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Custom Spell Idea's

1460193309

Edited 1460199022
So, for those of you that don't know, I have been generating custom spells for Sloth in the hopes that Stephen will allow use of them, but Syvil has asked if there could be a compilation of all of them, so here they are! Lightning Lash Conjuration Level: Cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S, M (A metal rod) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minutes Description: You call forth the energy of lightning through a rod you hold in each hand extending from the rod for about a foot. When attacking you swing the rod towards an enemy and the lightning strikes out at what you aim for. On a hit the target takes 1d6 lightning damage. This spell's damage increase by 1d6 when you reach fifth level (2d6), 11th level (3d6) and 17th level (4d6) Lightning Step Enchantment Level: 2 Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Description: You call out to the swiftness of the wind, and then move like lightning. When you cast this spell, you may instantly move up to 60ft. without provoking attacks of opportunity. Kinetic Discharge Evocation/Conjuration/Abjuration (Couldn't really Decide) Level: 1 Casting Time: Reaction Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Description: When you are about to be hit by a melee attack, you release a large blast of electrical energy. Any creature within 10ft. of you must make Strength saving throw or be pushed 15ft. away. Investiture of Storms (Based of EE Investiture's so probably illegal, but hey) Transmutation Level 6 Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes Description: Until the spell ends, crimson lightning snakes over your skin, and you gain the following benefits: - You are immune to lightning damage and have resistance to thunder damage. - Your movement speed is increased by half your current movement speed. - You can use your action to unleash a bolt of crimson lightning in a line 60 feet long and 5 feet wide. Any creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 4d8 lightning damage.  Tesla Coil Conjuration Level 2 Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (15 foot radius) Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Description: Azure arms of lightning arc out from your body, and lash out at nearby foes. All creatures in the radius must make a Dexterity saving throw to avoid the tendrils. On a failed save, they take 2d8 lightning damage. On a successful save, they take half damage. Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd. Tempest Cloak Abjuration Level 1 Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S, M (A cloak) Duration: 1 hour Description: Your skin crackles slightly as you call on the storms to protect you You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these hit points, the creature takes 5 lightning damage. Higher Level: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, both the temporary hit points and the cold damage increase by 5 for each slot. Conductivity Enchantment Level 1 Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: 30ft (1st ranged spell, for I realise that all of my spell were Self) Components: V, S, M (A metal sheet of paper) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour Description: You overcharge one creature within range. Until the spell ends, whenever you strike this target with any lightning damage, you deal a bonus 1d6 whenever you strike them. The target also has disadvantage on all and Strength (Athletics) checks made. If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to mark a new creature. Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 8 hours. When you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 24 hours. And yes, most of these spells are just modified versions of other spells. But with lightning.
First reaction? Any feature, feat or spell that allows you do X when dealing with just X type of damage that gets ported over needs scrutiny; there is a reason why they don't apply to all kinds of spell damage or they would have done so.
So are there any modifications you would make to any of these spells? I do believe I have ported over damage well, but what do you think?
1460194860

Edited 1460197499
Discharge the term used is usually "pushed" not "flung". Lightning lash still has no dual wielding Bonus Attack. Tempest Cloak is a bit good; no? 1d10 damage (5) is quite a bit; I would suggest 1d4 or 1d6. Missunderstanding on my part; dmg only when the 5 temp-HP are on makes 1d10 absolutely okay! Conductivity has no need for 8 hours as it cannot be transferred once the creature goes down; that seems like a typo. And it has no save? 1d6 dmg and disadv on two of the most used skills in combat is really good... I like these; very cool and combine well! Good job!
1460195471

Edited 1460195669
Response: Modifications made on discharge Lightning Lash proper now applied Tempest Cloak is based of Armor of Agathys and it's not even a 1d10, it's just flat 5. Conductivity is based off Hunters mark, though I will admit that disadvantages on the two skills are very good, now only Athletics. And yes, there was a typo.
1460195995

Edited 1460197586
Flat 5 is better than a d10; reliability is boon and the d10 has an avg of 5.5. Hence 5 flat is an enhanced 1d10. Which I think is too much for a 1st level spell. Misunderstanding on my part; dmg only when the 5 temp-HP are on makes 1d10 absolutely okay! If Conductivity cannot be transferred then 10 minutes is more than enough.
1460196616

Edited 1460196644
There is a 4th level spell that does something very similar to Tempest Cloak called Fire Shield. At 4th it does 2d8. Your spell does as a fourth your does 4d10 - EE is insane mate; don't balance according to those spells...
Fire shield does also grant Resistances though. Also, I could get the exact same spell (Armor of Agathys). 
1460197274

Edited 1460197420
tempest cloak is like that warlock armor of agathys (wooops should have refreshed before writing)... and if the HP are gone you don't do anything, so the spell is only useful if cast at higher levels and even then it might be situational. It is more the HP that are important. Conductivity is basically hex for a non warlock. I have the fear that in the end there will be a mish mash of spell pools and the border between classes will seize if you go that well.  I'd be in favour of new spells that fit your repertoire. E.g. if you are a transmutant something that lets you create a stone box to capture people...  
Ahh; only while you have the Temp-HP? My bad; d10 is totally legit!
1460198708
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
There are all sort of adjustments that need to be made to these spells; but I'll get to those at some point. Also the ONLY class that can invent new spells and use them is the Wizard. No one else will be allowed to do so in this game, because it makes the balancing issues a real pain if I have to consider how the spells might interact with other abilities. Also; there is no obvious way that a cleric, paladin, warlock etc could 'research' a spell, since the power they possess is by proxy and comes from another being.
That definitely helps with balancing... Sorcerers where the main problem.
1460199196
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
Yes; and wizards are generally underpowered in the damage sense. Also, the idea of magical auras that we have in this game prevents mages becoming the 'go to' utility casters, since in Haven and a few other places they are seriously nerfed.
1460199722

Edited 1460199985
yeah balancing is a real pain already probably... but rp wise... uhm clerics might read about them, experiment with rituals or prayers, bards could find new songs or invent some and improvise or whatever, druids get ideas from nature.... so RP wise I don't really see a reason why they should not be able to do that. Rule wise it is imo the easiest for wizards bc they have to pay also gold for copying stuff into their book :) However it also means things could get quite tricky with the different schools if a new spell does something similar to an old one but has a different school... PS: Well the nerf thing is true but I think we knew it when we were running into the game with these classes... And there seem to be ways around it, sort of ;) Just harder for some to get than for others.
Seems like most issues were resolved then; very good!
1460200310
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
I think the other classes might be able to invent new spells; but over the timescales of years. Mages have an almost scientific understanding of magic and so can create new spells much more quickly. And as for multiclassing; we'll cross that bridge when we come to it but the new feats I am writing will specifically exclude spells or abilities from other classes.
1460200395
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
Apart from the fact that all the schools of magic are completely wrong.............................most of the above are Evocations.
1460200879

Edited 1460200922
What about Sorcerors with their innate ability to cast spells through force of personality rather than studious research? Some of their abilities, particularly with Dragon Origin sorcers are also tied to an element type, and some elements get more love than others in the PHB.
1460201405

Edited 1460201462
Draconian origin was actually one of our main problems for balancing in the first place... Also the lack of love for lightning is actually what sparked me to do more than one spell.
1460201474
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
I will make spells for Wizards and once they have been tested, might allow them slowly into other classes. We shall see.
I agree that this could be an idea but as Ernie says; the balance of this can become quirky; very rapidly.
1460201693
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
It is not just Draconic Sorcs; what about the Tempest Clerics they get to maximise damage from electrical attacks; THAT'S why there are so few lighting spells and that's why we change things slowly
"Also the lack of love for lightning is actually what sparked me to do more than one spell." I see what you did there! XD
1460201822
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
3.5e is a study in why you have to isolate the different parts of the game from one another. Most of the balance problems in that form of the game arose because of unintended side effects. For example, the polymorph spell got even more unbalanced every time they published a new monster manual.
1460201984
Stephen D
Elite
Marketplace Creator
that and an up and coming elemental evil supplement
I also think if you consider the SCAG book you have the storm sorc there which actually for me would sound more like something druidic... to be fank, i think right now druidic class is very weird in the sense that there are not many choices... imo shape changing druids are just far superior than druids of the land. The extra spells are nice but I don't think they can compensate for the other shortcommings (I mean landstride is circumstantial at best, immunity to poison and disease is nice but well... ) but that is another discussion :)