[New Spell] Hang Together

[Overlord52]

I had an idea for a spell that requires a party to decide together that they want something dead faster. This spell was designed with a party of of 5 in mind, or a party of 4 with an animal companion or unfortunate minion nearby.

Hang Together

School: Necromancy; Level: Cleric/Oracle 6, Sorcerer/Wizard 6

Casting
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Components: V, S, M (1ft of Rope)

Effect
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/Level)
Target: Up to five
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will and Fort (see below); Spell Resistance: Yes

Description
The caster begins a chain of life force transference to empower an ally. Starting with caster, a portion of their force is given to the next target of the chain. That person may then choose to continue the chain (if the max number of targets has not been reached and the next target is with the spell's range), forcibly end the chain with a Will Save, or accept the transferred life force (if they are hostile to the caster, it requires a Will Save to accept the life force after forcing the chain to end). The caster may choose the order that targets are affected.

Whoever accepts the life force gains a +2 to attack and damage on their turn for each person behind them in the chain (to a max of +10 with a 5 person chain).

The caster and each person who continued the chain, willing or not, must make a Fortitude Save or take 1 Temporary Negative Level.

Thoughts/Suggestions?

[Pizza Lord]

My initial thought is that a temporary negative level is counter-productive. Basically the caster gets one for no (personal) benefit, then the target's +2 attack bonus effectively becomes +1 (in addition to the other penalties a negative level gives). Sure, the 5th person is still effectively +9 to attack on their next turn, but then down 1 until the negative level is removed. Since it has no duration listed, it lasts for 24 hours (when they can save or it stays another 24).

A Fort save can prevent the negative level, but now you've got Will saves and Fort saves for up to 6 people (caster and five targets).

It's workable, but the mitigators might need adjusting. For instance, maybe instead of a negative level the caster picks the first target and they need a Will save to direct it to the next target. Otherwise it goes to an enemy or random target within a range (who can try and redirect it as they wish) up to 5 targets.

Just my initial thoughts.

[blahpers]

I assumed that the creature who chose to end the chain did not get a negative level.

[Quixote]

Overlord52 wrote:

I had an idea for a spell that requires a party to decide together that they want something dead faster

I don't really get this. This seems to be the wrong place to start for a spell. You're talking about a result, rather than an effect. And your result is as broad as it can get. Fireball makes things dead faster. Bull's Strength, too. Even Divination helps with that.

Overlord52 wrote:

This spell was designed with a party of of 5 in mind

Designing a spell for a specific party size just feels...off. This is MAGIC. It should feel at least a little magical.

Overlord52 wrote:

Hang Together

The name makes no sense at all. "Hang Together" implies some sort of ability to endure, not build up some kind of ki-static charge to fry an enemy with.

As for the mechanics themselves, they feel a bit lackluster, and the description could use considerable tightening.

[Zepheri]

Why should ppl want to sacrifice 1 level to get -1 to attack, save, skill and half of life and if you are spell caster less spell.
It better I in the time I u cast the spell all sacrifice 1d6 of up and create a pool of power. Every ppl can take 5 point from the pool to get a +2 to the next attack, save, skill, spell DC, or armor in this way all can get what they want or need for they class in the moment. Additionally change the duration from instantaneous to 1 round per 2 caster level or until no more points are in the pool.
For every 2 caster lv beyond this spell increase+1d6 to a max 5d6 for each character