Doombolt - Necromancy Spell

[Maquise]

Doombolt
School: Necromancy
Level: magus 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 3

Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S

Range: medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text; Spell Resistance: yes

Missiles of negative energy shoot forth from your hands, dealing 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage.

The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat, so long as it has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can't be singled out. Objects are not damaged by the spell.

In addition, every target hit by the bolt must make a Will Save or be shaken for the duration of the spell. The target is only subject to this effect once, regardless of how many bolts strike them. This is a Fear effect.

For every two additional caster levels, you get an additional doombolt. If you shoot multiple bolts, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single bolt can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage.

[Rogue Shadows]

Doombolts

Well, for a start, what you've got here is basically better magic missile, so it's certainly above a 1st-level spell.

Question: what's its range?

Anyway, I'd peg this at around 3rd or 4th level, personally.

[Zman]

If you cap the damage at 5x(d6+1) I'd say 2nd. If left uncapped It'd have to be a 3rd.

Edit: Assuming Medium range.

[Morcleon]

I'd probably put this at medium range, 2nd level. Certainly not 3rd or 4th. If you were allowed to target one creature with multiple bolts, then 3rd...

Even uncapped, you can still only target one bolt/creature.

[Maquise]

I would say it would be Medium ranged.

You can target multiple bolts per person, but they're only effected by the Fear effect once.

[Morcleon]

I would say it would be Medium ranged.

You can target multiple bolts per person, but they're only effected by the Fear effect once.

In that case, I'd put it at a solid 3rd level. More damage (per shot) than chain missile, with a decent rider effect, but no ricochet.

Also, what is this [emotion] descriptor you speak of?

[Maquise]

That would be a descriptor added in Ultimate Magic for Pathfinder. If you want to use this for 3.5, you can probably just ignore that.

[DracoDei]

If they are hit by multiple missiles from a single casting, do they have to save for each one until the fail the save or succeed against all of them?

I would put in language allowing Shield and Broach of Shielding to negate this the same as they do with Magic Missile, but also explicitly negating the fear effect.

With that change I would call it 3rd level simply because it is so much better than Cause Fear since it doesn't have a HD cap and can multi-target. Plus necromancers can use it in a pinch to heal their minions (or themselves if they take the Tomb-Tainted Soul feat).

[Zman]

If they are hit by multiple missiles from a single casting, do they have to save for each one until the fail the save or succeed against all of them?

I would put in language allowing Shield and Broach of Shielding to negate this the same as they do with Magic Missile, but also explicitly negating the fear effect.

With that change I would call it 3rd level simply because it is so much better than Cause Fear since it doesn't have a HD cap and can multi-target. Plus necromancers can use it in a pinch to heal their minions (or themselves if they take the Tomb-Tainted Soul feat).

He said only one save per target.

Why would shield protect? It a negative energy attack, not force.

Cause Fear can frighten an enemy and is only shaken on a successful save.

[Kasbark]

Here is a suggestion on how I would write a spell like this. Add the spell to more classes to taste.

For a level 3 spell i don't think you would need to make Shield negate it if you use it as below. If you remove the cap or raise the limit of number of missiles, i would increase it in level or make Shield (possible something else as well or instead, such as Bless or Prayer) stop the missiles.


Doombolt
School: Necromancy [Emotion, Fear, Mind-effecting];
Level: magus 3, sorcerer/wizard 3

Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S

Range: medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text; Spell Resistance: yes


DESCRIPTION

A missile of negative energy darts forth from your fingertip and strikes its target, dealing 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage.
In addition, any target hit by one or more missiles must make a will save or become shaken for the duration of the spell.

The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat, so long as it has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can't be singled out. Objects are not damaged by the spell.

For every two caster levels beyond 1st, you gain an additional missile - two at 3rd level, three at 5th, four at 7th, and the maximum of five missiles at 9th level or higher. If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage.

[Maquise]

Doombolt
School: Necromancy [Emotion, Fear, Mind-effecting];
Level: magus 3, sorcerer/wizard 3

Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S

Range: medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text; Spell Resistance: yes


DESCRIPTION

A missile of negative energy darts forth from your fingertip and strikes its target, dealing 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage.
In addition, any target hit by one or more missiles must make a will save or become shaken for the duration of the spell.

The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat, so long as it has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can't be singled out. Objects are not damaged by the spell.

For every two caster levels beyond 1st, you gain an additional missile - two at 3rd level, three at 5th, four at 7th, and the maximum of five missiles at 9th level or higher. If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage.

I'm assuming that was a copy/paste error concerning the number of missiles. I would say one at 3rd, two at 5th, three at 7th, four at 9th, max at 11th.

[DracoDei]

I'm assuming that was a copy/paste error concerning the number of missiles. I would say one at 3rd, two at 5th, three at 7th, four at 9th, max at 11th.

Except that third level characters technically can't cast 3rd level spells.

[Maquise]

So then, what would be a good progression that fit the power level?

[Kasbark]

It was actually on purpose, you start of with 3 missiles and get up to 5. If you start of with only one, it's a bit too weak compared to a fireball.

It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to change it to something like this, if you think it's a bit too good compared to, say fireball at level 5:

You get two missiles at level 5. For every two level above 5 you get another missile, up to a maximum of 5 at level 11.

[J-H]

Doombolts
Necromancy [Emotion, Fear, Mind-effecting]
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Duration: 1 min/level (for the Shaken effect)
Save: Will partial, see text; Spell Resistance: yes

Missiles of negative energy shoot forth from your hands, dealing 1d6+1 points of negative energy damage.

The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat, so long as it has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can't be singled out. Objects are not damaged by the spell.

In addition, every target hit by the bolt must make a Will Save or be shaken for the duration of the spell. The target is only subject to this effect once, regardless of how many bolts strike them.

For every two caster levels, you get an additional doombolt. If you shoot multiple bolts, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single bolt can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage.

Energy Spheres (SpC 80) is a level 4 Wizard spell that has some minor energy resistance effects, and allows a level 11 wizard to do 10 points of damage for each of the 5 elements (e, f, a, c, & sonic).
Doombolt allows a level 11 wizard to do 6d6+6 damage (average 44.5) spread across multiple targets, and debuffs up to 6 enemies (at level 11) enemies with a -2 to saves, attacks, skill checks, and ability checks if they fail their saves.

Doombolt is solidly better than Energy Spheres under most circumstances, so I'd call it a level 4 spell.

[Maquise]

Would that remain if I capped it at a maximum of 5 doombolts?

[J-H]

Math fail. 6d6+6 averages out to 27, not 44. Level 3.

[Morcleon]

Would that remain if I capped it at a maximum of 5 doombolts?

Math fail. 6d6+6 averages out to 27, not 44. Level 3.

Indeed. 44 damage is maximized.

Keep it uncapped. Magic need more uncapped damage. Also, it's a shaken effect. That means fear and mind-affecting, both of which are very common immunities.

As a side note, you should probably remove the fear and mind-affecting tags. Shaken is already a fear effect, which in turn is a mind-affecting effect. If you keep it, then immunity to fear/mind-affecting will stop the entire spell.

[DracoDei]

As a side note, you should probably remove the fear and mind-affecting tags. Shaken is already a fear effect, which in turn is a mind-affecting effect. If you keep it, then immunity to fear/mind-affecting will stop the entire spell.

Or, if you want to get tricky, say that those tags apply only to that part of the spell. That way if a caster gets +2 to the DC of [Fear] spells then the bonus still applies here.

I believe in simplicity, but almost never at the expense of precision, YMMV.

[Morcleon]

Or, if you want to get tricky, say that those tags apply only to that part of the spell. That way if a caster gets +2 to the DC of [Fear] spells then the bonus still applies here.

I believe in simplicity, but almost never at the expense of precision, YMMV.

Hmm... hadn't thought of that...

Just stick "This is a fear effect." at the end of the bit about being shaken. Thus, they get the bonus, and the spell is accurate. Precedent for this set by Eyebite spell in SRD.

[DracoDei]

Hmm... hadn't thought of that...

Just stick "This is a fear effect." at the end of the bit about being shaken. Thus, they get the bonus, and the spell is accurate. Precedent for this set by Eyebite spell in SRD.

Awesome (or is that "20% cooler"?). I had never looked at Eyebite all that closely.

[Maquise]

Updated the original post.

Are there any spells that defend against negative energy? I'm considering making Death Ward block Doombolt.

[DracoDei]

Updated the original post.

Are there any spells that defend against negative energy? I'm considering making Death Ward block Doombolt.

There may be Protection from Negative Energy in some splat-book, and/or Deathward may already do that. Go ahead and do that though since the fear effect could be argued not to be blocked otherwise.

[Kasbark]

Your original post still does not specify how many bolts you get (well, currently its 1 + 1 for every two caster levels, so 3 at level 5, 4 at level 6, 5 at level 8 and so on) which seem a bit excessive for a third level spell.

[Maquise]

I'm not sure how to word it so they start at the level they get the spell, but I think I got it by using the word "additional."

[Kasbark]

You get one bolt at 5th level, and one additional bolt for every two caster levels above 5th. (to a maximum of 5 bolts at level 15 - if you want a limit to number of bolts)

Personally i think it's a bit on the weak side when you get it if you start of with only a single bolt. I would do make it like this instead:

You start of with two bolts. For every three caster levels above 5th, you get an additional bolt, up to a maximum of 5 bolts at level 14.

[Maquise]

Magus doesn't get this spell until 7th level, though.