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Jack_Simth
2007-12-24, 06:14 PM
These spell fixes (only Core spells are being considered, for the moment) are designed to weaken the Wizard without either removing the flavor of the spells nor weakening the Wizard beyond playability. This is also intended to make Charisma mechanically useful for everyone ... how well will they do the job? Also, am I being sufficiently clear on what I mean? Did I miss any of the "broken" core Sor/Wiz spells?


Detect Magic:
Does not automatically locate magical traps, but does entitle the caster for a Search Check with a bonus of 1/2 the caster level (max +5) for magic traps in the area as a rogue who was actively looking for traps. No bonus to the check (so the Human Wizard-6 with an Int of 20 (+5 modifier) and no ranks in Search using Detect Magic to check an area for magic traps needs to roll an 18 to find a basic Alarm trap - but can do so).


Charm Person:
On a failed save, applies a number of Charm Points equal to twice the spell level for the duration to the target. Any creature with a number of Charm Points from any one caster equal to their Hit Dice plus their Charisma modifier is charmed as normal.

Color Spray:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of how badly the spell effects them.

Sleep:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Web:
1) If you make your reflex save, you are not Entangled.
2) Moving in a Web: To move five feet, you need a Strength or Escape Artist check, DC 15. To move at half your speed, it's DC 20. To move at full speed, it's DC 25.

Glitterdust:
Does not cause blindness.

Hideous Laughter:
On a failed save, applies a number of "Laughing points" equal to twice the spell level (so for a bard, it applies 2 points; for the Wizard, it's four; Heighten Spell increases this) that last for 1 round per caster level. Any character who's total "Laughing points" equal or exceed their hit dice + their Charisma modifier are affected as normal for the spell.
E.g: Fred, the 1st level Commoner, fails a save against a Wizard-3's Hideous Laughter spell. He picks up four "Laughing Points" that last for three rounds. As he's got a Charisma of 10, he can only handle one "Laughing Point", so he's stuck laughing. When Amy, the 4th level Sorceress with Charisma-18 fails the save against the same spell, she only has four Laughing Points, but continues to function (she can deal with as many as 7; a 8th puts her down). If she fails her save against a second casting while the first is still in effect, however, she's out of the fight until one of them expires.

Knock: Lets the caster make an Open Lock check untrained, and grants a bonus to the check of 1/2 the caster level.

Hypnotic Pattern:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Blindness/Deafness:
On a failed save, applies a number of Blindness or Deafness points to the target equal to twice the spell level (spell level 2, 4 points, by default). When a creature has a number of Blindness or Deafness points equal to or greater than their Hit Dice plus their Charisma modifier, they can no longer see/hear. Before then, each Blindness/Deafness point accrued applies a penalty to Spot/Listen equal to the number of points.

Pyrotechnics:
The caster must also save, at the same DC, regardless of whether or not the caster would normally be in the affected area.

Rope Trick:
New Duration: 10 minutes/level.

Alter Self:
Variant Summoning. When you become a creature, you become that creature for the duration, minus . You do not maintain any items, active spells (they are suppressed for the duration), class features, ex abilities, supernatural abilities, or any other abilities from your normal form, regardless of how they were obtained. You gain all statistics of the form you turn into, but do not get any Extraordinary, Supernatural, or Spell-Like special qualities, nor do you gain any Supernatural or Spell-like attacks, nor any spellcasting abilities (nor do you get any related abilities, such as Psionics, Truenaming, Incarnum, or Shadow Magic). You maintain your alignment and motivations only. If you had a specific plan in mind before assuming a different form, you are entitled to an Int check (at the creature's Int) DC 10, to remember it. All HP damage, Ability Damage, negative levels, and Ability Drain dealt to your normal form applies to your altered form, and vice-versa. Death of the altered form reverts you back to normal (and as all damage applied in the altered form applies to your normal form, this could quite easily kill you). You may assume a form of your own type only, of a CR less than or equal to yours, to a maximum CR of 5.

Explosive Runes:
Damage doesn't stack from multiple sets detonated simultaneously. An explosive rune on an object that is physically destroyed does not take effect (as the document is now unreadable).

Stinking Cloud:
On a failed save, applies a number of Nausea Points to the character equal to twice the spell level (it is normally a 3rd level spell, so 6 Nausea points, but Heighten Spell can increase this) that last for as long as the character remains in the cloud and 1d4+1 rounds thereafter. Any character in the cloud must save every round. Any character whose Nausea points that equal or exceed their Hit Dice plus their Charisma modifier are Nauseated as normal for the spell.

Arcane Sight:
Inherits changes from Detect Magic; this time, the maximum Search Bonus is +10.

Hold Person:
On a failed save, applies a self-stacking Dexterity penalty equal to twice the spell level for the duration (or until another Will save is successful, but it does take a full-round action to attempt to break loose).

Deep Slumber:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of how badly or if the spell effects them.

Wind Wall:
Applies a penalty to the attack roll of anything fired through it equal to the twice the spell level.

Tiny Hut:
It is translucent, rather than opaque. Those inside are granted Concealment from those outside, but their position is known (but the Concealment does permit a Hide check, as normal).

Black Tentacles:
The tentacles are treated as Medium creatures, and their BAB caps at +10. Thus, their grapple check is equal to your caster level +4, max +14

Charm Monster:
Inherits from Charm Person.

Solid Fog:
Those inside are entitled to a Strength check to move faster than the spell normally permits. DC 20 for half speed, DC 25 for full speed. Ranged attacks are possible, but suffer a -2 penalty to attack and damage for each five feet of Solid Fog it passes through.

Confusion:
The victim is entitled to an additional Will save each round after the first to ignore the effect for that round only.

Geas, Lesser:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Phantasmal Killer:
Failing both saves is not instant death - it's 2d6 damage per caster level, max 20d6.

Rainbow Pattern:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Polymorph:
Inherits from Alter Self except as noted in the spell description; max CR is 10, and cannot exceed the subject's CR -1.

Dominate Person:
On a failed save, applies a number of Domination Points equal to twice the spell level for the duration to the target. Any creature with a number of Domination Points from any one caster equal to their Hit Dice plus their Charisma modifier is Dominated as normal.

Hold Monster:
Inherits from Hold Person.

Contingency:
Never has any more information than the caster has; thus, for example, if the caster has a Contingency for "just before I walk into an Antimagic Field" the Contingency will only go off if the caster knows about the Antimagic Field.

Circle of Death:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Eyebite:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Undeath to Death:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them.

Flesh to Stone:
On a failed save, applies a number of Stoning Points equal to twice the spell level. Any character with more Stoning Points than their Hit Dice plus their Constitution Modifier is Petrified. Stoning Points act as a penalty to Dexterity until full Petrification occurs.

Stone to Flesh:
Removes all Stoning Points. Anyone returning from full petrification is subject to the Fort save as normal.

Arcane Sight, Greater:
As Arcane Sight, but the maximum Search bonus is +15.

Insanity:
Every round, someone so affected is permitted a Will save (at the original save DC) to act normally for that round.

Prismatic X:
Green: Affects the target as though by Cloudkill
Blue: Affects the target as though by Flesh to Stone

Finger of Death:
Deals 1d6 Con damage per three levels, a successful Fort save reduces that to 3d6 plus 1 per level HP damage.

Waves of Exhaustion:
Fort Partial. Those who succeed on their saves are merely Fatigued.

Reverse Gravity:
Will Negates

Sunburst:
The Blinding effect is instead twice the spell level in Blinding points on a failed save (see Blindness/Deafness)

Scintillating Pattern:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of how badly the spell effects them.
Will Negates if you are treated as having at least 13 HD for purposes of this spell.

Polymorph Any Object:
Inherits from Polymorph except as noted in the spell description; maximum CR of the assumed form is the caster level, target's CR-2, or 15, whichever is lowest.

Trap the Soul:
If positive, every creature gets a number of virtual hit dice equal to their Charisma modifier for purposes of determining if the spell effects them, and how big of a gem is required. Duplicating the spell through means that would not normally require the material component still requires the material component.

Mage's Disjunction:
The caster makes a Dispel check (1d20+caster level, no limit) against each item and spell effect in the area, vs. DC 11 + caster level of the spell or item. Items so dispelled remain inactive for 1d4 hours.

Gate:
The calling function does not exist. Use the Summon Monster line for one-fight critters, or the Planar Binding line for longer duration service.

Shapechange:
Maximum CR is your CR minus three. Inherits as noted in the spell description, otherwise.

Power Word line:
Subjects have additional HP equal to their Charisma Modifier times their Hit Dice for purposes of determining how and if these spells affect them.

Planar Binding Line:
Subjects are restricted as are Summoned Monsters in what they will do for you (so no Planar Binding an Efreeti for Wishes, for instance).