Custom Spells & Magical Items (How do these look?)

[Better_with_Bacon]

Good Evening Fellow Gamers,
I'm going to make a thread here for the community to help me balance out some Spells and Magical Items.

First Up: Lightning Lash and Atlas Axe

Lightning Lash
School evocation [electricity]; Level Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./ 2 levels)
Effect one or more 30-ft.-long vertical lines of lightning
Duration Instantaneous (see text)
Saving Throw Reflex half (see text); Spell Resistance yes

Immediately upon completion of the spell, you may call down a 5-foot-wide, 30-foot-long, vertical bolt of lightning that deals 3d6 points of electricity damage and is held in place by tendrils of electrical energy for 1d4+1 rounds. (A successful save deals half damage and gives the entangled condition for 1d4+1 rounds). The bolt of lightning flashes down in a vertical stroke at whatever target point you choose within the spell's range (measured from your position at the time). Any creature in the target square or in the path of the bolt is affected.
You may call a total number of bolts equal to your half your caster level (maximum 10 bolts).

This spell functions indoors or underground but not underwater.

Atlas Axe
Atlas Axe
Aura strong evocation; CL 12th
Slot none; Price 23,715 gp; Weight 12 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
This is a +2 adamantine flaming burst greataxe. Once per day, the axe can call a 10-ft column of fire within 50-ft. This column of fire deals 5d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit.
The axe may call an additional column of fire per day at a cumulative 5% chance that the axe bursts into flame (dealing 5d6 points of fire damage to the wielder) and crumbles into useless ash.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, scorching ray and fireball, flame blade, or flame strike; Cost 11,857 gp

Opinions?

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Squaba]

On the Lightning: Do you take damage every round? Is there no save against the entangle? Also, that's a lot of bolts to trap people with. Seems too strong as is, but I like the idea.

On the axe: Why's it called atlas axe? I hear atlas and imagine earth. How does the column of fire hit? is it an attack roll, or do the get a save? Seems okay to me as a weapon, just needs more tuning.

[Better_with_Bacon]

Thanks for your feedback Squaba!

The idea for the lightning lash is to do x amount of damage, and preventing the victim from moving. If they fail their saving throw, they take full damage, and are rooted to the spot. If they make it, the lash still tries to hold them in place, hence the entangled

You only take damage from the initial jolt.

Would you suggest three bolts plus on bolt for every 3 caster levels beyond 9th?

For the Atlas axe, it's based off an axe from an old school video game (Shining Force) and it could cast fire spells. I'm trying to put the fire effect somewhere between flame strike and fireball, and balancing a risk/reward idea with it.
A reflex save, DC 14, should be reasonable to allow for half damage.

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Daethor]

Better_with_Bacon wrote:

Good Evening Fellow Gamers,

I'm going to make a thread here for the community to help me balance out some Spells and Magical Items.

First Up: Lightning Lash and Atlas Axe

Lightning Lash
School evocation [electricity]; Level Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./ 2 levels)
Effect one or more 30-ft.-long vertical lines of lightning
Duration Instantaneous (see text)
Saving Throw Reflex half (see text); Spell Resistance yes

Immediately upon completion of the spell, you may call down a 5-foot-wide, 30-foot-long, vertical bolt of lightning that deals 3d6 points of electricity damage and is held in place by tendrils of electrical energy for 1d4+1 rounds. (A successful save deals half damage and gives the entangled condition for 1d4+1 rounds). The bolt of lightning flashes down in a vertical stroke at whatever target point you choose within the spell's range (measured from your position at the time). Any creature in the target square or in the path of the bolt is affected.
You may call a total number of bolts equal to your half your caster level (maximum 10 bolts).

This spell functions indoors or underground but not underwater.

Very cool spell! If it did that damage every round, that'd definitely be too much. As it is...I still think it's a bit too good for a 5th level spell mainly because of the multiple target capability and the entangled condition no matter what. Entangled is a very good debuff. At the time you get this spell you have a minimum CL of 9 which means you can impart this condition for 3 or 4 rounds on average to 4 different opponents within 45 feet even if they make their save. If they *don't* make their save, they are held in place (does this mean the paralysis condition by the way? or can they attack and cast spells, just not move?), effectively removing them from the battle for 3 or 4 rounds on average which is a significant portion of typical combats.

I think when comparing this spell, the best analogue I guess would be mass hold person which is stronger in that it lasts longer and can potentially affect more people, but weaker in that it does no damage, is completely negated by a save, and also allows a new save each round.

Here's what I would do if I were designing something similar:

1) Clarify the effect that occurs when an opponent fails the save.

2) Change the spell in some of the following ways:

-Make it higher level
-Make it affect less people
-No effect when successful save, or at least a less severe one

Better_with_Bacon wrote:

Atlas Axe
Atlas Axe
Aura strong evocation; CL 12th
Slot none; Price 23,715 gp; Weight 12 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
This is a +2 adamantine flaming burst greataxe. Once per day, the axe can call a 10-ft column of fire within 50-ft. This column of fire deals 5d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit.
The axe may call an additional column of fire per day at a cumulative 5% chance that the axe bursts into flame (dealing 5d6 points of fire damage to the wielder) and crumbles into useless ash.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, scorching ray and fireball, flame blade, or flame strike; Cost 11,857 gp

Another cool thing! Bravo :)

If I were designing this, here's how I would change it:

Increase the price. As is, it's almost objectively underpiced because it has a total enhancement bonus of +4 which puts it at 32,000 gp right there. Plus, you can use it to call down a fiery pillar of doom (awesome) once a day which should increase the price. I understand that the weapon has the possibility of being destroyed, but that doesn't really lower the value because the player can just choose not to use that ability (I wouldn't risk it). This is a variation of a magic item design trap called "item's drawback is really a benefit" described by Sean K. Reynolds in this post.

Hope that helps! Good luck and good gaming!

[Better_with_Bacon]

Thanks, Daethor!

Yeah, the objective is to hold them in place. They can still attack, cast spells, whatever, but not move. In my mind, it's a way for a spellcaster to keep melee types from closing on him.

Would making the saving throw all-or-nothing for the entangle effect? I'm trying to make it be a sort of area control.

For the Axe, You're right about the price. I used the flame tongue as a template, but forgot to increase the price to go with it. Should be 37,715gp

Thanks again!

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Pizza Lord]

Lightning lash
I think the power is fine for a 1 round cast time. I believe the entangle effect should be negated with a successful save. Entangled on failure.
I am not totally clear on Pathfinder targeting rules for spells, but I don't know if there's any rule that prevents a 10th-level caster from say, calling down all five of his lightning bolts into the same 5-foot square, thus potentially inflicting up to 15d6 damage and requiring 5 saves from one target.
I'm not sure if you're okay with that, but if not, perhaps wording that says a single 5-foot square can only be targeted once. Even with this wording, a large size creature could still take up to 4 hits at once. If you're not okay with that, then stating a creature can be affected by no more than one bolt per casting of the spell would prevent that. But that's only if these effects weren't intended.

Atlas axe wrote:

This is a +2 adamantine flaming burst greataxe. Once per day, the axe can call a 10-ft column of fire within 50-ft. This column of fire deals 5d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit...

I think I remember the Heat Axe from Shining Force. Gave it to the dwarf, used it a lot. Didn't know it blew up until it started smoking and then... blew up. It was a good axe.

Only problem I really have is reading the column of fire effect. I can't tell if it's a 10-ft radius column, or a 10-foot diameter column, or a 10-foot high column with a 5-foot radius (I suppose someone could assume it was a 10-foot high column of flame filling the entire 50-foot area around the wielder when used, not that I do.) I think tighter wording of the effects dimensions would help.
Also, the part about dealing 5d6 fire damage on a successful hit (by the column presumably) is confusing. Normally it would be written along the lines of 'deals 5d6 fire damage to targets in the area (Reflex DC 16; half)' or something like that.

[Better_with_Bacon]

Thanks Pizza Lord,

Lightning Lash I think I will allow a single creature to be hit by more than one lightning bolt, and each successive bolt on the same creature incurs a -2 penalty on the reflex save. (should I up it to 6th level then, though? 15d6 is on par with delayed blast fireball, but fireball also has a much wider area of effect...)

Atlas Axe Sorry, you are right. Column of fire should be 10-ft radius, 40-ft high.

Regarding the 'on a successful hit' is a leftover from an earlier draft that basically cribbed 'Melf's Minute Meteors' from an earlier version of D&D as the spell-like ability it could conjure; with each meteor that hit doing 1d6 points of fire damage.

Reflex save DC 17 for half damage puts it at right about the same DC for a Flame Strike spell. (or should I keep it at 14, like a fireball?)

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Daethor]

Better_with_Bacon wrote:

Thanks, Daethor!

Yeah, the objective is to hold them in place. They can still attack, cast spells, whatever, but not move. In my mind, it's a way for a spellcaster to keep melee types from closing on him.

Would making the saving throw all-or-nothing for the entangle effect? I'm trying to make it be a sort of area control.

For the Axe, You're right about the price. I used the flame tongue as a template, but forgot to increase the price to go with it. Should be 37,715gp

Thanks again!

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

I think the spell would be awesome with a save or entangled effect.

Ah, makes sense with the Atlas Axe. 37,715 gold sounds reasonable.

Cool stuff! I might use lightning lash in one of my games if you don't mind :)