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View Full Version : [3.5] Sand Shaper -> Snow Shaper?



Analytica
2009-12-03, 09:57 AM
The Sandstorm supplement has a nice prestige class called the Sand Shaper, one of the most useful properties of which is that it grants a whole lot of desert-themed spells known, even for a spontaneous or fixed-list caster. The adaptation discussion mentions that it could relatively easily be adapted to another terrain type than desert, and I came to think of snow and ice.

Supposing we would build a Snow Shaper variant, most transitions are fairly straightforward - all references to sand, dust and desert become references to snow, ice and arctic regions. The main issue are the spells. Supposing we would make the transition as directly as possible, substituting spells for level-equivalent ones with similar effect but with a cold- or arctic theme, which bonus spells should a Snow Shaper get? Many of the Frostburn ones would fit, but which?

Latronis
2009-12-03, 10:00 AM
Have any electronic books?

A simple find next of [Cold] through the spell compendium for example could net you a spelllist in a matter of minutes

Analytica
2009-12-03, 10:07 AM
I have most books available, and could probably select a list that would be thematic. But I suck at balance, and would like someone else's opinion on the matter. Thank you anyhow. :smallsmile:

Latronis
2009-12-03, 11:34 AM
Well as a general rule trading a spell for one of the same level isn't too bad.

If you can find a spell that accomplishes a similiar thing but thematically tied to cold in some way even better.

As long as you keep roughly the same number of utility, offense, and buff spells around the same and at around the same spell level you shouldn't have too much trouble. Just trade it spell for spell at around the same power and the balance should be roughly equal. Err slightly on the side of caution, while I can't remember the spell list (i'd have to look it up) there are some damn good cold spells around.

I'll take a look tomorrow if someone doesn't jump in before then. But i can't be expected to create a whole new spell list!

Latronis
2009-12-04, 10:47 AM
1st—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, endure elements, speak with animals, parching touch, chill touch
summon desert ally I conjure ice beast I.

2nd—eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, summon swarm, heat metal chill metal,
summon desert ally II conjure ice beast II.

3rd—dispel magic, dominate animal, wind wall,
control sand Control Snow and Ice
haboob Arctic Haze
slipsand Icicle
summon desert ally III conjure ice beast III
sunstroke Winter’s Embrace
desiccate Lesser Frostburn
tormenting thirst (???)*

4th—blast of sand cone of cold,
summon desert ally IV conjure ice beast IV,
wall of sand wall of ice,
wither Frostburn.

5th—choking sands Entomb?
flaywind burst Boreal Wind
flesh to salt Flesh to Ice
summon desert ally V Conjure Ice Beast V
transmute sand to stone Binding Snow?
transmute stone to sand Ice Flowers?

6th—awaken sand Animate Snow
mummify Heartfreeze
sandstorm Blizzard
summon desert ally VI Conjure Ice Beast VI

7th—mass flesh to salt Mass Flesh to Ice (even if it doesn't exist it's not hard to make up >_>)
summon desert ally VII Conjure Ice Beast VII.

8th—whirlwind,
summon desert ally VIII Conjure Ice Beast VIII.

9th—summon desert ally IX conjure ice beast IX


There that's my effort at translating the spell list, trying to keep the spells as similar an of similiar power as possible. Core and frosturn mostly, with a little i pulled from spell compendium whereever they were originally

Analytica
2009-12-04, 12:58 PM
That looks excellent, thank you so much! :smallsmile:

Latronis
2009-12-04, 09:22 PM
The only thing i really had difficulty with was Tormenting Thirst, I just couldn't find any thematically appropiate spells in anyway similiar. At least not without being a great deal more powerful (lv6 and 7 spells)

So I'd say just any lv3 spell can replace that, I doubt access to one spell is going to negatively effect balance one way or the other.