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Just as the title says I would like a critique of this spell and perhaps a level it should be placed at. It is intended as a Sorc/Wiz spell
Drow Barrier
School - Abjuration
Casting Time - 1 standard action
Range - Current Square only
Duration - 1 Round per 2 caster lvl
- Provides cover in the direction it's facing (+4 Ac, +2 Ref)
- Drow Barrier blocks all melee attacks however Drow Barrier can shatter, it has Hardness 10 + Caster level and 10 + Caster level Hp
- Anyone can pass through the back side but everyone must make a Fort save to pass through the front. Success = move normally, Failure = dazed 1 round and 1d10 negative energy damage
- When Drow Barrier shatters it deals 1d10 points of negative energy damage per 2 caster levels, you may split this damage in 1d10 increments among targets within 30ft.
- Drow Barrier can be shattered as a free action and target enemies normally
- Ref halves shatter damage
- If the Drow Barrier shatters by taking too much damage it deals half damage and targets get Ref save to further halve the damage
Looking at it from a damage perspective, is 1d10/2 caster levels of negative energy damage balanced?
I cannot see many Arcane spells which deal with positive/negative energy at all, since that was meant for Divine casters. You might want to implement a clause which explains that this negative energy can't be used to heal allies (in case of a Dhampir caster).
Maybe you should change the damage to an element type. Or else this spell would have a level bump simply because there isn't many ways to counter this type of damage.
As for 1d10/2 caster levels of damage, I think it is fairly balanced. A Utility spell shouldn't hurt as much as a Damage one.
Overall I think it would be a 3-4 level spell, if you change the damage type I can see it go down to level 2.
So, 100% miss on all melee attacks, +4 AC vs. ranged attacks, +2 REF save.
The spell could use fluff, flavor text to tell us what it looks like. "A shimmering wall of force appears in the air" or some such thing.
Maybe shattering it as a free action is a bit much. How about swift (only do it on your turn, can't use other swifts like class abilities or quickened spells so you can't cast a quickened drow shield and shatter it in the same turn).
Who takes damage when it shatters from damage? Only people IN the barrier's square? Whoever attacked it (even at range)? the same as if the caster shatters it himself?
Lets assume 4th level. The wizard who casts it would be 7th level. It would have hardness 17 (that's a lot!) and 17 HP. A quick glance at some CR 7 monsters:
Dire Bear: max damage 15
Chimera: max damage 16
Allosaurus: max damage 20 (average 15)
Stegosaurus: max damage 36 (woah, I never noticed that before, this guy is uber!)
Huge Earth Elemental: max damage 25 (average 18)
Hill Giant: max damage 26 (average 19)
You might notice I picked the heavy hitters there. Stuff designed for big damage. Many of them can only barely damage this shield with an above average roll, some of them can't even hurt it.
When I pick stuff not designed for big damage:
Cryosphyinx: max damage 12
Drider (fits the drow theme): 11 max damage
Hellcat: max damage 13
Nymph: max damage 4 (lol)
Etc.
So your shield is nearly invulnerable to most CR 7 monsters if cast as a 7ht level wizard (4th level spell). Even the big boys barely scratch it on average damage rolls, except for Stegosaurus who blows it away in two hits (or one very good one).
Also, a fireball cast by a level 7 wizard does average damage of 25 which won't bring down this shield even in two average casts. It won't even hurt it if you remember that energy damage is halved vs. Hardness, so on average it does 12 damage and doesn't even penetrate the hardness (does that mean it does no damage to the caster since it didn't get through the shield?).
That seems like too much.
The problem is the hardness. It's like DR but also applies (double!) against energy attacks. By comparison, your 7th level wizard gets hardness 17 but a CR 7 animated object gets hardness 5 and it's a HUGE walking hunk of metal.
I would say the hardness should be, at best, 5 + 1/2 caster level. No more than that, maybe less. Alternatively, how about hardness = caster level. That could work too.
That means you should raise the HP a bit so the shield lasts a little while. Maybe 10 + 2x CL.
Then I'd still put it at 4th level.
I would also rename it. Too specific. What, can only drow use it? Just because a drow invented it doesn't mean they name it after their race. You don't see elvish fireball or gnomish silent image. Make it still seem drowish if you want and call it a Darkshield (and give it fluff to go with it), which might fit the negative energy theme too, or something like that. But that's just me.
I like wonderstell's idea about the negative energy. That does seem more of a divine kind of spell. I haven't really paid attention to drow much in the last couple decades, are they still basically ruled by priestesses of Lolth?
If so, then making this divine makes good sense.
But they have mages too so arcane works. How about changing it to an arcane force spell? That would be consistent with a defensive barrier anyway - it's made of force and when it shatters, shards of force shrapnel burst out and damage some targets. If so, drop the REF save, let it hit incorporeals normally, and drop the damage down to 1d4+1 like magic missile (average 3.5 with no save is comparable to average 5.5 with a save allowed - which only does 2.75 on a save, Mr. Stegosaurus would make that save about 2/3 of the time, why does he have such a high REF save, anyway???).
When deciding what spell level this spell should be, there is one major weakness we should consider.
It's very weak against most melee combatants.
(If I'm understanding your spell correctly. Otherwise, feel free to correct my incorrect asumption if it would be revealed that I was, in fact, incorrect.)
You decide on one of the four sides of your square(s) at which the Drow Barrier is formed.
This will grant you cover in respect to attacks from that direction.
If someone tries to move through the barrier from the front they will have to take a save. But there is nothing stopping a melee combatant from walking around it.
The only time a melee combatant would try to break/walk through the Barrier would be when it is placed in a narrow passageway, hindering the enemy from walking around. Or, when the enemy is so large it cannot walk around the barrier.
It's pretty great against charges, though.
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Btw, what happens when you move from the square after you have cast the spell?
Will the Barrier move with you, disappear, or stay in the square where you cast the spell?
Just as the title says I would like a critique of this spell and perhaps a level it should be placed at. It is intended as a Sorc/Wiz spell
Drow Barrier
School - Abjuration
Casting Time - 1 standard action
Range - Current Square only
Duration - 1 Round per 2 caster lvl- Provides cover in the direction it's facing (+4 Ac, +2 Ref)
- Drow Barrier blocks all melee attacks however Drow Barrier can shatter, it has Hardness 10 + Caster level and 10 + Caster level Hp
- Anyone can pass through the back side but everyone must make a Fort save to pass through the front. Success = move normally, Failure = dazed 1 round and 1d10 negative energy damage
- When Drow Barrier shatters it deals 1d10 points of negative energy damage per 2 caster levels, you may split this damage in 1d10 increments among targets within 30ft.
- Drow Barrier can be shattered as a free action and target enemies normally
- Ref halves shatter damage
- If the Drow Barrier shatters by taking too much damage it deals half damage and targets get Ref save to further halve the damage
let me take a crack at my interpreation of this spell (from a balancing perspective)
Drow Barrier
School – Abjuration
Casting Time – 1 Standard Action
Range- Personal
Duration – 1 Round/Two Caster Levels
Reflex: Half
You create a tangible force of Negative energy that shields you from incoming attacks. Upon casting this spell choose one edge of the square you occupy, You gain total cover for attacks that pass through this edge and no cover for attacks that do not pass through this edge.
As an immediate action once per turn, you can attempt to interpose the shield between you and incoming melee or range attack. When you do this you designate a new edge of the space you occupy. Doing so provides you with +4 bonus to AC and a +2 Bonus on Reflex saving throws. If your opponent misses by 4 or more the attack strikes this shield instead. The shield has a hardness of 5 + your caster level, and HP equal to 10 + your caster level.
If enough damage is done to break the shield a violent eruption of negative energy erupts in a 30 foot radius dealing 1d8 points of negative energy damage per 2 caster levels all creatures. Alternatively you may dismiss this spell as move action by overloading it with energy causing it to erupt in a 30 foot radius dealing 1d10 points of negative energy damage per 2 caster Levels to all enemies. A creature damaged this way is dazed for 1d4 rounds. A successful reflex save halves the damage taken and is instead dazzled for 1d4 rounds.
This spell reads a lot like a smaller version of Blade Barrier, with components from Wall of Force and channeling negative energy.
As for the critique, here is what I have issues with when looking at this spell:
There is only one spell in the wizard spell list that I am aware of that deals d10 damage, and it's Nightmare; there is also no progression to that damage. There are no other spells that deal d10 damage on a progression like what you are suggesting.
Keep in mind that this is an abjuration spell and not an evocation spell. Damage should be a secondary consideration, if at all. In the "Designing Spells" section of the rules, d8's are considered on par with 2d6 to measure damage progression between cleric and wizard spell. Wizard spells almost always use d6, while cleric spells almost always use d8s. By that rule d10s may have to be equivalent to 3d6. Even if that isn't the case, by max level you are looking at 20d6 to 30d6 in equivalent damage progression for when the barrier shatters. Even the most powerful evocation caps at 20d6, and there is no way an abjuration spell should ever be able to out perform an evocation spell on damage. Damage needs to be toned down, a lot.
The other issue I have with this spell is that when it shatters, it deals damage in a 30ft radius with the ability to specifically target and assign damage as the caster pleases. It can also be shattered by the caster as a free action. This is horrendously broken. The caster should not be able to assign damage how he wishes with something like an effective explosion. Not without some serious Metamagic feat involved. It also doesn't make sense that shattering it as a free action causes more damage than if the barrier is broken due to damage taken. Again, this gives the player a significant advantage in controlling how the spell damages opponents, which is not something an abjuration spell should be doing. It should have a downside, which is that it should affect everyone in it's radius when it shatters (even the caster and allies), and deal a consistent amount of damage regardless of how it is shattered.
I feel like this spell is trying to be too many things at once. Even if it is an immobile barrier that only protects one side, it's AoE damage output it far too high to count that as being a disadvantage.
Little update, Firstly, there should be a range it dispels if you move too far from (say 25+5 per caster lvl ft.) that seems fair. The damage is by far the thing I felt was a bit overdone so something more like 1d6+1 per 3 caster levels seems better suited for damage (it really SHOULDN'T be better than evocation at damage) as for its defensive capabilities it falls off quickly and was intended to be used for 1-2 blows from creature equal to caster's CR and between 3-4 attacks for weak creatures below caster CR. If the enemy destroys the barrier they take half and possibly halved once more so it's intended to be a gamble for damage. You're better off using other spells for flat-out damage but this one has protective and offensive potential however, both can be foiled by the enemy or used to advantage by the caster. Level 2 or 3 seems fair so it isn't something to just throw out all day but isn't too valuable either. Finally, I agree it should atleast be a swift to shatter so that the caster loses the valuable swift in exchange for shatter. The duration should be bumped a tinnnny bit, 1 round plus 1 per 2 caster levels to make it not useless at lower levels. The reason I envisioned it as being able to target foes is that it doesn't so much explode as it overcharges and the magic splits apart (creating the "shards") and then refocuses to attack.
Sounds like you really considered everyone's advice!
Did you stick with a negative damage arcane spell? I think I might steal your spell for an encounter, but I'm thinking of making it electricity damage as the spell Stock Shield.
If you want to create shards and refocus your attack, I would describe it that way:
"When the barrier is shattered, it breaks into several small shards, 1 per 2 levels of the caster, that fly up and swirl around his head for a brief moment, then blast out at his enemies doing 1d6+1 negative energy damage per shard. The caster can aim the shards at any target or targets within 30', aiming each shard separately. They may all be aimed at one target or any combination of targets as the caster desires."
You didn't address the very overpowered hardness. That was the most overwhelming part of the original description.
If you want to create shards and refocus your attack, I would describe it that way:
"When the barrier is shattered, it breaks into several small shards, 1 per 2 levels of the caster, that fly up and swirl around his head for a brief moment, then blast out at his enemies doing 1d6+1 negative energy damage per shard. The caster can aim the shards at any target or targets within 30', aiming each shard separately. They may all be aimed at one target or any combination of targets as the caster desires."
You didn't address the very overpowered hardness. That was the most overwhelming part of the original description.
You make a very good point, in fact, I had personally misunderstood hardness rules and thought it equated to AC but I believe your suggestion of 5 + 1/2 caster level is appropriate, the hp can be bumped a tad to help out say 10 + 3x caster level since hardness is scaling slowly. This means at higher levels the spell can serve as a complete deterrent to mooks (in a narrow space) and help with more dangerous foes as well. One change I honestly think will help out is if spells deal normal damage - hardness that way spells are a reasonable way to deal with it if they have no alternative and considering it's an energy barrier it doesn't make sense to me that it would resist spells (Takes full damage from positive energy). The reason for it being negative energy is purely because it was created by Drow in my campaign setting, there are other spells that use negative energy (not many but there are some) for wizards and sorcerers.
Now, once you rewrite the spell to your liking, there is one final task. It's a very hard task, and most game developers fail at it way too often. Do your best:
1. Disown your spell. Try to feel no bias, no favoritism - treat it exactly like every other spell you didn't create. Try very hard to achieve this mentality toward this spell.
2. Ask yourself, honestly, with no favoritism: "If I were a player in this game, would I take this spell or would I take different spells?"
3a. If the answer is "No, I would never take this spell because it's crap" then maybe you need to improve your spell a little.
3b. If the answer is "Well, maybe, it's OK and I might take it but I also might not" then the spell is perfect.
3c. If the answer is "Absolutely! This spell is awesome! It's the first one I would ever take" then you need to adjust your spell to make it weaker.
4. Keep adjusting until the answer is 3b. No other answer is good for game design.
If you can do this, without any mental favoritism toward your own spell, then you have taken your first step into the larger world of game design. Good luck!
It's starting to look pretty good with the modifications that you have in mind. Once you can, post another write up for the spell if you are willing. :) I, personally, would like to see the spell as it gets tweaked and adjusted. I think there is a lot learning of value in seeing something get created and then balanced. Looking forward to seeing more!
If you want an idea of spells that do similar things:
Ablative Sphere is 3rd level that provides improved cover from all sides, but is immobile and lasts longer.
Blast Barrier is also 3rd level, has a slightly bigger protective area and does about the same amount of damage. But, it's concentration duration.
Stone Shield is 1st level and also creates cover in one direction. It lasts a fraction of the time (to compensate for it being an immediate action probably) and doesn't deal damage.
If I am correct this version has 1 fairly large change i'm considering and a handful of smaller ones. First, the square it is chosen to face blocks melee AND ranged attacks. It seemed a bit overly complex thinking it over that it couldn't just block all physical forces while magic passes through it. The magic would still deal damage to the barrier of course, if a mage fireballed the barrier it would take damage. The barrier still takes damage if it "blocks" a melee/ranged attack (perhaps there should be exceptions to this rule favoring certain ranged or melee attacks). Secondly because it's only possible for one person (or two gnomes in a trenchcoat) to hide behind the barrier it makes sense that the two adjacent sides of the square the barrier occupies would give normal cover since the barrier gets in the way a tad of arrows and sword swings on the sides. The only other change (besides 5 more feet to dispel range) would be that positive and negative energy damage/heal respectively, possibly double damage for positive. Anyhow, with these tentative changes the spell would work as follows:
Lvl 2 Sorc/Wiz Spell
School - Abjuration
1 standard action
Range - Current Square only, dispels if you move 30 + 5ft per caster lvl
Duration: 1+1 rounds per caster lvl
- Provides total cover in the direction it's facing in the caster's square and cover on its adjacent sides (+4Ac, +2 Ref)
- Drow Barrier blocks all melee and ranged attacks in the space it faces. Drow Barrier can shatter, it has Hardness 5 + 1/2Caster level and 10 + 3x Caster level Hp
- Spells pass through the barrier normally on both sides but positive and negative energy damage/heal the barrier respectively.
- Anyone can pass through the back side but everyone must make a Fort save to pass through the front. Success = move normally, Failure = dazed 1 round and 1d6 negative energy damage
- When Drow Barrier shatters it deals 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage per 3 caster levels, you may split this damage in 1d6+1 increments among targets within 30ft.
- Drow Barrier can be shattered as a swift action and target enemies normally
- Ref halves shatter damage
- If the Drow Barrier shatters by taking too much damage it deals half damage and targets get Ref save to take halved damage again
The spell text if a player wants this may need some work.
A barrier of shifting negative energy springs into existence at one side of your current square, providing total cover in the direction it is facing and cover on each adjacent side of the spell (+4Ac, +2 Ref) and hardness 5+1/2Caster level and 10+ 3x Caster level hp. The barrier blocks all melee and ranged attacks infront of it. The barrier takes damage when it blocks attacks using its Hardness as DR. Anyone may pass through the back of the barrier but the front requires a Fort save from anyone attempting to pass. On failure target is dazed 1 round and takes 1d6 negative energy damage, on success target moves normally. The barrier shatters when it takes enough damage to have 0hp. When it shatters in this manner it only deals half damage but still targets enemies. Alternatively, the caster may shatter the barrier as a swift action causing it to deal 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage per 3 caster levels; this damage may be split in 1d6+1 increments among enemies within 30ft. All enemies get a Ref save to take half damage from shatter (this damage is halved and halved again in the case of the barrier breaking)
Finally, I appreciate the input you guys have put in, You have no obligation to my plight so consider your alignments shifted towards good. (Thanks for the help)
Did you consider my last advice?
This second level spell seems far better than any other second level choice. Why would anybody take any other 2nd level spell instead of this one?
I might consider Invisibility and Mirror Image as being in my top-3 spells chosen at this level, but Drow Barrier is an absolute MUST HAVE spell.
Which probably means it's too powerful for this level.
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Yeah, the negation of Melee attacks made it situational since you can easily go around the barrier.
The negation of Ranged attacks makes it a personal wind barrier. Too strong for a lv 2 spell.
And by granting Total Cover to the front and cover on adjacent sides, you have buffed it immensively. Now you can place it wherever and force your enemies to waste a move action regardless of how close they are.
Prob lv 4-5 now.
How about this: Ranged attacks can still pass through same as before and caster gets normal cover on the side the barrier faces and its adjacent sides, but if the ranged attack misses by 4 or less it strikes the shield and deals damage, otherwise not affecting the barrier on normal hit or miss. At first it seemed odd (flavor-wise) that it could block all melee but not ranged but it could probably be fluffed as being less effective at blocking very fast moving projectiles since it's still stiff like crystal and would have fractures along its surface and chips. As for game balance windwall should be a separate choice if the caster wants to deal with ranged attacks otherwise as some others have said it would be trying to do too many things at once, I agree with the sentiment.
I'm not entirely sure how positive and negative energy should be handled to not be broken in some way. If positive energy does double damage but is blocked it still impedes divine's but doesn't affect other spellcasters as much since their spells would still pass through. Same for negative energy, if it healed the barrier or got empowered seems like barrier is too strong under certain circumstances. Maybe the barrier could provide some kind of bump to saves against pos/neg energy..... it could be a really small thing mostly for rp because as it stands the barrier is close to the edge, situational but definitely isn't so situational that one shouldn't take it. Possibly a small nerf in health so it's 15 + 2x caster level hp. I like the idea of offensive and defensive capability
without it being underwhelming in either but defense wise it does already provide cover so hp could be lowered a bit, under ideal circumstances the shield is probably on the higher end of 2nd level spells but since it could be destroyed in a full-attack of one powerful enemy and then give no defensive benefits and deal halved (possibly twice) damage. Also if enemies can find a way around and it doesn't block a narrow area the defensive capabilities are lowered quite a bit to where its only about as good as a Shield spell. I like where the spell is sitting like this just not too sure what to do with neg/pos energy if anything.
How about this: Ranged attacks can still pass through same as before and caster gets normal cover on the side the barrier faces and its adjacent sides, but if the ranged attack misses by 4 or less it strikes the shield and deals damage, otherwise not affecting the barrier on normal hit or miss.
If you treat the spell as if you have created a solid wall on one of the 4 sides of your square, you will have cover against most enemies trying to hit you from the sides while attacks from the other side of the barrier can't hit you. Total cover from the front, cover from the sides. (If the enemies are infront of you.)
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I'm not entirely sure how positive and negative energy should be handled to not be broken in some way. If positive energy does double damage but is blocked it still impedes divine's but doesn't affect other spellcasters as much since their spells would still pass through. Same for negative energy, if it healed the barrier or got empowered seems like barrier is too strong under certain circumstances. Maybe the barrier could provide some kind of bump to saves against pos/neg energy.....
Positive energy ignore hardness when you calculate the damage done.
Negative energy doesn't affect the barrier. It can neither damage or heal it.I think this is a good compromise which respects the fact that the barrier is made of negative energy, but won't result in evil cleric channel shenanigans.
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I like the idea of offensive and defensive capability without it being underwhelming in either but defense wise it does already provide cover so hp could be lowered a bit, under ideal circumstances the shield is probably on the higher end of 2nd level spells but since it could be destroyed in a full-attack of one powerful enemy and then give no defensive benefits and deal halved (possibly twice) damage.
I think that most CR 3 monster would have a hard time dealing enough damage during one round. Most humanoids wouldn't be able to deal with it before the duration runs out since they don't have iterative attacks at that CR.
Even those enemies with several strong natural attacks don't have enough DPR. The lion* will on average do 9.5 + 7.5 + 7.5 damage. Subtract a hardness of 6 and that's 6.5 damage.
It will take the lion 2.5 rounds to break your barrier if the hp is 10 + 2/caster level.
(*The lion is one of the stronger CR 3 enemies, most enemies won't have any real chance of destroying the barrier.)
And even if the barrier could only last for 1 round of attacks from the powerful enemy, wouldn't it be worth it? We're talking about boss-level enemies destroying this barrier in one round.
Just to negate all of the boss' damage for 1 round is really good, but to also deal damage when the barrier breaks is just awesome. If you had several of these Barriers prepared, you could take the boss on by yourself while your group takes out his mooks.
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Also if enemies can find a way around and it doesn't block a narrow area the defensive capabilities are lowered quite a bit to where its only about as good as a Shield spell. I like where the spell is sitting like this just not too sure what to do with neg/pos energy if anything.
Yes. But it would be a spell which stacks with the Shield spell, which makes a great difference. Imagine if there were another "Shield Spell" at every new spell level, which all granted a different kind of +4 bonus to AC. Arcane casters would be able to buff their AC with +16 at spell level 3.
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Benefits of a spell which places a barrier on one side of your square which also affects ranged attacks.
- You can negate charges/pounces by placing it preemptively.
- In most combat scenarios you will be granted a +4 to AC against all ranged attacks because archers can't move around you the same way melee combatants can.
- You don't provoke any AoOs from enemies if you have cover. This means you can use a move action to escape anytime you like as long as you have the barrier up or succeed on a concentration check.
- Forcing enemies to attack the barrier first would effectively grant you DR/Temp HP, with the additional benefit that on-hit effects (such as poison) wouldn't affect you. This makes it even better than DR.
And it is rather easy to hinder enemies from walking around the barrier as long as you know how. Narrow pathways is one such way, but even out in a field you can achieve the same effect with teamwork.
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Here's a new shot at the Spell description.
A barrier of shifting negative energy springs into existence at one side of your current square, providing total cover in the direction it is facing. This energy does not block line of sight, and only hardens when in contact with a physical object. The barrier has a Hardness of X and X HP. If an attack was affected by cover from the barrier and misses by 4 or less it strikes the shield and deals damage.
The barrier shatters when it has lost all HP. When it shatters in this manner it only deals half damage but still targets enemies. Alternatively, the caster may shatter the barrier as a swift action causing it to deal 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage per 3 caster levels; this damage may be split in 1d6+1 increments among enemies within 30ft (Reflex halves. This damage is halved again in the case of the barrier breaking)
Anyone may pass through the back of the barrier but the front requires a Fort save from anyone attempting to pass. On failure target is dazed 1 round and takes 1d6 negative energy damage, on success target moves normally.
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While deciding on HP/Hardness, we should take into account that enemies should almost auto-succeed (AC 5) if they intend to simply hit the barrier.
To be fair if they want to keep the cover bonus it doesn't stack with other cover and they must remain in the single square to acquire any defensive benefit. The only time enemies are forced to deal with it is if the mage has very good positioning or readied an action to stop a charge for example so they should have a pretty decent shield if they do manage the good positioning. They can still be forcibly displaced from behind the barrier or affected by compulsion. I assumed it fair that if they make the save to pass the barriers front an opponent could bull rush the caster out of cover or use other combat maneuvers. I agree with pos/negative energy except I would like positive to be even more effective, like double damage. Imagine the dramatic flair when a cleric blasts a negative energy barrier with his channel positive energy and reduces it to shards :)
Spell description seems concise and i'm not particularly talented at summing up things quickly so I appreciate that since my players can learn this spell and will be encountering it.
Most combat maneuvers are attacks, which should be blocked by the barrier. So it is only bull rush which would be able to affect the caster, right?
And I've mentioned it before, but even a backliner would benefit from this spell since it grants cover against ranged attacks.
And, yeah, it is a spell which is situational against melee combatants, but in those cases where it forces them to attack the barrier it shouldn't be essentially indestructible.
I propose we use the HP/Hardness of the Ablative Sphere spell which Wolin linked to.
A static Hardness of 5 and HP equal to 3 x caster level. At level 3, an equal level cleric would do 2d6 with her channel and almost destroy it on average if positive energy ignores hardness.
What do you think?
If they made the check to move through the square then they could try to bull rush but probably nothing else (unless they moved out of the front of the barrier). As for the cleric scenario I wanted positive to ignore hardness and deal double damage but in other scenarios having 5+1/2 hardness isn't super great the scaling is o.k. but the point is to make very weak attacks not really matter (like a rat swarm) since they can't break the hardness
Then let's say Hardness 6 (static) + 3 hp per caster level?
At level 3 a cleric would do 7 damage on average with 2d6 channel, while the barrier has 9 HP.
At level 5 a cleric would do 10.5 damage on average with 3d6 channel, while the barrier has 15 hp.
If we let positive energy deal double damage and ignore hardness, it would shreck the barrier in one channel (on average) at every level.
Double damage and ignore hardness is just too much.
5 + 3hp per caster level and hardness 5 sound about right?
Then if it stays 2nd level the earliest a wizard can cast it would be 3rd level making it a 14hp DR5/- barrier. Sounds alright to me, I do think hp needs a static value so it isn't useless at low level. Then it drops off a tad past level 10, not much but it isn't nearly as viable at lvl 20 as it is below 10. Also I figure the damage would cap at lvl 12 or 15 maxing it at 4 shards for 1d6+1 or 5 shards for 1d6+1.
As for positive energy it can just ignore hardness. I feel like the spell is in a pretty balanced state at this point, probably some fringe cheese stuff someone could accomplish but it has obvious weaknesses and advantages as well as not being a must-take spell.
SO, if it remains this way the spell does this
Lvl 2 Sorc/Wiz Spell
School - Abjuration
1 standard action
Range - Current Square only, dispels if you move 30 + 5ft per caster lvl
Duration: 1+1 rounds per caster lvl
- Provides cover in the direction it's facing in the caster's square and cover on its adjacent sides (+4Ac, +2 Ref)
- The barrier blocks all melee attacks in the indicated direction and has hardness 5 and 5 + 3x caster level hp. If a ranged attack is targeting an entity behind the barrier a miss of 4 or more hits the barrier instead and damages it
- Anyone can pass through the back side but everyone must make a Fort save to pass through the front. Success = move normally, Failure = dazed 1 round and 1d6 negative energy damage
- When Drow Barrier shatters it deals 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage per 3 caster levels, you may split this damage in 1d6+1 increments among targets within 30ft.
- Drow Barrier can be shattered as a swift action and target enemies normally
- Ref halves shatter damage
- If the Drow Barrier shatters by taking too much damage it deals half damage and targets get Ref save to take halved damage again
- Spells pass through the barrier normally on both sides, however you may also target the barrier itself with any attack to deal damage, positive energy ignores hardness if it attacks the barrier and negative energy has no effect if targeted at the barrier.
energy damage deals normal hardness rules of damage to the barrier (1/2 damage then subtracting hardness from damage)