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Dhavaer
2007-12-29, 06:00 AM
Anbaric Stroke
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Arcane 2; Components: V, S; Casting Time: Attack Action; Range: Short; Target: One creature or object; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: Reflex half; Spell Resistance: See text

The caster sweeps a hand through the air, and it ionises and discharges with a bright flash and a thunderous crack. The target takes 1d6 + 1d6/3 caster levels (maximum 4d6) electricity damage. In addition, if a subject of up to one size category larger than you fails a Strength check (DC equal to the save DC of this spell), the driving force of the blast pushes it back 5 feet plus another 5 feet for every 5 points of damage it takes. If a wall or other solid object prevents the subject from being pushed back, the subject instead slams into the object and takes an extra 1d6 + 1d6/3 caster levels (maximum 4d6) points of concussion damage from the impact (no save). The movement caused by anbaric stroke does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Objects automatically fail their strength checks to resist this movement; however, objects affixed to another surface may be prevented from moving.

Altair_the_Vexed
2007-12-29, 06:59 AM
Cool!

...but I'd say drop the "knock back" effect or raise the spell level to 3rd. I'd also seriously reduce the concussion damage from the knock back - say to 1d6 + 1 per level - no matter what you do.
(I'd rather keep the knock back and raise the level - cause the knock back is a cool idea.)

Here's why:
What you've got here is a short range Lightning Bolt spell with an extra effect and slightly reduced damage. The knock back effect makes the spell more desirable to high level casters than Lightning Bolt. Lightning Bolt's damage maxes out at 10d6, so the loss of 4d6 damage to gain the knock back effect - including its extra damage, which could take your total damage higher than the Lightning Bolt spell maximum. What intelligent caster isn't going to exploit the concussion damage effect?

Dhavaer
2007-12-29, 05:23 PM
Note that this is exactly the same as the energy push psionic power, without the option to change energy types, the bonus to save DC and SR penetration and a shorter range. It's also not a ray, but energy push shouldn't be a ray either.

FlyMolo
2007-12-29, 05:41 PM
Also, I think Anberic should be spelled Anbaric, if your inspiration for the spelling is His Dark Materials. Collision damage is almost always 1d6 per square of travel forgone.

Dhavaer
2007-12-29, 07:12 PM
Thanks for that, I couldn't find the spelling when I looked for it.

Altair_the_Vexed
2007-12-29, 07:27 PM
Note that this is exactly the same as the energy push psionic power, without the option to change energy types, the bonus to save DC and SR penetration and a shorter range. It's also not a ray, but energy push shouldn't be a ray either.

Not really it isn't. Your spell is far more powerful than the power Energy Push.

With Energy Push, you have to expend extra power points to get more damage. Under the standard PHB magic system, this is more the equivalent of expending higher spell slots than it is equivalent to a higher caster level.

Also, as the writers of Energy Push made it a ray (thus forcing a ranged touch attack from the psionicist, as well as the save for half damage), you have two chances to suck when using this power, whereas your Anberic / Anbaric Stroke spell only has one.

I mean, I like it: but I think it should be nerfed or bumped up a level.

Dhavaer
2007-12-29, 09:11 PM
Energy push, except for the cold version, doesn't work as a ray [url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#rays]because it has a reflex save; since anbaric stroke is based on the electric version, it has a reflex save and can't be a ray.

The damage is probably too high, though, I'll slow down the scaling.