Envivifying Ray, proposed 3rd level necromancy spell (PEACH)

[Grelna the Blue]

I play a good-aligned necromancer wizard specialist in a 3.PF game. Dismayed by a shortage of spells for such a character, I am attempting to design a few. The 4th level spell below is a proposed counterpart to the existing 4th level spell Enervation. I don't claim it is a particularly clever twist on that spell, and it would be considerably less useful for general use than the original, but I am more interested in discovering whether there are any problems with it than optimization. There are lots of grey necromancy spells this character can use against the living. I need a few white necro spells vs the dead. Please let me know what you think.

For original proposed version, see spoilered text below.

Spoiler

Show

ENVIVIFY

School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4; Domain heroism 4

CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S

EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect ray of positive energy
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
You point your finger and fire a white-gold ray of positive energy that suppresses and infuses the essence of any undead creature it strikes. You must make a ranged touch attack to hit. If you hit, the subject gains 1d4 temporary*positive levels (different from but functionally identical to negative levels on living creatures). Positive levels from this stack.

Assuming the subject survives, it loses these positive levels after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15 hours).

A living creature struck by the ray gains 1d4 x 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour. These temporary hit points can stack, but can never exceed 100% of the creature's maximum (that is, no living creature affected by one or more Envivify spells can have more than double normal hit points because of this spell).

Updated proposed version:

ENVIVIFYING RAY

School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 3; Domain heroism 3

CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S

EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect ray(s) of positive energy
Duration instantaneous, 1 minute/caster level (maximum 15 minutes)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
You point your finger and fire one or more white-gold rays of positive energy that suppress and infuse the essence of any undead creature they strike. You may fire one ray, plus one additional ray for every four levels beyond 5th (to a maximum of three rays at 13th level). Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit. The rays may be fired at the same or different targets, but all rays must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously. These rays have radically different effects on undead and living targets.

Undead subjects hit with a ray take a –2 penalty on:

• all ability checks,
• attack rolls,
• combat maneuver checks,
• saving throws,
• and skill checks.

In addition, the undead creature reduces its current and total hit points by 10 points and is treated as two levels lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each Envivifying Ray with which it is struck. Spellcasting undead do not lose any prepared spells or slots as a result of this effect. The effects of multiple Envivifying Rays stack.

Assuming an undead target is not destroyed by these effects, the reduction in its current and total hit point maximums and the other penalties imposed last only a number of minutes equal to your caster level (maximum 15 minutes).

A living creature struck by a ray gains 10 temporary hit points for 1 minute per caster level (maximum 15 minutes). These temporary hit points can stack if creature is hit by multiple rays, but can never exceed 100% of the creature's maximum (that is, no living creature affected by one or more Envivify Rays can have more than double normal hit points because of this spell).

[Gnorman]

Due to its significantly limited focus and the fact that anti-undead tactics aren't hard to come by (especially at low level - I'm looking at you, cleric with Sun domain), I'd say drop it down to a third level spell. Shouldn't really break much - undead typically have more HD than their CR, anyway.

[Grelna the Blue]

Due to its significantly limited focus and the fact that anti-undead tactics aren't hard to come by (especially at low level - I'm looking at you, cleric with Sun domain), I'd say drop it down to a third level spell. Shouldn't really break much - undead typically have more HD than their CR, anyway.

Okay, sounds good. I altered the spell effect somewhat, reducing both the duration and the level of randomness in the number of positive levels granted. The new version scales with level. Too much?

[Mystra]

Mechanic wise, this spell looks fine. But fluff wise the idea of ''positive levels'' kinda drives me crazy. A white necromancy enervation is fine...but not ''positive levels''. Maybe say more like ''the spell fills a target undead with positive energy that reduces their levels.''

[TuggyNE]

Mechanic wise, this spell looks fine. But fluff wise the idea of ''positive levels'' kinda drives me crazy. A white necromancy enervation is fine...but not ''positive levels''. Maybe say more like ''the spell fills a target undead with positive energy that reduces their levels.''

Isn't that what it already does? Or do you mean "immediately causes them to lose levels permanently"? Because that would be a little too strong for the level.

[Grelna the Blue]

Mechanic wise, this spell looks fine. But fluff wise the idea of ''positive levels'' kinda drives me crazy. A white necromancy enervation is fine...but not ''positive levels''. Maybe say more like ''the spell fills a target undead with positive energy that reduces their levels.''

Sure. How does it look now? I incorporated the wording of the effects of negative levels, reversed, without using the word "level" except in the part on decreased spellcasting effects, where it seemed unavoidable.