One of my players wants to create this spell. He tried to get it past our old GM which I though was a little crazy, but the written version seemed really different than what he explained to me. I've rewritten it, just want to see if I left any loopholes to make this completely broken.
School evocation [force]; Level magus 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S. F
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one force attack
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
You strike your foes with pure force, as if your blade cuts through empty air. You may make iterative melee slashing attacks as ranged touch attacks dealing force damage equal to weapon damage + Int. The slashes may be fired at the same or different targets, but all slashes must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously. Weapon enhancement bonuses apply, but spellstrike and special abilities, such as flaming do not.
This spell requires a slashing weapon, used for the attack, as a focus.
His original had multiple attacks every 2 levels up to ninth - in other words you got more attacks than possible (5) with a special damage type without having to be in melee range — NO.
Does allowing the enhancement bonus seem like being too nice?
allowing enhancement bonuses seems over the top I think. the spell is already attacking touch AC and at range on top of that. this is a pretty good spell without adding enhancement bonuses. you get additional attacks with one casting and its balanced by your base attack bonus.
you should also address what you will do in the case of a critical hit. are you going to use the standard x2 on critical or use the weapons critical range and bonus?
Does allowing the enhancement bonus seem like being too nice?
I don't think so. At the moment its just a full attack against touch from a class with 3/4 BAB. Oh noes! At level 10 you'll be able to hit them twice with D6+int! Imagine that horribleness. It could be as high as 12 per hit! That's 24 damage if you roll high!(Its actually a little weak imo)
Also you can remove the language about spell strike, ranged touch can't be used with spell strike anyway. It could be reworded a little better so that its a scaling evocation spell rather than something dependent on your iteratives. Something like 1 slash per five levels after 5, maybe make it a single stronger scaling attack.
Personally, I wouldn't say its any higher than 3. Compare to this third level spell: Battering Blast. It comes off a little weak imo. The only real advantage is that you can use it with spell combat and get off a full attack, but... if you do that I have to ask why? You could instead do a 10D6 shocking grasp to the guy right next to you. I guess if there's someone far off you also want to hit? But... I wouldn't want the guy next to me to survive. Its big advantages are that its force and ranged.
On the upside, it actually fits the theme of the magus very well and I think its a good idea.
You're forgetting a major consideration here. It's Year of the Demon. you're in the WorldWound fighting demonic nastiness.
So... How does this affect a guys homebrew? Did they say they were only fighting demons or something?
I might make it something like this:
Force Slash
School: evocation [force]; Level: magus 2
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, F
Range: close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: up to four creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: none; Spell Resistance: yes
A blade of pure force flies from your weapon, dealing force damage equal to your weapon's damage die + Int with a successful ranged touch attack. At 6th level, and every five levels thereafter, you may make an additional attack. These attacks are made simultaneously. The critical threat range for these attacks is equal to that of your weapon, but the critical multiplier is only x2. You may apply your weapon's enhancement bonus (if any) to the attack and damage rolls, but you may not add other weapon special abilities (such as Keen or Flaming), nor may you apply any feats pertaining to the weapon (such as Improved Critical or Weapon Focus).
This spell requires a light or one-handed slashing weapon, used for the attack, as a focus.
Personally, I think it's still too much but not completely broken. In reference, I'm thinking of two spells from 3.5, Wraithstrike (3rd) and Blood Wind (1st). One turned attacks into touch attacks an the other turned natural melee attacks into thrown (ranged) attacks. In a fashion this does both and with force damage no less (no immunity for you!). It's too much, IMO, for a second level spell.
Query whether it's also trying to make the magus into a Swiss army knife but if that's your gaming preference, go for it.
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Have you ever heard of a proper home campaign without a healthy serving of demon, with perhaps a couple of layers of devil sandwiched in between?You're forgetting a major consideration here. It's Year of the Demon. you're in the WorldWound fighting demonic nastiness.So... How does this affect a guys homebrew? Did they say they were only fighting demons or something?
You won't like me for it, but yes. Oddly enough I don't like demons that much. The real monster is man dontcha' know. Personal taste.
And yeah, force damage is measured in D4's a lot of the time to reduce the damage and make up for being able to bypass darn near everything you'll ever fight. I think you can count the number of monsters in 3.5 immune to force on one hand.
You won't like me for it, but yes.Have you ever heard of a proper home campaign without a healthy serving of demon, with perhaps a couple of layers of devil sandwiched in between?You're forgetting a major consideration here. It's Year of the Demon. you're in the WorldWound fighting demonic nastiness.So... How does this affect a guys homebrew? Did they say they were only fighting demons or something?
Same - I used fiends sparingly in the first two campaigns I ran. The first one that used them heavily in my group was Savage Tide.
I might make it something like this:
Force Slash
School: evocation [force]; Level: magus 2
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, F
Range: close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: up to four creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: none; Spell Resistance: yesA blade of pure force flies from your weapon, dealing force damage equal to your weapon's damage die + Int with a successful ranged touch attack. At 6th level, and every five levels thereafter, you may make an additional attack. These attacks are made simultaneously. The critical threat range for these attacks is equal to that of your weapon, but the critical multiplier is only x2. You may apply your weapon's enhancement bonus (if any) to the attack and damage rolls, but you may not add other weapon special abilities (such as Keen or Flaming), nor may you apply any feats pertaining to the weapon (such as Improved Critical or Weapon Focus).
This spell requires a light or one-handed slashing weapon, used for the attack, as a focus.
I like it, I think it strikes a pretty good balance.
Glad I could help!