DM Introduced spell...

[JackMage666]

I've never played 2nd edition, but my DM has, and he wanted to introduce a spell from it (modified) to our campaign, edition 3.5.

The spell is called Chromatic Sphere, and it's effects are, at a max caster level, 2d8 damage and paralyzation for 20 rounds. And, it's a first level spell. Now, is it just me, or is 1 round/level paralyze a bit powerful for a first level spell?

[serow]

Sounds much more powerful and useful than Hold Person, although the DC is lower of course

[Deus Mortus]

I'd make a lesser and a normal and greater version with different maximum's. Lesser max CL 1, normal lvl 3 max CL 10, Greater lvl 7 max CL 20.

[JackMage666]

Yeah, I thought I'd suggest make max 5 or so, kinda like Burning Hands maxe being 5d4 or Shocking Grasp 5d6, ect. Thought maybe that would be a bit more fair than helpless for 20 rounds (a certain death effect, really, for a 7th level party).

[Steve_the_ERB]

Does the target get a save every round to shake off the paralyzation like hold person? Probably should and at a level 1 DC it shouldn't hold for too long against most opponents.

[Lemur]

Could you give a full rundown on how the spell operates? I remember that Chromatic Sphere had different effects based on caster level, and I'd like to see just how it's been transferred to 3rd ed.

Based on what I know of it, I'd say it doesn't fit in 3rd edition, at least not as such a low level spell.

[Krellen]

Chromatic Sphere was broken in 2e, and it's still broken now.

[Talanic]

No kidding. Magic Missile was pretty good in 2e, but once I got chromatic sphere, it was the spell of choice from then on.

[Jade_Tarem]

I thought CL maxed at 12.

Ah well...

And it's roughly on par with Ray of Enfeeblement, IMO. So yeah, pretty dang strong.

[Muurgh]

Ive never used chromatic sphere becuase i never had a high enough Missile adjustment with wizards that could use it. But doesnt chromatic sphere have a different affect for every level with 8 possible different affects. Only one being used at any one time of course.

[Studoku]

It was a fun spell to use though. I killed a black dragon with it in one shot while playing Baldurs Gate.

[Deus Mortus]

I started playing with 3.5 so could someone enlighten me what it was?

[Golthur]

Well, if it's old-school Chromatic Orb, you didn't start getting paralysis effects until you were 7th level.

For the non-old-timers:

Basically, it was a sphere, you had to throw it (no touch attacks back then, but you got a bonus based on the target's distance).

If the orb hit, it did some damage (starting at 1d4 for caster level 1, going up to 2d8 for level 7), plus an extra effect that varied depending on your caster level and what colour "orb" you made.

You didn't start getting paralysis until 7th level, prior to that it was stuff like light, heat, blindness, etc.

[Black Hand]

I've made a variation of the Chromatic Sphere for the third ed. It's not quite like the 2E one, but more like the Lesser orb spells. I miss the 2e one now that I think of it, it was one of my favourites.

My 3E variety is essentially the same as the lesser orb spells, except that it's second level and you get to choose the energy type upon casting. (unlike the 1st level orb spells where it's a separate spell for each type).

[Shhalahr Windrider]

If the orb hit, it did some damage (starting at 1d4 for caster level 1, going up to 2d8 for level 7), plus an extra effect that varied depending on your caster level and what colour "orb" you made.
Additionally, it required a 50 gp gem as the material component, and you had to use a gem that was the same color as the orb you wanted to use. Though I think you could substitute a diamond for any color you wanted.

And, yeah, chromatic orb is just too powerful for a 1st-level spell.

[PMDM]

If you made it so that the caster had to make a normal attack, instead of a touch attack, the spell might not be so broken.

The benefit would be that you got to throw it.

[Mortanious]

Chromatic Orb in 2e pretty much gave 2 saves. The first save was an all or nothing save. And if you failed the first save you got another save vs the secondary effect of the orb

[Matthew]

It was a fun spell to use though. I killed a black dragon with it in one shot while playing Baldurs Gate.

Veh? Wow. That's pretty impressive.

[Aquillion]

Hmm, here's a thought. How about making it a spell that can be cast at multiple levels, as if it had a built-in metamagic that let you add X levels to the spell when preparing / casting to get effect Y? The extra levels, like with metamagic, don't affect its save DC, ability to pierce Globe of Invulnerability, and so on.

It might still make it too effective a choice for sorcerers, since it would be taking up only a level one known-slot... but stuck at level 1 save DC, it would be weaker than other spells when cast at higher levels, so that might balance it.

Just a thought, anyway.