Forceful Blast

[rferries]

Gandalf and Saruman (https://youtu.be/TBMiyEzOJmI?t=3m29s) flinging each other around like rag-dolls, Giles sending Dark!Willow (https://youtu.be/X9cC6YdpDjM?t=46s) through a wall, or Hexadecimal knocking Daemon (https://youtu.be/T8hO44VsGaM?t=1h8m23s) into next week... here's the spell to duplicate those particular effects.

Forceful Blast, Lesser
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A bolt of pure force lashes from your outstretched hand, picking up your foe and hurling him away.

A ray of energy springs from your hand, eyes, or weapon, taking whatever appearance you choose (flames, ice, radiance, etc., or even no visible energy at all). You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to hit a creature, hurling it away from you in a straight line out to the spell's maximum range where it drops prone.

If the creature encounters a solid barrier at any point they both take 1d6 damage per caster level (maximum 5d6), and if this damage is sufficient to destroy the barrier the creature resumes its flight. A creature can break through multiple barriers in this way but never takes more than 5d6 points of damage itself from the spell.

This is a force effect and can therefore affect incorporeal creatures (though they generally pass through solid barriers unharmed).


Forceful Blast
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./ level)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

As lesser forceful blast, except as noted above and the creature and any barriers in its path can take a maximum damage of 15d6.


Forceful Blast, Greater
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

As lesser forceful blast, except as noted above and the creature and any barriers in its path can take a maximum damage of 20d6.

[Westhart]

hmm, the distance is pretty far... maybe a fort save to halve it?
Otherwise these look nice!

[rferries]

Meh, it's a single-target ray that only deals damage under specific conditions. Although it can remove a creature from combat it's not as powerful as a hold or sleep effect, IMHO.

[Lanth Sor]

This spell just makes me happy.

[jqavins]

Meh, it's a single-target ray that only deals damage under specific conditions. Although it can remove a creature from combat it's not as powerful as a hold or sleep effect, IMHO.
Who cares? It's cool!

Anyway, I'd suggest the following additions to the impact mechanic, though you may consider it too complicated to be worthwhile. Or you may wish to use parts of it.

The target will not take more damage than the obstacle can withstand. For example, if the damage roll yields 20 hp, but the obstacle is destroyed by 12 hp, then the target takes only 12.
If the obstacle is inherently dangerous, e.g. a wall of spikes, double the damage taken. In the example above, the obstacle would still be destroyed by 12 points, but the target would take 24.
The damage roll is not repeated if the target strikes another obstacle, and only "unused" damage is suffered. In the example above, on striking a second obstacle the target would take only 8 hp damage, since 12 points of the 20 hp rolled have already been "used up."

The computation of potential damage remaining is made before any damage multiplier, so the target above can take 8 additional points even after taking 24 points on the wall of spikes.


For each point of damage that the target takes while passing through an obstacle, reduce the subsequent distance it is thrown by 1 foot.


And finally, this:
Forceful Shove
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 15 ft.
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

As lesser forceful blast, except as noted above and the creature and any barriers in its path can take a maximum damage of 1d6.

[rferries]

Who cares? It's cool!

Anyway, I'd suggest the following additions to the impact mechanic, though you may consider it too complicated to be worthwhile. Or you may wish to use parts of it.

The target will not take more damage than the obstacle can withstand. For example, if the damage roll yields 20 hp, but the obstacle is destroyed by 12 hp, then the target takes only 12.
If the obstacle is inherently dangerous, e.g. a wall of spikes, double the damage taken. In the example above, the obstacle would still be destroyed by 12 points, but the target would take 24.
The damage roll is not repeated if the target strikes another obstacle, and only "unused" damage is suffered. In the example above, on striking a second obstacle the target would take only 8 hp damage, since 12 points of the 20 hp rolled have already been "used up."

The computation of potential damage remaining is made before any damage multiplier, so the target above can take 8 additional points even after taking 24 points on the wall of spikes.


For each point of damage that the target takes while passing through an obstacle, reduce the subsequent distance it is thrown by 1 foot.


And finally, this:
Forceful Shove
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 15 ft.
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

As lesser forceful blast, except as noted above and the creature and any barriers in its path can take a maximum damage of 1d6.


I had a VERY complicated write-up originally, before I realised that it would grind combat to a halt for the sake of realism haha (e.g. rolling d6's one by one until you dealt enough to break a barrier)...

How about:

"Any physical barrier (e.g. stone walls, a wall of ice, etc.) struck by the creature takes 1d6 damage per caster level (maximum 5d6), and deals an equal amount of damage to the creature (up to the barrier's maximum hit points). If the damage caused to a barrier shatters or breaks through it, the creature may continue beyond the barrier if the range permits; otherwise it stops at the barrier and falls prone.

A barrier that is particularly dangerous (e.g. spiked, a wall of ice or fire, etc.) deals damage as appropriate (e.g. as a spiked pit trap (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/traps.htm#cr2SpikedPitTrap), as for a creature passing through the wall, etc.) in addition to impact damage.

A creature can break through multiple barriers in this way but never takes more than 6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 30) from the combined impacts, though it may take additional damage from certain barriers as described above.

For every 5 points of damage that the target takes while passing through an obstacle, reduce the subsequent distance it is thrown by 10 feet.

A creature that completes its flight in midair falls straight down, taking falling damage as appropriate upon landing."

Forceful Shove is brilliant!