What if you were a battery?

[Greyfeld85]

So, I have a homebrew class I'm trying to hammer out, but I'm having a difficult time with figuring out the spell list. So, I thought I'd ask for some input from you all.

Now, if you were a battery, what sort of spells would you be able to cast? This is what I currently have:

0-level spells
Light
Dazzle
Electric Jolt (SC)

1st-level spells
Floating Disk
Luminous Gaze (SC)
Orb of Electricity, Lesser (SC)
Shield
Shocking Grasp
Thunderhead (SC)

2nd-level spells
Distracting Ray (SC)
Electric Loop (SC)
Energize Potion (BoED)
Lightning Blade (CAr)
Protection from Arrows

3rd-level spells
Call Lightning
Energy Vortex (SC)
Haste
Lightning Bolt
Magnetism (CAr)
Scintillating Sphere (SC)
Weapon of Energy (SC)

4th-level spells
Arc of Lightning (SC)
Dancing Blade (CAr)
Orb of Electricity (SC)
Resilient Sphere
Thunderlance (SC)

5th-level spells
Call Lightning Storm
Lightning Leap (CM)
Raise Dead
Storm Touch (MoE)
Wall of Force

6th-level spells
Animate Objects
Chain Lightning

7th-level spells
Brilliant Blade (SC)
Stun Ray (SC)

8th-level spells
Lightning Ring (SC)
Repel Metal or Stone (CAr)

All energy descriptors will be changed to Electricity, and those spells that give a choice of energy type will always be Electricity as well. I'm considering whether or not Sonic spells fit with the general idea or not, so any thoughts on that angle are welcome.

I'm specifically looking for spells that are, or could possibly be, powered via electricity. Note, I'm not looking for storm or weather spells, just electricity spells (or spells that could conceivably be powered via electricity).

[Kuulvheysoon]

Dude, you missed Shocking Grasp (PHB)(1st)!

There's also Lightning Blade (CAr)(2nd). Absorption (also CAr), a 9th level spell, isn't an electricity effect, but it could fit thematically (especially since you can use the absorbed spell levels to cast your own spells).

[Cespenar]

Shield (induction creating a magnetic field :smalltongue:), Expeditious Retreat (short-circuiting :smalltongue:), etc.

Just try to take hints from what they do with electricity in soft sci-fi movies. :smallbiggrin:

[Greyfeld85]

Some good suggestions, and I can't believe I forgot shocking grasp lol.

I'll add the ones I think definitely fit the list. The ones that I have to mull over, I'll be chewing on for a bit before I decide to add them.

Keep the suggestions coming! :)

[kitcik]

Energize Potion
(Book of Exalted Deeds)
Level: Sorcerer 2, Wizard 2, Cleric 3, Druid 3, Wrath 2,

This spell transforms a magic potion into a volatile substance that can be hurled out to the specified range.
The spell destroys the potion and releases a 10-foot-radius burst of energy at the point of impact.
The caster must specify the energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) when the spell is cast.
The potion deals 1d6 points of damage (of the appropriate energy type) per spell level of the potion (maximum 3d6).
For example, a potion of displacement transformed by this spell deals 3d6 points of damage.
An energized potion set to deal fire damage ignites combustibles within the spell's burst radius.

[JeminiZero]

-Stun Ray (Spc 211)
-Storm Touch (Magic of Eberron 103)
-Lord of the Sky (Dragon Magic 69)
-Weapon of Energy, limited to electricity only (SpC 237)
-Summon Nature's Ally, limited to just Storm Elementals (MM3).

[Khedrac]

How come no-one has posted that you missed Lightning Bolt?

I liked the magnetics suggestion - and there's a Oriental Adventures spell "Magnetism" which would probably be appropriate.

[Salanmander]

If you want to go the magnetism direction, check out the list of metal spells from the Wu Jen (complete arcane). Also, protection from arrows. Maybe put in a clause that alchemical silver arrows can bypass it. =P

Haste couldn't /actually/ be electricity powered, but it makes for a great mental image, and is a staple spell.

Scintillating sphere (spell compendium) is fireball, but electricity.

[Grail]

Really....?
Nobody has said Animate Objects?
I mean, what do batteries often do for kid's toys?

[Dragonmuncher]

Not spells per se, but the feats Energy Substitution and Energy Admixture would be helpful here, with the limitation that they can only be used for electricity.

[Randomguy]

Level 8: Lightning ring.

[Madara]

Repel Metal or Stone (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/repelMetalOrStone.htm)

Make it one level lower, and it only affects Metal. That'll work.

[Allanimal]

Really....?
Nobody has said Animate Objects?
I mean, what do batteries often do for kid's toys?

And electricity animated Frankenstein's monster.

It also made a certain Delorian travel back in time...

[Grail]

yeah, but neither of those were batteries.... especially the 1.3 gigawatts! :smallsmile:

Batteries, I put them in a toy and it dances around ala the energizer bunny.

[zlefin]

you could also try looking through electric pokemon abilities for inspiriation / alternate ideas that might fit.

[Unusual Muse]

You might want to think about incorporating Spellfire. You could even mildly re-fluff it to be more like electricity.

[Allanimal]

yeah, but neither of those were batteries.... especially the 1.3 gigawatts! :smallsmile:

Batteries, I put them in a toy and it dances around ala the energizer bunny.

I think a 9th level battery could be on the order of 1.3 gigawatts...

[Fitz10019]

(or spells that could conceivably be powered via electricity).
If you're including Light, you might include some of the visual Illusion spells:

Silent Image
Mirror Image
Illusory Wall
Persistent Image (but just visual)
Permanent Image (but just visual)
Programmed Image (but just visual)
Project Image (but just visual)
Phantasmal Killer
Simulacrum (made of light)

False Vision
Screen

Invisibility
Invisibility Sphere
Greater Invisibility
Mislead

Color Spray
Hypnotic Pattern
Rainbow Pattern
Prismatic Wall
Prismatic Sphere

More in the Energy line:
Resist Energy (limited to Electricity)
Protection from Energy (limited to Electricity)

[ericgrau]

@^ I dunno, sound and maybe thermal may or may not be included and still have the powered fluff. Then you could add magic mouth, minor image and maybe major image.

Epic spellcasting has living lightning, and the fluff is nice too with the additional semi-sentient electricity it creates.

Spellstaff lets you charge a staff with a spell to save it for another day.

I might add to the list a variety of things that conceivably might be battery powered. Ongoing force effects like tenser's floating disk, wall of force, and resilient sphere, animated objects like grail said, etc.

[Greyfeld85]

I added some more of the better suggestions onto the list in the OP, thank you for your suggestions! I especially appreciated those who pointed out the Metal spells in CAr! Keep the suggestions coming :)

I'm giving some thought as to how I'm going to lay out the spell list for this homebrew class. Due to the fluff of the class, the spell list will actually be a list of SLAs. After I come up with a full list of possible spells to use, I'll be truncating the SLA list down to a 4 or 5 "spell level" progression, much like a ranger or duskblade.

I might also end up having to create some spells from scratch, but I'm putting off thinking about that until I've completed this spell list.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Magnetism was updated in CAr - it's one of the Wu Jen (metal) spells.

[SowZ]

I totally thought this was going to be a variation on the Matrix/Simulation Argument (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_argument) and this would be very out of place. It is not, though, so cool.
Uhh, have you considered acid splash?

[Greyfeld85]

I totally thought this was going to be a variation on the Matrix/Simulation Argument (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_argument) and this would be very out of place. It is not, though, so cool.
Uhh, have you considered acid splash?

lol interesting idea, but not quite what I'm looking for :)

[AspectOfNihil]

If you're going the magnetism route, there's always options like Mage Hand, Telekinesis etc, with the proviso that they only work on metallic objects (I.e you could throw a Warforged, but not a human).

Same goes for repulsion (particularly fun if you're surrounded by people in full plate) or Anti-life shell etc. Hell, you could even fefluff these spells to work in reverse as well, attracting instead of repelling.

From a cursory glance though, most of the electricity spells seems to have been covered, either by you or previous posters.

I believe there is a spell in SpC that turns you into a bolt of lightning and moves you, damaging anything in the line, but I can't for the life of me recall the name.

[Greyfeld85]

If you're going the magnetism route, there's always options like Mage Hand, Telekinesis etc, with the proviso that they only work on metallic objects (I.e you could throw a Warforged, but not a human).

Same goes for repulsion (particularly fun if you're surrounded by people in full plate) or Anti-life shell etc. Hell, you could even fefluff these spells to work in reverse as well, attracting instead of repelling.

You know, this is something I've been mulling over in my mind. I'd like to do something like this, but I'm not exactly sure how I would word it without having to change each spell one by one. Which would defeat the purpose of listing those spells on the list, since they're not really the same spells anymore.


I believe there is a spell in SpC that turns you into a bolt of lightning and moves you, damaging anything in the line, but I can't for the life of me recall the name.

Sounds interesting. If you think of it, let me know.

[Aurenthal]

If you are including force spells, why not the good-old Magic Missile? And also include the Unseen Servant, if you are going that way.

[Greyfeld85]

I just added Raise Dead to the spell list. You know, the whole defibrillation thing.

[Greyfeld85]

If you are including force spells, why not the good-old Magic Missile? And also include the Unseen Servant, if you are going that way.

You know, I'd considered Magic Missile, but it doesn't really fit the theme. I picked some of the Force spells because they approximated something that I would like to see the class be able to do with electricity (and a simple Force->Lightning element swap makes it simple), but that's not really a power I think that electricity should be simulating.

That said, this is just a rough list of spells for me to work off of. I might end up trashing all the Force spells altogether and just writing up my own spells that are close in utility, but have a few slight tweaks to emphasize the elemental difference.

[AspectOfNihil]

Lightning Leap (CM 109) Sorc/Wiz 5
You move 10-60 ft, and deal 1d6/level (15d6 Max) to anything in the way (Save & SR)

[Grail]

I think a 9th level battery could be on the order of 1.3 gigawatts...

Point conceded. :smalltongue:

[Toliudar]

From the spell compendium, Fantastic Machine and Wall of Gears. Machines powered by the electricity of the battery.

[killianh]

for some 9th level spells how about Summon elemental monolith, Maw of Chaos, Blinding Glory, Energy Drain, Storm of vengeance and True Resurrection?

[Greyfeld85]

for some 9th level spells how about Summon elemental monolith, Maw of Chaos, Blinding Glory, Energy Drain, Storm of vengeance and True Resurrection?

There aren't any lightning monoliths for Summon Elemental Monolith as far as I'm aware, but that's something that I've already been working on.

I'll look into the others.

[Greyfeld85]

From the spell compendium, Fantastic Machine and Wall of Gears. Machines powered by the electricity of the battery.

While that's an interesting thought, batteries can't CREATE machines, which is what the spells do.

[Aurenthal]

Reverse gravity? Rusting Grasp? Spider climb (a refluff, but could work). Heat metal, and chill metal. You take or infuse a metal with your electricity or something like that. Mending, limited to metal objects. Know direction.

[Kuulvheysoon]

for some 9th level spells how about Summon elemental monolith, Maw of Chaos, Blinding Glory, Energy Drain, Storm of vengeance and True Resurrection?

How about Elemental Swarm (Storm Elementals (MM3) only)? Tossing my idea for Absorption (CAr) out there again, as well.

[Fitz10019]

I think Revenance(SpC) is a fit, if you're considering Raise Dead. Perhaps a better thematic fit. Adjusted verbal component, "It's alive! [+ manical laughter]"

And Protection from Arrows has a big brother, Reverse Arrows (SpC).
I'm surprised you're not including the Energy Resistence/Protection from spells [shrug].

[Greyfeld85]

After reorganizing the spell list a bit, this is how it currently looks:


1st-level spells
Floating Disk
Luminous Gaze (SC)
Orb of Electricity, Lesser (SC)
Shield
Shocking Grasp
Thunderhead (SC)
Protection from Arrows

2nd-level spells
Distracting Ray (SC)
Electric Loop (SC)
Energize Potion (BoED)
Haste
Lightning Blade (CAr)
Lightning Bolt
Magnetism (CAr)
Scintillating Sphere (SC)
Summon Monster IV*
Weapon of Energy (SC)

3rd-level spells
Arc of Lightning (SC)
Call Lightning Storm
Dancing Blade (CAr)
Lightning Leap (CM)
Orb of Electricity (SC)
Raise Dead
Resilient Sphere
Storm Touch (MoE)
Summon Monster VI*
Thunderlance (SC)
Wall of Force

4th-level spells
Animate Objects
Chain Lightning
Stun Ray (SC)
Summon Monster VIII*

*Summon Monster spells may only be used to summon Storm Elementals (MM3).

I think what I'm going to do is yank out the Force spells and create lightning-themed spells that run along similar utility. I also need to consider the 4th level spells and see if I can't come up with a few more to round it out.

The spell progression will start at 1st level, granting access to each new level of spells every 5 class levels (so, levels 1, 6, 11, and 16).

There won't be a limited number of spells per day. The resource system I'm using for this class will regulate how often the character can cast, so a "spells per day" listing is unnecessary.

[TuggyNE]

While I don't have any specific spell suggestions*, it occurs to me that not only are you looking for battery-ish spells, but those that fit capacitors as well, which might spark** some more ideas. In particular, anything that allows absorbing energy and then releasing it would probably be great.


*this minor tongue twister is free of charge***
**"spark", haha, get it?
***oy vey, I didn't realize the potential for that joke at first....