Fable Wright
2018-12-18, 11:52 PM
Hello, all! This is my first attempt at D&D 5e homebrew for spells, and I'm not 100% sure how to go about this. I'm planning on using effects like this for an elemental evil style game, and in the event my players want to do some spell research, I wanted to have some community feedback on spell effects to try and minimize the amount that I break things when this inevitably happens. Without further ado...
Fimbulvetr
8th level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-mile radius)
Components: V, S, M (a 500gp onyx carved into the shape of a hungry wolf's head, consumed)
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid
With a howl, you tear open the boundaries between the material plane and the realms of ice beyond, causing dramatic shifts in the local weather. Strong winds howling through the area force all flying creatures to spend four feet of movement for every one foot of movement that it moves, and must land at the end of its turn or fall.
The ground is perpetually covered in an icy slush, and is treated as difficult terrain unless the creature has an ability such as Spider Climb, Ice Walk, or Water Walk. Creatures immune to cold damage are also immune to this effect. Any creature hindered by this terrain must make a Dexterity save at the end of each turn or fall prone.
Over time, the wounds this spell inflicts to the material plane heal, usually over the course of a season, though this may be prolonged to a year or even indefinitely in climates already wintery, or surrounded by the effects of other Fimbulvetr spells. The effects of this spell do not move with the caster.
...To be 100% honest, I wanted an Instantaneous-duration spell that could ground fliers for prolonged periods of time. After seeing 3.5e's Fimbulwinter spell, I realized that (a) the ability to permanently alter weather patterns is awesome, and (b) that this does not necessarily step on Control Weather's toes, as it cannot improve conditions, control wind direction, or anything of the sort, and is overall far less flexible. It also cannot willingly be dropped if it's a hindrance.
I included text making certain categories of creatures immune to the effects in part because I very much like the idea of returning to a Fimbulvetr'd area and seeing how the ecology has changed, and in part to allow the DM to throw enemies at the PCs that are potentially able to abuse the effects worse than the players can.
Root of Yggdrasil
7th level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S, M (a sliver of root from a tree older than one thousand years, preserved in alchemical compounds worth at least 1500gp)
Range: Sight
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid
An immense mass of gnarled roots erupt vertically from the ground to imprison one or more creatures or objects that fit entirely within a 20ft cube that you can see within range. Creatures imprisoned in this manner are considered to be Restrained, and do not require food or water to survive as long as they remain within the prison.
A creature inside the cage can't leave it by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to leave the cage, it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature can use that magic to exit the prison. On a failure, the creature can't exit the prison, and automatically fails its next saving throw against this effect, but the spell or effect is not considered expended.
The roots are considered a plant creature with AC 18, 200 hit points, and immunity to all damage dealt by creatures imprisoned by the roots. They can be scaled with a DC 15 Athletics check, as though climbing a rock wall. If a creature or object in the cage is dealt damage from a source outside the prison, the roots suffer the same amount of damage.
I am running in an Eberron campaign where demons and devils are planned to become recurring enemies, as in the setting, evil reincarnates until it is bound. As of right now, Clerics are able to keep fiends imprisoned by means of keeping them in Forbiddance'd areas in mundane shackles, to shut down teleportation and other shenanigans. Wizards and Warlocks get Flesh to Stone for safer storage. However, Druids (and by extension the Eldeen Reaches at large) don't really have any way of permanent imprisonment, and I wanted to plug the gap.
This spell is designed along the lines of Irresistible Dance and Forcecage, with some out of combat utility. It's a no-save debuff, but one bypassable with Freedom of Movement. Unlike Forcecage or Dance, it can only allow the party to whittle away at the creatures so much—200 points of single target damage, with the creature able to fight back, or 100 points of area of effect damage, making Sickening Radiance or Cloudkill combos less crucial.
Thematic inspiration is from the Yggdrasil's roots imprisoning the Nidhoggr, which is admittedly not Eberron, but gives it some grounding in lore.
Lahar
6th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S
Range: 300ft
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid, Sorcerer
A wave of boiling mud erupts in a destructive tide erupts in an area in range that you can see. The area can be up to 60 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 5 feet tall. Each space within the area becomes difficult terrain, and each creature within this area of this point must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d12 Fire damage and 3d12 Bludgeoning damage and becomes Restrained by the muck. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not restrained. Buildings in this area take double damage, and may have their entrances or windows stuck in place, as determined by the GM.
A creature restrained by this spell may make a Strength or Dexterity check as an action against your spell DC. On a successful check, it is no longer restrained.
At higher levels: Increase the bludgeoning damage by 1d12 per spell level above 6th.
I am fundamentally disappointed in the fact that we have so many natural disasters in the world that the Druid class can't weaponize. Lahars are one of the parts of an eruption that are less absurdly lethal than the Pyroclastic Flow, and fit in with the area control + damage motif of the class. The effect is a scaled up Erupting Earth with a less attractive damage type at the benefit of a better area of effect and stronger area control than difficult terrain. If the effect should be restricted to higher levels, that would be great to know; the damage + restrained is similar to Bones of the Earth, if nearly twice the damage, because it doesn't create impassable walls that block LoS.
Fimbulvetr
8th level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-mile radius)
Components: V, S, M (a 500gp onyx carved into the shape of a hungry wolf's head, consumed)
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid
With a howl, you tear open the boundaries between the material plane and the realms of ice beyond, causing dramatic shifts in the local weather. Strong winds howling through the area force all flying creatures to spend four feet of movement for every one foot of movement that it moves, and must land at the end of its turn or fall.
The ground is perpetually covered in an icy slush, and is treated as difficult terrain unless the creature has an ability such as Spider Climb, Ice Walk, or Water Walk. Creatures immune to cold damage are also immune to this effect. Any creature hindered by this terrain must make a Dexterity save at the end of each turn or fall prone.
Over time, the wounds this spell inflicts to the material plane heal, usually over the course of a season, though this may be prolonged to a year or even indefinitely in climates already wintery, or surrounded by the effects of other Fimbulvetr spells. The effects of this spell do not move with the caster.
...To be 100% honest, I wanted an Instantaneous-duration spell that could ground fliers for prolonged periods of time. After seeing 3.5e's Fimbulwinter spell, I realized that (a) the ability to permanently alter weather patterns is awesome, and (b) that this does not necessarily step on Control Weather's toes, as it cannot improve conditions, control wind direction, or anything of the sort, and is overall far less flexible. It also cannot willingly be dropped if it's a hindrance.
I included text making certain categories of creatures immune to the effects in part because I very much like the idea of returning to a Fimbulvetr'd area and seeing how the ecology has changed, and in part to allow the DM to throw enemies at the PCs that are potentially able to abuse the effects worse than the players can.
Root of Yggdrasil
7th level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S, M (a sliver of root from a tree older than one thousand years, preserved in alchemical compounds worth at least 1500gp)
Range: Sight
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid
An immense mass of gnarled roots erupt vertically from the ground to imprison one or more creatures or objects that fit entirely within a 20ft cube that you can see within range. Creatures imprisoned in this manner are considered to be Restrained, and do not require food or water to survive as long as they remain within the prison.
A creature inside the cage can't leave it by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to leave the cage, it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature can use that magic to exit the prison. On a failure, the creature can't exit the prison, and automatically fails its next saving throw against this effect, but the spell or effect is not considered expended.
The roots are considered a plant creature with AC 18, 200 hit points, and immunity to all damage dealt by creatures imprisoned by the roots. They can be scaled with a DC 15 Athletics check, as though climbing a rock wall. If a creature or object in the cage is dealt damage from a source outside the prison, the roots suffer the same amount of damage.
I am running in an Eberron campaign where demons and devils are planned to become recurring enemies, as in the setting, evil reincarnates until it is bound. As of right now, Clerics are able to keep fiends imprisoned by means of keeping them in Forbiddance'd areas in mundane shackles, to shut down teleportation and other shenanigans. Wizards and Warlocks get Flesh to Stone for safer storage. However, Druids (and by extension the Eldeen Reaches at large) don't really have any way of permanent imprisonment, and I wanted to plug the gap.
This spell is designed along the lines of Irresistible Dance and Forcecage, with some out of combat utility. It's a no-save debuff, but one bypassable with Freedom of Movement. Unlike Forcecage or Dance, it can only allow the party to whittle away at the creatures so much—200 points of single target damage, with the creature able to fight back, or 100 points of area of effect damage, making Sickening Radiance or Cloudkill combos less crucial.
Thematic inspiration is from the Yggdrasil's roots imprisoning the Nidhoggr, which is admittedly not Eberron, but gives it some grounding in lore.
Lahar
6th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S
Range: 300ft
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid, Sorcerer
A wave of boiling mud erupts in a destructive tide erupts in an area in range that you can see. The area can be up to 60 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 5 feet tall. Each space within the area becomes difficult terrain, and each creature within this area of this point must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d12 Fire damage and 3d12 Bludgeoning damage and becomes Restrained by the muck. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not restrained. Buildings in this area take double damage, and may have their entrances or windows stuck in place, as determined by the GM.
A creature restrained by this spell may make a Strength or Dexterity check as an action against your spell DC. On a successful check, it is no longer restrained.
At higher levels: Increase the bludgeoning damage by 1d12 per spell level above 6th.
I am fundamentally disappointed in the fact that we have so many natural disasters in the world that the Druid class can't weaponize. Lahars are one of the parts of an eruption that are less absurdly lethal than the Pyroclastic Flow, and fit in with the area control + damage motif of the class. The effect is a scaled up Erupting Earth with a less attractive damage type at the benefit of a better area of effect and stronger area control than difficult terrain. If the effect should be restricted to higher levels, that would be great to know; the damage + restrained is similar to Bones of the Earth, if nearly twice the damage, because it doesn't create impassable walls that block LoS.