weakened spells for E6

[bert88]

Hi guys,
I'm preparing a E6 campaign as DM and I'd like, in order to provide the casters with some more options, to take a few 4th-5th level spells and weaken them, so as to reduce their level to 3th (or maybe 2th, but that's rather difficult).
One of the first spell I was looking at was Evard's Black tentacle, because i really like the idea of using a spell to immobilize someone. Since it's already a powerful spell for its original level (4th) I was thinking, in order to make it a 3rd level, of changing it so that it can olnly affect a single creature and maybe add a Reflex ST to avoid the tentacles before they can grapple you.

However (and here is where I'd like to get some advice from more experienced players and DMs) I'm a bit unsure about how the new area of effect should look like. My options:
-Only a single 5-feet square.
-A 10x10 feet square (so that it can affect a Large creature too).
-Make it become a target spell - one creature not bigger than large.

As for the last option I'm scared that making it a target spell could expose it to some abuse I'm not able to foresee at the moment. Can you please give me some advice on the matter? Also do you think the extra Reflex ST is required?

[Jergmo]

I think this is an endeavor that could get messy really quickly.

There are many higher level spells that replicate similar effects to lower level spells, just better.

For example, if you want a lower level spell and your desire is to have it immobilize someone, there's Web.

Yes, it's easier to get out of a Web spell than a Black Tentacles spell, but that's why E6 exists to begin with: to not give spellcasters gamebreaking options by comparison.

That said, if you're dead-set I'd go for target spell or 10x10.

[NichG]

I think the trick is, don't pick the spells that are known to be good for their level as the ones you down-convert. Thats sort of hitting the problem head-on.

For (a ridiculous) example, take Polar Ray. Its an 8th level spell. For an E6 character not using CL-boosting hijinks, its only mildly better than Scorching Ray (and with a source of +1CL, it becomes mildly worse than Scorching Ray). Would there be a serious problem with an E6 character having Polar Ray as written? Not really (again, barring significant CL-boosting hijinks to the tune of +5 or greater).

Similarly, something like Incendiary Cloud would be really good for a 3rd level spell, but its not what I'd call 'transformative' the way that Polymorph or Freedom of Movement. Drop the ability to move the thing at will and you'd probably be good to go.

On the other hand, Scrying, a mere 4th level spell, is a total game changer. Functionally, because of what it does, the world just isn't the same with Scrying in it. Resilient Sphere is one of the first sources of 'you just can't harm this', so it's also a game changer in many ways (Want to survive the explosion of the sun? Resilient Sphere and you're good to go.)

So basically I'd look for those higher level spells that don't have absolutes, huge arrays of options in a single spell, or highly shape the game space (freedom of movement means grappling becomes meaningless, for example) and focus my efforts on those.