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View Full Version : Damage Over Time Spells [3.5]



lvl 1 sharnian
2010-03-09, 11:21 PM
I'm trying to build a Sorcerer with a more subtle attack method when I came upon these DoT spells, Call to Stone and Burning Blood

That got me thinking, are there any other spells that have a cumulative effect over time with a duration of 1 round/level (or more) that offers a save that round to negate it's effects for that one round, requiring new saves each round until the spell is over?

Superglucose
2010-03-09, 11:25 PM
Be careful, most of D&D combat happens in the first two rounds.

Lord Vukodlak
2010-03-09, 11:25 PM
I'm trying to build a Sorcerer with a more subtle attack method when I came upon these DoT spells, Call to Stone and Burning Blood

That got me thinking, are there any other spells that have a cumulative effect over time with a duration of 1 round/level (or more) that offers a save that round to negate it's effects for that one round, requiring new saves each round until the spell is over?

You have the classical acid arrow, and I recall something bloodstar, stone something that causes continual con damage. Of course cloudkill, wall of fire, acid fog and similar spells are all damage over time.

JeminiZero
2010-03-09, 11:28 PM
Melf's Acid Arrows? Vitriolic Sphere also comes to mind.

There is a first level Wizard/Sorc spell called Spirit Worm (I think) that does constitution damage over time.

Cloud of Knives (PHB2) lets you shoot a knife every round as a free action which is sort of like a DoT.

lvl 1 sharnian
2010-03-09, 11:40 PM
Be careful, most of D&D combat happens in the first two rounds.

It'll be less optimized play so the combat should drag out a bit longer.

Anyways it'll be somewhat of a gish, with the flavor of a magical duelist; cast a few DoTs and wait until there's an opening then strike

Pluto
2010-03-09, 11:46 PM
There's always Power Word: Pain

But that one's just silly.

Traveler
2010-03-09, 11:57 PM
Hold Person or Hold Monster. Use those right and let the fighters have fun.

Set
2010-03-10, 12:28 AM
There's Spirit Worm (Magic of Faerun).

Tons of spells can be considered 'damage over time' if you squint at them sideways, such as Wall of Fire or Stinking Cloud or Acid Fog or Black Tentacles.

Summon Monster spells pretty much do damage over time as well...

deuxhero
2010-03-10, 12:31 AM
Thunderhead is a cantrip with 1 elec damage per turn for 1 round/caster level (add fell drain for fun!). The one line (may have it backwards) lists it as 1d6 and a first level (both are reasonably powered)

arguskos
2010-03-10, 12:51 AM
Creeping Cold. I can't believe no one mentioned that one yet. There's *probably* a way to get it as an arcane spell, but I wouldn't know.

Draz74
2010-03-10, 01:02 AM
Maw of Chaos.

... What???

arguskos
2010-03-10, 01:26 AM
Maw of Chaos.

... What???
URDOINITRONG :smalltongue: Level dude, level

Also, nah, Maw of Chaos is pretty awesome dude. I approve. :smallamused:

magic9mushroom
2010-03-10, 05:32 AM
Maw of Chaos.

... What???

Eh, Maw of Chaos is alright (read, still awesome, but not stupidly hax) if you use the original version as opposed to the SpC version that does 3.5 times as much damage.

JaronK
2010-03-10, 05:46 AM
Eh, SpC version is just level appropriate compared to some other 9th level spells (but it's nothing compared to nonsense like Shapechange and Genesis). The sad part is it's still worse than Wings of Flurry (which can be metamagiced a heck of a lot to get up to 9th level... with Arcane Thesis, Twin Spell, and Empower Spell you get to 9th level, and DAY-UM that's a lot of hitty from a blast spell.

JaronK

magic9mushroom
2010-03-10, 06:18 AM
Eh, SpC version is just level appropriate compared to some other 9th level spells (but it's nothing compared to nonsense like Shapechange and Genesis). The sad part is it's still worse than Wings of Flurry (which can be metamagiced a heck of a lot to get up to 9th level... with Arcane Thesis, Twin Spell, and Empower Spell you get to 9th level, and DAY-UM that's a lot of hitty from a blast spell.

JaronK

Without metamagic reducers (because those are overpowered quite separately from what you're applying them to), Empowered Repeated Wings of Flurry (9th level slot) does a total of 3d6/level, or 63d6 at level 20 for dragonblood. It also has a save appropriate to a level 4 spell.

Maw of Chaos (Spell Compendium version) does 400d6 damage at level 20, and is a better disabler, and has a save 5 points higher. It also goes up from there quadratically with CL, instead of linearly.

And Wings of Flurry is quite powerful to begin with. Certainly compared to Polar Ray...

Kaiyanwang
2010-03-10, 07:09 AM
Be careful, most of D&D combat happens in the first two rounds.

This is a fine advice, IMHO.

A way to overcome this, could be add metamagic feats able to inflict conditions, or spells that DOT but inflict other conditions too..

Saph
2010-03-10, 09:44 AM
Belker Claws is my personal favourite. 50ish damage from a level 2 spell is very efficient.

JaronK
2010-03-10, 08:20 PM
Without metamagic reducers (because those are overpowered quite separately from what you're applying them to), Empowered Repeated Wings of Flurry (9th level slot) does a total of 3d6/level, or 63d6 at level 20 for dragonblood. It also has a save appropriate to a level 4 spell.

Maw of Chaos (Spell Compendium version) does 400d6 damage at level 20, and is a better disabler, and has a save 5 points higher. It also goes up from there quadratically with CL, instead of linearly.

And Wings of Flurry is quite powerful to begin with. Certainly compared to Polar Ray...

The thing is, Maw of Chaos takes FAR too much time to do that much damage. Especially at level 20, I have no intention of leaving enemies alive for 20 rounds, so that 400d6 is irrelevant. Plus, Wings of Flurry can be fired around allies, while Maw of Chaos can't. Assuming the combat takes no more than two rounds or so (which is actually pretty reasonable at level 20... you DON'T want to leave enemies alive long enough to hit you with nasty stuff) Maw of Chaos just isn't nearly as good.

Meanwhile, Wings of Flurry also denies actions from the target, which is also critical.

JaronK