| Avian Mosquito |
I normally don't create entire threads to discuss individual spell types, but in this case it's a spell I want to include but I think might be hard to balance due to the inherent power of this spell type.
There's a type of spell in my system called an elemental barrier. There's three versions, which are heat, cold and electric. When you cast one, you deal 1/2 caster level up to the caster level cap determined by spell level to every enemy that makes contact with you for the one minute duration, including those you attack hand to hand (hint). It also makes it so attacks of the other two elements are automatically diffused, removing their penetration and cutting their damage in half (before DR, no less) and automatically removes the critical effect of all three if they manage to critically hit. (Though it does not prevent attribute damage, and if better criticals is in use by your enemy it also does not impact the critical hit table.)
Now clearly, this is powerful. You become heavily resistant to two elements, and slightly resistant to a third that you also deal on contact. What's more, these three elements are the primary elements used by arcane casters. (Force is also used, but does much less damage.) So my issue is finding a way to balance these spells, without making them less powerful. The things I've come up with are making them not stack with eachother, or the physical barrier spells (which just deflects physical attacks, greatly weakening them), and prevent casting any spell of either of the blocked elements until the barrier wears off. In addition, its duration is quite short at only a single minute, and "contact" does not include attacks with weapons, so attacking an enemy with your weapon will not deal extra damage and if an enemy hits you with their weapon then only their weapon will be damaged by your barrier. In addition, they take 10 action points to cast, an entire turn for somebody with 10 agility. Only summoning spells take longer (20 or 40 action points) to cast. And, of course, spells provoke attacks of opportunity for every two action points used, enough that enemies can get up to 5 on you if they have that high of an allotment (which, thankfully, they usually only have 2-3, as 5 would take an agility of 20).
So this means leaving yourself wide open for several seconds. If you're in a melee, you might as well put on your tunic and head to the Theatre of Pompey, because it's the Ides of March for you. When you do use it, you'd better end the fight fast because it'll wear off in a minute, and you'll need to get out of range of your enemies to avoid being reduced to a pile of gore trying to recast it. And, of course, if your enemy has a good resistance to the element you chose, there's not much point to casting this spell. My question is if you think this is enough of a disadvantage, not enough or too much.