Spell: Water Body (PEACH)

[Minescratcher]

Entry for Ninja_Prawn's 5e Spellbrew Contest. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?505138)

Water Body
8th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a blue sapphire)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You call upon elemental energy to change your body into water, giving you immunity to fire damage, and resistance to all other damage types except cold, lightning, and psychic, and magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, for the duration: you gain vulnerability to cold and lightning damage for the duration as well. During this spell's duration, you can reshape your body, allowing you to move through a space as narrow as one inch wide without squeezing.

Also during this spell's duration, you can use an action on your turn to fire powerful blasts of water at up to 5 creatures of your choice within 100 feet. Each creature you choose must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 5d6 piercing damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn. On a successful one, the target takes half as much damage and is not stunned.

11/6/16 - Fixed a typo
11/10/16 - Added lightning vulnerability
11/13/16 - Removed psychic resistance, reworded slightly for clarity, lowered damage from 8d6 to 5d6, changed "any number of creatures less than or equal to your spellcasting ability modifier" to "up to 5 creatures"
11/23/16 - Removed B/P/S immunity and magical B/P/S resistance, removed material cost

[PotatoGolem]

Seems odd that turning yourself into water makes you resist lightning damage. I'd have thought it'd make you vulnerable to lightning

[PapaQuackers]

Yeah, it should be lightning vulnerable.

[Minescratcher]

And I was positive that I had put that in... Thanks, edited.

[zeek0]

Should the user be resistant to psychic and magical weapon damage?

I don't have my books in front of me, but I'm concerned that the damage is too great, especially since the target can be stunned (prompting additional damage) and the defensive capabilities. Compare to, I believe, the spell Sunbeam.

Also, I wouldn't allow the caster to choose their spellcasting stat. A Druid 18/Warlock 2 shouldn't be able to cast this spell using charisma. Basically, if you have the great power to cast this spell because of your nature magic you shouldn't be able to control the spell using strength of will, since nature magic is all about wisdom.

Additionally, it seems to me that a jet of water shot at a creature would be a ranged spell attack, not a Con saving throw. Alternatively, you could simply reflavor the attack.

The spell frequently says "while in liquid form...". Does this spell turn me into water for one minute, or does it give me the ability to change into water (can I appear normal, and what is the method of the transformation (at will? bonus action?)).

Why did you choose to require an expensive component? I'm curious.

Great spell, I think it has some good combination between utility and offensive power.

[Minescratcher]

Should the user be resistant to psychic and magical weapon damage?
Psychic no. Debating whether or not for magical weapon damage.


I don't have my books in front of me, but I'm concerned that the damage is too great, especially since the target can be stunned (prompting additional damage) and the defensive capabilities. Compare to, I believe, the spell Sunbeam.
Sunbeam is a 6th-level spell. I compared it to Sunburst, which deals 12d6 radiant in a 60-ft radius and blinds each creature for 1 minute, but it is probably still too strong. Dropped it to 5d6.


Also, I wouldn't allow the caster to choose their spellcasting stat. A Druid 18/Warlock 2 shouldn't be able to cast this spell using charisma. Basically, if you have the great power to cast this spell because of your nature magic you shouldn't be able to control the spell using strength of will, since nature magic is all about wisdom.
Makes sense. Changed to a flat 5.


Additionally, it seems to me that a jet of water shot at a creature would be a ranged spell attack, not a Con saving throw. Alternatively, you could simply reflavor the attack.
The Con saving throw is to resist being hit by the blast of water, rather than to evade it.


The spell frequently says "while in liquid form...". Does this spell turn me into water for one minute, or does it give me the ability to change into water (can I appear normal, and what is the method of the transformation (at will? bonus action?)).
You turn into water for the duration. Rewording that to "During this spell's duration".


Why did you choose to require an expensive component? I'm curious.
Because Blue Sapphires are on the 1000 gp gemstone table in the DMG.


Great spell, I think it has some good combination between utility and offensive power.
Thanks!

[zeek0]

Hello again!

I compared your spell to sunbeam because both give you a 'weapon' to use each turn. I think that your damage adjustment is good, considering this spell's utility and versatility in choosing targets.

I disagree with your choice of con saving throws. In the sunbeam spell, a con save is used because it is a wide beam of light, which presumably cant be dodged. This damage is piercing, which implies that it is a thin bolt of water.

Admittedly, ranged spell attacks would require too many dice rolls. But I think that a dex save would work well here.

As for the 1000gp cost for the spell, I'm still not sure why it exists. Usually, only spells with long term or particularly powerful effects have a material component with a cost. This is neither.

Again, I love the spell and I'll be adding it to my collection of homebrew stuff. I'm just nitpicking because its in my nature.

[Sicarius Victis]

So, it gives resistance to magical B/P/S damage? That doesn't seem right.

Why is the "attack" piercing? With what it is, particularly the stun effect, bludgeoning seems a lot more appropriate.

And seriously, there's no legitimate point to the material component besides being annoying. At that level, almost all adventurers will have tons of extra money to burn on these things, it's just unnecessarily annoying to have to go to the trouble of actually getting one.

[Minescratcher]

So, it gives resistance to magical B/P/S damage? That doesn't seem right.
Yeah. Changed.


Why is the "attack" piercing? With what it is, particularly the stun effect, bludgeoning seems a lot more appropriate.
When I wrote the spell I was thinking more of a waterjet cutter, but bludgeoning probably makes more sense.


And seriously, there's no legitimate point to the material component besides being annoying. At that level, almost all adventurers will have tons of extra money to burn on these things, it's just unnecessarily annoying to have to go to the trouble of actually getting one.
Removed it.