Obliterate
School transmutation; Level sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a lodestone and a pinch of dust)
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area 80-ft.-radius burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial (object); Spell Resistance yes
A green orb of transmuting energy leaps from your hand and erupts with an emerald flash of light and an acrid hiss, twisting creatures and objects out of reality in one of the most potent displays of magic known. You can aim the orb at a creature or object as a ranged touch attack. If you hit, the creature does not gain the benefit of a Fortitude save against the spell. If you miss, it explodes at the nearest corner of the target's space. Any creature within the area must make a Fortitude save or take 2d6 points of damage per caster level (to a maximum of 60d6). Any creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by this spell is completely obliterated, leaving behind no trace of their body, not even a speck of dust. An obliterated creature's equipment is unaffected. Nonmagical unattended objects smaller than a 20 foot cube simply vanish. Larger objects simply lose any material within 10 feet of the surface (so a underground tunnel would become twenty feet wider, ten feet taller, and ten feet deeper).
The spell affects even objects constructed entirely of force, such as forceful hand or a wall of force, but not magical effects such as a globe of invulnerability or an antimagic field.
A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is only partly affected, taking 10d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level.
Aiming the spell is similar to aiming a fireball spell. However, the orb obliterates objects in its path without detonating prematurely, allowing it to ignore barriers less than 10 feet thick.
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even for a 9th level spell i would say it is overpowered. It has to much aoe for its damage and can be thrown to great a distance to then have that much aoe as well.
My main problem is that is allows its self to NOT have a save by simply having the caster range touch attack? now thats crazy. Always keep the save no matter what.
personally i would keep the distance but reduce the aoe to 60 feet, keep a save no matter what (for half damage) as well as making it effect glove of invul but not anti magic field.
If I'm reading it correctly it does more damage that Meteor Swarm over a larger area, and can disintegrate objects on top of that. So no, I would not see that as balanced.
The spell is too powerful.
Well there is very little I can agree on as balanced with this spell, didnt you think a 20'radius disintegration, with medium range, using d8 for dice rather than d6 was bad enough ?
I'd suggest adding a notable component, a 500 gold emerald would be fitting for the spell as I wrote it.
Obliterate
School transmutation; Level sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a lodestone and a pinch of dust)
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area 20-ft.-radius burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial (object); Spell Resistance yes
A green orb of transmuting energy leaps from your hand and erupts with an emerald flash of light and an acrid hiss, twisting creatures and objects out of reality in one of the most potent displays of magic known. You can aim the orb at a creature or object as a ranged touch attack. If you hit, the creature takes a -4 penalty on the Fortitude save against the spell. If you miss, it explodes at the nearest corner of the target's space. Any creature within the area must make a Fortitude save or take 2d6 points of damage per caster level (to a maximum of 60d6). Any creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by this spell is completely obliterated, leaving behind no trace of their body, not even a speck of dust. An obliterated creature's equipment is unaffected. Nonmagical unattended objects smaller than a 20 foot cube simply vanish. Larger objects simply lose any material within 10 feet of the surface (so a underground tunnel would become twenty feet wider, ten feet taller, and ten feet deeper).
The spell affects even objects constructed entirely of force, such as forceful hand or a wall of force, but not magical effects such as a globe of invulnerability or an antimagic field.
A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is only partly affected, taking 10d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level.
Aiming the spell is similar to aiming a fireball spell. However, the orb obliterates objects in its path without detonating prematurely, allowing it to ignore barriers less than 10 feet thick.
The 'no save' bit and radius were copy-paste errors.
Also, I was under the impression that meteor swarm was an underpowered spell for its level.
Then compare it to Wail of the Banshee instead. Wail has a larger radius and deals more damage on a failed save (at lvl 20, 200 vs 140 avg). On the other hand, Obliterate has long range rather than short, reliably applies -4 on the main target's save, and deals avg 55 damage on a passed save (as opposed to 0 from Wail). Further, it disintegrates objects and force effects (meaning it drops targets into a 10' pit) and escapes line of effect restrictions by passing through intervening materials. Personally, I still find it overpowered.
Then compare it to Wail of the Banshee instead. Wail has a larger radius and deals more damage on a failed save (at lvl 20, 200 vs 140 avg). On the other hand, Obliterate has long range rather than short, reliably applies -4 on the main target's save, and deals avg 55 damage on a passed save (as opposed to 0 from Wail). Further, it disintegrates objects and force effects (meaning it drops targets into a 10' pit) and escapes line of effect restrictions by passing through intervening materials. Personally, I still find it overpowered.
Yeah... funny story: it was originally intended to be a 10th level spell. ;p
Edit: I even left the giant CL cap in there.
I think a 9th level version should be medium range with a full-round casting time, and leave out the part where it mentions specifically aiming at a creature.