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View Full Version : Pathfinder What do you think of this feat I made for my dragonborn race?



Hogsy
2016-05-27, 04:46 PM
So, I'm making up a few feats for my dragonborn race. There's one that gives them fly speed and there's one that allows them to use their breath attack whenever they crit. Anyway, I wanted to ask you what you thought of this particular one. Their lore is that they were once true dragons and part of a great dynasty. However, due to a thousand year old civil war, they slowly regressed as a species and eventually devolved into the Dragonborn. They(Or anyone else for that matter) have no memory of their past power but a few of them can tap into it for a brief time to relive their past glory.

Draconic Surge:
A few dragonborn have the power to tap into their natural mastery of the arcane. They expend a spell slot in order to use its raw arcane energy to empower another spell.
Prerequisite: Caster Level 11th
Benefit: When you cast a spell with a descrpitor of your element, you may expend a spell slot of at least half the level of the spell you're casting to add +1 damage to it per die or add a +2 to its DC. Choosing to add +1 damage per die does not stack with Metamagic Feats or Abilities that grant similar effects.

Feuerphoenix
2016-05-27, 05:38 PM
Well I am not an expert for a full review, but based on my little experience concerning D&D at least the damage-aspect. For a fireball, you sacrifice another LV 1 (or two if you say you have to round up) spellslot for another 8 damage, which is pretty poor concerning that this damage can be evaded. The best case scenario I found now, is scorching rays for hitting with 6 additional damage for one mana slot.

And I do not even want to talk about spells above LV 5, the costs for the little extra damage are insane. Meteorswarm takes at least another LV 5 or LV 6 slot, just for additional 20 damage.

I don't know that much about Spell saves, but I also would not increase the DC by two if I have to sacrifice another spellslot. Even if it is only by LV 1.

Both situations are just bad, as you can only add them to fire damaging spells, which usually can be resisted by saving throws, and none of its effects justifies to sacrifice a spellslot.

also you ave to make clear, that cantrips are excluded, as they are also spells with a LV0 spellslot.

Also you have to clear, where you can sacrifice several spells slots for stacked effects.

For my recommendations, I would introduce a resource, that allows you the same, and recovers each long or short rest. Maybe even an ASI in WIS or CHA.

Hogsy
2016-05-27, 08:04 PM
Well I am not an expert for a full review, but based on my little experience concerning D&D at least the damage-aspect. For a fireball, you sacrifice another LV 1 (or two if you say you have to round up) spellslot for another 8 damage, which is pretty poor concerning that this damage can be evaded. The best case scenario I found now, is scorching rays for hitting with 6 additional damage for one mana slot.

And I do not even want to talk about spells above LV 5, the costs for the little extra damage are insane. Meteorswarm takes at least another LV 5 or LV 6 slot, just for additional 20 damage.

I don't know that much about Spell saves, but I also would not increase the DC by two if I have to sacrifice another spellslot. Even if it is only by LV 1.

Both situations are just bad, as you can only add them to fire damaging spells, which usually can be resisted by saving throws, and none of its effects justifies to sacrifice a spellslot.

also you ave to make clear, that cantrips are excluded, as they are also spells with a LV0 spellslot.

Also you have to clear, where you can sacrifice several spells slots for stacked effects.

For my recommendations, I would introduce a resource, that allows you the same, and recovers each long or short rest. Maybe even an ASI in WIS or CHA.




This feat concerns mainly blasters, so sacrificing a lesser spell slot for increased damage is not a bad trade, considering how many pearls of power(basically gives you extra spell slots) you can have on you for lower level spells. Considering a blaster will take this, the usual caster level shenanigans are expected. That means that at level 11, an optimized blaster can easily throw a maximized empowered and intensified fireball(maximized rod, 0 Level Increase on empower through feats/traits) for 157(135 from the spell and 22 from the feat) damage which can overcome energy resistance and deal half damage against fire immunity through the Searing Metamagic. Not bad for a lvl4 spell. This feat basically opens up a metamagic slot, and depending on the situation you can either opt for more damage or a better save. A +22 damage is basically an extra 6d6. Still, if you think the trade isn't good enough, perhaps a +2 per die ought to do it?

Feuerphoenix
2016-05-29, 06:57 PM
I would go with an +2 damage, with the addition, you have to round up the spellslot.

Keep in mind that 1+1=|=2 in case of spellslots. The scenario you created was very optimal, and if I would ne the dm, I would exclude that twinned spell also twinnes the extra damage, because then in fact may become insane. Keep in mind, that a fullcaster, who is burning his spells in half time, becomes dead for the group shortly. A mage ( at least imho) should be much more concerned about when to spend their spellslots, as you are limited to spells and maybe cantrip with no other offensive potential.

Also always compare this feat against a +2 in AS ;)

Hogsy
2016-05-29, 07:47 PM
I would go with an +2 damage, with the addition, you have to round up the spellslot.

Keep in mind that 1+1=|=2 in case of spellslots. The scenario you created was very optimal, and if I would ne the dm, I would exclude that twinned spell also twinnes the extra damage, because then in fact may become insane. Keep in mind, that a fullcaster, who is burning his spells in half time, becomes dead for the group shortly. A mage ( at least imho) should be much more concerned about when to spend their spellslots, as you are limited to spells and maybe cantrip with no other offensive potential.

Also always compare this feat against a +2 in AS ;)



That may be true, but with Wizard, a ring of wizardry and one feat which allows you to cast one spell of your choosing spontaneously it's easy for you to manage your spellslots for maximum efficiency. Even a Sorc stacked up with pearls of power could have the same efficiency if perhaps a little less. Rounding up is always the case for player abilities, in my opinion. How was the scenario I created optimal, though? It's a rather standard scenario in my opinion and experience. 8 level 2 spells at level 10 with ring of wizardry, let's put two pearls of power for 10. That's 6 extra spells you can expend for the ability to cast 3 level 4 fireballs, and for a little less damage, 3 extra level 3 fireballs. That's 6 fireballs a day. It wouldn't be any other way with using metamagics, cause you'd have to burn level 4 or level 5 spells for those fireballs to hit for that much damage. I'd personally go for scorching ray myself so it'd be many more of those.

That's 5k gold for 5 pearls of power that give you 5 extra level 1 spells and 10k gold for 5 extra lvl2 spell slots. That coupled with 2 rings of wizardry(one level 1 and one level 2) nets you a total of 13 level 1 and level 2 spells per day. They cost 45k Gold, with 2 lesser rods of maximize spell, you're at 59k Gold. That'd leave you with 4k for a headband of +2 intelligence, and hey, you're part of a party! That means you craft stuff for your party members which could net you some extra gold. It'd be at least enough for a handy haversack or some bracers of armor.

We play mainly on PF(with 3.5 allowed) and when I build casters, I use PF as my main source unless I run a Sorc in the future in which case I'll also use Dragon Magic. Me and my party aren't concerned about "going insane" unless it somehow hampers the fun we have as a party in which case we'll simply not do it. We won't take ALL the amazing options, we'll take as many as it is necessary to fit the setting we want to play in.

I want this feat and other racial feats I come up with to rival "regular" feats but also pack a bit of flavour in them. Just making another metamagic that adds +1 to the DC is boring though, which is why I thought i'd give it a different mechanism. In my opinion, this is an ability meant to use on softies in order to expend a lvl1 and a lvl2 spellslot instead of a lvl 3. You're free to choose based on the situation and what kind of spells that situation calls for. Are level 1 or level 2 spells more valuabe this time around? Great, use metamagics. There's a level 3 spell that seems like it will be rather helpful in this session? Use this feat to save that level 3 spell then. It's meant to create variety, not outshine metamagics. Of course, all criticism and commentary is taken kindly.

Also, I'm creating 4 races for a new campaign world I'll be building with my pals. They are inspired from the Shishin myth about the 4 legendary beasts that guard one of the four compass points of Kyoto(North, South, West and East.). I want all of them to feel more powerful than regular races, hence why they'll have a LA of +1 or +2. That's not only because of more powerful racial traits and stats but also due to the abiltiy to gain access to their racial feats. I want these feats to contest the regular options. I want my friends to think of awesome synergies between these feats and other ones. That's all part of the fun. If a situation does get out of hand, we're all adults, and most importantly good friends so we'll put a stop to it before it stops being fun with no hard feelings.


I am grateful for your thoughts on it and I have given it some thought. I think i'll keep the +1 damage per die and see how it goes from there. If it seems to be lackluster I'll pump it up by 1 and go from there. If the +2 to DCs is never used because it doesn't feel like a worthy trade, maybe I'll pump that up a bit as well or perhaps remove it altogether. Maybe I'll create a follow up feats which gives you a hefty bonus to surpass Spell Resistance if you go for the extra damage, or the ability to render this one particular spell imune to the effects of Improved Evasion if you go for the +2 on DCs.



PS: +2 in AS?