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Haldir
2011-06-18, 03:47 AM
Second Skin

Abjuration
Wiz/Sorc/Duskblade/Warmage: ?
Components: V, S
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 10 min/level
Saving Throw: Harmless (Will negates)

A field of force sensitive magical energy surrounds the target. When this field is triggered by any application of force (be it magical or mundane) the field sends a response to the body nearly instantly, giving the target precious extra moments to react. Simply, the target feels that an effect is coming, without actually having to feel it with their own body. This provides a +4 Insight bonus to Armor Class and Reflex saves for any spell, effect, or attacks.

Repulsion Armor

Abjuration
Wiz/Sorc/Duskblade/Warmage: ?
Components: V, S
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 10 min/level
Saving Throw: Harmless (Will negates)

Repulsion Armor is the advanced version of Second Skin. Additional magical energy is added to the spell, though stored latently in the space between the target and the field. When the field is breached, the spell automatically diverts this spell energy in an attempt to negate the effects of the attack. The stronger the caster, the more energy is able to be converged at any point in time. This provides a + 1 deflection bonus to Armor Class, plus an additional +1 for every four levels a the caster has, in addition to the +4 Insight bonus gained from the Second Skin effect.

Special- To learn Repulsion Armor, the caster must have studied and learned Second Skin.

[My biggest balance issue with this the spell level of Repulsion Field. I honestly can't decide if it's too high or too low. I can make an argument in either direction. Help me Playgrounders, you're my only hope.]

Darwin
2011-06-18, 04:01 AM
Second Skin seems a tad strong for a 1st level spell, +4 to Reflex in addition to Mage Armor for a reduced duration is pretty good without being mind blowingly insane. I'd probaly bump it up to level 2. Repulsion Armor seems fine but it feels like a buff that you should have to spend an action to cast in a fight, again I would "personally" give it a minute/level duration, but its not going to change anything drastic about the game as it is.

Seharvepernfan
2011-06-18, 08:10 AM
Second skin seems like another mage armor/shield/protection from X spell to cast on yourself before a battle, its power being (somewhat) offset by its shorter duration than mage armor.

Is repulsive armor supposed to be a deflection bonus? That way it stacks with second skin, except with the reflex save. If it was supposed to be a greater version of the spell that doesnt stack, I'd make it 4 + 1 per every 5 levels for both effects (max 8) and make it a 3rd level spell.

I had an idea while reading this. What if second skin and repulsive armor didnt grant a bonus to armor class/reflex saves, but instead granted uncanny dodge/evasion and improved uncanny dodge (rogue level equal to your caster level)/improved evasion respectively? You'd cast them at the start of your day with a 24 hour duration and they lay dormant until you are either attacked while flat footed or forced to make a reflex save, then the spell kicks in automatically without an action. Then the duration becomes 1 enemy attack roll/reflex save per 4 or 5 levels. Maybe they do grant the ac/reflex save bonuses in addition to this, but the bonuses drop by 1 for every attack/save until they hit 0 when the "duration" is used up or minutes per level, whichever comes first. Maybe second skin is improved uncanny dodge/improved evasion and repulsive armor is second skin with the +4 bonuses? Food for thought.

NeoSeraphi
2011-06-18, 12:23 PM
I suggest an Improved Shield spell to also be made. 3rd level, +6 Shield bonus and spell turn magic missiles instead of just absorbing them. The counterpart to Greater Magic Armor.

Additionally, you should make a boost to AC spells that will grant a luck bonus to AC. (The more stackable AC boosts we have, the more and more appealing Abjurant Champion becomes)

Haldir
2011-06-18, 12:47 PM
At level 8, the caster should be able to cast Repulsion Armor and gain +6 AC (4 Insight, 2 deflection) and a +4 Insight to reflex saves. Repulsion Armor is designed to replace Second Skin entirely.

Here's an idea your fine advice has inspired; What if Repulsion Armor were "modular." When you prepare the spell, you have an option to prepare it with certain materials (or at a higher level?) and allow it to gain numerous defensive effects. Evasion, energy resistances, spell turning and damage reduction immediately come to mind.

Honestly, I really don't see a reason why Second Skin shouldn't just automatically qualify as Uncanny Dodge, other than balance issues. Thoughts?

DracoDei
2011-06-18, 01:15 PM
Try not to make other classes cry TOO hard with uncanny dodge/evasion/etc. In other words it should be... oh a 4th level spell before granting even a little of that, and that is if that is ALL it does.

The problem is that these stack with Mage Armor and Shield. Even without PrCs that is an issue, and indicates to me that they should be moved up a few levels, especially since they ALSO help reflex saves.

NeoSeraphi
2011-06-18, 01:38 PM
Why is stacking with Mage Armor and Shield a problem? Mage Armor isn't even abjuration, this would allow you to skip on your prepared spells or spells known and replace Mage Armor with it, unless you really want to waste 3 1st level spells known on defensive spells (As a sorcerer, that would be very very limiting)

I don't see why stacking AC bonuses is a bad thing. Having 22 AC at level 2 (Again, because wizards don't get enough spells per day at level one and sorcerers don't have enough spells known) isn't that bad. It's high, sure, but you can't do anything else, so you become a very hard to hit crossbow sniper.

DracoDei
2011-06-19, 01:25 AM
2nd character level? Not a problem.
7th character level? Might be a problem.
15th character level? Almost certainly a problem (especially since they have Bracers of Armor +4 by then cutting out a spell)

Also, it isn't all 3 that is the primary concern necessarily. It is this plus mage armor (or bracers of armor)since this has much longer duration than Shield

Gamer Girl
2011-06-19, 07:50 PM
Second Skin is way too powerful.

First the 'fuzzy' abjuration insight is just a blatant out right cheat. Lets see how this works: The invisible web of energy reacts to anything and alerts the persons brain and then accelerates them in time so that they can use that 'insight' to get an AC bonus. As in a caster would get an insight of a ray of magical energy coming at them and 'know' how to move out of the way...without any physical enhancements.

Insight bonuses are meant to be rare, and well provide real insight.

And another bonus +4 insight to a AC is a bad idea as every spellcaster will automatically take this spell to automatically have an Ac of +4 more.


Of course Repulsion Armor goes the other way, +6 deflection to Ac at 20th level....eh, not so impressive. Except you get the cheat of +4 insight AC too...

Yitzi
2011-06-19, 08:14 PM
If we're speaking of essential abjuration tools, make sure to include something that blocks save-or-lose transfigurations (Flesh to Stone and Baleful Polymorph/debuff forms of PAO.) Combine with Death Ward, Mind Blank (or, if that's not available, even the lowly but oh-so-useful Protection from {Alignment}), and Freedom of Movement to severely limit most wizards' save-or-lose options.

While you're at it, better include something to make those vital protections harder to dispel as well.

Best of all, you don't have to worry about making wizards too powerful with such spells, since it comes at the expense of other wizards.

Haldir
2011-06-19, 10:51 PM
While I disagree that a single opinion on the supposed rarity or importance of the insight modifier qualifies as a "cheat," I'm afraid I agree with Gamer Girl. Though no acceleration in time happens, ANY sensation only happens in your brain. Second skin cuts out the middle man and gives you actual insight as to what's going to happen by sending that same signal of feeling to your brain at the speed of magic. This would also undoubtedly allow you to function precisely the same as if you had Uncanny Dodge. This is magical spidey sense.

I also love the ideas that Yitzi has put forward. Repulsion Field could easily include 1 extra effect per 4 or 5 levels, and there could be tiers of extra effects that open at higher levels. Of course, there would be a requirement that you've actually learned and researched the type of spell you're modifying the shield with.

Yitzi
2011-06-20, 02:19 AM
Oh, and about the spell levels...I'd say that Second Skin should probably be level 3: Between the duration, the fact that it stacks with nearly everything else, and the fact that it's a good bonus, it's definitely better than similar level 1 spells like Mage Armor or Shield, but it's nowhere near level 4. Only question is level 2 or 3, and I'm leaning toward 3 because it boosts reflex saves as well. If you're playing with heavy psionics, where insight bonuses are substantially more common, you might want to make it level 2, though.
As for Repulsion Armor, it's not that much better...it's essentially Second Skin plus a superior-duration (but somewhat weaker at low levels) Shield of Faith. I'd say that it should be only 1 level higher than Second Skin; any more, and they'll just go for Second Skin plus SoF. You do want to cap the bonus at +5, though, as otherwise it becomes valuable as the only way (as far as I can tell) to get a +6 deflection bonus before epic levels without stuff like LA.