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View Full Version : (3.5 spell,based on MTG card) Lightning talons



Gamerlord
2011-01-01, 10:04 PM
http://bidwicket.com/Item/C/Collectible_Card_Games/Magic_the_Gathering/Singles/Shards_of_Alara/59122_1M_Lightning_Talons.JPEG

Lightning talons
Evocation (Subschool) [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2,Ranger 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: None

You utter dark words of magic, and your hands have talons of electricity appear over them You must not have anything in your hands to activate this spell. For the duration of the spell your unarmed attacks are treated as armed and you do 2d6+1/caster level (Max +10 damage) electricity damage. You also make attack rolls against the targets touch AC instead of standard. Your unarmed strikes are also treated as a reach weapon which can also threaten squares in your natural reach+5 ft. You gain an attack bonus equal to your INT bonus.

Gamer Girl
2011-01-01, 10:11 PM
The spell shapes your hands into talons and fills them with electricity....but the talons do no damage other then electricity damage. That is not quite Transmutation. This spell is more of Evocation. And should just make talons made of lightning over hands or such.

Flickerdart
2011-01-01, 10:20 PM
Elemental damage is always lethal. Add a clause saying you're treated as armed.

This is a little underwhelming as a 3rd level spell. Minutes/level won't usually last more than one encounter, so it's essentially dealing 12-17 average damage 3 or 4 times provided you're able to hit. This is worse than Fireball, whose average damage is 17.5-35 for the same spell slot, and which doesn't require getting into the thick of combat. For balancing points, consider:
a) Produce Flame (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/produceflame.htm), a 1st level Druid spell that's comparable to yours
b) The Umbral Touch mystery (3rd level, 1 use/CL, 5d6 damage plus save VS slow). Mysteries are theoretically supposed to be better than spells (cause you get less uses) but you get better damage and a powerful second threat.

There are two ways to fix the spell.
1. Lower the level and expand its lists. Duskblades, Rangers and other gish classes would love this spell.
2. Make the spell more powerful or interesting. Consider adding reach to replicate the "first strike" mechanic - you get to smack your enemies before they can reach you.

Ytaker
2011-01-01, 10:27 PM
Do the claws have any effect on wood, and metals with a low boiling point like gold?

Kamai
2011-01-01, 11:57 PM
Minor nitpick, reach up to 10ft is both crippling to larger characters who use this, and probably doesn't give what you need (to be able to threaten nearby enemies). I think you want a wording more like: "Your unarmed strikes are treated as a reach weapon which can also threaten squares in your natural reach."

If you still have your hands, able to be used as normal, this is an evocation, not a transmutation. If it's really changing your hands, are you still able to cast spells that require somatic components?

Finally, if you intend this to be against regular AC (instead of Touch AC), it should probably do more damage. This should be clearly better than Chill Touch (1st level), and I think I'd still rather have the 1d6+(1/CL) and 1 str damage against touch, than this vs regular AC.