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View Full Version : The Wrath of Someone-You've-Never-Heard-Of [spell]



arguskos
2008-07-23, 04:14 PM
Malygnus' Shattering Obelisk
Conjuration/Necromancy
Level: Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft+10 ft/level)
Target: One humanoid, and a 20 ft radius area
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Special, see spell description.
Spell Resistance: No

Malygnus' final work, the mage thought. What a joke. It was barely having any effect on the subject of the test... wait. What was this? The subject didn't escape yet? *BOOM* And then the obelisk exploded? Hmm... perhaps old man Malygnus was smarter than he looked....

Malygnus' Shattering Obelisk is the last spell the grand archmage Malygnus crafted before being taken by Those in the Dark. It conjures an obelisk over the target, entombing them in a tower of black, energy draining and body crushing stone, before exploding for the final nail in the target's coffin.

Casting: There is no save against being affected to begin with.
Round 1: The target must make a Fortitude save, or be trapped inside the obelisk, and takes 3d6 crushing damage (Fort neg, and ends the spell).
Round 2: The target must make a Will save, or gain 1d4 negative levels. Success does not free them from the obelisk. Either way, they take an additional 2d6 crushing damage.
Round 3: The obelisk explodes, dealing the target a final 1d6 crushing damage, and forcing Reflex saves from everyone in the area or take 5d6 piercing damage and 1 negative level (if, made, save halves the damage and negs the negative level).



Ok, so, that's the spell. First things first: it's not an easily accesable spell, so it's probably a little powerful for 5th level. Second, forgive my HORRIBLE prose at the beginning. I just wanted to fool about a bit. Third, thoughts? Comments? Constructive criticisms welcome. :)

Thanks, and look for more amusing spells in the future.

-argus

JoshuaZ
2008-07-23, 09:23 PM
Too powerful for 5th level certainly. The first save makes more sense as reflex rather than fortitude. If I am correct in presuming that you wanted one save of each type you could arguably make the first save a will save since it is an obelisk forming around the person and then make the second save a fortitude save. In general, saving against negative levels is a fortitude save.

Also the negative levels: Are these drained or temporary? This needs specifying.

Regardless this is more than a 5th level spell. In comparison, Enervation requires making a ranged touch attack to do 1d4 negative levels with no save with a range of close. On the other hand, this allows saves before that and a save to completely negate but has other effects. I'd probably make this at least 6th level, but 6 or 7 is probably ok.

Baron Corm
2008-07-24, 12:42 AM
Well, enervation is a 4th level spell, and a ranged touch attack is a lot easier to hit with against most monsters than a Fortitude save spell. Ice storm, a 5th level spell, does more damage in one round, to multiple creatures, at a longer range, with no save. This spell does much more than either if your save DCs are high enough, though. A huge selling point for the spell is that it completely incapacitates a creature for 3 rounds, if I'm reading it right. The whole being trapped in the obelisk thing is a better effect than the being crushed by it. All of that considered, I think it could be any spell level from 5-7. It has a lot of different effects with a number of drawbacks so it's hard to place.

Looking forwards to more amusing spells like this :smallsmile:

Edit: Wow, didn't see, it doesn't allow Spell Resistance. The obelisk seems pretty magical to me, I would allow Spell Resistance. Otherwise, definitely level 6 or 7, leaning towards 7.

arguskos
2008-07-24, 10:20 AM
The feel I was going for was the whole, "Last Huzzah of an Archmage" feel. It's meant to sorta play across the board, and touch on lots of weaknesses (hence, the triple saves thing, and the multi-school thing). However, I can see how it's a little too powerful atm.

Perhaps...

Malygnus' Shattering Obelisk
Conjuration/Necromancy
Level: Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft+10 ft/level)
Target: One humanoid, and a 20 ft radius area
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Special, see spell description.
Spell Resistance: Yes

Malygnus' final work, the mage thought. What a joke. It was barely having any effect on the subject of the test... wait. What was this? The subject didn't escape yet? *BOOM* And then the obelisk exploded? Hmm... perhaps old man Malygnus was smarter than he looked....

Malygnus' Shattering Obelisk is the last spell the grand archmage Malygnus crafted before being taken by Those in the Dark. It conjures an obelisk over the target, entombing them in a tower of black, energy draining and body crushing stone, before exploding for the final nail in the target's coffin.

Casting: There is no save against being affected to begin with, though spell resistance applies.
Round 1: The target must make a Reflex save, or be trapped inside the obelisk, and takes 3d6 crushing damage (Ref neg, and ends the spell).
Round 2: The target must make a Fortitude save, or gain 2 negative levels. Success does not free them from the obelisk. Either way, they take an additional 2d6 crushing damage. The negative levels are temporary, and go away after 24 hours.
Round 3: The obelisk explodes, dealing the target a final 1d6 crushing damage, and forcing Reflex saves from everyone in the area or take 5d6 piercing damage (Ref half).


There, that version gives SR, changes the saves around a little bit, and gives the target two chances to get out of the obelisk, otherwise, it traps them for the full 3 rounds. I specified the negative levels are temporary as well (an oversight on my part, thanks for catching it :smallwink:). It's still got a feel I like too, since it's still a fairly powerful spell I think, and pretty fun ("I trapped you in an obelisk. You suck. :P")

-argus