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View Full Version : [PF/3.5] Sound elementals & Oracle Sound Mystery



Ditto
2011-04-06, 08:53 PM
I’ve always found it sort of odd that Sonic gets to be an elemental force of damage, but has no elementals. Alchemist Merlin happens to agree, and is introducing sound elementals into the campaign we’re playing together. I’m interested in developing sound elementals for use in Pathfinder and possibly 3.5, and seeing where else Sonic gets a short shrift. (Sonic elementals, Sound cleric domain, Sound sorcerer bloodline… there are several opportunities!)

We just started working with Pathfinder, and I decided to create a Sound mystery for my Oracle accordingly. My balance point was the other 4 elemental mysteries. You should see that most of the revelations line up pretty directly with the other 4. One or two might be a tick beefier, but that’s a reflection of the fact that there are extremely limited selections for Sonic. For the spells, at some levels I found a couple of options that might work and would appreciate feedback on whether you think the first listed spell is best-suited, or whether I might choose one of the alternatives.

Thanks for your comments!


~~New Oracle Mystery: Sound~~
Oracles driven by the Sound mystery are shaped by the elemental power of sound and the fundamental force of the spoken word.
Special: An oracle with the Deaf curse cannot choose the sound Mystery.

Deities: Shelyn, Desna

Class Skills: An oracle with the sound mystery adds Bluff, Linguistics, Perception, and Perform to her list of class skills.

Bonus Spells: Command Comprehend languages (2nd), Soundburst, Shatter, Enthrall? (4th), Screech (Witch3) (6th), Shout (Wiz4) (8th), Sending Discordant Blast (Bard4)? (10th), Word of Recall (12th), Holy Word line (choose one that is not opposed to your alignment/god) [Deafening sound bolt (Bard5)? (14th), Greater Shout (Wiz8) (16th), Wail of the Banshee (18th).

Revelations
An oracle with a sound mystery can choose from any of the following revelations.

Anechoic Skin (Ex): You gain resist sonic 5. This resistance increases to 10 at 5th level and 20 at 11th level. At 17th level, you gain immunity to sonic damage.

Echolocation (Su): You can use Locate Object (as the spell) once per day. At 15th level, you can use Find the Path (as the spell) once per day. You must be at least 7th level to take this Revelation.

Euphony (Ex): You gain Persuasive a bonus feat. At 5th level, gain Elemental Focus (sonic) as a bonus feat. At 10th level, gain Greater Elemental Focus (sonic) as a bonus feat.

Form of Sound (Su): As a standard action, you can assume the form of a Small sonic elemental, as elemental body I. At 9th level, you can assume the form of a Medium sonic elemental, as elemental body II. At 11th level, you can assume the form of a Large sonic elemental, as elemental body III. At 13th level, you can assume the form of a Huge sonic elemental, as elemental body IV. You can use this ability once per day, but the duration is 1 hour/level. You must be at least 7th level to select this revelation.

Resonating Touch (Su): As a standard action, you can perform a melee touch attack that deals 1d6 points of sonic damage +1 point for every two oracle levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 11th level, any weapon that you wield deals +1d6 sonic damage, similar to how a flaming weapon operates.

Soundsight (Su): You gain Alertness as a bonus feat. At 7th level, as a standard action, you can see and hear into any area (as if using clairaudience and clairvoyance) within range as long as there is an unobstructed path for air to travel between you and the target area (this does not require line of effect, meaning the path can turn corners and go through spaces no smaller than 1 inch in diameter). You can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to your oracle level, but these rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Thundering Spells (Su): Whenever a creature fails a saving throw and takes sonic damage from one of your spells, OR when you score a critical hit that deals sonic damage, the effect it deals an additional 1d6 sonic damage. At 11th level, the damage increases to 2d6 sonic.

Thunderstorm (Su): As a standard action, you can cause thundering cacophany to erupt around you. You can create one 10-foot cube of sonic disruption per oracle level. These cubes can be arranged in any pattern you desire, but each cube must be adjacent to another and one must be adjacent to you. Any creature caught in these waves of sound takes 1d6 points of sonic damage per oracle level, with a Reflex save resulting in half damage. This soundwave barrage lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. You can use this ability once per day. You must be at least 11th level to select this revelation.

White Noise (Su): You can use Enthrall (as the spell) once per day. At 7th level, you may use Suggestion (as the spell) once per day. At 15th level, you may use Mass Suggestion (as the spell) once per day. You must be at least 3rd level to select this revelation.

Wings of Sound (Su): As a swift action, you can manifest a pair of iridescent green wings fashioned from waves of sound that grant you a fly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability. You can use these wings for 1 minute per day per oracle level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1 minute increments. You must be at least 7th level before selecting this revelation.

Final Revelation
Upon reaching 20th level, you become a master of sound. You can apply any one of the following feats to any sonic or language-dependant spell without increasing the level or casting time: Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Still Spell, or Thundering Spell.

Alchemistmerlin
2011-04-07, 08:34 AM
I like it, I still have to stat out the Sound Elementals. I'm not entirely familiar with how the Oracle works yet, but I'd love to see what other folks on these boards think in terms of balance.

Ditto
2011-04-07, 09:20 AM
For the final revelation, the other elemental mysteries had Silent Spell as a free-metamagic, but I didn't think that made sense for the Sound-based one. I was looking around for another +1 that might fit to even it out... Focused Spell is alright. Thundering Spell is a +2, which I think might only really be worth a +1... and in any event, I don't think it'd be overpowered to substitute Thundering *only* on sound-based spells as a capstone ability.

Seeing that Thundering is rated as a +2, I wonder if the Thundering Spells (Su) revelation might be too strong, since it gives an auto-deafened for one round. With that Thundering metamagic, you get a save and then you STILL might not end up with a deafened result, at the cost of a +2 metamagic. Like I said, +2 seems steep.

Alchemistmerlin
2011-04-07, 02:26 PM
For the final revelation, the other elemental mysteries had Silent Spell as a free-metamagic, but I didn't think that made sense for the Sound-based one. I was looking around for another +1 that might fit to even it out... Focused Spell is alright. Thundering Spell is a +2, which I think might only really be worth a +1... and in any event, I don't think it'd be overpowered to substitute Thundering *only* on sound-based spells as a capstone ability.

Seeing that Thundering is rated as a +2, I wonder if the Thundering Spells (Su) revelation might be too strong, since it gives an auto-deafened for one round. With that Thundering metamagic, you get a save and then you STILL might not end up with a deafened result, at the cost of a +2 metamagic. Like I said, +2 seems steep.

I think anything that says "Even if the opponent passed their saving throw, they fail it a little" might be kind of messy, though I like the idea of the thundering only on sound-based spells for the capstone since it sort of brings out the specialist nature of the design.

Ditto
2011-04-07, 03:35 PM
Yeah... I realized the discintion was problematic just between Shout and Greater Shout. Passing the save for Shout is 'deaf negated'. Greater Shout is 'deaf halved'.

The other 'attack spell hits/failed save' abilities are Failed save: Light target on Fire, Hit by Slow spell for 1 round, and Hit Crit: Initiate free Trip attempt, Opponent is staggered. Shout is an area effect, so no roll. It does 1d6/level sonic+Deaf, so I wanted to do somethign a little jazzier than +1d6 sonic. Though honestly, that's what the fire bonus effect boils down to.
I could have it 'Failed save on area effect OR make a critical hit and do Sonic damage', so that it would work with all of the sonic spells AND the Resonating Touch attack.

I'ma go ahead and add the Thundering metamagic in for the capstone.

For the White Nosie mystery, I think I want to add a 1st level spell in that family of those enchantment spells so it would be accessible at 1st level... Command or Charm Person. If you go with Command, then maybe substitute Charm Person or Ventriloquism for the 2nd level Mystery Spell.

Any thoughts on the alternatives for spell selection I put up there? I think avoiding dipping into the Bard-only spells is cleaner (since you have the 1-9 spell level scale borrowing Wiz&Witch spells), but the ones I listed are definitely thematically appropriate.