Help me develop this spell

[W3bDragon]

I've been talking to a player friend of mine and we're thinking of developing a new spell for a future character he wants to play.

The spell should have the following function: It should allow the caster, when using a reach weapon, to threaten and attack the 5' ft range around him that his reach weapon wouldn't normally cover.

I know, I know. There are a few ways to do this with feats. However, for various reasons, we'd rather do it with a 1st level spell. This is what I've come up with:

Scorpion Sting

Transmutation
Level: Ranger 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Touch
Target: One melee reach weapon
Duration: 1 minute/level(D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

The weapon in your grip becomes segmented and feels almost alive, coiling and writhing in your hands in anticipation for blood.

The spell allows the target reach weapon to threaten a 5 foot radius around the wielder just like a non-reach weapon would. The wielder of the weapon can use it to attack targets in adjacent squares as well as take attacks of opportunity triggered by targets in those squares. The spell does not allow more attacks of opportunity than the wielder would normally get. The affected weapon can still threaten and attack at its normal range.

I've used the spell Arrow Mind as a model and power measure. Arrow mind grants threat, attacks of opportunity, as well as negating the AoO for firing a bow in melee. In comparison, this spell seems balanced. Perhaps even a bit on the weak side.

Any ideas or constructive critique would be very appreciated.

[Zom B]

Scorpion Sting

The weapon in your grip becomes segmented and feels almost alive, coiling and writhing in your hands in anticipation for blood.

[W3bDragon]

Scorpion Sting

The weapon in your grip becomes segmented and feels almost alive, coiling and writhing in your hands in anticipation for blood.

Thanks. That's a pretty good title and fluff. Editing the first post.

[Itous]

Scorpion Sting

Transmutation
Level: Ranger 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Touch
Target: One melee reach weapon
Duration: 1 minute/level(D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

The weapon in your grip becomes segmented and feels almost alive, coiling and writhing in your hands in anticipation for blood.

The spell allows the target reach weapon to threaten a 5 foot radius around the wielder just like a non-reach weapon would. The wielder of the weapon can use it to attack targets in adjacent squares as well as take attacks of opportunity triggered by targets in those squares. The spell does not allow more attacks of opportunity than the wielder would normally get. The affected weapon can still threaten and attack at its normal range.


right ok here we go.

the school of magic and spell level is perfect, so thumbs up for that.
Componants you need V AND M if you just had it verbal you could turn your hand into a stinger or what ever the cosmetic effect is, so the material componant would be "weapon held"
range wouldn't be there
Target would be "self"
Duratrion 1 minute per level is WAY to long for a first level spell it should be 1 round per level or if your looking for a longer lasting spell, have it as "concentration"

Saving throw: no
Spell resistance: no

the reason why you have no spell resistance and no saving throw is because lets say you have a repeating cross bow, you turn it into a melee based scorpian sting you are proficant with, you have not cast a spell on anyone else but an inatimate object and as a result does not get spell resistance if you stick it into someone, i belive mordiankenan's magic sword does, but its been a while since i've looked at it.

also your casting time should be "1 standard action" an immediate action is something you can do when its not your turn


so here we go.

Scorpion Sting

Transmutation
Level: Ranger 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Duration: 1 Round/level
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

The weapon in your grip becomes segmented and feels almost alive, coiling and writhing in your hands in anticipation for blood.

The spell allows the target reach weapon to threaten a 5 foot radius around the wielder just like a non-reach weapon would. The wielder of the weapon can use it to attack targets in adjacent squares as well as take attacks of opportunity triggered by targets in those squares. The spell does not allow more attacks of opportunity than the wielder would normally get. The affected weapon can still threaten and attack at its normal range.



other then a few mistakes in the main section it looks pretty good to me

i hope this has helped, if you need more spells written feel free to pm me.

Itous

[lesser_minion]

The version without the material component, where the weapon was a target, was fine.

There's no need to make the weapon into a material component, and doing so actually makes the spell worthless (unless you really want to blow upwards of 200 grand a casting to replace that spear you just vaporised), except when abused (use the Evil Artefact of Doooom as the material component).

[Fable Wright]

You could require the weapon to be a focus for the spell, or some small trinket placed on the weapon, and an identical one on you. This could potentially allow the wizard to enhance the fighter's combative power, which is likely to be a much more useful version of the spell, then a sorcerer or wizard with a poor BAB provoking an attack of opportunity against the people he's trying to hit with the spell. You could also make the spell have a close range, instead of touch, with the targeted weapon having the corresponding focus on it.

[Fizban]

I think it looks fine as is. If Arrow Mind is okay, then Arrow Mind with a reach weapon is okay.

[W3bDragon]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Saving throw: no
Spell resistance: no

I used the same saving throw and spell resistance entries from the Stretch Weapon spell, thinking it would be a similar effect.

As for casting time and duration, they're identical to the Arrow Mind spell, which is first level as well.

Perhaps I can make it a swift action instead. There really is no need for it to be an immediate action.

unless you really want to blow upwards of 200 grand a casting to replace that spear you just vaporised

Indeed I was worried about issues of making the weapon a material component. Either it get consumed, which is useless, or it doesn't, in which case it becomes a focus. That seems like a clunky mechanic for a 1st level arcane spell.

You could also make the spell have a close range, instead of touch

I'm thinking of what to add to the spell description about allowing the caster to cast the spell on someone else's weapon during combat. I'm getting the feeling that the spell is balanced as a self-buff, but if I give it range, even short, then it becomes a bit much. I feel there should be some risk to casting this decent duration spell in mid-combat.

For example, let's say that a wizard is casting this on a fighter mid-combat. Presumably, the fighter would be a bit busy spinning his weapon this way and that and wouldn't really present an automatically touchable target for the wizard. So perhaps a touch attack? Maybe a touch attack is required only when the recipient is being threatened, otherwise its an auto hit? So it could go something like this...

When casting this spell on a weapon in someone else's possession, and that person is in an opponent's threatened square, then a melee touch attack is required to deliver the spell. If the attack misses, the spell isn't wasted and another melee touch attack may be attempted the next round to deliver the spell. This second touch attack requires a swift action, just like the spell does.

Yeah I'm getting verbose here. Can't think of anything else at the moment.

[jiriku]

An immediate action casting time is more appropriate to spells with a duration of 1 round or 1 round/level, especially on a 1st-level spell. Arrow mind is a special case because it's intended to allow you to surprise your opponent during his turn.

When the spell lasts minutes per level and the character has the option to cast it outside of combat, and when it's a straightforward weapon buff, like your spell, a standard action casting time is more appropriate. Compare to bless weapon, magic fang, magic weapon, and shillelagh, rather than arrow mind. All of them are similar in level, range, target, scope, and duration to your spell, and all are cast as standard actions.

[Andion Isurand]

You should change the wording of this spell so it serves creatures of any size. Also, wouldn't an animated weapon attack with its own strength, or a strength based on your primary casting score.... given the altered ability of applying your own force to the blow?