New Damage-Dealing Spells

[Baron Corm]

These spells I hope add some tactical aspect to the damage-dealing side of magic, instead of just casting a damage spell and having it deal damage.

Corpse explosion was, obviously, influenced by Diablo II. It has no use at all when facing a single difficult opponent, but is extremely useful when facing two or more difficult opponents (or a horde of weak ones, but then again fireball would be more useful there anyway). It's tough to put a spell level on that one. A better way to determine the amount of damage done would also be welcome.

Overflow, in the opposite respect, has no use on dead or damaged creatures, but does a metric ton of damage to those with full health.

Delayed Shock Lightning is there to make your minions extremely loyal :smallsmile:. It's also there to offer more options blah blah just like the rest. The option in this case being send in a kamikaze (or a summoned death warded shambling mound; or a death warded, protection from electricitied yourself) to wreck an enemy fortress from the inside. Granted, as a level 9 spell, there are probably easier ways to do that at this point, but I can still think of some applications. Oh yeah, it's also useful (offensively) for gish builds or maybe even regular wizards/sorcerors who like touch spells.

Lesser Disintegrate was created after being embarassed when a level 5 barbarian dealt over 50 damage in one round (or one attack, don't remember). It still deals "only" 10d4 damage at level five, but at least its not something like burning hands which becomes absolutely useless when you attain a higher level. A level one spell which deals 20d4 damage is still moderately useful later on, even if just for cheaply destroying nonliving matter, and is balanced early on by the same things that balance disintegrate.




Delayed Shock Lightning

Evocation (Electricity, Death)
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent until discharged
Saving Throw: Will negates or Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

Delayed shock lightning turns a creature into a walking bomb. The caster may at any time discharge the spell to cause electrical impulses already in the creature's body to both cease their original tasks and intensify, ravaging the creature's body. The creature must make a Will save or die instantly. It takes 2d6 electricity damage per level (maximum 40d6); a successful Fortitude save makes this only 5d6 damage. A creature killed by this damage is completely dissolved by the intense electrical energies, leaving no trace of it except for its equipment. In addition to these effects, one lightning bolt spell (as cast by you) is cast out of every square adjacent to the creature (including upwards and downwards).


Overflow

Evocation (Death)
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude half
Spell Resistance: Yes

Overflow fills a creature or number of creatures with positive energy. If the creatures are at maximum health, they take 1d8 damage/level (maximum 25d8). This spell has no effect on creatures with less than their maximum health.

If the targeted creature has more than its maximum amount of health, such as from temporary hit points, and fails its Fortitude save, it is instantly slain.


Corpse Explosion

Necromancy (Fire)
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No

Corpse explosion detonates the explosive necromantic energies which are present in the corpse of a creature who died through violent means. The corpse must be mostly intact (subject to DM's ruling). Corpse explosion cannot be used on a creature that didn't die through violent means.

Creatures around the corpse take 50-100% of the dead creature's max hit points in damage. To decide how much, roll 1d3. A result of 1 would be 50%, a result of 2 would be 75%, and a roll of 3 would be 100%. The damage is half fire damage; half bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

A corpse destroyed by corpse explosion is no longer suitable for a raise dead spell, but enough entrails remain that a ressurection spell would work.


Lesser Disintegrate

Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell functions as disintegrate, except it deals 2d4 damage/level (maximum 20d4) or disintegrates as much as a 5-foot cube of nonliving matter. It cannot affect objects made of force. A creature or object that makes its Fortitude save takes only 1d4 damage.

[Kalken]

Overflow seems like a good spell but maybe a slight change would be nice. Perhaps if the foe has temporary HP it is allowed a second will saving throw to avoid being slain.

Corpse Explosion seems like a spell in a book I read recently, might be Complete Scoundrel. It puts a bomb inside the target and when they die it detonates.

[JackMage666]

Overfill is neat, but too weak to be an 8th level spell, I think. You need to be facing someone at full HP, so after the first round of combat, it's not so good. Also, if that becomes a common tactic, enemies will slice themselves, dealing 1 point of daage, and rendering the spell useless.
So, maybe 6th or 7th, I'd say.

Though, I'd go a different route with it. Have it grant Temporary HP to the subject, but if he gains 50% of his Max HP, he has to make a Fortitude save or die. If he makes the save, he gets to keep the Temporary HP for up to 1 hour. That, I think, it'd be a 7th level spell - And you'd have to think carefully before using it.

[Icewalker]

Well I'd rephrase that temporary hp = save or die part. I think you want temporary hp that brings them over their normal max health. Like if they have lost 30 health and have +3 temporary from some weak spell, it shouldn't kill them.

Very fun ideas though.

[Baron Corm]

added some more spells, didn't think a new topic was needed

[Blackbrrd]

Corpse Explosion
Necromancy (Fire)
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: No

Corpse explosion detonates the explosive necromantic energies which are present in the corpse of a creature who died through violent means. The corpse must be mostly intact (subject to DM's ruling). Corpse explosion cannot be used on a creature that didn't die through violent means.

Creatures around the corpse take 50-100% of the dead creature's max hit points in damage. To decide how much, roll 1d6. A result of 1 would be 50%, a result of 2 would be 60%, and so on. The damage is half fire damage; half bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

A corpse destroyed by corpse explosion is no longer suitable for a raise dead spell, but enough entrails remain that a ressurection spell would work.


This spell has too variable damage due to depending on the targets max hp. The theme of the spell is great though :)

Change the damage to 1d6/caster level, max 15d6 bludgeoning damage. Any creature killed by the explosion triggers a secondary blast with 10' radius and 1d6/2 caster levels, max 7d6 bludgeoning damage (no overlap).

A corpse that has exploded in a corpse explosion cannot be used a second time.

The spell isn't easy to use as you need a body and for the body to be close to your enemies and not your friends. The secondary blast is more for kicks than anything else.

Without the no overlap rule on the secondary blasts it would be really easy to abuse.

Example:

Monster a), Caster level 12 casts Corpse explosion on dead Monster b)

Monster c) and d) are within 20' of Monster b) and takes 12d6 damage, fails the save and dies and explodes for 6d6 secondary damage

Character x) stands within 10' of Monster c) and d), but not within 20' of Monster b) and takes 6d6 damage, reflex for half. (because of the no overlap rule on the secondary blasts, it isn't 6d6 from both monster c) and d). )

Character y) stands within 10' of Monster b), c) and d) and takes 12d6 initial damage, saves for half and survives, and takes 6d6 secondary damage, but fails that save and takes full damage from the secondary blasts. The secondary blast kills character y), but there are no tertiary explosions, so she can be raised normally.. ;)