DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

[Anastasia]

Blade of the Vampire and Blade of the Righteous added to the spell collection.

[Anastasia]

Revising and adjusting spells, will leave these up a day or two for comments before taking another look and/or spell collectioning them.

Added a saving throw and clarified some language and terminology issues. Also has a sanity check for mettle, as it is needed.

Paladin's Mercy
Transmutation
Level: Pal 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fort partial; see text

By invoking this spell, your next smite evil attempt deals an extra 1d6 points of damage and all the damage is nonlethal damage. If a creature is rendered unconscious from the nonlethal damage from this smite, they only heal 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per hour (or the hit points they would recover normally, whichever is lower), until all the damage from the smite is recovered. Magical healing is not impeded and functions normally. A Fortitude save negates the slowed nonlethal damage recovery. Mettle and similar abilities do not negate the rest of the damage on a successful save, only the slowed nonlethal damage recovery.

No changes here, this saw development cycles before it was posted.

Sekmid's Trap
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 12
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Short (25ft + 5ft 2/levels)
Area: Cylinder (30ft radius, 60ft tall)
Duration: 1 round/3 levels
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: See text

By casting Sekmid's trap, you create a cylinder of force that traps creatures in the area within it. The cylinder has the same properties of a wall of force and can be destroyed by the same means. Destroying the cylinder ends the spell, including the magic missiles.

On the round you cast it nothing else happens, but on the second round and every round thereafter, magic missiles fill the cylinder and deal damage to every creature within it. These do 1d4+1 damage per two caster levels, maximum 20d4+20. A creature takes damage each round after the first. While the walls of the cylinder do not allow spell resistance, the magic missiles do. In all other aspects, these missiles are identical to the missiles generated by the magic missile spell.

No changes.

Kassim's Inescapable Tomb
Abjuration/Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 14

This spell is identical to Sekmid's trap, except as noted here. Gusts of wind and ear-splitting screams of sound fill the cylinder. Spells and spell-like abilities cast from within the cylinder require a Concentration check (DC equal to the spell's save DC + 10) to cast due to the conditions. The area inside of the cylinder is treated as being under a dimensional lock spell.

The wind and conditions have no bearing on the magic missiles created by the spell, which still strike true.

This spell is only know to Kassim, Kossuth and a few of his elite wizards, the Sultan of the Efreet and Faerinaal (the latter of which due to a trade).

Slight terminology tweaks.

Kassim's Sky Flower
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 13
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25ft + 5ft 2/levels)
Effect: One burning flower
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell creates a phantasmal flower of fire at the point you designate, three feet tall and similar in appearance to a lotus made of flames. This flower is impervious to attacks and damage, though it can be dispelled as normal. The flower can be placed in thin air or in a place that would not normally support it (save for water), so long as it is within range of the spell.

Each round on your turn as a free action, you can command the flower to emit tiny fireballs in all directions within 100ft. All creatures within 100ft are struck by dozens of tiny fireballs, dealing 15d6 points of fire damage per round. A Reflex save halves this damage, but due to the difficulty of dodging that many attacks, the saves suffer a -6 penalty. Additionally, the barrage of fireballs renders any squares within range as difficult terrain that round.

Added an accidentally omitted material component as well as a bit more clarification. I'm really not sure where this spell should be level wise, it's one of those that probably needs more play time to really gauge.

Makim's Acid Hunters
Evocation [Acid]
Level: Sor/Wiz 13
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell creates a pair of small acid clouds that float around the target. If the target takes any action besides a move action or a free action, the clouds attack the target automatically. Treat this as two ranged touch attacks that deal 10d6 points of acid damage each. There is no limit to the number of attacks the clouds can make for the duration, each action besides a move action or a free action triggers two additional attacks.

However, the spell has limitations. The clouds follow the target, but can only move up to 50ft in a round. Creatures that move further than that leave the clouds behind, though the clouds will pursue them each round on the caster's turn, moving 50ft closer to them. The clouds can fly with perfect maneuverability as well as pass through anywhere air can pass through, such as the gap underneath a door.

The clouds are invulnerable attacks and effects, except for anything that produces winds of hurricane force or stronger, which disperse the clouds in one round. The clouds can be dispelled as normal.

This spells is known to Makim and a few of his most trusted lieutenants, it has not spread beyond that.

Material Component

A vial of acid mixed with a droplet of pure elemental air, worth 200 gold.

[Iron Dragoon]

I agree which is why I said I was expecting it to get cut. Some thing like 1 copy per 2 CL? Or 4 CL?

[Anastasia]

Seira's Arcane Thesis
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 13
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You mantle yourself in a powerful magical field that facilitates both your magical offense and defense. Your spells are stronger and much harder to resist, cast with a +10 bonus on caster level checks for the purposes of overcoming spell resistance, and with their save DC increased by 5. As for your defense against hostile magic, counterspelling is an immediate action for you, allowing you to counterspell even when it is not your turn without having previously readied an action. You must still have the immediate actions available to counterspell in this manner.

We're gonna try this at 13, see how it hashes out. Added to the spell collection.

Seira's Majestic Visage
Transmutation [Good]
Level: Cleric 12, Sorcerer 12, Wizard 12, Druid 12, Bard 10, Paladin 10, Duskblade 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You are surrounded by a fiery haze, radiant and terrible beyond measure. Your allies are reassured, even awed, while the evil you are facing down is cowed with the surety of its defeat. You become a blazingly hot beacon of the powers of good. Your creature type changes to outsider (good) for the duration of the spell. Unlike other outsiders, you can be brought back from the dead if you are killed in this form.

You undergo the following transformations:
• You grow feathered wings that allow you to fly at twice your normal speed (good maneuverability).
• You gain +1 natural armor.
• You gain low-light vision.
• You gain resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and electricity 10.
• You gain immunity to disease.
• You gain a +4 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
• You gain damage reduction 10/magic.
• You gain spell resistance 25.
• You gain the following bonuses to your ability scores: +4 Str, +2 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Int, +4 Wis, +4 Cha.

You gain a +10 enhancement bonus on Diplomacy checks with Good characters, and a +10 enhancement bonus on Intimidate checks with Evil characters for the duration of the spell.

Any fire you generate during the duration of the spell becomes Goldenfire, ignoring fire resistance or immunity and dealing x1.5 more damage to Evil targets and no damage at all to Neutral and Good targets.

This spell is a closely guarded secret of Seira's faith, only taught personally by Seira to her most capable faithful. The inspiration for the spell is Seira's friend Alicia overcoming terrible odds.

Special: Seira's faithful can cast this spell as a swift action.

Okay, first of all. It's definitely a cleric spell, so that stays. Punting sor/wiz at the moment down the line. It's really not a druid spell, they focus on the natural world, not outsider shenanigans, so drop them from it. It's also really not a bardy spell - they do some transformations so it's not indefensible, but they seldom channel that sort of divine power directly. That's really a cleric's thing, though admittedly Moore tends to push it there and Ebony takes holy PrCs to that effect. It is a paladin spell without any doubt, they get greater visage at 9. It's a bit undercosted for them, but we'll leave that be for the moment. It's also really not a duskblade spell - that sort of transformation isn't really their thing.

Can you find any spells for sor/wiz that would match this sort of channel holy power and transform thing? It doesn't really fit them much, either.

I'm going to cut the entire cast it as a swift action thing, on review, it's just making it a bigger headache to balance.

I'd suggest writing it like this. Add in the description flavor to taste, I wrote it short on purpose.

Seira's Majestic Visage
Transmutation [Good]
Level: Placeholder

This spell functions as greater visage of the deity, except as noted here. You gain a +10 enhancement bonus on Diplomacy checks against good characters and the same bonus to Intimidate checks against evil characters. For the duration of this spell, any spell with the fire descriptor you cast is treated as goldenfire, ignoring fire resistance and immunity, as well as dealing 150% damage to evil targets, while dealing no damage to neutral or good targets. This does not stack with the benefits of the goldenfire spell feat.

This spell is a closely guarded secret of Seira's faith, only taught personally by Seira to her most capable faithful. The inspiration for the spell is Seira's friend Alicia overcoming terrible odds.

Seira's Glorious Visage
Transmutation [Good, Fire]
Level: Cleric 10, Paladin 8
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

You draw up to your full height, and your presence acquires the special quality that suggests to all who gaze upon you the favorable touch of divinity. You assume the physical appearance and many of the qualities and abilities of a movanic deva. While under the effect of the spell, your creature type changes to outsider (good) and your size changes to Medium. You gain a +4 sacred bonus to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution. You gain darkvision out to 60ft. You gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws. You gain damage reduction 5/evil. Your base land speed increases by 10 feet. Your touch attacks and any melee weapons you wield become infused with this power as well. They are treated as good-aligned weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Your melee or natural weapons are cloaked in flames, dealing grievous harm to evil. You deal an extra 1d8 points of fire damage per strike for every 5 caster levels you have. This extra fire damage stacks with any other sources of fire damage you might have, such as from Dragonfire Wrath. For the duration of this spell, you also gain the Stand Fast paladin ability as a paladin of your level. If you already are a paladin with this ability, your uses of it from both sources stack.

An aura of silvery glow springs into being around your body, providing illumination to a radius of 20 feet. Anyone within those 20 feet of you gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus to saves against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures. You gain a -20 circumstance penalty on Stealth checks made while under the effect of this spell.

This spell is a closely guarded secret of Seira's faith and is given to her most capable clerics and paladins.

Special: Outsiders cannot cast this spell.
Special: Seira's faithful can cast this spell as a swift action.

Refresh me on which spells this is a combo of?

Seira's Draconic Visage
Transmutation [Fire]
Level: Sorcerer 12, Wizard 12
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

A spell created by Seira, it is designed to showcase her combat spirit and help those not blessed by the blood of dragons grasp the pinnacle of their power, however fleetingly. It draws its inspiration from two seemingly opposite aspects of her, the primal draconic power running through her veins and the carefully thought-out approach to combat she all-too-often favors, managing to perfectly mesh them for an unstoppable juggernaut!

You undergo the following transformations:
• You grow draconic wings that allow you to fly at twice your normal speed (perfect maneuverability).
• You gain +4 natural armor.
• You gain low-light vision and darkvision out to 60ft.
• You gain immunity to fire.
• You gain immunity to sleep and paralysis effects.
• You gain a breath weapon that deals 10d10 points of damage of fire (120ft line or 60ft cone). A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Con modifier) reduces damage by half.
• You gain the following bonuses to your ability scores: +8 Str, +2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Cha.

You gain proficiency with Seira's favorite weapon (short sword) and the Weapon Focus feat for it, as well as the ability to use it with a monk's flurry. You also gain the Weapon Finesse feat and the evasion ability (PH 50).

You gain a +3 luck bonus to Armor Class, a +5 luck bonus on Reflex saving throws and a +15 competence bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.

You deal an extra 5d6 points of damage whenever you attack an opponent that you flank or an opponent denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. This extra damage works like the rogue's sneak attack ability.

This spell is a closely guarded secret of Seira's faith.

Special: Dragonblooded cannot cast this spell.
Special: Clerics who serve Seira may select this spell as if it was on the cleric list.
Special: Seira's faithful can cast this spell as a swift action.

Again, refresh me on spells this draws from? Thanks.

[Anastasia]

Added a retired spell section to the spell collection. Right now it's just for mirror's mimicry, hopefully it stays low population.

[Anastasia]

I agree which is why I said I was expecting it to get cut. Some thing like 1 copy per 2 CL? Or 4 CL?

Show me your attack routine with both 1/2 and 1/4th?

[Iron Dragoon]

At work and phone, so it might be messed up a little.

For 1/2:

TK Weapon: ATK 1 @+38+5
TK Weapon: ATK 2 @+33+5
TK Weapon: ATK 3 @+28+5
TK Weapon: ATK 4 @+23+5

AAA Weapon 1: 39+5
AAA Weapon 2: 39+5
AAA Weapon 3: 39+5
AAA Weapon 4: 39+5
AAA Weapon 5: 39+5
AAA Weapon 6: 39+5
AAA Weapon 7: 39+5
AAA Weapon 8: 39+5
AAA Weapon 9: 39+5
AAA Weapon 10: 39+5
AAA Weapon 11: 39+5
AAA Weapon 12: 39+5
AAA Weapon 13: 39+5
AAA Weapon 14: 39+5
AAA Weapon 15: 39+5

For 1/4:
TK Weapon: ATK 1 @+38+5
TK Weapon: ATK 2 @+33+5
TK Weapon: ATK 3 @+28+5
TK Weapon: ATK 4 @+23+5

AAA Weapon 1: 39+5
AAA Weapon 2: 39+5
AAA Weapon 3: 39+5
AAA Weapon 4: 39+5
AAA Weapon 5: 39+5
AAA Weapon 6: 39+5
AAA Weapon 7: 39+5

[Corwin]

Glorious Visage used as inspiration Holy Transformation and Grace for the stats and aura. Flames and Stand Fast were the offensive/defensive addon for holy warriors following Seira, themed after her. That said, you and Eb thought Stand Fast was largely a gimmick, and while the fire is stackable with a Paladin of Seira's Dragonfire Wrath, it is just regular fire (not holy nor bypassing any resistance or immunity). +fire to melee damage spells exist, I can quote a few once I'm home if you need me to.

[Corwin]

Draconic Visage drew from a half-dragon variant to the half-celestial template-granting Greater Visage of the Deity, with Nightstalker's Transformation added in.
Specifically, it drew on two intermediate spells I wrote out: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104100.msg1112598/topicseen.html#msg1112598

That said, I feel that similarities between the Visage line of spells to the Bite line of spells, just to name a prominent wizard and druid variant, justify access to them. We're looking at be +4 untyped rather than 16 enhancement, and with people having +10 enhancement gear it rather seems equal, wouldn't you agree? I just didn't want to bother with extra, unnecessary math.

[Anastasia]

Spell Creation Tips

Things I've found in spell creation that helps design good spells. This is for everyone's benefit, as hopefully it is useful.

1. The spell should be able to be summarized in one reasonably short sentence.

Generally, I've found the best spells are ones that are focused and on point. You have a fairly direct goal with them and the spell accomplishes them. For example: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/sorcererWizardSpells.htm This has fairly snazzy and simple summaries of most spells, which tells you what you need to know right off. Examples on custom spells:

Miracle of Life: Cures 1d4+5 hit points to all creatures in one mile.
Shardread Weapon: Weapon becomes +7 and is a dread weapon against Sharrans.
Consumptive Dispelling: Dispels magic (+50 maximum) and inflicts negative levels for each spell dispelled.

This can help focus your spells. If you can't compress your spell down into something like this, it probably needs more focusing.

2. Make the spell then worry about the spell level.

I've found it's generally best to make your spell first, then figure out where it fits mechanically. Let it flow, see where you're at and adjust from there. You may need to adjust it if you over or undershot, that's okay. I've found doing it in reverse tends to restrict creativity and makes you more willing to make awkward sacrifices to try and cram a spell into the level you want. Honestly? Sometimes you write the spell and realize it isn't the level you wanted it to be. That's okay. Better to find that out naturally than to mess up your own spell trying to cram it into a hole it doesn't fit into.

3. When in doubt about terminology, check official spells.

A lot of proper 3.5-ese comes down to understanding how and why things are written the way they are. Language and phrasing matters a lot in 3.5, a misstatement or a misapplied mechanic can completely pervert the effect or intent of a spell. This comes down to understanding the rules. The differences between, say, a spread and a burst may seem unimportant, but it can really matter. Check your rules, check spells that are written and check the SRD. All of these can ease the difficulties of writing a spell and prevent mishaps.

4. Flavor, flavor, flavor.

I've found writing a spell with a flavor idea in mind helps, as well as using it to polish and hone the spell once it's written. Antenora's opal spells are a good example of this: She wants spells themed around that and her natural attributes - anti evil, purification, redemption, combat utility and so on. The idea is to forge it into a spell that if you saw her cast, you'd nod and think that it makes sense for her. Jarem's spell in nagging a few weeks ago is another example - it was honed down into a form that worked and told a bit of a story in the flavor, too.

5. But understand that flavor and mechanics both exist, and sometimes one has to trump another (and it's usually mechanics that wins).

The previous being said, you still have to understand that flavor or not, a spell has to be mechanically balanced. A spell's flavor is important, but not so important that it becomes a mechanical mess or broken. That defeats the purpose of the spell, because it's gonna be rejected or ultimately banned. This is best understood as a sanity check when writing the spell, as well as a review once you've finished it. Simply put, flavor isn't an excuse to produce something mechanically undesirable.

6. Get a second opinion.

One of the problems with creative work is that often times, the creator is blind to certain aspects of what they create. It's something that came from them, most of the time it appeals to them or otherwise naturally makes sense to them. Other people may disagree or point out bullshit, so by all means, get a second opinion. A second set of eyes can point out things you haven't noticed or didn't realize, or otherwise bring you back down to earth. This is useful and important, I use y'all and Gate sometimes for it, this really helps hone some of the things I do.

We all have our biases and at the end of the day, we can only do so much to mitigate them ourselves. Other people are generally more effective at it.

7. Err on the side of caution.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and include a note of why and what you wanted to do differently. This helps the review process and lets the DM know where your mind was with the spell. If you're right, you save me pulling out the red pen and writing a windy post of why you need to change something. If you're wrong, I may agree you're wrong and adjust or suggest adjustments to the spell.

8. Understand that sometimes you have to trash a spell and start over.

Finally, one has to understand that not every spell attempt or effort ends up being fruitful. Sometimes the mechanics don't work, other times the power level's all wrong or otherwise the spell isn't coming together. This is more than okay, it happens. I'd estimate about 50% of my spell ideas never go anywhere, get discarded for being flawed or changed so much in creation that it's a new idea altogether. That's okay, too. Creative works are like that, self editing is a natural part of it. It can be a sign of wisdom to realize you've gone off course and need to begin anew, not a sign of weakness. Listen to your gut on this one. If your gut tells you a spell isn't working out, it's usually right. This gets more accurate the more spells you make and the more you understand how 3.5 works.

Bad ideas happen. Good ideas become bad ideas, this happens. A great idea turns into a 10 armed freak that jumps out of your screen and strangles your dog - well no, that doesn't happen, but the point is that sometimes knowing when to fold them is helpful.

[Anastasia]

At work and phone, so it might be messed up a little.

For 1/2:

TK Weapon: ATK 1 @+38+5
TK Weapon: ATK 2 @+33+5
TK Weapon: ATK 3 @+28+5
TK Weapon: ATK 4 @+23+5

AAA Weapon 1: 39+5
AAA Weapon 2: 39+5
AAA Weapon 3: 39+5
AAA Weapon 4: 39+5
AAA Weapon 5: 39+5
AAA Weapon 6: 39+5
AAA Weapon 7: 39+5
AAA Weapon 8: 39+5
AAA Weapon 9: 39+5
AAA Weapon 10: 39+5
AAA Weapon 11: 39+5
AAA Weapon 12: 39+5
AAA Weapon 13: 39+5
AAA Weapon 14: 39+5
AAA Weapon 15: 39+5

For 1/4:
TK Weapon: ATK 1 @+38+5
TK Weapon: ATK 2 @+33+5
TK Weapon: ATK 3 @+28+5
TK Weapon: ATK 4 @+23+5

AAA Weapon 1: 39+5
AAA Weapon 2: 39+5
AAA Weapon 3: 39+5
AAA Weapon 4: 39+5
AAA Weapon 5: 39+5
AAA Weapon 6: 39+5
AAA Weapon 7: 39+5

Let's try 1/4th and see how that goes. Write up a version of AAA with 1/4th and we'll see how that works in play.

[Iron Dragoon]

Let's try 1/4th and see how that goes. Write up a version of AAA with 1/4th and we'll see how that works in play.

Alyssa's Aerial Assembly
Transmutation/Conjuration
Level: Brd 11, Sor/Wiz 11
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25ft + 5ft 2/levels)
Target: One weapon touched
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

With a word and a gesture, the weapon you touch becomes blurred, then sudden splits into copies of itself.

This spell creates one copy per four caster levels of the targeted weapon, which retains all effects of the original weapon. Additionally, the original weapon and all copies become animated as the Dancing Blade spell, with the additional ability to gain the benefits of feats and abilities the caster might have.

[Iron Dragoon]

Blade of the Righteous
Transmutation
Level: Brd 11, Sor/Wiz 11
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25ft + 5ft 2/levels)
Target: One weapon touched
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The touched weapon become the pinnacle of evil slaying, becoming a +5 weapon of Holy and the Bane of Evil Outsiders, Lawful Outsiders, and Undead of Transmuting. The affected weapon gains the Holy property, imparting an additional 2d6 points of damage against all of evil alignment. In addition, the weapon gains the Bane property against Evil Outsiders and Lawful Outsiders, as well as the Undead. Finally, the weapon gains the Transmuting property, able to adjust its composition to overcome the DR of the target the round after a successful strike. It retains this composition until a new target is hit or for 10 rounds.

I also feel like this should make its way to the Cleric spell list also. Feels very battle cleric-y.

Edit: Ignore this edit, edited instead of quoted. Whoops. DM reading comprehension failure.

[Iron Dragoon]

Okay, Item Familiar. I don't have anywhere *near* enough cash to buy what I want, and after messing with the math, Cor's right. As much as I want the negative levels on hit, it's just way too expensive for me to use as a base, since I've got a working fund of 53,722gp. And that's every coin I've got. So, that leaves me with starting from scratch.

Scimitar: 15gp. +1: 2000+15=2015gp. Transmuting is a +2, so +3 for 18,015gp. Holy is a +2, so +5 is 50,015gp. Unless having access to the Arcane Order offers someone who can make stuff at a discount, that's the absolute max I can pull.

Now this a farther-down-the-line problem, but the abilities the Item Familiar gets for free still add to its cost. So +4 from those pulls it to a +9. If I toss in +4 to make it a +5 weapon, that's +13, which isn't on the scale.

Okay. Run me through how it's gonna look for you now?

OKay, for now, I'd get a +1 Holy Scimitar of Transmuting. Cost would be 50,015gp at a +5 total enchantment. That leaves me 3,707gp.

At that point, I make it an item familiar. Since I'm level 30, it'd get the following:

Level 1: Invest Life Energy, Invest Skill Ranks, Invest Spell Slots
Level 7: Sapience, Senses, Communication
Level 10: Special Ability (Ghost Touch, +1 bonus.)
Level 14: Special Ability (Improved Senses)
Level 18: Special Ability (Greater Senses)
Level 21: Special Ability (Increased Sapience)
Level 24: Special Ability (Bane: Aberrations, +1 Bonus)
Level 27: Special Ability (Bane: Outsiders, Evil, +1 Bonus)
Level 30: Special Ability (Bane: Undead, +1 Bonus)

After these abilities apply, the total enchantment bonus would be: +9. Any additional enchantments after this point would cost half.

[Anastasia]

Looks good, Iddy.