Feedback on Level/Balance requested...
Thunderclap
Evocation [Air, Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’, + 10’ per level)
Target: 20' Radius
Duration: Instantaneous (see below)
Saving Throw: Yes
Spell Resistance: Yes
"You slam your staff upon the ground and call out the final incantation. A thunderous boom follows, and your enemies left standing stumble about from the shock and awe."
Thunderclap rapidly expands the air in the area of effect, causing a shockwave (and a loud boom) like that of thunder.
Anyone in the area of effect take 1d4 points of sonic damage per caster level (max of 12d4) and is considered staggered for 1 round. A successful Reflex saves halves damage and prevents the staggered condition.
It sounds (pardon the pun) like a sonic fireball to me. Up the damage cap to 15 dice is my first suggestion. Maybe add a brief bout of deafness to it as well, say 1d4 rounds, save negates. Looks good to me.
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Feedback on Level/Balance requested...
Thunderclap
Evocation [Air, Sonic]Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’, + 10’ per level)
Target: 20' Radius
Duration: Instantaneous (see below)
Saving Throw: Yes
Spell Resistance: Yes"You slam your staff upon the ground and call out the final incantation. A thunderous boom follows, and your enemies left standing stumble about from the shock and awe."
Thunderclap rapidly expands the air in the area of effect, causing a shockwave (and a loud boom) like that of thunder.
Anyone in the area of effect take 1d4 points of sonic damage per caster level (max of 12d4) and is considered staggered for 1 round. A successful Reflex saves halves damage and prevents the staggered condition.
Level and balance seem ok, I would suggest capping at 10d4 to follow the way other spells cap out at multiples of 5 though. Other than that it doesn't seem overly strong (if not a little weak compared to spells like soundburst, better status effect, non-standard save for a damage spell).
non-standard save for a damage spell).
You mean Reflex?!? Its been standard for damage for a while. You may be thinking of save-or-dies.
Ok, i may be a little radical, but there are my thoughts about a spell like this:
» change the save required to Fort;
» target is staggered if it saves, otherwise target is stunned for X rounds;
» since stunning opponents is a way better option than actually deafening them (as per the spell shout, also 4th level), some refiting should be necessary to damage. Maybe the spell could cause non-lethal sonic damage.
Please, don't get me wrong, i actually like the spell's concept. But personally i would put less emphasis in damage.
Ok, i may be a little radical, but there are my thoughts about a spell like this:
» change the save required to Fort;
» target is staggered if it saves, otherwise target is stunned for X rounds;
» since stunning opponents is a way better option than actually deafening them (as per the spell shout, also 4th level), some refiting should be necessary to damage. Maybe the spell could cause non-lethal sonic damage.Please, don't get me wrong, i actually like the spell's concept. But personally i would put less emphasis in damage.
I agree with this sentiment. The imagery is awesome, but it's mostly sonic damage, with the staggered condition being a rather lackluster side effect (only one round on a failed save). Granted sonic damage is rare because of the few defenses against it, but I would put more focus on the side-effects of the thunderous blast. Maybe deafened for a few rounds on a successful save, and on a failed save, deafened for that same number of rounds, but also staggered for that duration.
It may be a lame effect overall, but loud bangs and pops and kabooms are going to affect your hearing, so it shouldn't be left out.
Yes, interesting comments, because my original thought was to go weak on the damage (say, 4d4) and focus on dazed (missed save) versus staggered (made save) or something like that.
/bump for update. Thoughts?
Thunderclap
Evocation [Air, Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’, + 10’ per level)
Target: 10' Radius
Duration: Instantaneous (see below)
Saving Throw: Yes (Fortitude partial; see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes
"You slam your staff upon the ground and call out the final incantation. A thunderous boom follows, and your enemies left standing stumble about from the shock and awe."
Thunderclap rapidly expands the air in the area of effect, causing a shockwave (and a loud boom) like that of thunder.
Anyone in the area of effect takes 4d4 sonic damage and are deafened¹ and staggered² for d3+1 rounds.
A successful Fortitude save prevents the staggered condition and limits the deafened condition to 1 round.
¹ Deafened: A deafened character cannot hear. He takes a –4 penalty on Initiative checks, automatically fails Perception checks based on sound, takes a –4 penalty on opposed Perception checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components.
² Staggered: A staggered creature may take a single move action or standard action each round (but not both, nor can he take full-round actions). A staggered creature can still take swift and immediate actions.
/bump for update. Thoughts?
Thunderclap
Evocation [Air, Sonic]Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’, + 10’ per level)
Target: 10' Radius
Duration: Instantaneous (see below)
Saving Throw: Yes (Fortitude partial; see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes"You slam your staff upon the ground and call out the final incantation. A thunderous boom follows, and your enemies left standing stumble about from the shock and awe."
Thunderclap rapidly expands the air in the area of effect, causing a shockwave (and a loud boom) like that of thunder.
Anyone in the area of effect takes 4d4 sonic damage and are deafened¹ and staggered² for d3+1 rounds.
A successful Fortitude save prevents the staggered condition and limits the deafened condition to 1 round.
¹ Deafened: A deafened character cannot hear. He takes a –4 penalty on Initiative checks, automatically fails Perception checks based on sound, takes a –4 penalty on opposed Perception checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components.
² Staggered: A staggered creature may take a single move action or standard action each round (but not both, nor can he take full-round actions). A staggered creature can still take swift and immediate actions.
That 4d4 is pitiful, and Fortitude is the one save that most monsters will be able to beat most often. I'd go 1d4/CL (Max 10d4), up the number of rounds on the secondary effects to 1d4+1 rounds (if only for the marginal increase in simplicity).
EDIT: I think this sounds fair enough - "Anyone in the area of effect takes 1d4 sonic damage per caster level (max 10d4) and are deafened¹ and staggered² for 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Fortitude save prevents the staggered condition."
4d4 is low, but there is no save for the damage, just the residual effects.
10d4 damage AND staggered for multiple rounds seems too powerful to me.
I could change the Fort to Ref like most AOE spells, Fort just felt more appropriate. d4+1 over d3+1 is fine.