New Spells for arcane casters

[Mr. Keith]

I never liked the low-level wizard resorting to a crossbow. All arcane casters (except Bard/Skald/Witch) add the Arcane Bolt spells to their Class list. The Weapon Focus Feat can be taken for Arcane Bolts, just as it can for Rays to provide bonuses to hit.
Since these spells require a standard action to cast but still thereafter require an attack to utilize, generally the caster will be not engaging the enemy in the first round, unless they are preparing in advance by casting the spell repeatedly to keep it active. This will replicate the often seen fantasy element of the unprepared caster hanging back while he casts his spell and others (both party members and enemies) getting to attack first even if the caster would otherwise have initiative.

Arcane Force Bolt
School Universal (force); Level 1 for all Arcane Casters except Bard/Skald/Witch
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range Personal
Duration 10 minutes per Caster Level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Description:
Your hands are charged with invisible to the naked eye arcane energy that allows you to fire force bolts. These are fired as a ranged attack that deals 1d6+1/level (max of +5) points of physical (force) damage. Each firing uses one of the caster’s attacks, requiring a separate Somatic component to trigger (that cannot be negated by Still Spell). Since the bolts fired are tangible physical manifestations of force energy these are NOT ranged touch attacks. The range of fired Arcane Bolts is 100ft. + 10ft/level. Casting any other spell while Arcane Bolt is active discharges this spell’s energy ending the effect prematurely; however, this discharge is added to the other spell increasing the effective caster level of that casting by 1 for effect determination.

Arcane Acid Bolt
School Universal (acid); Level 1 for all Arcane Casters except Bard/Skald/Witch
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range Personal
Duration 10 minutes per Caster Level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Description:
Your hands are charged with green glowing arcane elemental energy that appears to drip from your hands like a liquid yet dissipates after just a few inches. This energy allows you to fire acid charged force bolts. These are fired as a ranged attack that deals 1d4 points of damage plus 1d4 points of acid damage. Each firing uses one of the caster’s attacks, requiring a separate Somatic component to trigger (that cannot be negated by Still Spell). Since the bolts fired are tangible physical manifestations of elemental energy these are NOT ranged touch attacks. The range of fired Arcane Bolts is 100ft. + 10ft/level. Alternatively, while charged you can perform touch attacks in lieu of firing a bolt. Such touch attacks deal 1d3 points of acid damage.
Casting any other spell while Arcane Acid Bolt is active discharges this spell’s energy ending the effect prematurely; however, if that spell has the Acid descriptor, this discharge is added to the other spell increasing the effective caster level of that casting by 1 for effect determination. If the other spell instead has the electricity descriptor reduce the effective caster level by 1.

Arcane Ice Bolt
School Universal (cold); Level 1 for all Arcane Casters except Bard/Skald/Witch
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range Personal
Duration 10 minutes per Caster Level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Description:
Your hands are charged with white sparkling arcane elemental energy that appears to rime them with frost and drip snow from your hands yet dissipates after just a few inches. This energy allows you to fire bolts of elemental ice that appear like icicles 12 inches long. These are fired as a ranged attack that deals 1d4 points of damage plus 1d4 points of cold damage. Each firing uses one of the caster’s attacks, requiring a separate Somatic component to trigger (that cannot be negated by Still Spell). Since the bolts fired are tangible physical manifestations of elemental energy these are NOT ranged touch attacks. The range of fired Arcane Bolts is 100ft. + 10ft/level. Alternatively, while charged you can perform touch attacks in lieu of firing a bolt. Such touch attacks deal 1d3 points of cold damage.
Casting any other spell while Arcane Ice Bolt is active discharges this spell’s energy ending the effect prematurely; however, if that spell has the Cold descriptor, this discharge is added to the other spell increasing the effective caster level of that casting by 1 for effect determination. If the other spell instead has the fire descriptor reduce the effective caster level by 1.

Arcane Fire Bolt
School Universal (fire); Level 1 for all Arcane Casters except Bard/Skald/Witch
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range Personal
Duration 10 minutes per Caster Level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Description:
Your hands are charged with glowing elemental fire that appears as bright as a torch (for each hand). This energy allows you to fire elemental fire charged force bolts. These are fired as a ranged attack that deals 1d4 points of damage plus 1d4 points of fire damage. Each firing uses one of the caster’s attacks, requiring a separate Somatic component to trigger (that cannot be negated by Still Spell). Since the bolts fired are tangible physical manifestations of elemental energy these are NOT ranged touch attacks. The range of fired Arcane Bolts is 100ft. + 10ft/level. Alternatively, while charged you can perform touch attacks in lieu of firing a bolt. Such touch attacks deal 1d3 points of fire damage.
Casting any other spell while Arcane fire Bolt is active discharges this spell’s energy ending the effect prematurely; however, if that spell has the Fire descriptor, this discharge is added to the other spell increasing the effective caster level of that casting by 1 for effect determination. If the other spell instead has the Cold descriptor reduce the effective caster level by 1.

Arcane Shock Bolt
School Universal (electricity); Level 1 for all Arcane Casters except Bard/Skald/Witch
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range Personal
Duration 10 minutes per Caster Level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Description:
Your hands are charged with crackling blue-white elemental lightening that cast light as a torch. This energy allows you to fire electrically charged force bolts. These are fired as a ranged attack that deals 1d4 points of damage plus 1d4 points of electrical damage. Each firing uses one of the caster’s attacks, requiring a separate Somatic component to trigger (that cannot be negated by Still Spell). Since the bolts fired are tangible physical manifestations of elemental energy these are NOT ranged touch attacks. The range of fired Arcane Bolts is 100ft. + 10ft/level. Alternatively, while charged you can perform touch attacks in lieu of firing a bolt. Such touch attacks deal 1d3 points of electricity damage.
Casting any other spell while Arcane Shock Bolt is active discharges this spell’s energy ending the effect prematurely; however, if that spell has the Electricity descriptor, this discharge is added to the other spell increasing the effective caster level of that casting by 1 for effect determination. If the other spell instead has the Acid descriptor reduce the effective caster level by 1.

[Cyrad]

They're way too strong and have many mechanical problems. Especially the force one. For example, force damage is energy damage. If a spell deals physical damage, then it needs to either be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.

The duration for these spells is also way too long. Spells like this should be somewhere on par with Produce Flame.

[Zelgadas Greyward]

Unfortunately, I think I have to agree with Cyrad. These, sadly, just don't balance with 1st level spells. An arcane spellcaster would basically be obligated to take them as first level spells.

That said, what might work better is going the other direction... and making these all standard action 0 Level spells rather than duration-based prep spells.

And yes, I am suggesting you create spells that deal 1d4 +1d4 or 1d6+level (max 5) as 0 level spells, which is also too powerful for 0 level spells. HOWEVER, that's because Pathfinder specifically tries to prevent what you are trying to do. If you want to do it anyway, then breaking 0 level spells would give you the "wizard who uses arcane bolts" effect while not messing with the balance of 1st level spells (which are spells that actually matter).

This does mean that, at 1st level, several 0 level spells would do more damage than 1st level spells, but that would rapidly fall off as the wizard increased in level.

Basically what I'm saying is that, if you're going to unbalance a spell level, do it to 0-level since no one cares about 0-level spells after 2nd level. You'll have the least fallout that way.