Homebrew spell: Icicle Shower

[TheHalfAasimar]

Icicle Shower
5th level Evocation (Druid, Wizard)

Casting time: 1 action
Range: 100 feet
Components: S, M (An icicle)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Shape: Sphere, 20 ft.

You conjure a storm of icicles, stabbing and freezing all it touches in a spot you can see within range. Whenever a creature begins its turn in the storm, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a fail, it takes 5d8 piercing and 5d8 cold damage, and on a success it takes half. The storm lasts for the duration of your concentration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles an hour) dispels it.

Higher Levels: When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 6th level or higher, add 1d8 to both the Piercing and Cold damage when you roll.




This is the first homebrew spell I've made! How is it?

[MrStabby]

This seems very, very strong.



Compare with Cone of Cold.

Cone of cold deals 8d8 damage, not 10d8.
Cone of cold does all damage as cold damage, which is more resisted than magical piercing
Cone of cold is a... cone. You need to get a lot closer rather than being able to lob it 100ft away
Cone of cold 1 one time only... no area denial effect baked in, no repeated damage, not pushing people back into the area of effect.
Cone of cold scales 1d8 per extra spell level, not 2.


Also, why does wizard but not sorcerer get this?

[brian 333]

D4 cold/D4 piercing per caster level, scale D4/D4 per level up to level 12, ( 16 for druid.)

1 round per level duration max, cannot be moved from target location. Evasion 1/2 damage and begin next round out of AoE. Uncanny Evasion, 1/4 damage and begin next round outside, reflex save for 1/2 damage each round inside the AoE.

Magic DR is expensive in my experience, so Shield might deflect the piercing damage up to 100 HP.

[TheHalfAasimar]

This seems very, very strong.



Compare with Cone of Cold.

Cone of cold deals 8d8 damage, not 10d8.
Cone of cold does all damage as cold damage, which is more resisted than magical piercing
Cone of cold is a... cone. You need to get a lot closer rather than being able to lob it 100ft away
Cone of cold 1 one time only... no area denial effect baked in, no repeated damage, not pushing people back into the area of effect.
Cone of cold scales 1d8 per extra spell level, not 2.


Also, why does wizard but not sorcerer get this?

Yeah, it kinda is. I don't know how to best hand out spells to which class, but yeah, it is kind of powerful. Should it be more like a 6th level spell, rather than 5th?

[MrStabby]

Yeah, it kinda is. I don't know how to best hand out spells to which class, but yeah, it is kind of powerful. Should it be more like a 6th level spell, rather than 5th?

Maybe more. Chain lightning is 10d8 damage though arguably with better targetting/range/friendly fire management.

Is the potential more multiple turns of damage/area denial beter than the easier targetting? I woud say so. So maybe even 7th level, but I think 6th is closer.

[JNAProductions]

D4 cold/D4 piercing per caster level, scale D4/D4 per level up to level 12, ( 16 for druid.)

1 round per level duration max, cannot be moved from target location. Evasion 1/2 damage and begin next round out of AoE. Uncanny Evasion, 1/4 damage and begin next round outside, reflex save for 1/2 damage each round inside the AoE.

Magic DR is expensive in my experience, so Shield might deflect the piercing damage up to 100 HP.

Wrong edition.

Yeah, it kinda is. I don't know how to best hand out spells to which class, but yeah, it is kind of powerful. Should it be more like a 6th level spell, rather than 5th?

Do you want it at 5th level, or do you want it at its current power level?
You can nerf it to make it appropriate for its current level, or increase the level to make it appropriate for its current power. Which would be preferable?

[TheHalfAasimar]

Maybe more. Chain lightning is 10d8 damage though arguably with better targetting/range/friendly fire management.

Is the potential more multiple turns of damage/area denial beter than the easier targetting? I woud say so. So maybe even 7th level, but I think 6th is closer.

Okay, I see.

Wrong edition.



Do you want it at 5th level, or do you want it at its current power level?
You can nerf it to make it appropriate for its current level, or increase the level to make it appropriate for its current power. Which would be preferable?

To be honest, both. Part of me wants to nerf it and have it a 5th level spell, the other half of me wants to keep its current power level and have it a higher level spell...

I guess it's a higher level spell now. Thanks!

[brian 333]

Make it scale able so that a nerfed version, the regular version, and an enhanced version are all available.

[TheHalfAasimar]

Make it scale able so that a nerfed version, the regular version, and an enhanced version are all available.

It does scale, though.

[MrStabby]

It does scale, though.

And at 2d8 per level it scales better than almost any other damage spell (I think disintegrate does 3d6 per extra level?). That amount of extra damage vs multiple targets is very attractive.

[TheHalfAasimar]

And at 2d8 per level it scales better than almost any other damage spell (I think disintegrate does 3d6 per extra level?). That amount of extra damage vs multiple targets is very attractive.

Should I make it get worse the longer it goes on? Would that balance it? Like, it starts off d8s, then after 2 rounds, it goes to d6s, and then for the last few rounds it does d4s?

[MrStabby]

Should I make it get worse the longer it goes on? Would that balance it? Like, it starts off d8s, then after 2 rounds, it goes to d6s, and then for the last few rounds it does d4s?

I really wouldn't do this. The drop in power is very modest but the increase in compexiy and bookkeeping is relatively significant.

Front-loading abilities is generally good. The sooner you take out an enemy the sooner they stop damaging you. Most fights are over in 3 rounds. Sure, there may be some mopping up of straglers or chasing down fleeing foes but after 3 rounds there is rarely and remaining doubt in the outcome. Anything after this is prety negligabe under most circumstances. Add to this that the longer a figt goes on for, the greater that concentration is broken. If nothing else, thing of the numbers - you go from an encounter full of enemies to zero enemies remaining and on each turn your spell deals only damage to those enemies remaining so as the fight progresses its significance wanes.

Now if you were to reverse this and scale up, you might have a fun tool. Start at d4s per turn then d6 and so on up to d10s or even d12s.

[TheHalfAasimar]

I really wouldn't do this. The drop in power is very modest but the increase in compexiy and bookkeeping is relatively significant.

Front-loading abilities is generally good. The sooner you take out an enemy the sooner they stop damaging you. Most fights are over in 3 rounds. Sure, there may be some mopping up of straglers or chasing down fleeing foes but after 3 rounds there is rarely and remaining doubt in the outcome. Anything after this is prety negligabe under most circumstances. Add to this that the longer a figt goes on for, the greater that concentration is broken. If nothing else, thing of the numbers - you go from an encounter full of enemies to zero enemies remaining and on each turn your spell deals only damage to those enemies remaining so as the fight progresses its significance wanes.

Now if you were to reverse this and scale up, you might have a fun tool. Start at d4s per turn then d6 and so on up to d10s or even d12s.

Hmm, that does sound like fun! THanks for the suggestion! I'll keep it in mind.