scratch, but creating a fireball-that-does-lightning-damage.
I'd be inclined to either charge full Spell Research cost, or cut the die size down (from d6's to d4's, for instance), for someone wanting to swap a spell to do acid or sonic damage, as they have advantages over the cold/electricity/fire spells. Ditto force, if it's considered.
There might be other options, like, instead of researching each spell, just taking a feat that allows Energy Sub-cold, or something, pillaged from 3.X, if a PF compatible version can't be scrounged up.
The idea has good breeding, since Ed Greenwood used to invent spells like 'Freezing Fingers' (a version of Burning Hands that did cold damage) in the pages of Dragon magazine.
I had a sorceress once for whom I went the route of designing spells based on her chosen element. I created a Kiss of Frost spell, based on the Magic Missile spell. I also had an idea for a spell like Flaming Sphere, but ice, but she didn't get high enough level to cast it.
I usually changed things a little, besides the obvious. For the ice version of Flaming Sphere, I imagined it being a region of super-cold air, not visible except for the patch of frost on the ground and surrounding surfaces. My inspiration was the Dentyne commercials where the chick puts a stick of gum in her mouth and then everything around her gets covered in frost.
For another character (a necromancer), I took this concept further by designing necromantic versions of conjuration spells. I had Black Patch (based on Grease), which created a patch of black energy that made living creatures uncomfortable. I also had Blackflame Armor, which surrounded the character with black flames that did a small amount of damage to living creatures that touched her.
Lightning is way cooler than fire.Totally agreed. There was actually a 3.5 spell called Scintillating Sphere that was literally a lightning equivalent of Fireball. Pretty sure it was mechanically identical.
I think the range was shorter.