[PR] S T Cooley Publishing Presents: Arcane Arsenal - Jet Spells

[The Sigil]

S.T. Cooley Publishing is proud to present our latest release, "Arcane Arsenal: Jet Spells" This is the second product in S.T. Cooley Publishing's "Shaheen's Scratchpad" line. This line consists of "short subject" works focused tightly on a single subject.

Arcane Arsenal: Jet Spells introduces a new type of spell into fantasy RPG campaigns - the "Jet" spell. A jet spell can be thought of as a ray spell that lasts several rounds, allowing the caster to hit several different targets.

The full product page can be viewed here and you can purchase it from our exclusive vendor, RPGNow.com, by clicking this link.

 

[DMH]

I was expecting the 2nd adventure (out of 6?) next, but this look as good as build-up spells.

Can't wait to see what is next.

 

[The Sigil]

I was expecting the 2nd adventure (out of 6?) next, but this look as good as build-up spells.

Can't wait to see what is next.

That's in the hopper, too.

Other things I am working on include the Basic GM's Guide and formatting/cleaning up the other 4 out of 6 adventures - but we're going to be selling our home and moving within the next month or two, so time will be hard to come by.

--The Sigil

 

[HellHound]

Just a quick comment on the sample spell - Soultheft.

It is a level 5 spell that deals 1d4 damage / 2 caster levels to a max of 5d4 damage. So a caster can first pick it up at level 9 (4d4 damage) and then the next level it increases to 5d4 and caps (well, not really cap, since it lasts 1 round per level). Why not make it a constant damage number?

btw, you might be Qui-Gon Jinn... but that test has pinned me down for who I truly am... Emperor Palpatine! (cue Imperial March)

 

[The Sigil]

Just a quick comment on the sample spell - Soultheft.

It is a level 5 spell that deals 1d4 damage / 2 caster levels to a max of 5d4 damage. So a caster can first pick it up at level 9 (4d4 damage) and then the next level it increases to 5d4 and caps (well, not really cap, since it lasts 1 round per level). Why not make it a constant damage number?

Geez, a revision already!

When the spell was originally written, it was set as a level 3 spell (at which point the d4 per two levels makes a bit of a difference) without the fatigue effect; however, on further testing, that turned out to be too good for a level 3 spell. It was still too good as a level 4 spell, but not quite good enough as a level 5 spell, so the fatigue effect was added. However, as the spell was bumped up to 5th level, I didn't notice that the change would affect it the damage dice in the way you just pointed out. I'll knock out a revision tonight when I get home from work. Thanks for the catch, 'Hound!

(As I mentioned above, we're in the process of a move, so my mind isn't always "all there" right now).

--The Sigil

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I wrote this earlier and then decided to send it to you privately, but since HH has already raised the issue, I'll repost:

Neat, Sigil. Just bought it.

At first glance, I think your sample Necromancy spell is seriously underpowered, though. It doesn't compare favorably to Vampiric Touch. At the very least, a 5th level, single target spell should be good for 15 dice of damage (even if the caster would have to be 30th level to do it...)

The damage caps for spells are an important balance mechanic, rarely broken without good reason.

I think spreading the damage out over multiple rounds (the "jet" effect) is a disadvantage, not an advantage, as opposed to a spell of lingering duration that is "fire and forget," like Melf's Acid Arrow; or a spell whose total "single target" damage can be spread over multiple targets, but which still takes effect in a single round, like Scorching Ray.

EDIT: Just a couple more thoughts on those damage caps. When a spell affects either a single target, or multiple targets of a specific number (for example, one target per caster level) you can use the larger cap. Scorching Ray breaks the cap a little bit, but basically adheres to the 10 dice maximum of a single target, 2nd level spell.

When a spell gains an area of effect such that it can affect an unspecified number of multiple targets (ie, however many you may happen to catch in the area of effect), you should use the smaller cap-- if Scorching Ray were a cone effect, it would do 5 dice of damage.

Wulf

 

[The Sigil]

At first glance, I think your sample Necromancy spell is seriously underpowered, though. It doesn't compare favorably to Vampiric Touch. At the very least, a 5th level, single target spell should be good for 15 dice of damage (even if the caster would have to be 30th level to do it...)

It was, in my view, the weakest of the spells included (in terms of effect versus spell level). I wanted to err on the side of weakness, however. On further review, I think you're right - the 15 dice may be a good cap to use. My concern was not so much with the damage dealt (even at 15d4 per round, that's only an average of about 37 points of damage per round for a 5th-level spell) but the "healing" aspect of it (allowing the caster to gain, on average, 37 points per round) as well as the "no save" aspect (common for ray spells).

When comparing to Vampiric touch (a third-level spell), I felt the range upgrade (from touch to close) was worth about one spell level. The dropping of damage dice to d4 and adding the fatigue effect, I felt, offset each other. So I was looking at roughly a 4th-level spell. The difference is that vampiric touch is "one-and-done" while this one essentially lets you do it over and over and over (e.g., with a 9th-level caster, you're getting "9 shots" instead of the one afforded by vampiric touch). I felt that was worth bumping the spell up another level, though in retrospect, I think I the cap should have been bumped up with the actual spell level (instead of forgetting to adjust it and leaving it at third level's 5 dice). I guess it should be capped at 15 instead of 5 (since 5th-level arcane spells have a 15-die cap whether they are single-target or area-effect).

Anyway, my favorite spell (flavor-wise) in this work was actually the "visionslur" spell. I'd love to hear what you think about that one, Wulf!

--The Sigil

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It was, in my view, the weakest of the spells included (in terms of effect versus spell level). I wanted to err on the side of weakness, however.

That's a good instinct.

On further review, I think you're right - the 15 dice may be a good cap to use. My concern was not so much with the damage dealt (even at 15d4 per round, that's only an average of about 37 points of damage per round for a 5th-level spell) but the "healing" aspect of it (allowing the caster to gain, on average, 37 points per round) as well as the "no save" aspect (common for ray spells).

Well, let's just see what Heroes of High Favor: Elves has to say on the subject. (I didn't do all that research for nothing...)

First of all, any spell that requires an attack roll gets "No Save" at no cost. (That's actually the default.)

Transfer adds +3 levels. Improving from Touch to Close is +1/2 level. Dropping the effect to 1/2 caster level is -1/2 level.

So you could design a 3rd level spell that did 1d6 per two caster levels, transferring the damage to the caster.

Now just look at where we differ from this approach:

When comparing to Vampiric touch (a third-level spell), I felt the range upgrade (from touch to close) was worth about one spell level.

About 1/2, actually...

The dropping of damage dice to d4

Probably an adjustment of about -1/2...

and adding the fatigue effect...

Well, my research for Elves was based on 3.0 spells-- when there was no such thing as a fatigue effect. Considering that Touch of Fatigue is a 0-level spell, I don't think the Fatigue effect should cost you more than about +1/2 level. It's actually probably a 0-level baseline effect (There's not a lot of room to reduce the level of Touch of Fatigue any more than 0-level because it's got nowhere "down" to go: Its range is touch, its duration is 1 round/level, so you've pretty much run out of the usual suspects for reducing a spell's level.)

But since we're combining effects into a single spell, +1/2 level is fair.

The only thing remaining is how valuable the "Jet" template is. I think the jury is still out on that one. The advantage of a spell that keeps on damaging is offset by the fact that the caster can't do anything else. Is it fully offset? Definitely not. Some kind of increase is in order.

EDIT: Hmmm... I'm thinking now of the "Repeat Spell" metamagic feat. I think it's in complete arcane, I think it's +2 levels, and I think it only lets the spell repeat once. My inclination with "Jet" would be to reduce the overall damage per round since you're spreading it out, which I think is more useful than giving full value for it but increasing the base spell level by 2 or 3 levels.

So I was looking at roughly a 4th-level spell. The difference is that vampiric touch is "one-and-done" while this one essentially lets you do it over and over and over (e.g., with a 9th-level caster, you're getting "9 shots" instead of the one afforded by vampiric touch). I felt that was worth bumping the spell up another level, though in retrospect, I think I the cap should have been bumped up with the actual spell level (instead of forgetting to adjust it and leaving it at third level's 5 dice). I guess it should be capped at 15 instead of 5 (since 5th-level arcane spells have a 15-die cap whether they are single-target or area-effect).

That's really the issue: there are certain expectations with regard to the damage cap.

But a 5th level spell is the point at which the game says you it's ok for you to be able to regularly KILL a target with a single spell.

Anyway, my favorite spell (flavor-wise) in this work was actually the "visionslur" spell. I'd love to hear what you think about that one, Wulf!

I'll try to get to that one next!


Wulf

 

[The Sigil]

The only thing remaining is how valuable the "Jet" template is. I think the jury is still out on that one. The advantage of a spell that keeps on damaging is offset by the fact that the caster can't do anything else. Is it fully offset? Definitely not. Some kind of increase is in order.

Hopefully that "can't do anything else" is itself offset by the (D) in the duration - the caster can end the effect and do something else if he so chooses. And of course, if he wants to do something else but doesn't need to use the hand taken up by the jet spell, he's free to cast other spells and leave the spell "going" but not focused on a target.

Oh, and only on ENWorld can I get this kind of quality feedback all but immediately upon a product release - from other designers, no less. Love it!

At any rate, I'm going to bump the damage cap to 15d4 with a revision tonight and leave the other stuff as it is for the moment so I can get some more playtesting accomplished with various other options.

--The Sigil

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

At any rate, I'm going to bump the damage cap to 15d4 with a revision tonight and leave the other stuff as it is for the moment so I can get some more playtesting accomplished with various other options.

In retrospect, don't do that. I've given it more thought and definitely spoke too soon.

Here's the bottom line:

It's a hard and fast rule for spells, whether they deal their damage all at once or over time, that they don't break the damage caps (or, if at all, not by much) for spells of their level. Acid Arrow scales all the way up to 18th level, at which point it lasts 6 rounds: its total damage output over its lifetime is 12d4.

Scorching Ray does sorta the same thing, but instead of making one ray that damages over multiple rounds, it makes multiple rays with an instantaneous effect. Its maximum damage output? At caster level 11, it does 12d6.

Both of these spells are still within range of the damage cap for a "single target" 2nd level spell. Each variation has its pros and cons.

I think the solution for Jet spells is closer to the Acid Arrow model than the Scorching Ray model-- but nevertheless, the ability to do (even at just 5d4 per round) a total of 45d4 damage with a single spell is just too much. If you're dead set on a duration of 1 round/level, then I think you're looking at a model that can't really do more than 1 die of damage per round, even if you break the damage cap by a die or two at the upper caster level limits.

Now, I fully understand that part of what you want to do with Shaheen's Scratchpad is to break those "hard and fast" rules-- but I think you need more playtesting. A wise sorcerer would stock up with nothing but Jet spells, since he could cast one spell per combat and just keep re-focusing his damage output where he needs it (as opposed to the usual sorcerer model of laying down the smack with spell after spell).

In summary: It needs fixin'.

Wulf