New Spell idea. What level should it be?

[Minotaur of Justice]

A friend of mine and I are having a disagreement in regards to this spell. We decided to let others decide since we each have our own opinions and can't agree.

Total Avulsive Fracturing
Necromancy
Target: One Creature
Spell Resistance: Yes
Save: Fortitude partial

Dark energies cause all of the targets tendons to pull on the bones the connect to, fracturing the bones and causing excruciating pain. The target takes 1d8 points of damage per caster level and is paralyzed (this bypasses immunity to magical paralysis since the magic itself isn't causing it, rather the excrutiating pain cause by the physical trauma) until the damage is repaired by a Heal spell. A successful fortitude save halves the damage and negates the immobility.

Skeletons, incorporeal undead, elementals, oozes, or other creatures without a skeletal-muscular structure are immune to this spell.

What spell level should this spell be for Pathfinder: 6th, 7th, or 8th?

Please post your vote 1st so that it is clearly marked and then any reasoning you might have for it.

[Garretmander]

8th

Uncapped damage type, untyped damage type, bypasses common method of defeating it (Freedom of movement). Requires specific 6th level counterspell. It's a lot like flesh to stone, but it has a lot of extra riders. If you capped it at 15d6, and said remove paralysis, heal or regenerate, end the paralysis, I'd believe 7th level.

A note, by the description it seems like you intend for some types of undead to be affected anyway. However, it's a fortitude save and undead are immune to any effect requiring a fortitude save if it doesn't also work on objects.

[Firebug]

I give it: 8th level possibly 9th.

Its basically a save or die. In any hostile combat situation it will promptly be followed up with a coup de grace.
Chains of Light is a similar spell: single target, reflex negates, but no spell resistance. The target also gets a save every round and only lasts 1 round/level. Chains is already a 6th level spell

So Total Avulsive Fracturing has as least 5 things more powerful and 2 things less powerful. Less powerful is the spell resistance and restrictive targeting. The more powerful features are: that it does damage (and quite a bit actually I'd put the damage alone at spell level 5, d8s aren't common and no level cap), that it is a permanent status effect akin to a curse vs rounds, that it isn't negated by the standard immune to paralysis effects, fort partial vs negates and single save vs every round.

I would also give it a range (touch would help make it more balanced), a dice cap on damage, and the curse and pain keywords. I'd probably amend the 'only heal spell' to also include 'or more powerful magic' allowing wish/etc and probably break enchantment. And Regeneration. Probably even if the target has regeneration its just immune or if it has the shapeshifter keyword to negate the effect as a standard action like if it was a baleful polymorph effect.
In fact, I would say that Bestow Curse, Greater (which is a 7&8th level spell) is probably a couple levels lower than the effect this spell has.

[Ryze Kuja]

This is definitely Save or Die, soo... 8th level

I agree with both Garretmander and Firebug that you should cap the damage at 15d6 (or 10d8) and allow Regenerate/Wish/Miracle (at minimum), Break Enchantment, and Remove Paralysis to remove the condition, and then still keep it at 8th level.

If you took the Paralysis out and gave it a 1d6 Dex penalty instead, you could drop it to 6th or 7th and then it has the flexibility of being Empowered/Intensified or Persistent.

[Firebug]

Ryze Kuja wrote:

This is definitely Save or Die, soo... 8th level

I agree with both Garretmander and Firebug that you should cap the damage at 15d6 (or 10d8) and allow Regenerate/Wish/Miracle (at minimum), Break Enchantment, and Remove Paralysis to remove the condition, and then still keep it at 8th level.

If you took the Paralysis out and gave it a 1d6 Dex penalty instead, you could drop it to 6th or 7th and then it has the flexibility of being Empowered/Intensified or Persistent.

The latter part is actually pretty close to Polar Ray, an 8th level spell that does 1d6/level cold (up to 25d6) and 1d4 Dex drain. Single Target: Ray and SR:Yes, but no save.

[Yqatuba]

I think it should have the [evil] descriptor

[Kayerloth]

Yqatuba wrote:

I think it should have the [evil] descriptor

Curious as to why? Because it mentions "dark energies", causing excruciating pain or something else?

And to the OP: Is the spell intended to be Divine or Arcane? Typically d8's are reserved for Divine while d6 are used in Arcane spells.

[Weables]

eh, it should probably have the [pain] descriptor, because thats an actual thing, not necessarily evil.

I agree that it should be 8th. its basically save or die, either from damage or the rider effect, and with 2 different ways to kill you, its too flexible not to be at the maximum level here, I'd seriously consider 9th

[Kayerloth]

I'd agree with that Weables (and Firebug), strikes me as a very strong 8th pushing into 9th territory because of the "paralysis" effect requiring a 6th level spell to reverse and lack of damage cap or type. Particularly since the paralysis effect is essentially permanent until you get the Heal even if all your hp were restored via lesser curative spells/methods as written.