[HR: Spells] Golan's Spells

This one actually concerns me, based in part on a post I wrote some time ago on ( http://wanderinggamist.blogspot.com/2013/02/of-reliability-and-house-rules.html ). This is the epitome of reliable damage. This will win wizard-duels between mages of similar level outright, in one shot, as long as the range is short and the dice roll at or just below expectation. I have very little doubt that my players would prioritize this up near fireball; same damage potential to high-value targets, but no save and no backblast in close quarters, and most dungeon or urban engagements take place within its range anyway.

I kinda like this one - it’s a good escape spell for a selfish wizard when the front line is down or if you’re isolated, but its use in more standard dungeon-formation fighting is pretty limited.

And even those uncapped d6/level 3rd level spells have the downside of easy friendly fire, with expand-to-volume and bounce-off-surfaces. I suppose a better spell than sleep for comparison would be Burning Hands, which is weaker both in die type (d4 vs d6) and area/range type (cone, which means you need a gap in the front line to fire through, vs burst).

Agreed. My players are already way too crazy without being able to snipe down whoever they want.

Actually, the post where I talked about a very similar spell was http://wanderinggamist.blogspot.com/2013/02/pc-spells-vs-dm-spells.html - the one I mentioned above was the follow-up to this post.

I think I’ll just give every spell a saving throw… As the non-save spells appear to be VERY underpriced.

Spiritual Armour (conversion of a spell from Barrowmaze to ACKS). This is a Protection spell, +2 to AC (10), Protection applies only against “Evil” (undead in this case) (x0.9), target 1 creature (x1), range self (x0.75), duration 1 turn per level (x1.33), beneficial effect (x1), divine (x1). Total 8.98. This is a level 1 spell. Note that initially this had the duration of 2d4+1 round/level but 1 turn/level seems fair enough to me.

Spiritual Armour
Divine 1
Range self
Duration 1 turn/level

The caster gains a +2 bonus to AC vs. undead.

Vitharia’s Vengeful Visage (semi-conversion of a spell from Barrowmaze to ACKS). This is an Enchantment spell, target flees in panic (40), affects 1d4 creatures up to 4 HD (x1.2), range 15’ (x0.6), duration 1 round/level (x1.1), saving throw avoids affect (x0.5), arcane source (x1). Total 15.84. This is a level 2 spell.

Vitharia’s Vengeful Visage
Arcane 2
Range 15’
Duration 1 round/level

The caster creates an illusion distorting his or her face into a monstrous horror, causing the 1d4 nearest creatures of 4 HD or less to save vs. spells or flee in panic for one round per caster’s level. Blind creatures, undead and constructs are not affected by this spell.

UPDATE!

Blink - a weak, short-range teleportation spell. This is a Movement spell, caster teleports target any place within 360’ (300), target 1 willing creature or object (x1), range - self (x0.75), duration - 1 round (instantaneous) (x0.1), teleport effect has chance of error (x0.5), arcane (x1). Total 11.2. This is a level 2 spell.

Blink
Arcane 2
Range Self
Duration: Instantaneous

By casting this spell, the caster “blinks” - he travels through space without moving, warping space to appear, immediately, in any spot he chooses within a 360’ range. However, this spell is subject to errors as per the Teleport spell (ACKS p.88).

UPDATED VERSION

Blob of Goo - a noxious low-level blast spell. This is a Blast spell, damaging effect 1d4 per level (20), Nausea Inducing (10), maximum 3d4 damage (x0.33), 15’ diameter sphere (x1.5), 60’ range (x0.7), duration - instantaneous (x1), saving throw avoids spell affect (x0.5), arcane (x1). Total 5.2 points. This is a level 1 spell.

Blob of Goo
Arcane 1
Range 60’
Duration: Instantaneous

The caster conjures, from the nether-realms of chaos and decay, a blob of utterly disgusting goo. This blob he then throws, without error, to a designated spot within 60’ range, where it explodes, exposing all within a 15’ diameter sphere to its stomach-retching effect; all within range suffer 1d4 damage per caster level (save vs. spells to avoid all damage), to a maximum of 3d4 damage at level 3. Also, any creature caught within this blast must save vs. poison or be rendered helpless from nausea for 1d4+1 rounds.

UPDATED VERSION (shorter duration)

TOAD! - a low-level curse. This is a Transmogrification spell, transforms the subject to the form of a living being (35), gain new form’s physical characteristics (10), gain new form’s physical attacks (10), gain new form’s special abilities (20), form limited to particular type of creature (x0.75), mental characteristics replaced by new form’s (x0.2), targets 1 living corporeal creature (x1), range - 60’ (x1), duration 1 turns (x0.7), saving throw avoids spell effect (x1), arcane (x1). Total 6.825, making it a level 1 spell.

TOAD!
Arcane 1
Range 60’
Duration 1 turn

The caster points at one living, corporeal target within range, and utters this terrible curse, turning the target, for six whole turns, into a tiny, filthy toad! A save vs. spells negates this effect. While in toad form, the subject is nothing but a slimy amphibian, and also has the physical and mental characteristics of one; once the duration ends, he returns to his normal self.

UPDATED VERSION

Mind Blast - a low-level incapacitating spell. This is a Blast spell, “nausea inducing” with no damage (10 - actually dazes the targets, but same rules), affects a 20’ diameter sphere (x2), range - 0 (centred on caster) (x0.4), duration instantaneous (x1), saving throw avoids spell effect (x0.5), arcane (x1). Total 4 points. This is a “classical” level 1 spell.

Mind Blast
Arcane 1
Range 0 (centred on caster)
Duration instantaneous

This spell allows its caster to emit a psychic “scream” in all directions around him, dazing friends and foe alike. The caster himself is immune to this effect; but all creatures within a 20’ sphere centred on him must save vs. spells or be psionically knocked out for 1d4+1 rounds, fully incapacitated during that time.

UPDATED VERSION

Psychic Assault - a targeted damage spell. This is a Death spell, 1d6 damage per level (33), no maximum damage (x1.5), targets 1 creature (x1), range 90’ (x0.8), duration instantaneous (x1), saving throw avoids spell effect (x0.5), arcane (x1). Total 19.8 points - this is a VERY strong level 2 spell which I’ll “bump” to level 3.

Psychic Assault
Arcane 3
Range 90’
Duration instantaneous

The caster concentrates at a single target within 90’ range and lashes out at him with his mind, slashing and burning at the victim’s psyche and scarring his brain tissue. The target must save vs. spells or suffer 1d6 damage per caster level, with no upper limit to the number of dice rolled (so a level 14 caster will cause 14d6 damage); a successful save vs. spells allows the target to avoid this damage.

The limited damage applies only to the cost for the actual damage effect. All other effects are added on afterward. See the Dismember effect example (page 113) in the Player’s Companion for an example of how this is done in the book.

The result is that this spell has a cost of (20 * .33) + 10 = 16.6 * 1.5 * .7 *.5 = 8.715. This version is still a 1st level spell so my post makes no difference, but I thought I’d mention it anyway.

Thanks for the clarification! :slight_smile:

ATTEMPTING A MORE ACCURATE CONVERSION

THANKS to Jard for his help here:
http://www.autarch.co/forums/ask-autarchs/some-questions-about-enchantment-spells-0#comment-16394

Vitharia’s Vengeful Visage (semi-conversion of a spell from Barrowmaze to ACKS). This is an Enchantment spell, target flees in panic (34), creatures within effect up to 4 HD (x3), area of effect cone 20’ by 15’ (x3*) range 0’ (x0.4), duration 1 round/2 levels (x1.1), saving throw avoids affect (x0.5), arcane source (x1). Total 67.32 points. This is a level 7 (!!!) spell.

  • Guesstimate.

I think my less accurate version above fits the spell’s ‘spirit’ better.

Animate Statue (inspired by a similar spell from Barrowmaze II) - temporarily give ‘life’ to a statue and allow it to fight on the caster’s behalf. This is a “guesstimation” of this kind of spell, but the basic idea is temporarily transforming a physical statue into an animated statue as given in ACKS p.196.

This is a Transmogrification spell, transforms the subject to the form of a living being (35), gain new form’s physical characteristics (10), gain new form’s physical attacks (10), gain new form’s special abilities (20), form limited to particular type of creature (x0.75), HD limited to caster level (at most an animated statue can have 5 HD and this is at least a level 3 spell) (x0.75), targets 1 statue (x1? no costs given for inanimate objects), range touch (x0.6), duration 1 turn/level (x0.8), beneficial effect (x1), arcane (x1) or divine (x1.25). Total 20.25 for an arcane spell, 25.3 for a divine spell. This is a level 3 spell in both cases.

Animate Statue
Arcane 3, Divine 3
Range touch
Duration 1 turn/level

The caster touches one ordinary (inanimate) statue, and, by the power of arcane incantations, or by the power of a god, gives it a semblance of life for one turn per caster level. Animated statues follow the stats given in ACKS p.196, based on the material of the original statue (crystal, stone or iron; treat any metal as “iron” for this purpose), though their alignment in this case is always that of the caster. Once the spell duration expires, the statue returns to an inanimate state in the position and stance it had in its last action. Note that if the caster dies or becomes unconscious during this spell, the statue becomes uncontrolled and attacks the nearest target.

Baltron’s Effusive Bloodboil (converted from Barrowmaze II). This is a death spell, “1d6” damage per level (average damage) (33), 1d per round for 3 rounds (x0.25*), target 1 creature (x1), range 30’ (x0.6), duration 3 rounds (x3*), Saving throw reduces spell effect by half (x0.75), Arcane (x1). Total 11.14. This is a weak level 2 spell (I might make this a level 1 spell).

  • Guesstimations.

Baltron’s Effusive Bloodboil
Arcane 2
Range 30’
Duration 3 rounds

The caster points at one target within 30’ and causes its blood to boil in its veins, causing 1d4 damage on the first round, 1d8 on the second and 1d4 on the third. A successful save vs. spells reduces the damage by half.

Djriixim’s Purple Haze (converted from Barrowmaze II). This is a blast spell, nausea-inducing (10), effect on a 20’ long x 20’ wide x 20’ deep cube (x2.25), range 30’ (x0.6), duration 1 round/level* (x4), saving throw avoids effect (x0.5), arcane (x1). Total 27 points - this is a level 3 spell.

  • Original spell had a duration or “permanent” which is quite overpowered IMHO.

Djriixim’s Purple Haze
Arcane 3
Range 30’
Duration 1 round/level

This spell creates thick, purple fog in a 20’ x 20’ x20’ cube. Any creature caught within this fog must save vs. poison or be rendered helpless (except for being able to slowly stagger out of the cloud at the speed of 10’ per round) from nausea for as long as he remains within the fog, as well as 1d4+1 rounds afterwards. Any creature who successfully saves is immune to the effect of this particular casting of the spell.

Dragon’s Breath (AKA Cone of Cold, the fire version). This is a blast spell, 1d6 damage per level (27), no maximum damage (x1), blast is elemental (fire) (x1), 60’ x 30’ cone (x6), range 0’ (x0.4), duration instantaneous (x1), saving throw reduces spell effect by half (0.75), arcane (x1). Total 48.6 points. This is a level 5 spell.

Dragon’s Breath
Arcane 5
Range 0’
Duration instantaneous

The caster breathes forth from his mouth a cone of fire 60’ long and 30’ wide. Any beings caught within the breath will suffer 1d6 points of damage per level of the caster. A successful saving throw versus Blast reduces damage to half.