New Spell: Double Arrow

[Tormsskull]

Hey all,

This is a spell I have used in the past. I consider it balanced, but some may not. Also, I'm more of a "this spell does this because I say so" type of DM, without worrying about specifics. So, in order to make it conform to typical D&D spell-format, please point out any problems/suggestions.

Double Arrow (Wiz/Sor 1)
School: Summoning (?)
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: Standard Action
Area of Effect: 1 Ammunition Touched less than 1 lb.

Upon completion of the casting, the spellcaster must touch the arrow or ammunition to be effected. When the ammunition is used, the magic of the spell duplicates it just before it strikes (or misses) its intended target. The duplicated ammunition only hits its target if the original ammunition hits. The duplicated piece of ammunition causes the same amount of damage as the targeted piece of ammunition, but NOT any magical bonuses or precision bonuses. The magic of the spell ends as soon as the ammunition is used, the duplicated ammunition vanishing regardless of if it hits or misses, or after 1 full round, whichever comes sooner.
The material component for this spell is the ammunition to be duplicated.

For example: A level 1 sorceror casts Double Arrow on his loaded light crossbow bolt +1. The next round, he shoots at a goblin. He scores a hit. The bolt doubles just before striking and deals 2d8+1 damage (1d8 for the light, 1d8 for the doubling +1 for the magic enchancement from the crossbow.)

[Lord Iames Osari]

An even spiffier version for you:

Double Arrow
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Wiz/Sor 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: 1 arrow or other ammunition item weighing less than 1 lb. touched
Duration: 1 round or until discharged
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Upon completion of the casting, the spellcaster must touch the arrow or ammunition to be effected. When the ammunition is used, the magic of the spell duplicates it just before it strikes (or misses) its intended target. The duplicated ammunition only hits its target if the original ammunition hits. The duplicated piece of ammunition causes the same amount of damage as the targeted piece of ammunition, but NOT any magical bonuses or precision bonuses. The magic of the spell ends as soon as the ammunition is used, the duplicated ammunition vanishing regardless of if it hits or misses, or after 1 full round, whichever comes sooner.
The material component for this spell is the ammunition to be duplicated.

For example: A level 1 sorceror casts Double Arrow on his loaded light crossbow bolt +1. The next round, he shoots at a goblin. He scores a hit. The bolt doubles just before striking and deals 2d8+1 damage (1d8 for the light, 1d8 for the doubling +1 for the magic enchancement from the crossbow.)

[mac13eth]

Seems balanced to me.

I am not sure why you are worried about the duplicate disappearing. In most campaigns an extra arrow being left over would have no effect on a game.

[Tormsskull]

Duration: 1 round/level or until discharged


First, thanks! :smallsmile:

The duration should actually be 1 full round or until discharged. If it lasted 1 round per level, a caster could potentially cast this spell on four or five different archers as a pre-combat buff. Then they could all fire on the first round lots of extra damage.



Seems balanced to me.

I am not sure why you are worried about the duplicate disappearing. In most campaigns an extra arrow being left over would have no effect on a game.


Because it doesn't have to be an arrow. It could be an adamantine stone (assuming the stone weighed less than 1 pound.)

[Umarth]

Does this spell work with siege ammunition?

[Tormsskull]

Does this spell work with siege ammunition?

Sure. But, could you tell me 1 piece of siege ammunition that weighs less than 1 pound?

[Umarth]

That's easy just don't read the whole description like I didn't on this one.

[magic8BALL]

Yeah, good spell, nice balance.

The only exploit of this spell is a mage casting both this and Truke Strike in the same round. But that means a quikened spell, and makes one of them a 5th level spell. [What a wast of time: why not cast somthing, i dont know, BETTER with a 5th level spell if you want to deal damage? (empowed Fireball for instance floggs double damage and +20 to hit on a bow/crossbow). End rant.]

[Lapak]

I like it. Good spell.

Funny thing is that I came in here expecting some kind of ammunition-replenishment spell, good for long wilderness stints and sieges.

[fangthane]

I hate to be the wet blanket, but it seems dramatically underpowered to me.

Let's compare:
Chill Touch: 1d6 per level plus a fort save or loss of strength for each d6 touch attack.
Shocking Grasp: up to 5d6 at level 5 on a touch attack.
Magic Missile: up to 5d4+5 at level 9 and no need to roll an attack at all.
Double Arrow: Up to 1d10 at level 1, up to 1d10 at level 20. Which reminds me, does it also inherit a crit if the primary was a critical? In which case it maxes at 3d8.

So we have nominal max averages of 70, 18.5, 17.5 and either 5.5 or 13.5 depending on crit inheritance. Obviously the 70 is based on a long duration, but the 5.5/13.5 is the odd man out and definitely a bit on the weak side.

Far be it from me to not be constructive though. My suggestion is to allow 1 point of magic enhancement for each two caster levels on the doubled arrow, not to enable a hit but to enable DR penetration and add a small amount of extra damage. That maxes things at either 10.5 at level 10, or 27.5 if crits are inherited - but since it also requires a normal attack, rather than touch, that seems relatively balanced. As it sits, I'd tend to disallow crit inheritance and call it a cantrip.

[Tormsskull]

Far be it from me to not be constructive though. My suggestion is to allow 1 point of magic enhancement for each two caster levels on the doubled arrow, not to enable a hit but to enable DR penetration and add a small amount of extra damage. That maxes things at either 10.5 at level 10, or 27.5 if crits are inherited - but since it also requires a normal attack, rather than touch, that seems relatively balanced. As it sits, I'd tend to disallow crit inheritance and call it a cantrip.
(bolded mine)

I could live with that. Only issue I had was that it doesn't require an attack roll, essentially. If you have an archer in the group who has a high + to hit with his bow, its pretty much automatic extra damage (if the original shot hits, the double arrow automatically hits).

Being that this is basically a support spell (unless you cast it on your own weapon which then sacrificies one of your standard actions) I think making it a cantrip would be good as you have suggested (crit inheritance I hadn't planned on allowing).

Anyone disagree before I change it?

[Mauril Everleaf]

agreed with 8. seems very balanced especially. May consider having greater double arrow or triple arrow or something as a higher level spell. if youve ever played Fable, it would be like Multishot.

Edit after reading other posts
instead of adding greater double arrow, as posted above, consider adding another arrow every so many levels. keeps with other 1 lvl spells and their progression. Maybe make it one additional arrow per 3 lvls, cap at five additional arrows, or something like that.

maybe you could still have a "greater" version, but that duplicates the missile in all respects, including magical enhancements and bonuses.

[fangthane]

That sounds good to me TS :) of course I might be biased since I proposed it hehe. Actually Mauril makes a really good point too; in a world where this spell exists, there should logically be enhanced versions of it at higher level which do permit bonus damage, or possibly elemental damage, or last longer and/or affect more than a single piece of ammo (no one of which can exceed a pound) and so forth. And hey, who knows but that there's a siegecrafted version which does affect a ballista or cat. :) Surprise the heck out of the defenders, that.

Of course, the siege version would have to use components from the kingly symbol combining power and wisdom... How can you make a MIRV without a Griffin? (sorry, I had to)