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Altrunchen
2017-12-30, 10:40 PM
Introduction:
A long, long while ago I made a dungeon full of magical explosives that would cause characters to be knocked down, blinded, stunned, and deafened in addition to taking fire, force, and sonic damage. The intent was for explosions to be treated somewhat realistically. It made for a VERY dangerous variety of trap that the group was very cautious about attempting to disarm thereafter. And I'd say that it shook things up a bit in the campaign.

Some time after that, a friend of mine who is very fond of the character Megumin (http://konosuba.wikia.com/wiki/Megumin) from the anime KonoSuba (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KonoSuba) brought up how she enjoyed playing a young female-mage who would cast highly destructive spells. This got me thinking that maybe I should just make a spell based on all the traps I had and throw it up on the wiki. So that's exactly what I did. Hope you enjoy!

Premise:
A magical spell that creates a somewhat realistic explosion with somewhat realistic effects. Meaning that both objects and creatures get damaged among other things. If you decide to use it then you're better off not using it indoors or when your enemies are already in battle...or even close to the enemies. And it will also probably destroy any treasure the enemies had on them too, or even collapse part of the building if you cast it indoors. I don't suggest casting it indoors.

Explosion (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Explosion_(3.5e_Spell))
Evocation [Fire, Force, Sonic]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: Full-Round Action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: 60-ft.-radius spread; See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half; See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You cause a massive explosion that deals fire, force, and sonic damage to both creatures and to objects. You channel your arcane powers into a mighty spell at a target location that you can both see and focus on for a full round. Then, pointing both palms at the target location, you unleash a devastating magical explosion. A glowing, tangerine-sized bead streaks from the midpoint between the pointed palms and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range, blossoms into the explosion at that point. (An early impact results in an early detonation.) If you attempt to send the bead through a narrow passage, such as through an arrow slit, you must “hit” the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the bead strikes the barrier and detonates prematurely.

Medium or smaller creatures within the target area are shunted 5 feet per caster level away from the epicenter of the spell's effect and are knocked prone. If they collide with an obstruction such as a wall or a rock, then they take falling damage equal to the distance that they were shunted past said obstruction. For instance, if a kobold is shunted 20 feet into a wall that is 5 feet away, then they take 15 feet worth of falling damage.

All creatures within the target area must succeed on a reflex saving throw or take 1d6 fire damage per caster level, 1d8 force damage per caster level, and 1d4 sonic damage per two caster levels. Affected creatures must also succeed on a fortitude saving throw or be blinded, deafened, and stunned for 1 turn per caster level.

Objects, structures, carried equipment, and the like are also damaged by the spell. Additionally the spell has a 60% chance of igniting flammable materials in the target area, causing mundane fires as a result.

Creatures within 120 feet of the epicenter of of the explosion (but not within the target area) must succeed on a fortitude saving throw to negate being deafened for 1 turn per two caster levels. Also, creatures within 1 mile of the affected area may make a DC 8 listen check to determine the location/direction of the explosion, the DC increases by 2 for every mile thereafter. After the spell's effect occurs a cloud of smoke that is 100 ft per caster level tall rises from the affected area.

It should be noted that the spell has the capacity to damage if not destroy small buildings and as a result it can cause for the battlefield to be littered with rubble, resulting in parts of it being considered difficult terrain.

Material Component: One pound of red dragon guano (50 gp), two teaspoons of sulfur, one teaspoon of magnesium filings, and one tablespoon of saltpeter mixed evenly and rolled into a ball the size of a tangerine while exposed to direct sunlight for at least an hour.

Indoor Casting:
If the spell is cast indoors then, in addition to the spells normal effects, the space is filled with a 60 ft radius sphere of mundane smoke that gives all creatures within it concealment until the cloud dissipates due to air circulation or to other means. Additionally all creatures within 240 feet of the spell's epicenter (but not in the directly affected area) must succeed on a fortitude save to negate being deafened for 1 turn per caster level.

Underwater Casting:
If this spell is cast in aquatic terrain then affected creatures and objects take 1d4 fire damage per two caster levels, 1d8 force damage per caster level, and 1d6 sonic damage per caster level instead of the regular damage rolls. Affected creatures are also shunted 5 feet per two caster levels away from the epicenter of the explosion instead. Additionally, the spell creates a sphere of mundane bubbles (instead of smoke) in the affected area, granting all creatures within it concealment until the bubbles dissipate. Furthermore, all creatures within 480 feet of the spell's epicenter (but not in the directly affected area) must succeed on a fortitude save to negate being deafened for 1 turn per caster level.

Altrunchen
2018-12-31, 02:21 PM
So I have an update about this spell.

In a campaign we used it on about 6 minotaurs who were guarding a horde of treasure in a maze. The party used a silent image spell to make an image of an attractive minotaur, lured the horde out of the room and down a hallway away from the group. When they were about to round a corner, the group let the spell loose. It overkilled (meaning it's >= (maxhp+10)*-1 hp) several of the minotaurs and had the other ones set to dying. This spell is basically a bazooka.

ngilop
2019-01-01, 01:25 AM
So I have an update about this spell.

In a campaign we used it on about 6 minotaurs who were guarding a horde of treasure in a maze. The party used a silent image spell to make an image of an attractive minotaur, lured the horde out of the room and down a hallway away from the group. When they were about to round a corner, the group let the spell loose. It overkilled (meaning it's >= (maxhp+10)*-1 hp) several of the minotaurs and had the other ones set to dying. This spell is basically a bazooka.

You basically made fireball, but on steroids with 3 different types of damage die.


Just copy fireball ( including the radius) and make it do d4 of each type, that is still 3d4 per level (which is higher than the 2d5 of disintegrate on average) and it is easier for people to keep track of instead of having 3 different damage types.

Darth Ultron
2019-01-01, 02:31 PM
The three different damage types are a bit of a problem.

The spell does allow for one Reflex save per damage type, right? It's not one save for all three types of damage. With no damage cap, that can be a lot of damage even if a save is made. 10d8 force damage alone, for a 20d8 20th level caster is a lot....and this spell would still do even more fire and sonic damage.

And there is no save for being tossed around?

The deaf, blind and stunned for several turns is way too much.

Why only 60% to burn things? Fireball is 100%, right?

Does the ''carried equipment" line mean the spell somehow destroys any and all attended items on a character no matter the saving throws?

It's a good over powered crazy spell, worthy of a post at the D&D Wiki.

rferries
2019-01-02, 02:05 AM
The verisimilitude (being knocked down by the spell) is great, but as others have said it's too much damage.

I would refluff it to 1d6 fire damage per level, then taking an additional 1d6 damage for every 10 feet a creature is hurled away from the blast (as if they were "falling").