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View Full Version : Instant Transmuation [3.5e Metamagic]



Milo v3
2013-08-06, 06:20 PM
This is probably really really really overpowered, but why not.

Instant Transmuation [Metamagic]
Your minor transmutation magic is truly permanent, and even resists dispelling magic.
Benefit: An instant transmutation spell functions as normal, except that it's duration is changed to instantaneous. An instant transmuation spell uses up a spell slot several higher than the spell’s actual level with the number determined by how the spells duration is normally measured.
{table=head]Duration|Levels
Rounds|6
Minutes|5
Hour|4
Days|3
Permanent|2[/table]
Note: This Metamagic may only be applied to spells of the transmutation school with a target of one creature and a duration that is on the above table.

TuggyNE
2013-08-07, 12:16 AM
Dah!

OK, OK, serious time now. I note that 10 min/level is somehow missing from the table, but I assume that's just an omission. Also, "1 day" should probably be "1 day/level", right?

Anyway, statue is kind of horrific; you have someone who, for the rest of forever, can switch between statue form and regular as a free action, and this is entirely mundane. Fortunately, it's an 11th-level spell without reducers.

Transmute rock to mud/mud to rock etc are kind of grody, mostly because they can't be dispelled anymore, but not too horrible. Mostly just useful for subtle tricky stuff like burying something deep in non-magical dirt.

Passwall is just weird, since you have a permanent non-magical ethereal tunnel. Not exactly broken, but really useful. 10th-level spell, though, so mitigation needed.

Baleful polymorph is a little odd, since it's not obvious whether the instantaneous nature of the spell changes its behavior regarding 24hour changes. Otherwise basically a pricey way to say "no, dispelling won't work, and you can't find which one is the right one either".

Slow would be hysterical, but as a level 10 spell, it's not really out of line.

Flame arrow, now, is pretty seriously broken, since you can just amass as many flaming arrows as you could ever want, and they don't even detect as magical. So, very very good for a stealthy archer type, and not bad for selling either.

Spider climb and various other low-level buffs are amusing, but probably not all that big a deal.

Rope trick, now, gives you some genuinely odd abilities, although it's mostly useful for a home base; trading all the splendor of MMM for a plain but functional system, at the cost of the same spell slot, but only once instead of every few days? Yeah, that would be fine. Also, nigh-immunity to detect spells is awesome.

Alter self gives you the ability to permanently and non-magically change your base race, which could be seriously abused, I think.

Not sure about non-Core spells, but that should be a good start.

Milo v3
2013-08-07, 01:29 AM
OK, OK, serious time now. I note that 10 min/level is somehow missing from the table, but I assume that's just an omission. Also, "1 day" should probably be "1 day/level", right?
Wasn't sure where to put 10 minutes per level given the scaling. And that's meant to be 1 day/level.


Anyway, statue is kind of horrific; you have someone who, for the rest of forever, can switch between statue form and regular as a free action, and this is entirely mundane. Fortunately, it's an 11th-level spell without reducers.
Weeping angels :smalltongue:


Passwall is just weird, since you have a permanent non-magical ethereal tunnel. Not exactly broken, but really useful. 10th-level spell, though, so mitigation needed.
Ethereal?


Baleful polymorph is a little odd, since it's not obvious whether the instantaneous nature of the spell changes its behavior regarding 24hour changes. Otherwise basically a pricey way to say "no, dispelling won't work, and you can't find which one is the right one either".
I'd say the spell works as normal, but dispel and anti-magic just doesn't work.


Slow would be hysterical, but as a level 10 spell, it's not really out of line.
I wonder if normal haste would dispel instantaneous slow?


Flame arrow, now, is pretty seriously broken, since you can just amass as many flaming arrows as you could ever want, and they don't even detect as magical. So, very very good for a stealthy archer type, and not bad for selling either.
Each casting can only affect only 50 projectiles so it isn't too big for a 9th level spell.


Alter self gives you the ability to permanently and non-magically change your base race, which could be seriously abused, I think.
Hmmm... is race changing too powerful for 8th level.. It probably is...

TuggyNE
2013-08-07, 02:38 AM
Wasn't sure where to put 10 minutes per level given the scaling. And that's meant to be 1 day/level.

You could clobber the other durations to push them up, or, perhaps, crank most of it down. Not sure if Permanent to Instantaneous is genuinely worth +3, now that I've had time to think about it.


Ethereal?

I was confusing it with phase door for … some reason or other. Weird, since I actually went and skimmed the text too. But yeah, that's far more reasonable, so ignore this.


Each casting can only affect only 50 projectiles so it isn't too big for a 9th level spell.

Yeah, but 50 permanent projectiles.

I dunno, maybe I'm overreacting. It's more or less a souped-up and specialized fabricate, or a less-expensive and less-capable wish hardwired to one thing… yeah, OK, that's not so terrible. Still impressive, but 9th level. :smallsigh:


Hmmm... is race changing too powerful for 8th level.. It probably is...

Well, OTOH, there's always last breath plus suicide for near-free race change at, what, a 5th-level spell or something? Of course, you don't get to choose which very well, but you could attempt some sort of reroll/augury shenanananigans.

So maybe not so bad after all.