How would you balance Venomfire?

[Dugong]

Hi everyone,

I'm playing a level 9 druid in a shackled city campagin (no spoilers please!) with a fleshraker animal companion, so naturally the matter of venomfire has arisen.

Unsurprisingly the DM thinks it's overpowered but rather than outright banning it I'd prefer if we change the spell so it's more balanced.

I'm keen to keep the hour/level duration but maybe instead of d6/CL maybe d6 per 2 Caster level or maybe the venomfire only applies to a single poison attack a round rather than all? that way venomfire would only apply once per round on the fleshrakers full attack.

What do you consider balanced?

[Seerow]

I'd probably cut it down to a flat amount, rather than scaling with caster level.

I don't remember what spell level it is and don't have Serpent Kingdoms, but offhand I'd guess something like 3d6 per attack would be appropriate.

[Rubik]

How about 1d6+[1/2 CLs] (Max +10)?

Or maybe +1/CL?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Isn't it uncapped? 1d6 per level max 10 seems right, perhaps limiting number of attacks it can affect might also help. Something like "For every 3 levels above X Venomfire can affect an extra natural weapon that delivers poison" where x is the minimum level to cast venomfire.

[Rubik]

You could also give the spell, say, +5d6 damage +1d6/2 levels, spread out amongst all available natural attacks at the caster's discretion.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Make it 1d6 per caster level or 1d6 per HD of the target, whichever is lower, and the damage must be divided between each attack the target has that delivers poison. This decision is made when the spell is cast and cannot be changed.

For example, a Druid 9 with Natural Bond has a 10 HD Fleshraker companion that delivers poison with three attacks (claw, claw, tail). Venomfire will deal 9d6 damage divided between those natural attacks, which can be 3d6 on each natural attack, or 4d6 per claw and 1d6 for the tail, or any other combination totaling 9d6 that he wants to use.

A Druid 14 with Natural Bond would have a 12 HD Fleshraker companion, still with three attacks that deliver poison. Venomfire will deal 12d6 total damage (since the target has fewer HD than his caster level), again divided between those three attacks. It can be 4d6 per attack, or 5d6 per claw and 2d6 on the tail, etc.

[jedipotter]

Maybe:

Target: One creature capable of delivering a naturally poisonous attack
Duration: 1 hour/level, or until discharged
Saving Throw: Special (see text)
SR: None

This spell makes a creature's natural poison or venom caustic. The first successful poisonous attack delivered by the spell's subject within the spell's duration deals an additional 1d6/caster level acid damage. There is no save against the effects of this spell, but if the attack hits and still fails to poison the target (i.e., the target is immune to poison or makes its saving throw), the target takes no additional acid damage.
The additional acid damage applies to both the primary and secondary effect of the poison. If the poison doesn't have a primary or a secondary effect, the additional acid damage provided by Venomfire only applies once.

[Phelix-Mu]

No matter what else is done, the damage needs to be capped. 10d6 is the usual area for capping spells of that level, and it's competitive damage for arcane damage spells (and works over a duration); CL pumping is eminently possible and takes venomfire from an excellent buff to totally unhinged amounts of damage at high levels. Even considering that it requires attack rolls to work and only works on a small subset of creatures, this is still pandering to the druid's strong points. The existence of the fleshraker pretty much makes the spell ban-worthy, since that thing is a bit of an abomination (in the best possible way) already. Even at 1d6/2 levels, that's a stack of damage.

The best way to probably preserve the intent of the spell is make it animals only, snakes only. Snakes get one attack, generally, and if they get +10d6 (or +20d6) to that attack, no big deal.

Finally, in my games, I very zealously guard the verbiage about natural poison attacks. It only works on creatures that naturally produce poison. No method that magically or supernaturally makes one's attacks poisonous count; no wildshape, no poison-enchanting, no items. On a racial ability or one granted by a template qualify. I don't know if that is a houserule, but it really cuts down on abuse by anything aside from summons and ACs.

[Morphie]

I would just apply it to just one natural attack with poison and with a +1/CL acid damage (max. +10). Any immunity to poison would avoid the acid damage entirely.