Duskblade Spells (Because Casting Shocking Grasp 10/day is Pretty Restrictive)

[NeoSeraphi]

Touch of Frost
Evocation [Cold]
Level: Duskblade 1
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous, See Text
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: Yes

With a gentle touch, you draw a creature's warmth from its body, and leave it shivering in pain.

This spell deals 1d6 points of cold damage to the creature you touch (max 5d6). Additionally, the creature you touch must make a Fortitude save or be sickened for 1 round.


Touch of Pain
Necromancy
Level: Duskblade 2
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 round/2 lv
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell must make a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round per 2 caster levels. Creatures that cannot feel pain are immune to this effect.


Greater Shocking Grasp
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous, See Text
Saving Throw: Reflex Partial
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell takes 1d6 points of electricity damage per caster level (max 15d6). Additionally, a creature wearing metal armor who is touched by this spell must make a Reflex save or be entangled for 1 round per level. If you cast this spell against a creature wearing metal armor, you receive a +5 bonus to your melee touch attack to hit the creature.


Corrosive Touch
Evocation [Acid]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Partial
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell takes 1d6 points of acid damage per caster level (max 15d6) and must succeed on a Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round.


Burning Finger
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous, See Text
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell takes 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (max 15d6) and must make a Fortitude save or be dazed for one round.


Freezing Touch
Evocation [Cold]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous, See Text
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell takes 1d6 points of cold damage per caster level (max 15d6). Additionally, the creature must make a Fortitude save or be slowed, as the spell, for 1 round per caster level.


Elemental Sword
Evocation [Cold]/[Fire]/[Electricity][Acid]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Target: One melee weapon touched
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: None
SR: Yes (Object, Harmless)

You touch the weapon and it begins to leak powerful energy, allowing you to rampage disastrously with elemental fury. When you cast this spell, the touched weapon gains one of the following weapon enchantments, chosen when you cast: flaming burst, shocking burst, frost burst, corrosive burst. Depending on which enchantment you chose, the spell gains the corresponding descriptor (for instance, if you chose to make your weapon a shocking burst weapon, that casting of elemental sword would have the [Electricity] descriptor).



Blade of the Reaper
Evocation [Cold]/[Fire]/[Electricity][Acid]
Level: Duskblade 5

This spell functions like elemental sword, except that additionally, for the duration of the spell, the touched weapon's critical threat range becomes 12-20, and any time you confirm a critical hit with your weapon while the burst effect is active, you may make an Intimidate check to demoralize the creature you hit, with a bonus on the check equal to your caster level. If you succeed, the creature is shaken for the duration of this spell, rather than just 1 round.

To be clear, the touched weapon's threat range is 12-20 for the duration of the spell, regardless of the original threat range, regardless of any ongoing or passive increases to your normal threat range. Improved Critical, keen edge, casting it on a keen weapon, nothing will change the fact that for the duration of this spell, the touched weapon's threat range is 12-20.

What do you guys think? Do you have any suggestions for possible additions?

[Steward]

These are all pretty neat! Can you see yourself adding some sort of spell that makes your hand / weapon vibrate so fast that it can produce sonic effects?

[nxwtypx]

As a dedicated gish player, I adore my touch spells, and these fit in great.

I think Touch of Pain is a bit overpowered for level 2, were I the creator I'd consider revising the duration to half caster level - a nauseated creature is effectively reduced to moving.

[NeoSeraphi]

As a dedicated gish player, I adore my touch spells, and these fit in great.

I think Touch of Pain is a bit overpowered for level 2, were I the creator I'd consider revising the duration to half caster level - a nauseated creature is effectively reduced to moving.

Good idea. I'll do that.

[Morcleon]

I approve of this addition! :smallbiggrin:

And I agree with steward, there should be a sonic spell in there, if only because these remind me of modified Orb of spells, with different secondary effects.

Perhaps this...?

Subsonic Touch
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell takes 1d4 points of sonic damage per caster level (max 15d4) and must make a Fortitude save or be deafened for one minute.

[NeoSeraphi]

I approve of this addition! :smallbiggrin:

And I agree with steward, there should be a sonic spell in there, if only because these remind me of modified Orb of spells, with different secondary effects.

Perhaps this...?

Subsonic Touch
Evocation [Sonic]
Level: Duskblade 3
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial (Object)
SR: Yes

A creature touched by this spell takes 1d4 points of sonic damage per caster level (max 15d4) and must make a Fortitude save or be deafened for one round.

How is that a Fortitude (Object) save? Objects can't become deaf. :smallconfused:

Otherwise, looks pretty good, though I think you can increase the duration to 1 minute. After all, it's just deafening.

[Cieyrin]

Corrosive Touch seems a tad powerful, considering it gives damage and destroys armor at the same time. Compare to Rusting Grasp (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rustingGrasp.htm), which only gives the rusting effect, it only works on nonmagical metal and against armor only reduces the AC provided by the armor and is yet a higher level spell.

[jaybird]

How is that a Fortitude (Object) save? Objects can't become deaf. :smallconfused:

Otherwise, looks pretty good, though I think you can increase the duration to 1 minute. After all, it's just deafening.

Damage to object, I think.

Also, was I the only one whose mind wandered...elsewhere...when "vibrating hand" was brought up?

[NeoSeraphi]

Corrosive Touch seems a tad powerful, considering it gives damage and destroys armor at the same time. Compare to Rusting Grasp (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rustingGrasp.htm), which only gives the rusting effect, it only works on nonmagical metal and against armor only reduces the AC provided by the armor and is yet a higher level spell.

Rusting grasp allows for work on weapons and armor, and it doesn't have a saving throw to negate.

Corrosive touch works on metal armor only, and it has a Reflex save to negate.

As for the "higher level", druids get 4ths at 7th level, duskblades get 3rds at 9th. In the same vein that bards get charm monster as a 3rd level spell while wizards get it as a 4th level spell, classes with slower progression should be allowed to get better spells than fullcasters of the same spell level, since the spells should still be level appropriate.

And for the only reducing AC instead of destroying, that's actually a bonus to the druid's version. It's the same reason that players are so hesitant to use Sunder, this spell will destroy loot. It doesn't weaken the enemy while preserving the armor, it just flat out destroys armor that you could have used or sold.

[Cieyrin]

Rusting grasp allows for work on weapons and armor, and it doesn't have a saving throw to negate.

Corrosive touch works on metal armor only, and it has a Reflex save to negate.

As for the "higher level", druids get 4ths at 7th level, duskblades get 3rds at 9th. In the same vein that bards get charm monster as a 3rd level spell while wizards get it as a 4th level spell, classes with slower progression should be allowed to get better spells than fullcasters of the same spell level, since the spells should still be level appropriate.

And for the only reducing AC instead of destroying, that's actually a bonus to the druid's version. It's the same reason that players are so hesitant to use Sunder, this spell will destroy loot. It doesn't weaken the enemy while preserving the armor, it just flat out destroys armor that you could have used or sold.

Well, if the spell is supposed to be equally powerful to a full caster's spell, that only exacerbates the power of Corrosive Touch, as Rusting Grasp only works on nonmagical ferous metals, meaning no mithral, adamantine or <insert exotic metal here>. Additionally that's all Rusting Grasp does, Corrosive Touch gives no save vs. the acid and THEN potentially destroys the armor, regardless if it's magical or what kind of metal it's made of.

As for the Sunder argument, then why exactly would I use this spell if I didn't want to accidentally destroy loot? I would think you'd want to encourage use of your spell, not discourage it by giving strong disadvantages.

[NeoSeraphi]

Well, if the spell is supposed to be equally powerful to a full caster's spell, that only exacerbates the power of Corrosive Touch, as Rusting Grasp only works on nonmagical ferous metals, meaning no mithral, adamantine or <insert exotic metal here>. Additionally that's all Rusting Grasp does, Corrosive Touch gives no save vs. the acid and THEN potentially destroys the armor, regardless if it's magical or what kind of metal it's made of.

As for the Sunder argument, then why exactly would I use this spell if I didn't want to accidentally destroy loot? I would think you'd want to encourage use of your spell, not discourage it by giving strong disadvantages.

Okay, so how would you suggest I change it? I suppose I could just drop the rusting part, but I don't know what kind of rider I would put on it then. Sicken is too weak, nausea is more about poison than it is about acid.

[Cieyrin]

Okay, so how would you suggest I change it? I suppose I could just drop the rusting part, but I don't know what kind of rider I would put on it then. Sicken is too weak, nausea is more about poison than it is about acid.

You could blind for 1 round, as the acid scours their eyes or seeing appendages. That would be suitably powerful without being over the top, at least in my book. At least as powerful as Burning Finger, which makes me think of G Gundam, actually, since I think there's a move by that name in there. :smallconfused:

[NeoSeraphi]

You could blind for 1 round, as the acid scours their eyes or seeing appendages. That would be suitably powerful without being over the top, at least in my book. At least as powerful as Burning Finger, which makes me think of G Gundam, actually, since I think there's a move by that name in there. :smallconfused:

As powerful as burning finger? :smallconfused: The daze condition is much better than the blind condition.

And yeah, burning finger was named after a G Gundam move.

[Morcleon]

How is that a Fortitude (Object) save? Objects can't become deaf. :smallconfused:

Otherwise, looks pretty good, though I think you can increase the duration to 1 minute. After all, it's just deafening.

Ah... I kinda copied the framework from Corrosive Touch, but forgot to change that...:smalltongue:

[Cieyrin]

As powerful as burning finger? :smallconfused: The daze condition is much better than the blind condition.

And yeah, burning finger was named after a G Gundam move.

On the other hand, Acid is a less frequently resisted element than fire, so I think that levels the field nicely. As for Blind vs. Daze, it's still action denial for many creatures, since most creatures depend on their sight for being able to target or attack others, plus it leaves them heavily vulnerable, between the loss of Dex and extra -2 to AC, something Daze doesn't do. They can still do stuff, it's just generally extremely limited on what that stuff is, since you have no line of sight to anything.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alright. I'll update it now.

[wayfare]

Really like the look of these! I will certainly include them in my upcoming martial arts tournament campaign.

I am away from books, so I don't know if something like this already exists, but I would really like to see a touch spell that teleports the enemy a hort distance. Something that you could use to push allies across the battlefield, or cause enemies to fall from a clear sky.

[NeoSeraphi]

Really like the look of these! I will certainly include them in my upcoming martial arts tournament campaign.

I am away from books, so I don't know if something like this already exists, but I would really like to see a touch spell that teleports the enemy a hort distance. Something that you could use to push allies across the battlefield, or cause enemies to fall from a clear sky.

Actually, yes, there is a spell like that, and the duskblade already gets it. It's called dimension hop, and it's a 2nd level spell in the PHB II, teleports a creature 10' away. You can use it on allies or enemies with a touch, so yeah. It's pretty cool.

[NeoSeraphi]

Added elemental sword and blade of the reaper. Thinking about what else I can make. I want to get some seriously awesome high-level spells that fit the duskblade's feel, since right now he's just kind of a wizard-lite with his 5th and 6th level spells.

[Cieyrin]

Is Blade of the Reaper meant to replace the crit range to the exclusion of crit range multipliers? It seems a bit much if otherwise, as I don't think anyone really needs a 6-20 crit range, as 15-20 is pretty bad as-is. This'll certainly get ugly with any x3-4 weapon regardless, given the rarity of weapons that increase mod and range at the same time (Kaorti Resin not withstanding).

[NeoSeraphi]

Is Blade of the Reaper meant to replace the crit range to the exclusion of crit range multipliers? It seems a bit much if otherwise, as I don't think anyone really needs a 6-20 crit range, as 15-20 is pretty bad as-is. This'll certainly get ugly with any x3-4 weapon regardless, given the rarity of weapons that increase mod and range at the same time (Kaorti Resin not withstanding).

Yes, it is the exclusion of crit range multipliers. And it completely replaces the threat range. If your range was originally 18-20, and you have a keen weapon, it becomes 12-20. If it was 20/x3, it becomes 12-20/x3. If you are...that construct with Augmented Critical that gets 12-20/x2 with rapiers from the MM3 or whatever, you still only threaten on a 12-20. It overrides the critical threat range completely, overriding keen, overriding Improved Critical, overriding everything.

And yes, it could get ugly. But it's not like a 13th level duskblade is hard-up for dealing damage with melee attacks anyway. It's a 5th level spell slot, which is the duskblade's second highest level, and it doesn't come online til 13th, when creatures who are immune to crits start showing up. Is that really so bad?

[Cieyrin]

I'm not disparaging it, just noting to see if it's more ridiculous that first impressions would imply.

[NeoSeraphi]

I'm not disparaging it, just noting to see if it's more ridiculous that first impressions would imply.

Well, yes. I suppose I should have been more clear about that. 6-20 crits are ridiculous and unnecessary. Thanks for your PEACH. :smallsmile:

Do you have any suggestions for a good 6th level spell? Something that really captures the essence of the duskblade and represents it perfectly?