Rainbow Magic (feat), plus spells

In honour of Vancouver Pride (and because I've been on a rainbow kick lately :D)!

Rainbow Mastery
You know the magic of Iris.

Prerequisites
Caster level 1st, Cha 12, Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks.

Benefits
Add the following spells to all of your class spell lists (using the levels given below, unless the spells already appear on your class spell list at a different level).

If you are a cleric, you may prepare these spells in your domain slots.

If you are a wizard, you may prepare them without without referring to a spellbook.

If you are a prepared caster, you may "lose" a prepared spell in order to cast any spell from this list of the same level or lower.

If you are a spontaneous caster, they are considered spells known for you and do not count towards your spells known.

0th-dancing lights, faerie fire
1st-colour spray
2nd-hypnotic pattern
3rd-rainbow shield (see below)
4th-rainbow pattern
5th-rainbow bridge
6th-prismatic shield (see below)
7th-prismatic spray
8th-prismatic wall, scintillating pattern
9th-prismatic sphere

Rainbow Shield
Evocation [Light]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

This spell wreathes you in glowing, rainbow-hued pattern of interweaving colors that protects you from energy attacks and causes damage to each creature that attacks you in melee.

You gain energy resistance 10 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage.

Any creature that strikes you in melee takes 1 point of damage per three caster levels (maximum 3) from each of these energy types. If the attacker has spell resistance, it applies to this effect. Creatures wielding weapons with exceptional reach are not subject to this damage if they attack you.

Material Component
A handful of scintillating iridescent powder that you cast into the air around yourself.

Prismatic Shield
Evocation [Light]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D); see text
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: See text

This spell wreathes you in shimmering, multicolored armour of light that protects you and harms creatures that attack you in melee. Any creature with less than 8 HD that is within 20 feet of you is blinded for 2d4 rounds by the colors if it looks at you.

You are protected from spells and attacks (and may not use spells and attacks) as though you were within a prismatic sphere. Any creature that strikes you in melee must roll as though they were hit by a prismatic spray you had cast; you instantly lose the protection of whatever colour(s) they saved against (whether or not they saved successfully).

You may make touch attacks (in place of any melee attacks you would normally be permitted) in order to force a creature to save as though they had struck you in melee; you lose the protection of any colours they save against.

When you have no colours remaining the spell ends.

Focus
A small flat piece of mother-of-pearl or opal worth 10 gp.

Add a few more prerequisites. It's an extremely good feat for spontaneous casters, who are always starved for more spells known.

Compare Arcane Disciple: a popular feat for spontaneous casters with limited lists, and it has alignment requirements, two skill requirements and only adds them to the spells known you can choose from, not gives you more.

Also, unless I'm missing something, Prismatic shield is crazy good. A personal shield that, to quote prismatic wall "stops all spells"? Plus almost all forms of attack? And gives what is essentially total cover from spells? you can't possibly make this lower level than Prismatic Wall as written. It's also better than prismatic sphere in at least one aspect, namely it's centered on you, not an area, so you can take the buff with you.

Your spells are both way over powered.

A third level spell that gives 10 resistance to four energy types is a lot, but the spell also does 4-12 energy damage of four types. That is a lot for one spell.

It also does not really fit in with ''light and rainbows'', it's just a boring protection/damage spell all in one.

You want a ''rainbow shield'', don't think so ''combat roll playing'' and try and think more ''spell effect that fits the theme''. Rainbow Shield should be a bit more like ''as the spell blur except 40%'' and maybe ''it's as bright as daylight'' and ''creatures touching it might get blinded by the swirling colors ''.


Prismatic Shield: well a spell that combines prismatic sphere and prismatic spray should not be so low of a level. Does it really make sense to you that ''you can cast a 6th level spell that has the effects of a 9th level spell?'' or worse ''A 7th and 9th level spells''?

Of course, you also have the cross over from ''rainbow'' to ''prismatic'', wonder why there are no high level ''rainbow'' spells?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eldan

Add a few more prerequisites. It's an extremely good feat for spontaneous casters, who are always starved for more spells known.

Compare Arcane Disciple: a popular feat for spontaneous casters with limited lists, and it has alignment requirements, two skill requirements and only adds them to the spells known you can choose from, not gives you more.

Also, unless I'm missing something, Prismatic shield is crazy good. A personal shield that, to quote prismatic wall "stops all spells"? Plus almost all forms of attack? And gives what is essentially total cover from spells? you can't possibly make this lower level than Prismatic Wall as written. It's also better than prismatic sphere in at least one aspect, namely it's centered on you, not an area, so you can take the buff with you.

---

Added more prerequisites to Rainbow Mastery (Charisma because they're pretty, Knowledge (nature) because they're weather-related, Spellcraft because they're magical).

Prismatic Shield - many powerful effects, but only lasts one round/level (and quickly loses it's efficacy if you take even a few melee attacks). Prismatic Wall is much more dependable... though I suppose I could rewrite the immunities to just bonuses on saves against various effects. For now I've added in that the armour blocks your own spells and attacks too (compare antimagic field).

Thanks for the feedback (both here and on the other thread)!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Darth Ultron

Your spells are both way over powered.

A third level spell that gives 10 resistance to four energy types is a lot, but the spell also does 4-12 energy damage of four types. That is a lot for one spell.

It also does not really fit in with ''light and rainbows'', it's just a boring protection/damage spell all in one.

You want a ''rainbow shield'', don't think so ''combat roll playing'' and try and think more ''spell effect that fits the theme''. Rainbow Shield should be a bit more like ''as the spell blur except 40%'' and maybe ''it's as bright as daylight'' and ''creatures touching it might get blinded by the swirling colors ''.


Prismatic Shield: well a spell that combines prismatic sphere and prismatic spray should not be so low of a level. Does it really make sense to you that ''you can cast a 6th level spell that has the effects of a 9th level spell?'' or worse ''A 7th and 9th level spells''?

Of course, you also have the cross over from ''rainbow'' to ''prismatic'', wonder why there are no high level ''rainbow'' spells?

---

Rainbow Shield - it's not very overpowered. Compared to resist energy/protection from energy it's broader but weaker protection; compared to fire shield it deals almost-equivalent damage but again lacks the protection (and though it deals many different types of energy, it increases the chances that a monster will be able to resist at least some of that damage through resistances/immunities). I agree that it's not particularly creative but multi-element effects are a standard rainbow/chromatic/etc mechanic.

Prismatic Shield - I've edited it but it's disingenuous to say it has prismatic sphere's effect - the duration is much shorter and you're in much greater danger of the colours being used up and losing their protections.

The "theme" of the feat was really just colourful spells, hence including stuff like hypnotic pattern etc. Didn't want to write up a rainbow spell for each level haha :D

I agree that the shield has a few disadvantages compared to the sphere, but it has advantages, too (portability).

The duration is not as much of a disadvantage as you might think. Since this one can be moved, you can cast it just before combat. The duration should be plenty for one battle.

Righto. In any event, the edits should have reduced the power level sufficiently now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eldan

Add a few more prerequisites. It's an extremely good feat for spontaneous casters, who are always starved for more spells known.

Compare Arcane Disciple: a popular feat for spontaneous casters with limited lists, and it has alignment requirements, two skill requirements and only adds them to the spells known you can choose from, not gives you more.

Also, unless I'm missing something, Prismatic shield is crazy good. A personal shield that, to quote prismatic wall "stops all spells"? Plus almost all forms of attack? And gives what is essentially total cover from spells? you can't possibly make this lower level than Prismatic Wall as written. It's also better than prismatic sphere in at least one aspect, namely it's centered on you, not an area, so you can take the buff with you.

---

For spontaneous casters, you could just ban spells with Darkness descriptors from being spells known. Like the bloodline feet some Dragon compendium do.

Also consider changing knowledge nature down to three ranks so that sorcerers can get the Spells added to their spells known before they get second level spells with cross class ranks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by daremetoidareyo

For spontaneous casters, you could just ban spells with Darkness descriptors from being spells known. Like the bloodline feet some Dragon compendium do.

Also consider changing knowledge nature down to three ranks so that sorcerers can get the Spells added to their spells known before they get second level spells with cross class ranks.

---

That's a clever workaround but I don't think I'll tamper with the feat any more. I'll leave the prereqs as they are - if a character wants it badly enough they should be willing to invest in the requirements.

I have to note that a wizard with Cha 12 could take this feat at 1st level...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rferries

That's a clever workaround but I don't think I'll tamper with the feat any more. I'll leave the prereqs as they are - if a character wants it badly enough they should be willing to invest in the requirements.

---

It's just that the earliest a sorcerer gets to take the feat is then at level 6 rather than level 3 which means the most helpful low level access is boxed out for three of the toughest levels to play a sorcerer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Southern Cross

I have to note that a wizard with Cha 12 could take this feat at 1st level...

---

Yep! Again, I feel the feat is balanced now so it should be accessible at low or high levels.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by daremetoidareyo

It's just that the earliest a sorcerer gets to take the feat is then at level 6 rather than level 3 which means the most helpful low level access is boxed out for three of the toughest levels to play a sorcerer.

---

For flavour reasons I'm not going to alter the prerequisites any more. A sorcerer can take the feat at high levels and still enjoy benefits from it for the remainder of their career, even though they couldn't access it sooner.

Actually, I've found a way for sorcerers to take Rainbow Mastery at 1st level...
Step One: Play a human sorcerer (for the bonus feat and extra skill points).
Step Two: Take Able Learner from Races of Destiny as the base 1st level feat, so all the characters skills are class skills.
Step Three: Spend 8 skill points to gain 4 ranks in both Knowledge (nature) and Spellcraft.
Step Four: Use the bonus feat to purchase Rainbow Mastery.

The Mod on the Silver Mountain: Rainbow magic does not work well with necromancy.