Daishain
2015-03-07, 07:39 PM
DM has granted permission for us to research new spells for what looks to be a long and very interesting high magic 5E campaign. The following is what I came up for a GOO Tomelock who wanted more options (me) and a dragonblood sorcerer that wanted to specialize in cold damage spells. I tossed in a few more ideas that came up along the way, and more will probably pop up at a later time. I would like to ensure that these are at least relatively balanced overall, and are clear in what they do and don't do prior to submission to the DM for final approval. If someone wants to steal any portion of these for their own game, go right ahead.
Most spells are balanced against another found in the PHB with similar function, so I shouldn't be too far off the mark.
Advanced Familiar (Spell List: Wizard)
3rd-level conjuration (ritual)
Casting Time: 5 hours
Range: self
Components: V S M (Two Gemstones worth 100 GP each, one attuned to the familiar, the other to the master, gemstones are powdered and consumed by subjects)
Duration: Instantaneous
Binds a familiar more closely to its master. Eligible subjects only include spirits bound using the Find Familiar spell, not “real” creatures that have willingly taken up the bond.
The range for telepathic communication and the ability to share senses extends from 100 feet to one mile.
The familiar becomes tougher and more combat adept than normal creatures of its apparent kind. Its AC becomes 10+Dex+ML/4 (where ML indicates the master's overall character level), and its HP becomes equal to twice its master's character level. Finally, the familiar gains proficiency in Dexterity Saves, using its master's proficiency bonus.
If the familiar's Intelligence is 5 or less, this value becomes 6. In addition, it gains the ability to understand and read one language of the master's choice that they can speak. The familiar can be taught to communicate with others, but if incapable of vocalizing over a wide range of sounds (as the Raven and some other birds can), and incapable of writing properly (as the octopus or rat can given the right tools) this communication is often quite crude, and will likely require that the recipients also be taught to understand whatever signals are in play, especially in order to pass on a complex message.
If master and familiar are within 5' of each other, any spells that the master casts which would normally only affect themselves can be extended to apply to the familiar as well.
If the familiar falls in combat, it may still be restored as usual using the Find Familiar spell, and the effects of this spell will still be in play. However, recasting Find Familiar no longer allows the master to change the familiar's form. Its body is locked in so long as this bond is in effect. Ending the bond takes ten minutes of focused meditation (the familiar need not be present to do this), after which this spell must be recast in order to regain its benefits.
(Notes: Wanted to set this up such that a mage's familiar was more like the class feature I knew and loved from a certain previous edition. Most effects are nearly identical to the equivalent found with the Paladin's Find Steed, a Level 2 conjuration spell. The increases in defensive capabilities are the main exception, but are fairly well offset by the steed's much higher initial HP and ability to wear barding.)
Phantom Herd (Spell List: Wizard)
4th level Illusion (ritual)
Casting Time: 20 minutes
Range: 60 feet
Components: V S M (silver plate with stylized bas relief of grasslands worth 100 GP, is not consumed)
Duration: 8 hours
Up to ten quasi real, horselike creatures appear on the ground in unoccupied spaces of your choice within range. The creatures' appearances are up to you, but each is equipped with a basic saddle and riding tack. Any of the equipment vanishes if carried more than 10' away from the steed.
For the duration, you and/or any creatures you designate can ride the steeds. The creatures use the statistics for a riding horse, except that it has a speed of 100 feet and can travel 10 miles in an hour, or 13 miles at a fast pace. When the spell ends, the steeds begin to gradually fade away, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount. The spell ends if you dismiss it. In addition, individual steeds begin to fade and vanish if they take any damage.
(Notes concerning spell balance: Honestly, I think the above is be pretty close to what Phantom Steed should have been from the start. The game lacks good and flavorful means of reasonably swift travel. And this lets the DM still have traveling hazards threaten the group unlike certain higher level spells. Regardless, the only effective change is that the spell is now suitable for a large group to use. In response, expensive spell component added, casting time is increased, and spell level is increased. Might need to add a blurb about only being able to maintain one "herd" at once if there are concerns of using this to transport armies)
Mental Rapport (spell lists: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, Great Old One Warlock)
4th level divination (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V S M (A piece of cloth woven from silver and gold thread with an image of a web worth 25 GP)
Duration: 10 minutes
Creates a telepathic network between yourself and up to seven other willing creatures within range. Only thoughts that a subject intends to be heard by the others are sent across the network, but those are relayed to everyone in range of each other. The maximum range of this network from person to person is 120 feet. The caster serves as the apex and source of the network. All subjects do not need to be within 120 feet of the caster, but there does need to be an unbroken chain in between them. Otherwise, subjects that are too far away from each other are cut off from the network as if the spell had ended, and cannot rejoin it unless the spell is recast. Unconscious characters cannot serve as a relay, even if they had previously been part of the network.
(Notes concerning spell balance: This one is the most troublesome. The closest existing equivalent is Telepathic Bond, an eighth level spell, but TB has an unlimited range, and can be used for far more than just passing along what one wants to say without being heard. This spell's actual impact is closer to what would occur if everyone in the group cast Detect thoughts, a 2nd level spell, but could only use it to focus on each other rather than anyone in range, and could not probe deeper than surface thoughts. End result is that I am not at all sure how to balance this)
Psionic Scream (spell lists: Wizard, Great Old One Warlock)
2nd level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15-foot cone)
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
With a simple word, you send a pulse of disruptive energy through the aether. Each creature in a 15 foot cone must make an Intelligence saving throw. A creature takes 1d4 Psychic damage and is stunned for one round on a failed save, or half as much damage and no stun on a successful one. This spell has no affect on creatures immune to being stunned.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each slot level above first.
(Notes concerning spell balance: This one is balanced against Burning Hands, a basic level 1 damage dealing spell. Wanted it to have something unique to it rather than just being a psionic variant. Dropped the damage, bumped up the minimum spell level, and added a stun effect. Developers mentioned using Int saves for psionics, hence that choice. Stun is a pretty strong effect, so may need to drop the damage further.)
Mass Magic Weapon (spell list: Wizard)
3rd level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: V S
Duration: Concentration, up to one hour
You focus on up to three non magical weapons within range. Until the spell ends, those weapons become magic weapons with a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the bonus increases to +2. When you use a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the bonus increases to +3
(Care to guess what spell this one is balanced against? This is another “fix a hole” attempt. There are too many creatures with resistance vs nonmagical weapons for a low magic edition, and too few ways for a character to act as reasonable support. I am not however at all certain I've done enough to offset the boost in functionality. 1 spell level increase seems low, but a 2 spell level increase seems too prohibitive, and there isn't much one can do to reduce spell effects without eliminating the point.)
Icy Spear
2nd level evocation (spell lists: Wizard, Sorcerer)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 80 feet
Components: V S
Duration: Instantaneous
You hurl a ball of energy at a target, mid air it forms a long icy projectile. Make a ranged spell attack, On a hit, the target takes 1d8 piercing damage as if from a magical weapon, and 5d8 cold damage.
At higher levels, When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 cold damage per spell slot above 2nd.
(Principally balanced against Scorching Ray. About 6 higher damage on average to begin with, (scorching ray does pull ahead using high level spell slots) but this is largely offset by a lack of ability to split the damage among multiple targets. Might need to reign this back in, but would rather this not simply become a scorching ray clone)
Barber Wind (spell lists: druid, sorcerer, wizard)
6th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (60 foot line)
Components: V.S,M (small chunk of ice or a few droplets of water taken from a glacier)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
A chilling wind blasts from your outstretched palm in a 5 foot wide, 60 foot long line. Ice forms on any caught within as the heat of their bodies is drained. Each creature in the line must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 6d10 cold damage, and is unable to take reactions or use the dash action until the start of your next turn. In addition, its movement speed is reduced by 20 feet for the same period. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and its movement speed is only reduced by 10 feet.
You can create a new blast of wind as your action on any turn until the spell ends.
(Balanced against Sunbeam. Same level of damage, blinded condition is swapped out for some general limitations on actions. If anyone is wondering, Barber in this context refers to a freezing wind that carries enough moisture in it to cause ice to form on nearly anything it blows across.)
Most spells are balanced against another found in the PHB with similar function, so I shouldn't be too far off the mark.
Advanced Familiar (Spell List: Wizard)
3rd-level conjuration (ritual)
Casting Time: 5 hours
Range: self
Components: V S M (Two Gemstones worth 100 GP each, one attuned to the familiar, the other to the master, gemstones are powdered and consumed by subjects)
Duration: Instantaneous
Binds a familiar more closely to its master. Eligible subjects only include spirits bound using the Find Familiar spell, not “real” creatures that have willingly taken up the bond.
The range for telepathic communication and the ability to share senses extends from 100 feet to one mile.
The familiar becomes tougher and more combat adept than normal creatures of its apparent kind. Its AC becomes 10+Dex+ML/4 (where ML indicates the master's overall character level), and its HP becomes equal to twice its master's character level. Finally, the familiar gains proficiency in Dexterity Saves, using its master's proficiency bonus.
If the familiar's Intelligence is 5 or less, this value becomes 6. In addition, it gains the ability to understand and read one language of the master's choice that they can speak. The familiar can be taught to communicate with others, but if incapable of vocalizing over a wide range of sounds (as the Raven and some other birds can), and incapable of writing properly (as the octopus or rat can given the right tools) this communication is often quite crude, and will likely require that the recipients also be taught to understand whatever signals are in play, especially in order to pass on a complex message.
If master and familiar are within 5' of each other, any spells that the master casts which would normally only affect themselves can be extended to apply to the familiar as well.
If the familiar falls in combat, it may still be restored as usual using the Find Familiar spell, and the effects of this spell will still be in play. However, recasting Find Familiar no longer allows the master to change the familiar's form. Its body is locked in so long as this bond is in effect. Ending the bond takes ten minutes of focused meditation (the familiar need not be present to do this), after which this spell must be recast in order to regain its benefits.
(Notes: Wanted to set this up such that a mage's familiar was more like the class feature I knew and loved from a certain previous edition. Most effects are nearly identical to the equivalent found with the Paladin's Find Steed, a Level 2 conjuration spell. The increases in defensive capabilities are the main exception, but are fairly well offset by the steed's much higher initial HP and ability to wear barding.)
Phantom Herd (Spell List: Wizard)
4th level Illusion (ritual)
Casting Time: 20 minutes
Range: 60 feet
Components: V S M (silver plate with stylized bas relief of grasslands worth 100 GP, is not consumed)
Duration: 8 hours
Up to ten quasi real, horselike creatures appear on the ground in unoccupied spaces of your choice within range. The creatures' appearances are up to you, but each is equipped with a basic saddle and riding tack. Any of the equipment vanishes if carried more than 10' away from the steed.
For the duration, you and/or any creatures you designate can ride the steeds. The creatures use the statistics for a riding horse, except that it has a speed of 100 feet and can travel 10 miles in an hour, or 13 miles at a fast pace. When the spell ends, the steeds begin to gradually fade away, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount. The spell ends if you dismiss it. In addition, individual steeds begin to fade and vanish if they take any damage.
(Notes concerning spell balance: Honestly, I think the above is be pretty close to what Phantom Steed should have been from the start. The game lacks good and flavorful means of reasonably swift travel. And this lets the DM still have traveling hazards threaten the group unlike certain higher level spells. Regardless, the only effective change is that the spell is now suitable for a large group to use. In response, expensive spell component added, casting time is increased, and spell level is increased. Might need to add a blurb about only being able to maintain one "herd" at once if there are concerns of using this to transport armies)
Mental Rapport (spell lists: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, Great Old One Warlock)
4th level divination (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V S M (A piece of cloth woven from silver and gold thread with an image of a web worth 25 GP)
Duration: 10 minutes
Creates a telepathic network between yourself and up to seven other willing creatures within range. Only thoughts that a subject intends to be heard by the others are sent across the network, but those are relayed to everyone in range of each other. The maximum range of this network from person to person is 120 feet. The caster serves as the apex and source of the network. All subjects do not need to be within 120 feet of the caster, but there does need to be an unbroken chain in between them. Otherwise, subjects that are too far away from each other are cut off from the network as if the spell had ended, and cannot rejoin it unless the spell is recast. Unconscious characters cannot serve as a relay, even if they had previously been part of the network.
(Notes concerning spell balance: This one is the most troublesome. The closest existing equivalent is Telepathic Bond, an eighth level spell, but TB has an unlimited range, and can be used for far more than just passing along what one wants to say without being heard. This spell's actual impact is closer to what would occur if everyone in the group cast Detect thoughts, a 2nd level spell, but could only use it to focus on each other rather than anyone in range, and could not probe deeper than surface thoughts. End result is that I am not at all sure how to balance this)
Psionic Scream (spell lists: Wizard, Great Old One Warlock)
2nd level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15-foot cone)
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
With a simple word, you send a pulse of disruptive energy through the aether. Each creature in a 15 foot cone must make an Intelligence saving throw. A creature takes 1d4 Psychic damage and is stunned for one round on a failed save, or half as much damage and no stun on a successful one. This spell has no affect on creatures immune to being stunned.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each slot level above first.
(Notes concerning spell balance: This one is balanced against Burning Hands, a basic level 1 damage dealing spell. Wanted it to have something unique to it rather than just being a psionic variant. Dropped the damage, bumped up the minimum spell level, and added a stun effect. Developers mentioned using Int saves for psionics, hence that choice. Stun is a pretty strong effect, so may need to drop the damage further.)
Mass Magic Weapon (spell list: Wizard)
3rd level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: V S
Duration: Concentration, up to one hour
You focus on up to three non magical weapons within range. Until the spell ends, those weapons become magic weapons with a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the bonus increases to +2. When you use a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the bonus increases to +3
(Care to guess what spell this one is balanced against? This is another “fix a hole” attempt. There are too many creatures with resistance vs nonmagical weapons for a low magic edition, and too few ways for a character to act as reasonable support. I am not however at all certain I've done enough to offset the boost in functionality. 1 spell level increase seems low, but a 2 spell level increase seems too prohibitive, and there isn't much one can do to reduce spell effects without eliminating the point.)
Icy Spear
2nd level evocation (spell lists: Wizard, Sorcerer)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 80 feet
Components: V S
Duration: Instantaneous
You hurl a ball of energy at a target, mid air it forms a long icy projectile. Make a ranged spell attack, On a hit, the target takes 1d8 piercing damage as if from a magical weapon, and 5d8 cold damage.
At higher levels, When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 cold damage per spell slot above 2nd.
(Principally balanced against Scorching Ray. About 6 higher damage on average to begin with, (scorching ray does pull ahead using high level spell slots) but this is largely offset by a lack of ability to split the damage among multiple targets. Might need to reign this back in, but would rather this not simply become a scorching ray clone)
Barber Wind (spell lists: druid, sorcerer, wizard)
6th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (60 foot line)
Components: V.S,M (small chunk of ice or a few droplets of water taken from a glacier)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
A chilling wind blasts from your outstretched palm in a 5 foot wide, 60 foot long line. Ice forms on any caught within as the heat of their bodies is drained. Each creature in the line must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 6d10 cold damage, and is unable to take reactions or use the dash action until the start of your next turn. In addition, its movement speed is reduced by 20 feet for the same period. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and its movement speed is only reduced by 10 feet.
You can create a new blast of wind as your action on any turn until the spell ends.
(Balanced against Sunbeam. Same level of damage, blinded condition is swapped out for some general limitations on actions. If anyone is wondering, Barber in this context refers to a freezing wind that carries enough moisture in it to cause ice to form on nearly anything it blows across.)