Common-Sense Arcana (feat)

[rferries]

Common-Sense Arcana
Your spells have very logical processes and effects.

Prerequisites
Caster level 1st, Int 12, Wis 12.

Benefit
Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the acid descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or take 1 point of Constitution damage from the toxic fumes produced.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the cold descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or become fatigued for 1 minute from the cold. Creatures wearing metal armour are also affected as if by chill metal if they fail their save.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the electricty descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or become fatigued for 1 minute. Creatures wearing metal armour are instead exhausted if they fail their save.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the fire descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or catch fire. Creatures wearing metal armour are also affected as if by heat metal if they fail their save.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the sonic descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or be deafened for 1d4 rounds.

You may cast blasphemy, dictum, holy word, word of chaos, and all power word spells as free actions instead of their normal casting times. They are not treated as quickened spells (so you may not cast another spell in the same round unless it is quickened).

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An overpowered yet semi-serious feat - fireball melts metal but doesn't set creatures on fire? And just how long does it take to say a single word, anyway? Feel free to add other "fixes" along those lines! :)

[johnbragg]

I like the concept. Getting hit with an Energy Substitution (Cold) Fireball should feel different than getting hit with a standard Fireball. I'm not sure it's good as a Feat--maybe a houserule.

And your conditions are pretty punishing. I think they should add flavor, not be a serious upgrade to the spells. I think that we can also reduce the power level by dropping the saves. Instead of the standard 10 + SL + ability modifier, just make the save DC the damage taken.

No, some of my ideas are "effect until you make a save", and a sky-high saving throw means that you can't make that save (at least not until combat is over and you can keep rolling until you get a natural 20). So I think we need to limit the effects themselves, not count on a saving throw fixing it.

Maybe use the "damage = Save DC", with the regular save DC as a maximum? That way you have some scaling at the low end.

Common-Sense Arcana
Your spells have very logical processes and effects.

Prerequisites
Caster level 1st, Int 12, Wis 12.

Benefit
Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the acid descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or take 1 point of Constitution damage from the toxic fumes produced.

Ability damage takes 1 day per point to recover. I think it's better to have a lower save (DC=damage) and a stronger effect, like nauseated, either for one round or until you make a save.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the cold descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or become fatigued for 1 minute from the cold. Creatures wearing metal armour are also affected as if by chill metal if they fail their save.

Fatigue is another condition that normally ends an adventuring day. Maybe d6 DEX damage, wears off at a rate of 1 point per minute? That vaguely matches the effects of fingers being numb from the cold.

And adding a 2nd level spell effect to every [Cold] or [Fire] descriptor spell is not good.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the electricty descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or become fatigued for 1 minute. Creatures wearing metal armour are instead exhausted if they fail their save.

Again fatigue. I think electricity's side effect is more being, dazed and confused, thrown for a loop. I think dazed until you make the save.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the fire descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or catch fire. Creatures wearing metal armour are also affected as if by heat metal if they fail their save.[/quote]

I don't think the creatures catch fire, but I think their items might. DM selects one nonmagical item, usually an outer item of clothing (or a backpack) which is on fire if you failed the save. You can spend a move (or standard) action extinguishing the flames, or lose the equipment in d6 rounds.

Whenever you cast a damaging spell with the sonic descriptor, all creatures damaged by the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level + your relevant ability modifier) or be deafened for 1d4 rounds.

D4 rounds isn't bad. It does include a 20% chance of spell failure.

You may cast blasphemy, dictum, holy word, word of chaos, and all power word spells as free actions instead of their normal casting times. They are not treated as quickened spells (so you may not cast another spell in the same round unless it is quickened)... And just how long does it take to say a single word, anyway?

What? No. Oh they are NOT quickened. So you get a standard action--to do what? This seems unnecessary.

If you need to for your own peace of mind, fluff these spells as requiring a 3-second anime power-up and including 1 second of echo/reverb.



Michael Scott takes 5 seconds to dramatically say "I...Declare....BANKRUPTCY!"

An overpowered yet semi-serious feat - fireball melts metal but doesn't set creatures on fire? Feel free to add other "fixes" along those lines! :)

I think a lot of tables don't bother with the item effects because it slows down combat, isn't really tactically interesting, and just ends up being the DM taking the player's stuff/ ruining their loot. But one item being on fire is a decision to make--do you spend an action, or sacrifice your cloak/backpack?

[rferries]

Thanks for the reply! I agree it's probably way too powerful as a feat, but I think some of your suggestions would actually make it more powerful - better to reduce the extra saves to a flat DC 15 or somesuch than set them to be = damage dealt e.g. a 10th-level fireball would have an average save DC of 35 (!) to avoid the extra effects. I love the visual of an evil cleric shouting "Blas. Fah. MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" a la Michael Scott though :D