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View Full Version : [Spells] We're callin' in fire support!



Peregrine
2007-08-02, 09:21 AM
"Mmrrow?"

"Get off..." The irate guard shooed the cat away as it jumped up onto his leg, and spat after it as it retreated. He looked at it again -- had it poked his tongue out at him as it left? But now it was running away at speed, as though it had seen someone else to bother... The guard put the cat out of his mind.

Moments later, a massive explosion put everything else out of his mind too.

[hr]
Designate Target
Universal
Level: ?
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One point touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

One point touched becomes a magical beacon for your spells. After casting designate target, any spell you cast that affects an area and has a range of close, medium or long can be targeted at this beacon, at up to long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) and negating the need to have line of sight or a specific target location. (The spell must still have line of effect).

The point touched can be on the ground, a wall, a mobile or immobile object, or a creature or its possessions.

Material Component
A piece of chalk.

And, when you'd rather risk the meat shield than your familiar...

Designate Spotter
Universal
Level: ?
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One willing creature
Duration: 1 min./level; see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell works like designate target, except that instead of you touching the point to be designated, you transfer the ability to a willing creature. That creature can then touch a point to designate the target for you. You know when the creature has designated a target. The spell's duration counts from the time the spell is cast, not from the time it is used to designate a target; if you try to aim using the spell before the creature has used it, the creature itself is the target.

A single creature can be under the effects of more than one designate spotter spell at once, all of which will be discharged at the same time, allowing multiple casters to target the same point.

Material Component
Ground chalk and a few drops of oil, smeared on the target's hand or other appendage.

So what do you think? I do need help sorting out the levels for these two spells...

olelia
2007-08-02, 09:25 AM
So the spell increases the range of any spell targeted at it? I can see the usefulness of it like before a wizard goes invis you can target him and your spells will know where he is. It seems mildly limited as a spell so I would put it in the lower levels...1st possibly 2.

Duke of URL
2007-08-02, 09:34 AM
It's like a considerably souped-up version of Enlarge Spell (metamagic, +1 spell level) -- considering that it can apply to any ranged spells without advance preparation or increasing the spell level, at the minor cost of first requiring a successful touch attack, I'd say it should be at least a 3rd level spell.

Peregrine
2007-08-02, 10:50 AM
So the spell increases the range of any spell targeted at it? I can see the usefulness of it like before a wizard goes invis you can target him and your spells will know where he is. It seems mildly limited as a spell so I would put it in the lower levels...1st possibly 2.

Increases the range of short- and medium-range spells, yes. And all three range categories benefit from not needing line of sight.


It's like a considerably souped-up version of Enlarge Spell (metamagic, +1 spell level) -- considering that it can apply to any ranged spells without advance preparation or increasing the spell level, at the minor cost of first requiring a successful touch attack, I'd say it should be at least a 3rd level spell.

Well, yes and no.

Enlarge Spell: doubles the range of short, medium and long spells.
Designate: quadruples the range of short and medium area-effect spells.

Enlarge Spell: +1 spell level metamagic.
Designate: Spend a spell slot of an as-yet-undetermined level.

Enlarge Spell: Hit any target at your new, longer range.
Designate: Hit only designated targets (I may yet limit it to having just one designate in effect at the same time).

Enlarge Spell: Still requires line of effect, and you must either have line of sight to the target, or specify a location where you think you want the spell to go off.
Designate: Negates the need for line of sight or knowledge of the target's position; but you still need line of effect, and if you can't see the target, you may find you've also lost line of effect (if your target's gotten under cover) -- but you won't know until you cast and miss.

metawidget
2007-08-02, 02:37 PM
Both seem like a souped-down (but somewhat more versatile, as you can designate a non-you target) version of Contingency, which is level 6, so the level shouldn't be over 6. The Designate Spotter spell seems equivalent-ish to Imbue with Spell Ability, but capable of carrying considerably more wallop.

I would peg Designate Target as level 3 and Designate Spotter as level 5, and put them on the Sorceror/Wizard spell list. I might stick Designate Target on the Blighter (Complete Divine prestige class) spell list at level 2, as it seems like their kind of thing (especially cast on some unsuspecting cute furry animal) and they're a prestige class. Then I'd play-test, but that's where I'd start them off.

DracoDei
2007-08-02, 04:41 PM
Hmmm... there should be improved versions that also circumvent the need for line of effect... or at least allow such line to zig-zag (using up its range to do so). So it couldn't get inside a sealed up building or Resilient Sphere but could still be "indirect fire" for most other circumstances.

Peregrine
2007-08-02, 10:38 PM
Both seem like a souped-down (but somewhat more versatile, as you can designate a non-you target) version of Contingency, which is level 6, so the level shouldn't be over 6. The Designate Spotter spell seems equivalent-ish to Imbue with Spell Ability, but capable of carrying considerably more wallop.

I would peg Designate Target as level 3 and Designate Spotter as level 5, and put them on the Sorceror/Wizard spell list. I might stick Designate Target on the Blighter (Complete Divine prestige class) spell list at level 2, as it seems like their kind of thing (especially cast on some unsuspecting cute furry animal) and they're a prestige class. Then I'd play-test, but that's where I'd start them off.

Hmm... very, very souped down, to the point where I'm not sure the comparison to contingency is valid. This doesn't cast spells for you or give you a powerful defensive option when everything goes to pot. This purely improves your ability to land an area-effect spell at a distance, whether it be fireball, fire storm, flame strike... or deep slumber, or transmute rock to mud.

At the moment, I'm thinking Sor/Wiz 2 for designate target, and Sor/Wiz 3 for designate spotter.


Hmmm... there should be improved versions that also circumvent the need for line of effect... or at least allow such line to zig-zag (using up its range to do so). So it couldn't get inside a sealed up building or Resilient Sphere but could still be "indirect fire" for most other circumstances.

I was thinking about that. Actually I'd really like it if I could word it such that you could arc it over things, but not have it actually zig-zag between buildings... but that might be too complex. (Maybe if it just turns one corner of up to 90 degrees?)

Anyway, I also wanted to get these first two sorted before progressing with that idea. And now that I think about it, it might be better as metamagic on the fired spell itself rather than a different designating spell.

One upgraded designating spell I am planning to write, though, is one that allows for literal spotting... have someone designate a target for you by sight rather than by touch.

mabriss lethe
2007-08-03, 12:13 AM
Maybe something along the lines of...

Familiar Chain (or some cooler sounding name)
universal
level: 2nd (or maybe 3rd?)
Components:V,S,F
range: touch
Target: your familiar
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving throw: none
Spell Resistance: no

When this spell is cast upon your familiar, You may then cast one ranged spell you know as if the line of effect originated from your familiar instead of you. The spell's range remains unchanged, but is calculated with the familiar as the point of origin. You must still maintain a line of effect with your familiar to attempt this, otherwise the ranged spell is wasted.

Arcane focus: A tuft of fur, a claw, feather, scale, or bodily fluid from your familiar.

I based the spell level on the fact that the master of a familiar can use it to deliver a touch spell when they have a CL of 3 or more. The way I see it, this spell is an extention of that. So availible at roughly the same time or a little later.

I dunno. it doesn't look right now that I have it all down on the screen... any tweaks?

Triaxx
2007-08-03, 09:37 AM
bodily fluid from your familiar

Now I can pay the cat back for peeing in my pack. *grin*