Does this spell seem balanced?

[Liam Warner]

Simulacrum Swarm
School
Illusion (Shadow)
Level
Sorcerer/Wizard 8, Summoner 6
Casting Time
12 Hours
Components
V, S, M (Ice Sculpture/s mixed with blood of the target plus 500 GP of powdered rubies per HD desired up to the targets max)
Range
Touch
Effect
Duplicate creatures
Duration
Instantaneous
Saving Throw
None
Spell Resistance
No

Description
This spell creates a number of duplicates of a target creature linked together as an aspect of the target crature. The duplicate creatures are partially real and formed from ice or snow. They appear to be the same as the original but only have hit points/HD equal as determined at casting (500 GP of powdered rubies per HD). However this only applies to hit points. Additionally all spells/abilities that have a usage per day are shared between the orignal and the duplicates.

You can't create a simulacrum of a creature whose HD or levels exceed the target creatures HD/levels or twice your caster level whichever is lower. You must make a Disguise check when you cast the spell to determine how good the likeness is. A creature familiar with the original might detect the ruse with a successful Perception check (opposed by the caster's Disguise check) or a DC 20 Sense Motive check.

As the Simulacrum's are an aspect of the target creature anything one learns will be known by the others and any affects that influence a mind e.g. dominate/geass affect the original and all simulacrums as well. Additionally as a part of their mind is bound up in each simulacrum the target creature is only able to operate up to their intelligence bonus in additional beings at any one time.

If reduced to 0 hit points or otherwise destroyed, it reverts to snow and melts instantly into nothingness. A complex process requiring at least 24 hours, 100 gp per hit point, and a fully equipped magical laboratory can repair damage to a simulacrum.

For example a 8th level wizard with an intelligence bonus of +2 can operate up to 2 simulacrum's simultaneously. If one of those simulacrums cast a 3rd level spell it is used for all 3 beings. If the wizard has 3 simulacrums active they can only control 2 at a time and the third just remains where it was last unmoving and unreactive until they return their intelligence to it. If one of the simulacrum were created with 1,500 GP although while under them mages control it would have saving throws, spells and other abilties as a 8th level wizard it would only have the hitpoints of a 3rd level one making it much easier to destroy.

[Liam Warner]

I'll take the utter silence as yes.

[Kalridian]

If the caster can create more simulacrums than he can control, this creates some questions:

- how many can he make? Is he only limited by money? (bad idea)
- how quickly can he switch between them? (RAW action needed)
- what keeps him from making an army out of those and having them pop up in groups of (int mod) at a time with the next ones coming out just as the former ones have been killed?
- If a synth. summoner uses this spell, can only one of the copies have the eidolon active? If yes, you need to specify this, because the ritual summoning of the eidolon does not have a limited number per day. The way it's written right now, i'd make a bunch of 1HD simulacrums of my high level Synth Summoner, have every one of them summon the high level eidolon and go to town.

Right now, there are way to many unclear RAW questions and to much potential for abuse to allow this spell into a game world.

[Majuba]

Short answer: No.

Side answer: Quite a few issues with some of the details.

I'm guessing your example 8th level wizard is not the caster of a spell requiring a 15th level wizard to cast.

Subjecting the original creature to any mental affect the simulacrum is affected by is crazy. Get a little blood, make one cheap simulacrum and cast dominate - boom, you've defeated your worst enemy.

Giving each simulacrum the full abilities of the original creature, despite lower HD, is also madness. Who cares if all your simulacrum are just 6hp (1 HD) - if they each cast dozens of summon monster spells no one will ever get near them.

Long answer: I leave to someone obsessed with the simulacrum spell.

[Liam Warner]

Needing to get ready for work but briefly.

No the 8th level wizard is not the caster if the spell.

What I was trying to say with the uses per day is that anything one does effects the others e.g. if a simulacrum has the eidolon summoned the original and any others can't. If one casts a summon monster spell it uses up that spell slot for the others so while yes technically you could have a high int wizard using a half dozen to burn through their entire selection of summoning spells in a few rounds the original let's you have an infinite number of simulacrum with their own personal spell lists that could summon hundreds in a single round. If they have quicken spell they could follow that up with a few dozen fireballs, acid pits, dimensional lock and still only have cast two spells each in my one your limited to the original creatures total nimber of spells and a number of additional simulacrum equal to their int bonus at a time.

Subjecting the original to mental effects is the risk of this spell and you could cast dominate on them personally anyway saves remain the same I'll give it some thought though.

I'd say activating switching simulacrum control takes an hour.

The original was only limited by money and you could create an army of independant simulacrum at 75% your power each with their own spells and.abilities that don't affect your usage. There's also the need of a litre of blood from the target per simulacrum you make and if the orginal is asleep or the like so.are.they when the oriinal version you could use them as guards.

Edit
I'm trying to give a high level wizard a way to be in several spots at once and still be aware of what's going on there.

[Liam Warner]

Gumbles at the lack if response and Goes off to develop a spell that will let their immortal wizard pretend to be their own child on a cyclical basis by themself.

[Gilfalas]

How many duplicates does this spell create per casting?
Are duplicates persistent and cumulative over multiple castings?
What is stopping a high level mage from creating multiple, cheap copies and blowing away action economy by casting multiple spells in one round, round after round, with their simulacrums, effectively going supernova?
Does it require concentration to control the simulacrums?
How long do the simulacrums last once created?
Exactly what powers do the simulacrums have at what HD?
Does the caster have telepathic control of the simulacrums?
Over what distance can the caster control them?

[TimrehIX]

I would say this is more a Transmutation spell than an Illusion spell. You are taking something (snow and or ice) and turning it into something else (simulacrums).

[Liam Warner]

Gilfalas wrote:

How many duplicates does this spell create per casting?

Are duplicates persistent and cumulative over multiple castings?
What is stopping a high level mage from creating multiple, cheap copies and blowing away action economy by casting multiple spells in one round, round after round, with their simulacrums, effectively going supernova?
Does it require concentration to control the simulacrums?
How long do the simulacrums last once created?
Exactly what powers do the simulacrums have at what HD?
Does the caster have telepathic control of the simulacrums?
Over what distance can the caster control them?

One duplicate per casting but yes they are permanent and cumulative. However as u said the number a mage can have active at any given time is equal to their intelligence bonus and any spells the duplicates cast uses their own slots whereas in the spell (lower level) I based this on you could have an unlimited supply of simulacrum with their own spells so you could get hundreds if fireballs cast in a single round and they'd all have used one slot. This one even if there's 8 duplicates they can only cast the 4-6 the original caster has memorized.

I modified the lower level simulacrum spell for this and illusion is what that was.