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inuyasha
2013-02-14, 06:45 PM
Hi Im inuyasha and I like to create things. I was thinking of ideas to make a new spell and I thought of a great idea...combine fireball, vampiric touch and animate dead...and thus, the death ball was born. I know this requires extreme peaching and I accept constructive criticism, is this spell already done, and is this version good is what I need to ask. Here it is:

Death ball
Necromancy [evil]
Level: Sor/Wis 8 Clr 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400ft+40ft per caster level)
Area: 20ft. radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving throw: reflex half
Spell resistance: yes
this spell causes 1d6/level negative energy damage to everyone wtihin the area (max 20d6) and heals the caster the same amount of damage if the caster is within the blast zone, but the caster doesn't take damage.
You point your finger and determine the range (distance and height) at which the deathball is to burst. A black, pea-sized bead streaks from the pointing digit and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range, blossoms into the deathball at that point. (An early impact results in an early detonation.) If you attempt to send the bead through a narrow passage, such as through an arrow slit, you must “hit” the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the bead strikes the barrier and detonates prematurely.
The caster cannot regain more hit points than all the creatures in the areas hit points combined (excess are lost). In addition, anyone who dies (reduced to -10) in the blast rises as a zombie one round later. The caster can control 4HD of zombies per caster level. If you are a cleric any undead controlled through rebuking/controlling undead do not count against this limit
Material component: a black onyx gem worth at least 50GP that dissolves into the air as the spell is cast

so I know this probably needs PEACHing, please give me good advice and tell me how the spell is, the hardest thing for me is assigning level, and also I think this might need nerfs but Im not sure where. I did exactly as I said I would, combined fireball vampiric touch and animate dead. so anyways let me know what you think :)

Yitzi
2013-02-14, 06:52 PM
There is absolutely no precedent as far as I know for "regaining" temporary hit points. Either you regain it and keep it (as in Vampiric Touch or healing spells), or you get it as temporary hit points and it can go over (as in False Life.)

If cast on a sizable collection of mooks (preferably, but not necessarily, the enemy's), this can be a very powerful healing spell plus a sizable amount of meatshield. As such, level 5-6 is probably too low.

There is no need for a separate sentence to say that it's particularly vile or developed by powerful necromancers; that's what the [Evil] descriptor and the school+level say.

That said, the idea seems interesting.

inuyasha
2013-02-14, 06:55 PM
There is absolutely no precedent as far as I know for "regaining" temporary hit points. Either you regain it and keep it (as in Vampiric Touch or healing spells), or you get it as temporary hit points and it can go over (as in False Life.)

If cast on a sizable collection of mooks (preferably, but not necessarily, the enemy's), this can be a very powerful healing spell plus a sizable amount of meatshield. As such, level 5-6 is probably too low.

There is no need for a separate sentence to say that it's particularly vile or developed by powerful necromancers; that's what the [Evil] descriptor and the school+level say.

That said, the idea seems interesting.

Ok so you are saying to increase the level and get rid of the temporary hit point thing and just make them regular hit points?

Forgive me if I misunderstood but I will do that :smallbiggrin:

ok is it good?

TuggyNE
2013-02-14, 09:34 PM
There is absolutely no precedent as far as I know for "regaining" temporary hit points. Either you regain it and keep it (as in Vampiric Touch or healing spells), or you get it as temporary hit points and it can go over (as in False Life.)

Vampiric touch actually gives you temporary HP.

inuyasha
2013-02-14, 10:09 PM
still though, how does it look without the temporary HP and new level?

inuyasha
2013-02-14, 10:55 PM
It should be noted that I now remember where I originally got the idea. A long time ago I made an epic spell like this only much much bigger, it didnt heal the caster, and instead of zombies they were wraiths

Straybow
2013-05-28, 06:04 PM
It should be noted that I now remember where I originally got the idea. A long time ago I made an epic spell like this only much much bigger, it didnt heal the caster, and instead of zombies they were wraiths I PMed but got no answer, please forgive the thread necro if you've moved on...

Is there a typo in the OP? It says only 1d6 damage, but then says max 20d6. I assume that is intended to be 1d6/level.

The 20d6 limit is appropriate for 7th level. Adding in healing and animation is not unless both are more restricted.

Vampiric effect is normally touch based, for which touch serves as the mechanism to transfer the life force. Since this is a burst spell, the burst should be the mechanism to transfer life force as well. So, the caster only gets healed if within the burst.

Count the damage required to kill each creature in the effect, not merely that required to reduce to zero HP. The caster gains temporary HP by as much damage as is inflicted upon all subjects, or the amount rolled, whichever is less, or 1 point per die in any case.

Perhaps allow 1 point of temporary HP per die of damage, or the damage done to any creatures in the effect if less, if the caster is not in the burst.

Specify that those killed outright, not merely reduced to zero or negative HP short of death, are transformed into zombies provided at least 1 point of negative energy damage in excess of that required to kill is available. The total HD of creatures controlled by this spell overlap with any created and controlled with Animate Dead spell.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-05-28, 06:53 PM
First off, this is an awesome idea. If 1d6 was in fact a typo for 1d6/level, then 7th level seems reasonable. I'd, personally, give either a Will save to avoid rising or a bump to 8th level. If it's just 1d6, then that's not really going to kill anything at all and I'd bump it down to 3rd, maybe even 2nd.

I think that capping healing at damage dealt to kil (rather damage dealt total) makes sense. However, I think it would be too much work at the table to roll 15d6 and add it, see who died, add up their hit point totals and CON scores (while making sure to leave out those who were KO'd but did not die), and then multiply that by the number who survived. In a D&D video game, or somthing where the arithmetic is automated, yeah, it would be good, but I also see it taking too long.

inuyasha
2013-05-28, 07:15 PM
Ok Im going to make some changes :). Straybow, sorry for not replying, ive been working on a huge project (it will be unleashed here...but im not sure when), lets just say its a gargantuan sized brew im makin ;D