PDA

View Full Version : 3.5 1st Level area effect spells?



Chells
2011-01-06, 12:28 PM
There is not much besides burning hands. Is something like this unbalanced?

HABOOB, LESSER
Conjuration (Creation) [Air, Earth]
Level: Druid 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Effect: 10-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No

You summon the fury of a desert storm around your enemies. Any creature inside the area suffers 1d6+1 points of damage from the whirling abrasive grit.
Material Component: A pinch of ash, dust, or sand.

Based loosly off Haboob (Sandstorm) & Sandblast (CDivine)
For first level sould it be 1d4+1?

Thanks

DracoDei
2011-01-06, 06:21 PM
At first character level this is better in almost every way than Burning Hands. Bigger Area, more damage, arguably better damage type, and the range means you usually have a better ability to keep from hitting the tank while still hitting as many foes as possible. As caster levels increase, the only thing that changes is the amount of damage: 2nd level is where Burning Hands gets a 0.5 point advantage in average damage, 3rd is where the choice would actually start to require any thought at all.

Looked at from another perspective, the average damage is the same as for Sound Burst, a second level divine spell... then again, the stunning is probably more valuable than damage for that spell.


In addition, Druids and Clerics AREN'T the ones who are supposed to be doing the big numbers in terms of hit-point damage with spells (especially not ones that don't depend on alignment).

I would make this a sor/wiz spell, drop the range to Close, and/or reduce the damage (perhaps to 1d4 for every odd caster level?).

If you don't want to make this a sorcerer/wizard spell, I suggest making it centered on the caster, but not damaging them. Keep the same range, but reduce the damage as above.

bloodtide
2011-01-06, 06:47 PM
HABOOB, LESSER

This is not really a 'lesser haboob' this is just 'Sandspray'


Conjuration (Creation) [Air, Earth]

I would just drop the whole Conjuration idea. Both as the attack spells should be Evocation and the whole no spell resistance is just a cheat(as in why not dump all other magic schools and make every spell a conjuration spell?)

Just make this an Evocation spell.


Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)

You meant short range, or maybe only like 15'


Spell Resistance: No

As a normal evocation spell it would be SR:Yes. (I know everyone wants yo ignore SR, but then why not make every single spell conjuration and always ignore SR? You can say you 'conjure' anything, after all.



You summon the fury of a desert storm around your enemies. Any creature inside the area suffers 1d6+1 points of damage from the whirling abrasive grit.

1d4 damage every other level is fine for an Evocation spell that is effect by spell resistance.