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NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 02:09 AM
Vergil's Lesser Thunderbolt
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous, see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: Yes

You create a weak electric shock and send it right through your opponent's body, causing nerve damage that makes it difficult for the opponent to fight. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack, and if you hit, the creature takes 1d8 points of electricity damage per caster level (max 10d8). The creature must also make a Fortitude save or be sickened for one round.


Vergil's Fury of the Storm
Transmutation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

This spell drives your electrical power sky high, and transforms your body into a being of pure electricity. Your natural weapons (if any) deal 1d6 points of electricity damage in addition to their normal damage, and you become immune to damage from mundane electrical sources, such as being struck by non-magical lightning. For the duration of the spell, spells you cast with the [electricity] descriptor deal damage as if they were a die size larger (to a max of 1d12). Additionally, you gain a +2 caster level when casting a spell with the [electricity] descriptor (excluding this one) and if your [electricity] spells have effects based on caster level that are capped after a certain point, that cap is increased by 5. (So a CL 15 sorcerer who casts lightning bolt while under the effect of this spell would deal 15d8 electricity damage). Finally, the DC for all saving throws allowed by spells you cast with the [electricity] descriptor increase by +2.

You may not cast any spells unless they have the [electricity] descriptor while under the effect of this spell. You may not use the Energy Substitution or Energy Admixture feats while under the effect of this spell. This spell does not stack with itself.


Vergil's Lesser Shout
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 15 ft
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: No

You emit a sonic scream that cracks your enemies' eardrums. All creatures within the area of effect take 1d6 points of sonic damage per level (max 10d6) and are deafened for 2d6 rounds. A successful Fortitude save halves the damage and negate the deafness. Unlike shout, Vergil's lesser shout deals no additional damage to objects.

Vergil's lesser shout cannot penetrate silence.


Vergil's Greater Shout
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial or Reflex Negates (Object)
SR: Yes (Object)

This spell functions like vergil's lesser shout, except that its maximum is 20d6 points of sonic damage, and a creature who fails its saving throw is permanently deafened. Any exposed brittle or crystalline object or crystalline creature instead takes 2d8 points of sonic damage per caster level (maximum 40d8). Creatures holding fragile objects can negate damage to them with a successful Reflex save.

Vergil's greater shout can only penetrate a silence spell if its caster's caster level is at least 10 higher than the caster level of the silence effect (but if so, it automatically penetrates it, no dispel check needed).


Vergil's Greater Thunderbolt
Level: Sorcerer 5

This spell functions like Vergil's lesser thunderbolt, except as noted above. A creature struck by Vergil's greater thunderbolt takes 2d8 points of electricity damage per caster level (maximum of 40d8). The creature must also succeed a Fortitude save or be sickened for 1 round per caster level. A successful Fortitude save reduces the electricity damage to 10d8 and negates the sickness.


Vergil's Mighty Thunderstorm
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Medium
Effect: One or more 30 ft long vertical lines of lightning
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
SR: Yes

This spell functions like call lightning.


Vergil's Wild Thunderstorm
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 5
Range: Long

This spell functions like Vergil's mighty thunderstorm except that each bolt deals 5d6 points of electricity damage (5d10 in a stormy area) and you may call a maximum of 15 bolts.


Vergil's Shield of Air
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

You cover yourself in an aura of rippling wind. Any creature who attacks you in melee instantly regrets it.

Any creature who attacks you in melee with a non-reach weapon takes 1d6 points of sonic damage, +1 point per caster level (maximum +15). If the attacker has spell resistance, you must overcome its spell resistance each time it attacks you. Your caster level for this effect is always treated as the same caster level you had when you cast the spell (so if you boosted your CL temporarily for some other effect, it does not help you penetrate spell resistance with this spell)

Additionally, the wind surrounding you protects you from ranged attacks. It provides you with 20% true miss chance against ranged attacks. This does not grant you concealment.


Thoughts?

Milo v3
2012-01-24, 02:17 AM
These look good, but I think that Fury of the Storm might be a bit strong, also was it your intention that Vergil (I mean a sorcerer) could cast it once and then cast it a second time when its about to end and it will last longer the second time.

I like these and I'd let my players use them, especially if their character was a Sorcerer named Vergil. :smalltongue:

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 02:21 AM
Damn, Milo, you're quick! I've never seen you PEACH any of my stuff before, so I figured you didn't check the Homebrew forum that often, and I thought I could get some PEACH and do some editing/balancing before I presented them to you.

I'll remove the part about Vergil's fury of the storm resetting the duration if you cast it again before it ends. What else do you think should be done to weaken it? (You said it was too strong)

Milo v3
2012-01-24, 02:54 AM
Damn, Milo, you're quick! I've never seen you PEACH any of my stuff before, so I figured you didn't check the Homebrew forum that often, and I thought I could get some PEACH and do some editing/balancing before I presented them to you.

I'll remove the part about Vergil's fury of the storm resetting the duration if you cast it again before it ends. What else do you think should be done to weaken it? (You said it was too strong)

I don't often post in the Homebrew section as I'm often working on my Campaign setting.

Also the main reason I see it as too strong, mainly because of the Protection from Energy spell.
Compare the two:


Same Level for both spells
Fury grants increased natural weapon damages
Fury increases the damage by electricity spells
Fury increases caster level for electricity spells
Fury grants immunity to electricity
Fury increases DC of Electricity spells
Protection from energy is faster to cast
Protection from energy can effect an ally
Protection from energy lasts longer
Protection from energy absorbs tiny amounts of a specific energy type then ends the spell
Protection from energy can effect any energy type


With Vergils fury you effectively get a superpowered Protection from Energy with a electric fists, empowered electricity damage, DC, and caster level. With the only two cost being Duration and casting time.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 03:01 AM
But...Vergil's fury of the storm only grants immunity to mundane electricity! Protection from energy absorbs magical electricity, which is much more common!

Protection from energy gives you resistance against a dragon's breath weapon, spells of the [electricity] descriptor, weapons with the shocking and shocking burst enhancements, and a storm elemental's slam attack.

Vergil's fury of the storm makes you immune to...natural lightning bolts.

I believe you must have missed the part about the immunity only being to mundane electricity. Honestly, I only added that part for fluff (Not one of my characters has ever been struck by lightning before)

Kenneth
2012-01-24, 03:22 AM
Fury of the storm is like a mini-Lightning ring, only instead fo shooting random 5th level lightning bolts you deal a bigger lighnit dmg die and deal lightning damage on natural attacks.

also.. being immune to mundane lighting means you can laugh at call lightning and other various druidic spells of that nature.. I myself have never really though teh for instance lightning bolt was that much more powerful that an actual lightning bolt.

I agree that for a 3rf level spells this is a bit much, But I think as a 4th its perfect.

leser thnder botl seems liek orb of lightning so I guess its fine where it is :)

I do not really understand th re visons of shout and greater shout myself. but i do disagree about it penetrating a zone fo silence, you basically made a suped up version of shout without greater shouts only real weakness oh and it only lvl 4 not the 8th levle g shout is.

and just keep teh fort save for greater thunder to fort/halves and negates sickness makes more sense that way than having an odd ( in my ipinion) dmg die when saved against.

Milo v3
2012-01-24, 03:33 AM
But...Vergil's fury of the storm only grants immunity to mundane electricity! Protection from energy absorbs magical electricity, which is much more common!

Protection from energy gives you resistance against a dragon's breath weapon, spells of the [electricity] descriptor, weapons with the shocking and shocking burst enhancements, and a storm elemental's slam attack.

Vergil's fury of the storm makes you immune to...natural lightning bolts.

I believe you must have missed the part about the immunity only being to mundane electricity. Honestly, I only added that part for fluff (Not one of my characters has ever been struck by lightning before)

Ah ... Nevermind then.... :smallredface:

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 03:37 AM
also.. being immune to mundane lighting means you can laugh at call lightning and other various druidic spells of that nature.. I myself have never really though teh for instance lightning bolt was that much more powerful that an actual lightning bolt.


Call lightning and lightning bolt are both magical sources of lightning. They are Evocation effects, which are always purely magical (as opposed to Conjuration (Creation) effects). Call lightning is SR: Yes, which proves that it is purely magical lightning.


leser thnder botl seems liek orb of lightning so I guess its fine where it is :)


Vergil's lesser thunderbolt is indeed based on lesser orb of electricity, just with a higher level spell slot, higher damage cap, and a save or sicken, but it's Evocation and SR: Yes (it's also a ray).



I do not really understand th re visons of shout and greater shout myself. but i do disagree about it penetrating a zone fo silence, you basically made a suped up version of shout without greater shouts only real weakness oh and it only lvl 4 not the 8th levle g shout is.


The spells are not revisions of shout and greater shout. They are completely unique spells. Shout is a terrible spell, and greater shout isn't bad, but it's definitely not worth an 8th level spell slot. Silence is a 2nd-level spell, it shouldn't just cancel my 4th level spell without consideration for how much more powerful I am than the caster. I mean, if a 3rd level cleric is able to stop my 23rd level sorcerer just like that...well, that's just one of the many problems that I have with magic.



and just keep teh fort save for greater thunder to fort/halves and negates sickness makes more sense that way than having an odd ( in my ipinion) dmg die when saved against.

Dealing 20d8 damage on a failed save is not balanced. Vergil's greater thunderbolt is based on disintegrate, which only deals 5d6 points of damage on a failed save.

absolmorph
2012-01-24, 04:44 AM
Dealing 20d8 damage on a failed save is not balanced. Vergil's greater thunderbolt is based on disintegrate, which only deals 5d6 points of damage on a failed save.
Er... Don't you mean "on a successful save" in both of these sentences?
5d6 damage on a failed save is kinda weak...

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 04:46 AM
Er... Don't you mean "on a successful save" in both of these sentences?
5d6 damage on a failed save is kinda weak...

Yes, I do absolmorph. :smalltongue: Thank you so much for correcting my comments rather than PEACHing my actual content.

But yeah, anyway, 20d8 damage on a successful save is too much.

absolmorph
2012-01-24, 05:36 AM
Yes, I do absolmorph. :smalltongue: Thank you so much for correcting my comments rather than PEACHing my actual content.

But yeah, anyway, 20d8 damage on a successful save is too much.
The little things like that tend to stick out more to me, so I focus on them first.

Alright, so, lesser thunderbolt. At level 10, it's strictly superior for damage to Orb of Electricity. It's rider also lasts longer than the Orb spells. That's... Kinda excessive.
Also, the wording is a bit messy; right now, it does 1d8+1d8/CL. If you want it to cap at 10d8 (which is what I assumed when looking at damage), say it does "1d8 per caster level (max 10d8)".

Fury of the storm is pretty cool, and the only problem I see is it making lesser thunderbolt strictly superior to the Orb spells for another 5 levels.

Lesser shout is pretty shiny, I don't have much to say there.

Greater shout is mostly shiny, but the damage to objects is a bit wonky. If it replaces the normal damage, you should say the objects instead take 2d8/CL.

Greater thunderbolt is pretty powerful, but no more than disintegrate, which I've always considered an acceptable spell.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 12:41 PM
Alright, so, lesser thunderbolt. At level 10, it's strictly superior for damage to Orb of Electricity. It's rider also lasts longer than the Orb spells. That's... Kinda excessive.

Well it is actually magical, since it's an evocation effect that allows SR. I figured magical lightning should be better than just an orb of mundane lightning. :smalltongue:


Also, the wording is a bit messy; right now, it does 1d8+1d8/CL. If you want it to cap at 10d8 (which is what I assumed when looking at damage), say it does "1d8 per caster level (max 10d8)".

Ah, good point. It was late, I was tired. Fixing now.


Fury of the storm is pretty cool, and the only problem I see is it making lesser thunderbolt strictly superior to the Orb spells for another 5 levels.


True, but I'm probably only going to spam lightning bolt when I use it anyway, so I hope my DM won't mind it too much. :smallbiggrin:


Lesser shout is pretty shiny, I don't have much to say there.


Glad to hear it.



Greater shout is mostly shiny, but the damage to objects is a bit wonky. If it replaces the normal damage, you should say the objects instead take 2d8/CL.


I shall, thank you.


Greater thunderbolt is pretty powerful, but no more than disintegrate, which I've always considered an acceptable spell.

It's actually quite a bit less powerful than disintegrate when you take into account energy resistance and immunity (and unlike [fire] and [cold] spells, there aren't any creatures who have vulnerability to [electricity]), but I'm glad you like it.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 01:00 PM
Added Vergil's mighty thunderstorm and Vergil's wild thunderstorm just for aesthetic completeness.

Kenneth
2012-01-24, 03:34 PM
well to be honest.. its not like blast spells don't need any lovbe :)


and ugh.. i could not sleep last night and I can barely understand what the (&^ i wrote in that repsonse.. neoseraphi has impressed me yet again.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 04:15 PM
Added Vergil's shield of air. I could always just Energy Substitution fire shield, but that would mean having a shield of sonic power give me resistance to fire or cold...so I did this instead.

absolmorph
2012-01-24, 08:03 PM
Well it is actually magical, since it's an evocation effect that allows SR. I figured magical lightning should be better than just an orb of mundane lightning. :smalltongue:
The orbs also use a slot two higher (which is the main reason I noted this spell's superiority).
I'm kind of ignoring the fluff on each spell; mundane or not, they're both using a spell slot for an easily comparable effect.



It's actually quite a bit less powerful than disintegrate when you take into account energy resistance and immunity (and unlike [fire] and [cold] spells, there aren't any creatures who have vulnerability to [electricity]), but I'm glad you like it.
I used "no more" specifically because it's subject to resistance and immunity :smalltongue:

I like the thunderstorms and shield of air. They seem like they're placed at the right levels.

Cieyrin
2012-01-24, 08:07 PM
I find it odd that Fury of the Storm disallows half the spells in here. Would it be so much of an effort to allow [Sonic] spells?

Also, please tell me Vergil has Born of Three Thunders, as that's basically a requirement for Thunder and Lightning Blasters. :3

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-24, 11:10 PM
I find it odd that Fury of the Storm disallows half the spells in here. Would it be so much of an effort to allow [Sonic] spells?

Depends. If Milo would allow it (he already somewhat hesitantly approved Vergil's fury of the storm, see above), then I'd love to include and buff [sonic] spells as well.


Also, please tell me Vergil has Born of Three Thunders, as that's basically a requirement for Thunder and Lightning Blasters. :3

I don't know. He doesn't at the moment, as he's only 5th level and he spent his first two feats on Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus (Evocation) (for obvious reasons).

I'm taking him into stormcaster from Stormwrack (again, for obvious reasons), so I don't know if Born of the Three Thunders is a good idea (It is technically more powerful than Thunderclap, but they wouldn't stack (you'd be stunned twice for 1 round), and if I'm already getting the stun ability, I don't know if it's worth dazing myself just to knock them prone)

My 6th level feat is going to be Energy Substitution (Electricity), regardless (So I can cast lightningballs), but I don't know. Knowing that I'm going to get Thunderclap anyway, would you suggest I get Born of the Three Thunders at 9th?


I like the thunderstorms and shield of air. They seem like they're placed at the right levels.

Of course they are. :smallamused: They're just blatant rip-offs of call lightning, call lightning storm, and fire shield. But thanks for the praise.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-25, 01:41 AM
Okay, my DM is allowing us 1 flaw, so I'll be taking Energy Substitution (Electricity) and grabbing Born of the Three Thunders at 6th (next level).

Does anyone have any suggestions for cool homebrewed [Electricity] or [Sonic] spells we need?

absolmorph
2012-01-25, 02:48 AM
Okay, my DM is allowing us 1 flaw, so I'll be taking Energy Substitution (Electricity) and grabbing Born of the Three Thunders at 6th (next level).

Does anyone have any suggestions for cool homebrewed [Electricity] or [Sonic] spells we need?
A way of moving around as a bolt of lightning. And then I will make a gish and use that so I can be Negi.
A spell that makes your fists sonic (and maybe a screwdriver, too).
A spell to turn into a lightning bolt (one coming down from the sky) to move somewhere, dealing damage and pushing back enemies.

Milo v3
2012-01-25, 02:56 AM
A way of moving around as a bolt of lightning
Their is a spell that does that in Complete Mage.

How about a spell which drains electricity out of a creatures nervous system which while specialized to only living creatures sickens the target and hastes the caster.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-25, 02:58 AM
Hey, Milo, while I've got you here, do you approve of wild/mighty thunderstorm and shield of air?

Milo v3
2012-01-25, 03:15 AM
Hey, Milo, while I've got you here, do you approve of wild/mighty thunderstorm and shield of air?

Consider them approved.

absolmorph
2012-01-25, 03:40 AM
Their is a spell that does that in Complete Mage.

How about a spell which drains electricity out of a creatures nervous system which while specialized to only living creatures sickens the target and hastes the caster.
I was thinking on that keeps normal movement speed and deals just maybe 2d6 or 3d6 when you pass through a creature, but lasts for multiple rounds or has a move action casting time.

Debihuman
2012-01-25, 04:51 AM
Nice spells. They make me want to know who Vergil is.

Debby

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-25, 10:33 AM
Nice spells. They make me want to know who Vergil is.

Debby


http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/suss2it/f7e27aa8.jpg


This is Vergil

Cieyrin
2012-01-25, 11:58 AM
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm302/suss2it/f7e27aa8.jpg


This is Vergil

So you're Static Shock, huh? Hope you can fly. :smalltongue:

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-25, 01:49 PM
So you're Static Shock, huh? Hope you can fly. :smalltongue:

I happen to be a raptoran, good sir. :smallbiggrin:

bloodtide
2012-01-25, 03:02 PM
Your spells are a bit on the powerful side. Normally a low level spell does damage or creates an effect, you need to go up a couple spell levels to get spells that do both good damage and create a good secondary effect.

Take Lesser Thunderbolt, it does more damage then Lightning Bolt and does a secondary effect....and it's a level lower then lightning bolt. I'd say Lesser Thunderbolt should be at least 3rd level.

Vergil's Fury of the Storm looks powerful for 3rd level, but it does have the 'only electricity' spells limit. Though call, this might need a play test to see it's power. Still I'd bump it up a level or two...and add a bit more to the 'being made of electricity' part like they can't touch or use items, can't fly, are not incorporeal and such.

Lesser shout is better then shout?


Vergil's Shield of Air is the odd spell out. It's a evocation spell that creates a sonic shield of air? You cover yourself in an aura of rippling 'sonic' wind

so it's a bit odd to mix air and sonic....like the 'air' makes a loud 'boom' when a foe touches the shield? And you get the additional 'wind wall effect'. Air effects normal do bludgeoning damage.

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-25, 03:19 PM
Your spells are a bit on the powerful side. Normally a low level spell does damage or creates an effect, you need to go up a couple spell levels to get spells that do both good damage and create a good secondary effect.

Take Lesser Thunderbolt, it does more damage then Lightning Bolt and does a secondary effect....and it's a level lower then lightning bolt. I'd say Lesser Thunderbolt should be at least 3rd level.

Lightning bolt deals its damage to all creatures in a 120' line, automatically. Vergil's lesser thunderbolt requires a ranged touch attack and strikes one creature within 25 ft, +5 ft per 2 caster levels.



Vergil's Fury of the Storm looks powerful for 3rd level, but it does have the 'only electricity' spells limit. Though call, this might need a play test to see it's power. Still I'd bump it up a level or two...and add a bit more to the 'being made of electricity' part like they can't touch or use items, can't fly, are not incorporeal and such.


It's basically got a haste-like buff in terms of power, but it only works for you. I like to think of it as a low-powered, but almost as restrictive transformation spell.

I agree I will need to playtest it though.



Lesser shout is better then shout?


You would be hard-pressed to find an evocation spell (or any spell really) that is not better than shout.



Vergil's Shield of Air is the odd spell out. It's a evocation spell that creates a sonic shield of air? You cover yourself in an aura of rippling 'sonic' wind

so it's a bit odd to mix air and sonic....like the 'air' makes a loud 'boom' when a foe touches the shield? And you get the additional 'wind wall effect'. Air effects normal do bludgeoning damage.

It's not a wind wall effect. It's an entropic shield effect that is being flavored as wind wall (Wind wall just repels arrows completely). And the Evocation school is because fire shield is evocation. You cover yourself in a shield of fire that gives you a defensive boost and burns people who touch you. Similarly, Vergil's shield of air covers you in a shield of air that gives you a defensive boost and blasts people who touch you.

LibrarianHuntar
2012-02-28, 02:07 PM
Can you post stats for Virgil? I want to make a campaign setting with him as the Elminister/Mordecain/Raistlin type person using most of youur homebrew.

NeoSeraphi
2012-02-28, 02:09 PM
Here's Vergil's character sheet (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=364448).

Milo v3
2012-02-28, 04:55 PM
Vergil is too Gangsta to be like Raistlin or Elminister. :smalltongue:

DeAnno
2012-02-28, 05:49 PM
I'm just going to go through this spell by spell


Vergil's Lesser Thunderbolt
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous, see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: Yes

You create a weak electric shock and send it right through your opponent's body, causing nerve damage that makes it difficult for the opponent to fight. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack, and if you hit, the creature takes 1d8 points of electricity damage per caster level (max 10d8). The creature must also make a Fortitude save or be sickened for one round per 10 points of electricity damage it took (minimum 1, maximum 8 rounds).


This is a very high damage expression for a 2nd level spell allowing no save for reduced damage. Compare with Combust, which is similar but does fire instead and is melee (and is in and of itself a five star spell). As it stands this is easily the best 2nd level DPR spell in the game. I would make the Fort save half the damage, make this a melee attack, or make this a 3rd level spell You may also want to standardize the sickened duration to 1d8 rounds or something more normal.



Vergil's Fury of the Storm
Transmutation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

This spell drives your electrical power sky high, and transforms your body into a being of pure electricity. Your natural weapons (if any) deal 1d6 points of electricity damage in addition to their normal damage, and you become immune to damage from mundane electrical sources, such as being struck by non-magical lightning. For the duration of the spell, spells you cast with the [electricity] descriptor deal damage as if they were a die size larger (to a max of 1d12). Additionally, you gain a +2 caster level when casting a spell with the [electricity] descriptor (excluding this one) and if your [electricity] spells have effects based on caster level that are capped after a certain point, that cap is increased by 5. (So a CL 15 sorcerer who casts lightning bolt while under the effect of this spell would deal 15d8 electricity damage). Finally, the DC for all saving throws allowed by spells you cast with the [electricity] descriptor increase by +2.

You may not cast any spells unless they have the [electricity] descriptor while under the effect of this spell. You may not use the Energy Substitution or Energy Admixture feats while under the effect of this spell. This spell does not stack with itself.


Tough but fair. Exclusion of action economy spells such as Fusions and Celerity, exclusion of teleportation outside lightning leap, exclusion of See Invisibility and Glitterdust and a million other things make this powerful effect balanced. 1 round casting time plus the short duration help keep it under control too.



Vergil's Lesser Shout
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: No

You emit a sonic scream that cracks your enemies' eardrums. All creatures within the area of effect take 1d6 points of sonic damage per level (max 10d6) and are deafened for 2d6 rounds. A successful Fortitude save halves the damage and negate the deafness. Unlike shout, Vergil's lesser shout deals no additional damage to objects.

Vergil's lesser shout cannot penetrate silence.


This compares very favorably with 3rd level spells like Fireball and Lightning Bolt. Fort save instead of Reflex, SR No, good damage type. A 30 foot cone is better than a 120 foot line but worse than Range Long 20 ft bursts. Still, SR:No makes this too good, it should be a 3rd level spell. At 2nd level it could instead be a 15 foot cone.



Vergil's Greater Shout
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial or Reflex Negates (Object)
SR: Yes (Object)

This spell functions like vergil's lesser shout, except that its maximum is 15d6 points of sonic damage, and a creature who fails its saving throw is permanently deafened. Any exposed brittle or crystalline object or crystalline creature instead takes 2d8 points of sonic damage per caster level (maximum 30d8). Creatures holding fragile objects can negate damage to them with a successful Reflex save.

Vergil's greater shout can only penetrate a silence spell if its caster's caster level is at least 10 higher than the caster level of the silence effect (but if so, it automatically penetrates it, no dispel check needed).


Hilariously overcosted compared to the Lesser Shout. Getting a couple rider effects and a dice cap 5 higher is not worth 2 levels of spell. If you revise Lesser Shout to 3rd level, I would revise this to 5th level, raise the cap to 20d6, and make it a 60 foot cone. If you use the 2nd level 15 foot cone for the previous spell, you can revise this to a simple 20d6 max 30 foot cone at 4th level.



Vergil's Greater Thunderbolt
Level: Sorcerer 5

This spell functions like Vergil's lesser thunderbolt, except as noted above. A creature struck by Vergil's greater thunderbolt takes 2d8 points of electricity damage per caster level (maximum of 40d8). The creature must also succeed a Fortitude save or be sickened for 1 round per caster level. A successful Fortitude save reduces the electricity damage to 8d8 and negates the sickness.


This is a weird upgrade in that it's pretty much an entirely different spell: we've gone from Ranged Combust to Disintegrate. Lacking Disintegrate's numerous useful rider effects is certainly worth the level downgrade to 5. For the sake of standardization with the Lesser version I would raise the save damage to 10d8. In this way a target which succeeds their save against either will suffer an identical effect.



Vergil's Mighty Thunderstorm
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Medium
Effect: One or more 30 ft long vertical lines of lightning
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
SR: Yes

This spell functions like call lightning.


It is what it is.



Vergil's Wild Thunderstorm
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sorcerer 5
Range: Long

This spell functions like Vergil's mighty thunderstorm except that each bolt deals 5d6 points of electricity damage (5d10 in a stormy area) and you may call a maximum of 15 bolts.


And this is Call Lightning Storm. Perfectly fair.



Vergil's Shield of Air
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Sorcerer 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

You cover yourself in an aura of rippling wind. Any creature who attacks you in melee instantly regrets it.

Any creature who attacks you in melee with a non-reach weapon takes 1d6 points of sonic damage, +1 point per caster level (maximum +15). If the attacker has spell resistance, you must overcome its spell resistance each time it attacks you. Your caster level for this effect is always treated as the same caster level you had when you cast the spell (so if you boosted your CL temporarily for some other effect, it does not help you penetrate spell resistance with this spell)

Additionally, the wind surrounding you protects you from ranged attacks. It provides you with 20% true miss chance against ranged attacks. This does not grant you concealment.


Fire Shield, the Electric version, with its own spiffy rider. Like the original I think this is overcosted (its true worth is probably 3rd level), but there's a precedent so whatever.

NeoSeraphi
2012-02-28, 05:58 PM
I'm just going to go through this spell by spell



This is a very high damage expression for a 2nd level spell allowing no save for reduced damage. Compare with Combust, which is similar but does fire instead and is melee (and is in and of itself a five star spell). As it stands this is easily the best 2nd level DPR spell in the game. I would make the Fort save half the damage, make this a melee attack, or make this a 3rd level spell You may also want to standardize the sickened duration to 1d8 rounds or something more normal.

Okay, I'll reduce the sicken effect to 1 round, but I don't think the rest of your suggestions are that great. This is a sorcerer-only spell, similar to a domain or a bard/ranger/paladin-only spell. It should be stronger than other options available to duskblades and wizards at the same level.




Tough but fair. Exclusion of action economy spells such as Fusions and Celerity, exclusion of teleportation outside lightning leap, exclusion of See Invisibility and Glitterdust and a million other things make this powerful effect balanced. 1 round casting time plus the short duration help keep it under control too.


Thank you.



This compares very favorably with 3rd level spells like Fireball and Lightning Bolt. Fort save instead of Reflex, SR No, good damage type. A 30 foot cone is better than a 120 foot line but worse than Range Long 20 ft bursts. Still, SR:No makes this too good, it should be a 3rd level spell. At 2nd level it could instead be a 15 foot cone.


Okay, 15' cone it is then.



Hilariously overcosted compared to the Lesser Shout. Getting a couple rider effects and a dice cap 5 higher is not worth 2 levels of spell. If you revise Lesser Shout to 3rd level, I would revise this to 5th level, raise the cap to 20d6, and make it a 60 foot cone. If you use the 2nd level 15 foot cone for the previous spell, you can revise this to a simple 20d6 max 30 foot cone at 4th level.


:smallconfused: Wait. But lesser thunderbolt is lesser orb of electricity with a dice cap 5 higher and a rider effect. Yes, the dice cap is per level instead of per 2 levels, but the spell also allows spell resistance. So...how is that justifying 2 levels of spell to you when the increase I have here isn't?

Fair enough.



This is a weird upgrade in that it's pretty much an entirely different spell: we've gone from Ranged Combust to Disintegrate. Lacking Disintegrate's numerous useful rider effects is certainly worth the level downgrade to 5. For the sake of standardization with the Lesser version I would raise the save damage to 10d8. In this way a target which succeeds their save against either will suffer an identical effect.


I can't do that. It's a 5th level spell. At level 10, when you get access to it (unless you have some way of raising your CL), there would be essentially no saving throw, since it would deal 10d8 on a failed save.

DeAnno
2012-02-28, 06:03 PM
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I can't do that. It's a 5th level spell. At level 10, when you get access to it (unless you have some way of raising your CL), there would be essentially no saving throw, since it would deal 10d8 on a failed save.

Huh? It deals 20d8 on a failed save at 10th CL (2d8 per CL). So at level 10 it'd be 20d8, 10d8 on a successful save.

NeoSeraphi
2012-02-28, 06:06 PM
Huh? It deals 20d8 on a failed save at 10th CL (2d8 per CL). So at level 10 it'd be 20d8, 10d8 on a successful save.

Whoops, yeah, mental miscalculation. I'll fix that, sure.

DeAnno
2012-02-28, 06:18 PM
:smallconfused: Wait. But lesser thunderbolt is lesser orb of electricity with a dice cap 5 higher and a rider effect. Yes, the dice cap is per level instead of per 2 levels, but the spell also allows spell resistance. So...how is that justifying 2 levels of spell to you when the increase I have here isn't?


Sorry I didn't address this. First of all, the difference between 5d8 and 10d8 is 100%, while the difference between 10d6 and 15d6 is 50%. Second, Lesser Orb doesn't merely have a lower dice cap, it has a lower dice/CL rate (so it doesn't do 5d8 until 9th level).

So the difference as a 6th level Sorcerer between casting a theoretical 3rd level lesser thunderbolt and a Lesser Orb of E is 6d8 with SR vs 3d8 without: that's double damage. At 10th level and beyond, the difference is 10d8 vs 5d8, still double damage. In my reckoning, doubling your damage is worth about two spell levels without extra investment, and going from SR:No to SR:Yes isn't worth enough for a full spell level discount in my mind (especially considering you get a compensatory sickened rider).

Whereas the difference between the old Lesser and old Greater shout was basically nothing until CL 10, and maxed out at +50% damage at CL 15, a change which is worth about 1 spell level, and is poorly distributed because it is worthless at the level when you originally get the spell (CL 8).

NeoSeraphi
2012-03-02, 12:44 AM
Vergil is too Gangsta to be like Raistlin or Elminister. :smalltongue:

Indeed, Vergil is straight-up gangsta, yo! Going to be pretty hard to make him some wise leader.

LibrarianHuntar
2012-03-22, 12:33 PM
Vergil is too Gangsta to be like Raistlin or Elminister. :smalltongue:
Raistlin alignment is Raistlin as well as being incredible puny (yet still badass), and Elminister is a Perverted Drunk (yet still badass). How is Vergil level 5 and inventing 5th level spells? My campaign setting, which I began DMing last weekend, has him as a member of the High Magi council, and he's level 30. Also, NeoSeraphi gains 1 metapie.

NeoSeraphi
2012-03-22, 12:36 PM
How is Vergil level 5 and inventing 5th level spells? My campaign setting, which I began DMing last weekend, has him as a member of the council of the most powerful mages, and he's level 30.

Vergil has not yet invented his higher level spells, he will be working on them soon though.

Vergil's build up until level 30 would be Chaotic Good Raptoran sorcerer 10/stormcaster 10/elemental savant 10 (which ends in him becoming an air elemental). He has the Spellgifted (Evocation) trait, and the Electricity sphere for sorcerers (+1 CL electricity, -2 CL acid).

Cieyrin
2012-03-22, 01:00 PM
Raistlin alignment is Raistlin as well as being incredible puny (yet still badass), and Elminister is a Perverted Drunk (yet still badass). How is Vergil level 5 and inventing 5th level spells? My campaign setting, which I began DMing last weekend, has him as a member of the council of the most powerful mages, and he's level 30.

I assume it's a planned invention for when/if he gets that far.

Also, I think you must mean Raistlin or Elminster, as I find it a bit odd to include somebody else's character on a council of wizards at 25 levels higher than he currently is. :smalltongue: Also assuming this is pre-ascension attempt Raistlin, as post-ascension attempt he's lost his powers when they could have been damn useful in the War against Chaos.

Also consider the Circle of 8 with Mordekainen, as well as current and former members, such as Rary the Traitor. Lots of strong personalities and conflicting plans and machinations there.

Milo v3
2012-03-22, 04:43 PM
Raistlin alignment is Raistlin as well as being incredible puny (yet still badass), and Elminister is a Perverted Drunk (yet still badass).

I would never question Vergil being badass. But I could never take him seriously. He sounds too much like Junpei from Persona.