DM Nagging: It's pretty much my job

[Nephrite]

I am not sure if this mentioned thing happened yet or not, but I am reminding of it in case it didn't:

http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104228.msg1172394.html#msg1172394

Also, two things:

Melia would be working as Moore's proxy, unless she doesn't want it in case too many divine eyes would be watching if she were to go somewhere

Moore is still waiting to hear back on the Syllen pieces from the guy in Dis, who he was working with Celestia to obtain. You may have this on your list, but in case you did not, here is a reminder.

[Anastasia]

Legion's Gate is now the army 12 domain spell, just FYI for y'all.

[Anastasia]

Okay, my focus is pretty much shot about halfway into Emily's new spells, so that's a tomorrow project to finish. Everything else for Alyssa's node spells is complete.

[Corwin]

Neph's question made me think. Is my realm changing accordingly?

And a related question. I have 7 leaders listed under the realm thread, and 3 other chars underthe minor allies thread. What do they think of becoming proxies?

[Anastasia]

Nagging replies postponed until I feel less drained. Slept 6+ hours and I feel like I never slept.

[Anastasia]

Changelog:
-Changed it to Evocation/Necromancy instead. It works just as well with that and Evocation needs more goodies anyway. Xandra can thank me later.
-Made spell resistance ignore it entirely. Reflex saves still do funky things with movement though, which I don't really like but I don't see a way around it. It being an evocation makes it easier to justify SR no-selling the whole thing at least.
-Changed the damage to a flat amount more in line with persistent hazard spells like incendiary cloud.
-Added language about how trapped creatures can't move or breathe just for clarity.
-Height now increases along with radius.
-Got rid of the scaling DC and replaced it with a damage increase.
-Changed how it works in terms of creatures touching its surface/partially inside the radius.
-Reduced the strength and escape artist DCs a bit. Chances are anything good at one isn't so good at the other so it's still really harsh to be caught inside.
-Added clarification that it doesn't harm constructs or objects.

Cursed Crystal Prison
Evocation/Necromancy (Earth, Force)
Level: Sor/Wiz 15
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Area: Cylinder (20-ft. radius, 60 ft. high)
Duration: 1 min/level (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

A great eruption of dark blue crystal threaded with strands of force appears at the conclusion of this spell, trapping those nearby within its cruel confines. If a creature succeeds on their reflex save they are flung clear to the nearest unoccupied square at the edge of its area and suffer no further effect. If spell resistance blocks the effect, a creature can move through the crystal as if it weren't there

A creature that fails its save is trapped within the crystal and suffers 20d6 damage each round as well as being unable to move or breathe. The crystal feeds on the life force of its victims - or the unlife force in the case of undead, for it doesn't discriminate and the force aspect makes it particularly effective against spirits. Any creature that dies from the spell's damage causes its radius and height to both increase by 5 feet and the damage dealth by the spell to increase by 1d6 (up to a maximum of 50d6), their bodies reduced to crystalline husks that linger even after the spell ends (this crystal is brittle, cloudy, and of little practical use).

Any creature standing in space the spell's radius expands to encompass must make a reflex saving throw or be entombed inside and suffer its effect. A creature forced to touch its surface via a bull rush or similar attacks suffers half of the spell's damage with no save (spell resistance applies normally) and is not trapped, though if this damage slays them the spell will expand as detailed above. For large creatures which only have some of their squares within the spell's effects, they suffer full damage and lose their dexterity bonus to AC, but but can still breathe and take other actions.

A trapped creature can escape with teleportation as normal, otherwise they must succeed on both a DC 30 strength check and DC 50 escape artist as a full round action to move 5 feet by breaking the crystal and traversing the force fields within. Abilities such as earth glide or incorporealness negate the need for the strength check. The crystal is subject to disintegration effects as normal.

This spell does not deal damage to constructs and objects, although they can still be trapped within.

Focus

A small geode stained with blood.

Okay, let's give this a try and see how it works out.

[Anastasia]

Well, it doesn't have to bypass immunity, but maybe it should do half divine and half fire? I'd be curious about your thoughts on that... It feels like at that level some sort of searing / half to fire immune should come on spells. I'd be curious if you have a strong opinion either way. I think for a Fire domain spell it probably makes sense to be searing?

I figured slightly lower damage compared to other level 14 spells made it interesting for a persistent damage over time effect, and it should be large enough that you could catch quite a few things in it, especially if it's dropped at a doorway or something. I added an extra line about creatures who have to pass through the area (although of course someone using teleportation can just get around it).

Raging Inferno
Evocation (Fire)
Level: Fire 14, Sorc/Wiz 14
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/level)
Area: 5 ft/level radius burst, centered on a point in space
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell causes an area to immediately fill with flames from all angles. It does 1d6 fire damage per level (max 35d6) and then continues to do this damage every round in the area.  A successful Fortitude save halves this damage. A save must be made every round a creature begins their turn in the area affected. Any creature attempting to enter this area must also make a Fortitude save upon entering.

Okay, I think I have homework for you. Can you look up any 13 to 15th level spell that deal ongoing damage lik this and check the area of effect/targeting and ongoing damage per round for me? Let's check where this spell's at for this before we commit.

Incidentally, you can ignore Alicia's 15th level spell for this. That spell is a bit of a question mark for me for now with how it'll work out in play, so I have it in it's own little corner pending playtesting.

[Anastasia]

It's a shame mind-affecting is so trivial to get immunity to, but it's a fun spell anyway.

Endless Swamp
Illusion (Pattern, Shadow, Mind-Affecting)
Level: Sor/Wiz 15
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: 10 ft./level radius spread
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell creates a gigantic fetid bog filled with deadly biting insects. Any creature that fails its saving throw feels itself immersed up to the waist in a thick choking swamp and surrounded by thick jagged branches and tangling vines. This leaves them both entangled and sickened, and grants total concealment to any creature more than 5 feet away. Regardless of which direction an affected creature intends to move in, their actual movement is always directly towards the centre of the spell's radius.

Every round on the caster's turn, vicious insects made of shadow-stuff attack all creatures within the spell's radius. Because they are only quasi-real a creature which has saved against the spell's effect or is immune to pattern or mind-affecting effects still suffers from their attacks but only receives 50% damage. A melee touch attack of caster level + intelligence or charisma (whichever ability the caster uses for their spellcasting) + 2 is made against all creatures within the radius, which inflicts 10d6 damage and 1d4 constitution damage.

Swamps aren't Shar's particular thematics, but she approves of the intent of this spell. It's not far removed from one of her personal spells, at least in what it does, if not the thematics of it.

The main draw is the duration, which is super good for this sort of thing. It seems...well, it is a 15th level and total honesty, we all need more content there so we can feel it out. I'm going to say yes to this, with the proviso that we'll understand 15th level magic more as we get into it in the next two or three character levels. If it needs changes then, so be it.

[Anastasia]

Not speaking to any specific spell or damage number of them, but I do think spells that are more narrowly focused (only do damage to good creatures, etc) should have some sort of bonus or boost to them for being that narrow.

That's reasonable, but as always it's about finding the right ground for reasonable and not over or undershooting, or in a case where it's done but it ends up being out of balance or otherwise undesirable.

In other words, spells are tricky.

[Anastasia]

I am not sure if this mentioned thing happened yet or not, but I am reminding of it in case it didn't:

http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104228.msg1172394.html#msg1172394

It is, it's going to be rolled into a general change and update once this arc ends. Basically everyone's up for one after this arc, and the next arc will be about establishing your pantheons and the Competition. After all, you still need to gather strength for the coming apocalyptic showdown with Shar.

Also, two things:

Melia would be working as Moore's proxy, unless she doesn't want it in case too many divine eyes would be watching if she were to go somewhere

That's fine and should be touche don at the start of the next arc.

Moore is still waiting to hear back on the Syllen pieces from the guy in Dis, who he was working with Celestia to obtain. You may have this on your list, but in case you did not, here is a reminder.

Intentionally backburnered until the end of the arc, purely to keep us on target. Bring it up at the start of the next arc as a reminder IC and we'll knock it out. It is on my list, but right now the end of the arc is nigh and it's best if we finish this one out.

[Anastasia]

Neph's question made me think. Is my realm changing accordingly?

Yes, something that will be gone into at the start of the next arc for you.

And a related question. I have 7 leaders listed under the realm thread, and 3 other chars underthe minor allies thread. What do they think of becoming proxies?

Depends on the person in question and how you approach it, but I imagine it would generally go over well.

[Nephrite]

Okay, I think I have homework for you. Can you look up any 13 to 15th level spell that deal ongoing damage lik this and check the area of effect/targeting and ongoing damage per round for me? Let's check where this spell's at for this before we commit.

Incidentally, you can ignore Alicia's 15th level spell for this. That spell is a bit of a question mark for me for now with how it'll work out in play, so I have it in it's own little corner pending playtesting.

Here's what I found. Some of these are secondary effects (Firescape in particular)

Imix's Touch, 13 -  35d12 points of fire damage each round, single

Kassim's Sky Flower, 13, 15d6 in 100ft per round

Lightning's Rise (sort of), 14, 50d10 if you choose to stay as electricity, single

Mortal Bonfire, 14, 35d10 each round in the field, only affects mortals, 10ft square per level

Purr of Sharess, 14, 40d6 each round, 100 ft

Firescape, 15, 25d6 per round, area up to 200 square feet/level

[Anastasia]

Okay, we can work with that and see how it balances out. Go ahead and do any revisions for it and post it once more time?

Also, it's sor/wiz, not sorc/wiz. At least for the notation used in the spell collection. [/nitpick]

[Nephrite]

Raging Inferno
Evocation (Fire)
Level: Fire 14, Sor/Wiz 14
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/level)
Area: 5 ft/level radius burst, centered on a point in space
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude Partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell causes an area to immediately fill with flames from all angles. It does 1d6 fire damage per level (max 30d6) and then continues to do this damage every round in the area.  A successful Fortitude save halves this damage. A save must be made every round a creature begins their turn in the area affected. Any creature attempting to enter this area must also make a Fortitude save upon entering. This fire damage also ignores fire resistance and immunity.


I lowered the damage to compensate for the ongoing effect as well as searing nature of it. If you think it should be lower that's fine.

[Anastasia]

Okay, any decision to change spells won't come until at least this weekend. Just heads up.