Now That's Just Cruel [3.5 Spell] PEACH

[Alteran]

Now, I know what you're all thinking (maybe). You're thinking "Woah, Alteran! You don't do 3.5 homebrew! You've never even played an edition besides 4e!" That would be true, until now. Well...for the first point. I still don't have plans to play a different edition any time soon. Anyway, I was inspired to make this by this comic (http://www.explosm.net/comics/987/), and I figured I may as well try my hand at crafting spells from another edition, even if it's only this once.

It's not too original, I suppose, this was partly a lesson in syntax and nomenclature. The SRD was my only guide. This is probably over/underpowered, but that's why you're here.

Rave
Evocation [Light, Sonic]

Level: Bard 6, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 50 ft.
Area: 50 ft.-radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: Concentration (up to 10 rounds)
Save: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

The spell creates an area of pulsing multicoloured lights and deafening music. All creatures in the area of effect take 1d4 / 2 levels sonic damage plus 1d4 / 2 levels bludgeoning damage, and are blinded and deafened for 1d4 rounds. A successful save reduces the damage and duration of the blindness and deafness by half. When you concentrate to sustain this spell, every creature within the area of effect must make another saving throw, or suffer the full effects of the spell again.

Bards are immune to the effects of this spell.

Arcane Focus: A polished silver disk 12 centimetres (4.8 inches) in diameter with a small hole in the middle (approximately 1 centimetre in diameter). The disk must be worth at least 400 gp.

This, is of course, a "joke" spell, but I'd like it to work mechanically even if it won't see any use.

[DracoDei]

Usually it does not require a Concentration check to maintain a spell... just actions.

[Alteran]

I see. I had found other spells (like Implosion) that required a concentration check to maintain. I was originally going to make it just require actions to sustain (that's the 4e way) until I saw this. I'll probably change it, then.

[DracoDei]

Actually, you just misintreprited the spell description there... most 3.5 spells just keep going no matter if the caster is paying them any attention or not. Only the ones that say "Concentration" require an action to sustain. NOTHING that I have HEARD of requires a concentration check to maintain, unless it is "Concentration" duration AND you get struck for damage or grappled or something.

[Alteran]

Like I said, Implosion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Implosion.htm) was the one I saw. That's where I got the idea from.


Duration: Concentration (up to 4 rounds)

[DracoDei]

Which as I said does NOT require checks of any kind what-so-ever.

[Xallace]

Like I said, Implosion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Implosion.htm) was the one I saw. That's where I got the idea from.

A mis-interpretation, you see. Concentration in 3.5 is the equivalent of saying "Sustain Standard" in 4E.

[Alteran]

Really? I must have misinterpreted it, I suppose. With regards to duration of "concentration" the SRD says


Concentration

The spell lasts as long as you concentrate on it. Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when casting a spell can also break your concentration while you’re maintaining one, causing the spell to end.

You can’t cast a spell while concentrating on another one. Sometimes a spell lasts for a short time after you cease concentrating.

I assumed that meant you needed to spend actions to make a check every round. How does it work, if not that way? When do you spend the standard action? Can you tell I'm new to this? =P

[DracoDei]

The action gets spent during your turn. It is just that there is no dice-rolling involved.

[Xallace]

The action gets spent during your turn. It is just that there is no dice-rolling involved.

More specifically, you only use the Concentration skill when your concentration would be broken- you're in the middle of a heavy storm, you're getting run through with a spear, stuff like that.

[Alteran]

Ohhhkay. I knew you had to spend the standard action every round. I just also thought you needed to make concentration checks, since they used the word "concentration".

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ohhhkay. I knew you had to spend the standard action every round. I just also thought you needed to make concentration checks, since they used the word "concentration".

Yeah, a poor choice of words on their part; "sustaining" or "maintaining" or whatever would be better. It stems from prior editions where there was no Concentration skill, so "concentrating on a spell" didn't have the skill implication, and they kept it for familiarity's sake.

[Dagren]

Yeah, a poor choice of words on their part; "sustaining" or "maintaining" or whatever would be better. It stems from prior editions where there was no Concentration skill, so "concentrating on a spell" didn't have the skill implication, and they kept it for familiarity's sake.I suppose if you wanted to look at it that way, you could technically consider it a DC 0 concentration check. Kind of like listening to people talking to you. Technically it's a DC 0 listen check, but seeing as that's impossible to fail, you just don't bother rolling. I know that's not RAW, but it's kind of analogous, I think. (Like, you never roll for such routine things)