LeonBH
2017-01-28, 02:39 AM
Hi all, first time poster. :)
I cooked up a few spells for my level 6 Wild Magic Sorcerer but haven't tossed the idea to my DM yet. I'm concerned they're either grossly underpowered or grossly overpowered, and would like some feedback to refine the rough edges first.
My hope is the flavor and intent of the spells become immediately obvious as you read the spell descriptions below. I'm having a hard time categorizing them into a usual arcane school though (necromancy is closest, but this is strictly speaking not dealing with life-and-death forces, just your own life force).
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Soulfire
1st level
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: 1 minute
You burn a small flame within your arcane soul as fuel for this spell. The burnt energy manifests as a thin, prismatic mist boiling from your skin. For the duration, you gain access to 1 Sorcerer Metamagic that you did not previously know. On this round and at the beginning of your subsequent rounds, you permanently lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool. You do not regain the lost hitpoints after the spell ends. You may end this spell at any time (no action required).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you only lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool when you cast this spell, but not on subsequent rounds.
I made this to alleviate the strain on Sorcerer Metamagic options. Theoretically, it also gives access to Metamagic as early as level 2 (instead of level 3). The max HP drain mechanic is in place for flavor reasons (you are draining your own life essence -- that stuff can't be healed!), as well as to deter abuse. Additionally, it sets up a spell-chain, as you will see below.
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Chained Magic
4th level
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: M (a runic tattoo on the back of your palm worth 1000gp of fine inks)
Duration: Instantaneous
You combust your arcane soul with very high efficiency. You may only cast this spell if you are under the effects of Soulfire; attempting to cast it otherwise wastes the spell slot and your action. For as long as you are under the effects of Soulfire, you may cast a level 1 spell or higher as an action even if you have already cast a spell as a bonus action. On this round and at the beginning of your subsequent rounds, you permanently lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool. You do not regain the lost hitpoints after the spell ends. You may end this spell at any time (no action required).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, you only lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool when you cast this spell, but not on subsequent rounds.
I made this spell in such a way that you cannot use any Metamagic on it (as such, the strange Components section lists only a material component). It's meant to make the Sorcerer who takes it into a powerful dual-caster.
This gives the Sorcerer the ability to nuke with two Fireballs in a single turn. But to get there, the max HP drain is a minimum of 5 (lose 1 on the first turn to cast Soulfire, then on the next turn lose 1 at the start of the turn from Soulfire, lose 1 from the casting of Chained Magic, and lose 2 at the start of the next turn due to Soulfire and Chained Magic being active).
The idea behind it is, you can do an extremely impressive nuke for two fire balls (at 3rd level each, that's 16d6 fire AoE, or 56 damage on average), but you come away paying a permanent price. It cannot be spammed because this spell will literally kill the caster, and so it must be used sparingly.
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Arcane Shell
6th level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 ft
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You sunder a piece of your arcane soul and detonate it like a nuclear explosion, at the cost of your vitality. You may only cast this spell if you are under the effects of Chained Magic; attempting to cast it otherwise wastes the spell slot and your action. Choose any number of spells that you know or have prepared with a total spell level up to 6; cantrips count as spell level 1 for this purpose. You cast them all simultaneously. You permanently lose a number of points from your max hitpoint pool equal to the total spell levels you cast.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 9th level or higher, you only lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool when you cast this spell.
This is a really crazy, really swingy idea. I consciously chose to make it a 1 action casting time, so it can be Quickened. In addition, it requires Chained Magic to be active, so the rule on you can only cast a cantrip as an action if you cast a spell as a bonus action is overwritten -- so you can do two Arcane Shells in a turn.
That said, due to the specific max HP drain mechanic, the minimum points you will lose to cast an Arcane Shell is 9 points (lose 1 on the first turn to cast Soulfire, then on the next turn lose 1 at the start of the turn from Soulfire, lose 1 from the casting of Chained Magic, and lose 6 from Arcane Shell, assuming you want to maximize the use of the spell).
At a d6 HD for the Sorcerer, and assuming a 14 CON, the average HP you get from leveling up is 6. The max you get is 8. So, the use of a single Arcane Shell means you are giving up your HP gains from an entire level -- that is really steep already, I think. But in exchange, you get to be a living nuke.
A recurring theme on all three spells above is the "At Higher Levels" part -- if you cast them at much higher levels than they normally are, they will siphon much less max HP. I think this is fair, especially since by the time you can cast higher level spells, these ones will have to compete with those other potent effects.
~~~~~~~~~
That concludes it! Be nice to the new poster, please!
I cooked up a few spells for my level 6 Wild Magic Sorcerer but haven't tossed the idea to my DM yet. I'm concerned they're either grossly underpowered or grossly overpowered, and would like some feedback to refine the rough edges first.
My hope is the flavor and intent of the spells become immediately obvious as you read the spell descriptions below. I'm having a hard time categorizing them into a usual arcane school though (necromancy is closest, but this is strictly speaking not dealing with life-and-death forces, just your own life force).
~~~~~~~~~
Soulfire
1st level
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: 1 minute
You burn a small flame within your arcane soul as fuel for this spell. The burnt energy manifests as a thin, prismatic mist boiling from your skin. For the duration, you gain access to 1 Sorcerer Metamagic that you did not previously know. On this round and at the beginning of your subsequent rounds, you permanently lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool. You do not regain the lost hitpoints after the spell ends. You may end this spell at any time (no action required).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you only lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool when you cast this spell, but not on subsequent rounds.
I made this to alleviate the strain on Sorcerer Metamagic options. Theoretically, it also gives access to Metamagic as early as level 2 (instead of level 3). The max HP drain mechanic is in place for flavor reasons (you are draining your own life essence -- that stuff can't be healed!), as well as to deter abuse. Additionally, it sets up a spell-chain, as you will see below.
~~~~~~~~~
Chained Magic
4th level
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: M (a runic tattoo on the back of your palm worth 1000gp of fine inks)
Duration: Instantaneous
You combust your arcane soul with very high efficiency. You may only cast this spell if you are under the effects of Soulfire; attempting to cast it otherwise wastes the spell slot and your action. For as long as you are under the effects of Soulfire, you may cast a level 1 spell or higher as an action even if you have already cast a spell as a bonus action. On this round and at the beginning of your subsequent rounds, you permanently lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool. You do not regain the lost hitpoints after the spell ends. You may end this spell at any time (no action required).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, you only lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool when you cast this spell, but not on subsequent rounds.
I made this spell in such a way that you cannot use any Metamagic on it (as such, the strange Components section lists only a material component). It's meant to make the Sorcerer who takes it into a powerful dual-caster.
This gives the Sorcerer the ability to nuke with two Fireballs in a single turn. But to get there, the max HP drain is a minimum of 5 (lose 1 on the first turn to cast Soulfire, then on the next turn lose 1 at the start of the turn from Soulfire, lose 1 from the casting of Chained Magic, and lose 2 at the start of the next turn due to Soulfire and Chained Magic being active).
The idea behind it is, you can do an extremely impressive nuke for two fire balls (at 3rd level each, that's 16d6 fire AoE, or 56 damage on average), but you come away paying a permanent price. It cannot be spammed because this spell will literally kill the caster, and so it must be used sparingly.
~~~~~~~~~
Arcane Shell
6th level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 ft
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You sunder a piece of your arcane soul and detonate it like a nuclear explosion, at the cost of your vitality. You may only cast this spell if you are under the effects of Chained Magic; attempting to cast it otherwise wastes the spell slot and your action. Choose any number of spells that you know or have prepared with a total spell level up to 6; cantrips count as spell level 1 for this purpose. You cast them all simultaneously. You permanently lose a number of points from your max hitpoint pool equal to the total spell levels you cast.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 9th level or higher, you only lose 1 point from your max hitpoint pool when you cast this spell.
This is a really crazy, really swingy idea. I consciously chose to make it a 1 action casting time, so it can be Quickened. In addition, it requires Chained Magic to be active, so the rule on you can only cast a cantrip as an action if you cast a spell as a bonus action is overwritten -- so you can do two Arcane Shells in a turn.
That said, due to the specific max HP drain mechanic, the minimum points you will lose to cast an Arcane Shell is 9 points (lose 1 on the first turn to cast Soulfire, then on the next turn lose 1 at the start of the turn from Soulfire, lose 1 from the casting of Chained Magic, and lose 6 from Arcane Shell, assuming you want to maximize the use of the spell).
At a d6 HD for the Sorcerer, and assuming a 14 CON, the average HP you get from leveling up is 6. The max you get is 8. So, the use of a single Arcane Shell means you are giving up your HP gains from an entire level -- that is really steep already, I think. But in exchange, you get to be a living nuke.
A recurring theme on all three spells above is the "At Higher Levels" part -- if you cast them at much higher levels than they normally are, they will siphon much less max HP. I think this is fair, especially since by the time you can cast higher level spells, these ones will have to compete with those other potent effects.
~~~~~~~~~
That concludes it! Be nice to the new poster, please!