Let there be Light! (light spells)

[rferries]

Positive Energy Aura, Minor
Evocation [Light]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Sun 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 24 hours
Range: Touch
Area: 40-ft. radius emanating from the touched point
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You call upon the energies of the Positive Energy Plane, enchanting a building or site with the minor positive-dominant planar trait. The area becomes characterised by a riotous explosion of life in all its forms. Colors are brighter, fires are hotter, noises are louder, and sensations are more intense as a result of the positive energy swirling through the area. All living individuals in the area gain fast healing 2 as an extraordinary ability, whereas all undead creatures take 2 points of damage for each round of exposure.

Focus
Diamond dust scattered over the area (worth at least 1,000 gp).

Corona
Evocation [Light]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6, Sun 6
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Object touched
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: Reflex negates and Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You enchant an amulet or crown with the power of the sun, causing it to radiate bright light and harm creatures around you.

The item radiates a daylight effect, save that the light is the equivalent of daylight for the purposes of creatures that are damaged or destroyed by bright light.

At the end of each of your turns, each creature within 5 feet of the item (other than its bearer) is affected as if struck by a sunbeam spell.

You may remove or don the item as you wish (or even give it to another creature), and the spell effect is always centred around it. A creature cannot wear another magic item in the same body slot while it is wearing the item.

Corona dispels any darkness spells of less than 6th level in its area.

Focus
A golden sunburst amulet set with a gem enchanted with continual flame, or a circlet of the same make (worth 135 gp in either case).

True Sunburst
Evocation [Light]
Level: Sor/Wiz 9, Sun 9
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 80 ft.
Effect: 80-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

A globe of searing radiance surrounds you and moves with you. Creatures within 80 feet of you are dazzled and must succeed on a Fortitude save each round or be permanently blinded. This is treated as a gaze attack (though you cannot take a standard action to target a creature with the effect). The area is as bright as daylight, with dim light extending for a further 80 feet beyond the area.

At the end of each of your turns, all other creatures in the area take 6d6 points of damage (or half damage on a successful Reflex save). A creature to which sunlight is harmful or unnatural takes double damage.

An undead creature caught within the globe instead takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 25d6), or half damage if a Reflex save is successful. In addition, the sunburst results in the destruction of any undead creature specifically harmed by bright light if it fail its save.

The ultraviolet light generated by the spell deals damage to fungi, mold, oozes, and slimes just as if they were undead creatures.

Greater sunburst automatically counters and dispels any darkness and negative energy effects within its area (even supernatural abilities or areas with the negative-dominant planar trait).

Focus
A large diamond enchanted with continual flame (worth at least 5,000 gp).

[Westhart]

I would reduce corona's duration to 1 min/level Nevermind, it is probably fine.
I would also say that True sunburst also negates spells of 9th or lower so you can not negate a theoretical 12th level spell...

[ericgrau]

Major Postive Energy Aura is the sort of thing that's too weak for its level in the hands of PCs while too strong in the hands of a town. Adventurers will want it as a 2nd or 3rd level spell without such an expensive material component. Armies would gladly have all their wounds healed as a 7th level spell with a 2,000+ gp material component. Especially one where the caster doesn't even need to stick around.

The usual way to fix this is to ditch the unlimited part, the duration, so that armies can't abuse it. And make it more practical for an adventuring party with a lower casting time. Then it could be a 3rd level spell.

Corona has the similar issue of being an auto kill against vampires. Suddenly high level vampires no longer exist without an easily accessible anti sunlight spell. Yet against others it's so-so. Solution: either remove the true sunlight part, or make a <=6th level True Sunblock spell with an hour/level duration. Notify every vampire player/DM of its existence in such a way that affects the world plot. Because defenses don't matter if they aren't being used.

True sunburst seems reasonable for its level.

[rferries]

I would reduce corona's duration to 1 min/level Nevermind, it is probably fine.
I would also say that True sunburst also negates spells of 9th or lower so you can not negate a theoretical 12th level spell...

I had originally written it as 9th level or lower, but I also wanted to add the "permanently removes negative-dominant areas, suppresses nightshade auras" etc and they don't have an effective spell level. If it helps, think of the "unlimited" suppressing abilities of antimagic field; this is just a darkness-specific version of that.


Major Postive Energy Aura is the sort of thing that's too weak for its level in the hands of PCs while too strong in the hands of a town. Adventurers will want it as a 2nd or 3rd level spell without such an expensive material component. Armies would gladly have all their wounds healed as a 7th level spell with a 2,000+ gp material component. Especially one where the caster doesn't even need to stick around.

The usual way to fix this is to ditch the unlimited part, the duration, so that armies can't abuse it. And make it more practical for an adventuring party with a lower casting time. Then it could be a 3rd level spell.

Corona has the similar issue of being an auto kill against vampires. Suddenly high level vampires no longer exist without an easily accessible anti sunlight spell. Yet against others it's so-so. Solution: either remove the true sunlight part, or make a <=6th level True Sunblock spell with an hour/level duration. Notify every vampire player/DM of its existence in such a way that affects the world plot. Because defenses don't matter if they aren't being used.

True sunburst seems reasonable for its level.

1) Positive Aura: Yeah, I did a quick calculation for a reactivating trap/use-activated magic item of cure minor wounds and figured the spell had appropriate level/cost to duplicate it. It's intended as a flavour spell - set it up in your genesis plane, or in the church of your solar deity, rather than use it for combat benefits.

2) Corona: Yes, there would have to be equal and opposite darkness spells for each of the light spells listed here.

3) True Sunburst: It's easy to balance 9th-level spells, since they're all broken already you can make them do almost anything :D

[ericgrau]

1) Ah if the intent is non-combat then go for 7th level and, let's say, 4,000 gp material component. At minimum. Even then it's going to have a major impact on the society when every poor injured person takes a wagon ride to the closest big city for healing. It's effectively a 4,910 gp heavily guarded dispellable asset... as expensive as that is to a commoner it's still about the same cost as a house for an injury free society. So it still reshapes the entire campaign world. Hmm... maybe 8th level and 10,000 gp.

[rferries]

I've edited it (range, etc.) to be more in line with hallow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hallow.htm). I definitely don't think it needs a bump in level - remember that commoners/low-level soldiers etc. will be mostly or fully healed just by natural healing each day (and it's not like they can conveniently get wounded in the front lines, hustle back for healing, and run back out again haha), to say nothing of Heal checks.