I've always enjoyed messing with game mechanics and such so I got really excited when Ultimate Magic came out and gave me some guidelines to work with on spells. That being said, Im not to sure how balanced some of my spells are and thats where you all come in. I would like for this to be a review of any and all custom spells, so dont be shy, blast away.
Here are a few of the ones that im going to try and run in my current game(gm allowing):
Custom Spells
Magic Archer
- School: Evocation(Acid, Cold, Electric or Fire)
- Level: Wizard 1
- Casting time: Standar Action
- Components: V, S
- Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/Level)
- Targets: Up to 5, no two of which may be more than 15ft apart.
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Saving Throw: None
- Spell Resistance: Yes
* A missile of elemental energy(type chosen at time of casting) shoots forth from your hand to strike at its target(must succeed at a Ranged Touch attack for each missile), dealing 1D6 points of Acid, Cold, Electric, or Fire Damage.
For every two caster levels, you generate an additional missile(two at 2nd level, three at 4th level, and the maximum of five at 6th level or higher). If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single target or several targets.A single missile can only strike one target. You must designate targets before you check for Spell Resistance or roll damage.
Kinetic Barrier
- School: Abjuration (Force)
- Level: Wizard 1
- Casting Time: Standard Action
- Components: V, S, focus(small glass/crystal orb)
- Range: Touch
- Target: Touched creature
- Duration: 1 hour/level or until discharged
- Saving Throw: Will Negates(harmless)
- Spell Resistance: No
* An Invisible but tangible barrier surrounds the target of Kinetic Barrier which reduces the damage from incoming physical attacks. The target of this spell gains a damage reduction of 1/Magic per Caster level to a maximum of 4/Magic. This lasts until the duration ends or until the spell has absorbed 5 points of damage per Caster level to a maximum
of 20 at which point the spell ends.
Thunderous Gale Form, Minor
- Schoool: Transmutation(Electric, Air)
- Level: Wizard 5
- Casting Time: 1 Full Round Action
- Components: V, S, M(Drop of caster's blood)
- Range: Personal
- Target: You
- Duration: 1 round per Caster Level
- Saving Throw: None
- SR: No
* This spell calls upon the Elemental Plane of Air and channels its properties into you for a short time giving you great power but causing great stress on your body after the effects wear off. During the casting process the caster takes 1 point of damage that is not preventable. This spell grants the caster the effects of the Haste Spell, the Cats's Grace Spell, the Fly Spell and any melee attacks(Armed or Unarmed) made by the caster while the spell is active deal an additional 1D6 Electric damage and are considered to be magic for purposes of DR. This Spell can be dismissed as a Swift Action. However when the spell ends the caster becomes Fatigued for a number of rounds equal to twice the number of rounds the spell was active. This spell cannot be cast if the caster is Fatigued.
Magic Archer: Since it is nearly the same power level as Magic Missile, it should scale the same, to five missiles at 9th.
Kinetic Barrier: Seems fine. Odd that it stops at four, but functional, and not too good.
Thunderous Gale Form, Minor: This feels like a Druid spell, not a wizard spell. I think its strong both costs - 1HP and fatigued - are insignificant. Casters don't care about fatigue. I don't think it belongs on the spell list, but it's too low a level right now.
Magic Archer: Is a nice spell that is on the same poser level as Magc Missle and that feels differnt engouh to be a spell on it's own i kind of like it.
Kinetic Barrier: Is good power wise, but TheRedArmy is right why 4 and not 5?
Thunderous Gale Form, Minor: This is a bit greedy. This spell gives the effect of hast, fly and gives you weapons/unarmed strikes a shock enchantment. Why should any high level PC memorize fly/hast when he can have this spell? (I kind of hate spells that make lower level spells make absolutly bad once you have the better version, the exception are some spell chains like the summon monster I- IX linie)
To setup a similar effect to fly, hast and shocking a PC without this spell has to cast hast + quickend fly + some costum item. Thats a level 7 and a level 3 spell slot + X gp for the item. I think this is a bit overdone. The 1 hp damage and fatigue (a condition that is easily removed at this level) can't rebalance this spell onto normal power level.
Breiti
Magic Archer: Steps from 3 missiles at 4th to 5 missiles at 6th? Scrap that, make it 1/3/5/7/9 like MM. The spell is clearly weaker than magic missile; given that they're attacks, things like Point Blank Shot and Inspire Courage will add to damage,but NOT sneak attack. It has niche uses. All in all, seems fine.
Kinetic Barrier: Seems fine.
Thunderous Gale Form: Poorly written. It's not "the effects of the Cat's Grace spell", it's "+4 Enhancement bonus to Dexterity". The drawbacks are complete non-issues. Back to the drawing board.
Magic Archer: I see your point about the missile per level issue and will make that change.
kinetic Barrier : I cant remember exactly why I went with a level max DR of 4. I guess I just figured 5 would be too much but 4 would be just right....so I guess DR5 it is.
Thunderous Gale Form, minor: Ok, so i figured that this one would be the sticking point. I really want to figure out a way to make something like this work. Any constructive ideas?
Anyway ill probably be posting at least a few mored spell ideas in the near future but please feel free to post any of your own here as well. Thanks for the help.
Magic Archer: not the same as Magic Missile. It's like ray of Frost advance with the scale same as Magic Missile with element of your choice. So you can choose what element you can deal the most damage with and cast them. Work best for draconic sorcerer or anti elemental spell caster.
Kinetic Barrier: I would say it's a level 1 spell and it's a bit too much. You are defending caster from it's weakness with low level spell by giving them damage reduction. At the very least, should tune the duration down to 1 min + 1 min per CL if not round. Also should be DR 1/- + 1 every 2 CL up to 10. So level 10 can get 5/- while you don't get too much DR at level 4. Should make it doesn't stack with other DR so you can be almost invincible at level 10.
Thunderous Gale Form, Minor: Giving a caster two feats and two spells all in one spell is just too much. The 1 hp is nothing when you have lv 5 spells, and spell caster won't have to worry about fatigue after this spell ends. They can just cast other spells to finish the job. Oh, no. By the time you have this spell, you would be level 10. With Haste Spell, the Cats's Grace Spell and the Fly Spell, you don't even need to do anything else. Casting 20 spells in 10 rounds while you can hardly hit your flying, fast dodging target, what can live after fighting that? Dead gaze I guess?
If you want to make this spell works, reduce the duration to 1 + 1 round ever 2 level and take 1d4 damage per caster level. With that you can make sure that the most caster level the caster has, more damage it will take. Means they will have the power of god but could take up almost half their life. Would work best for multi class monk, but 10 level monk and 10 level of wizard wouldn't have much BAB anyway. Or have the caster take 1d3 con damage and fatigue after it. This way, you get your god power while still balance because you are one 1d3 con closer to death.
SiuoL wrote: Magic Archer: not the same as Magic Missile. It's like ray of Frost advance with the scale same as Magic Missile with element of your choice. So you can choose what element you can deal the most damage with and cast them. Work best for draconic sorcerer or anti elemental spell caster.
Kinetic Barrier: I would say it's a level 1 spell and it's a bit too much. You are defending caster from it's weakness with low level spell by giving them damage reduction. At the very least, should tune the duration down to 1 min + 1 min per CL if not round. Also should be DR 1/- + 1 every 2 CL up to 10. So level 10 can get 5/- while you don't get too much DR at level 4. Should make it doesn't stack with other DR so you can be almost invincible at level 10.
Thunderous Gale Form, Minor: Giving a caster two feats and two spells all in one spell is just too much. The 1 hp is nothing when you have lv 5 spells, and spell caster won't have to worry about fatigue after this spell ends. They can just cast other spells to finish the job. Oh, no. By the time you have this spell, you would be level 10. With Haste Spell, the Cats's Grace Spell and the Fly Spell, you don't even need to do anything else. Casting 20 spells in 10 rounds while you can hardly hit your flying, fast dodging target, what can live after fighting that? Dead gaze I guess?
If you want to make this spell works, reduce the duration to 1 + 1 round ever 2 level and take 1d4 damage per caster level. With that you can make sure that the most caster level the caster has, more damage it will take. Means they will have the power of god but could take up almost half their life. Would work best for multi class monk, but 10 level monk and 10 level of wizard wouldn't have much BAB anyway. Or have the caster take 1d3 con damage and fatigue after it. This way, you get your god power while still balance because you are one 1d3 con closer to death.
Ok so what i'm getting is that Magic archer is More or Less fine if i make that one change.
I'm not so sure i agree with your view on Kinetic Barrier though. I capped its DR at 4 because i didn't want it to be overpowered and the long duration is mitigated by the very low damage threshold(ei. 5dmg at level 1, 10dmg at level 2 ect), which you have to admit is pretty easy to burn through. That might equate to 1 or 2 attacks before then Spell drops so all in all i'd have to say that its not as long lived as you think.
Ok I kinda like the idea of taking a Con Damage after the spell ends, since this is supposed to be like a "Finisher Spell" or a "Last Ditch Spell" so it would make sense that the cost should be on the high end. So how about 1D4 Con Damage when the spell ends? As for the initial blood sacrifice(1 damage),what if i changed that to 1 point of damage per caster level?
On Kinetic Barrier, I will just say this. DR is a type of damage control. It's like healing but block damage before hand. Now you giving a creature 20 hit points of healing at level 4, no caster can heal that much at level 4 with a level one spell. If you understand what I mean.
On the Thunderous Gale Form, Minor, it's getting better. I like the 1d4 con damage at the end of spell, not too much, but not too less. And with a initial blood sacrifice. 1 point per caster level sounds decent with the 1d4 con damage at the end as a arcane caster has about 3 - 4 hit points per level. Good job.
SiuoL wrote: On Kinetic Barrier, I will just say this. DR is a type of damage control. It's like healing but block damage before hand. Now you giving a creature 20 hit points of healing at level 4, no caster can heal that much at level 4 with a level one spell. If you understand what I mean.
I understand what your trying to say, however there is akey difference between DR and a healing spell. With DR there is almost always a way to bypass it while healing just gives you HP back that still has to be run through again. The biggist weakness of the spell is the fact that any type of magic attack will bypass the DR, and at level 4 most parties will be encountering enemy casters with decent DPR and or creatures with some sort of magical ability. Long story short I think your overstating its power.
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