Is this custom Conjuration-type Damage spell balanced?

[Secane]

I'm thinking of making a custom spell as a reward for my players.
The inspiration is base off Lina Inverse's Flare Arrow, but mechanically is would be similar to Neverwinter Night's version of Flame Arrow.

It is basically scorching ray as a save or suck type spell.

Need some advise if it is balanced, in the right school and if the spell level is right.
If it works, I could apply it to other elemental types.

Custom spell wrote:

Flare Arrow

School Conjuration [fire]; Level sorcerer/wizard 3, druid 3 (May add other schools)

Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (Flint)

Effect
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one or more target/s, no more than 10 feet away from each other
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes

Description
The spell creates a flaming arrow in your square, plus one additional arrow for every four caster levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of five arrows at 19th level), which hurl themselves toward one or more targets that are no more than 10 feet away from each other. Each arrow deals 4d6 points of fire damage and causes the target to catch on fire. The save for each arrow is rolled separately. On a successful save, the target avoids catching on fire and halves the damage.

The flaming arrows can sets fire to combustibles and damages objects it hits. It can melt metals with low melting points, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, and bronze. If the damage caused by an arrow to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the subsequent arrows may continue beyond the barrier to the target if the area permits; otherwise it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does.

The arrows may be fired at the same or different targets, but all arrows must be aimed at targets within 10 feet of each other and fired simultaneously.

[Val'bryn2]

I don't really see any differences between this and Scorching Ray, and, just FYI, Lina's Flare Arrow was based off of the D&D Flame Arrow, which got split into Flame Arrow and Scorching Ray.

[Rory]

If the number of arrows is the same as Scorching Ray, with the only difference being "autohit + save" vs. "roll-to-hit and no save", then it should be level two.

If, as the spell reads, you get two arrows at 5th and, three at 8th, four at 12th, and five at 16th and higher, then the spell should be 3rd level minimum.

The range going from close to medium would add a level on to each categories above (3rd and 4th respectively).

That would be my best guess at it.

[Secane]

Sorry, quick update. Added a catch on fire, rider effect.

Trying to make the fire have more substance, since it's a Conjuration spell.

@Val'bryn2,
Well the main ideal is to give my non-evocation focus caster players an additional option to deal damage. Mainly the druid, cleric, etc.

It also serves to give the wizard, an alternative to scorching ray, which requires a range touch and the wizard isn't too good with that.
Hence a costlier, but auto hitting version of scorching ray.

@Rory,
Oops! It should be the same number as scorching ray. Edited.

Number of arrows gain is the same as scorching ray, with the max number of arrows upped to a max of 5 at lv 19

Each arrow's save has to be rolled separately, giving more chance for the catch on fire rider effect to stick.

[Rory]

2nd level base => supposed to be the same as Scorching Ray in how often you get rays (1 @ 3rd + 1 per 4 levels thereafter)

+0 level from swapping from "roll-to-hit & no save" vs. "auto-hit + save"
+1 level from extra range and higher arrow max count
+1 level from conjuration spell and catch-on-fire rider

I'd estimate it as a 4th level spell. I'd also say that it auto bypasses Spell Resistance, as it is a conjuration spell (I missed this before).

BTW, suggest only have it be one save or else it just bogs the game down too much.

[Secane]

What should I take out to drop this to a lv 3 spell? Cos, I know druids have flame strike as a lv 4 spell and I don't want this to crowd the same spell level.
1) Reduce the max arrows to 4 and capped at lv 15? (lv 3 spell)
2) Take out the punch through objects?
3) The catch-on-fire rider?

I decided to keep the affected by Spell Resistance, as no Spell Resistance spells are kinda unbalance at higher levels. (When you start facing demons, devils and other outsiders with SR.)

The neverwinter nights 2 version of the spell is also affected by Spell Resistance. The catch-on-fire rider is suppose represent the effects of conjugated fire.

[Rory]

Secane wrote:

What should I take out to drop this to a lv 3 spell?

Take out 2 of the 4 boosters:

- extra range
- extra arrow max count
- conjuration spell (i.e. bypasses SR)
- catch-on-fire rider effect

Your conjuration spell might be an aberration of the game's default no SR for conjuration spells, but I'd still say it is a "booster" effect you can get rid of as one of the 4.

[Secane]

I might just take away the rider effect. Mainly cos it makes coming up with the other elemental types difficult. (I would have to pick a proper rider effect for each elemental type.)

I'm still undecided on the extra range. Why is scorching ray such a short ranged spell? It just don't make sense...

Does anyone has any other ideals on how to improve/balance this spell?

Val'bryn2 wrote:

I don't really see any differences between this and Scorching Ray, and, just FYI, Lina's Flare Arrow was based off of the D&D Flame Arrow, which got split into Flame Arrow and Scorching Ray.

I just looked it up. Never knew it used to be a combined spell in the earlier editions of D&D.

Why was it ever split in the first place?

[Secane]

Does anyone have any further advice on this?