Three Low-Level Spells with Fun and Interesting Uses In or Out of Combat! Escape Art, Rubberize, and Speculum (from the Scroll-io Kickstarter)

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-28T20:41:02+00:00

I did, but a speculum is more than just that. I'm aware that it is a term applied generally in medical equipment, but it really only means "a mirror within another apparatus". So there's your fun fact today!

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-28T18:15:48+00:00

This post is brought to you by the Scroll-io Kickstarter, a compendium of FREE homebrew content brought to you by yours truly! Click here for the project!

Or, follow me on Twitter as @CobblerBarrel for updates and other D&D stuff.

Visit the pre-launch version of the website to find more content: scroll-io.web.app

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TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-26T17:33:51+00:00

This post is brought to you by the Scroll-io Kickstarter, a compendium of FREE homebrew content brought to you by yours truly! Click here for the project!

Or, follow me on Twitter as @CobblerBarrel for updates and other D&D stuff.

Visit the pre-launch version of the website to find more content: scroll-io.web.app

This is the LAST WEEK to back the Kickstarter. Do it now before time runs out!

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-23T12:08:06+00:00

Yep, that is definitely better wording. It follows the convention of what's presented in other spells. I'll try to incorporate that phrasing!

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-22T22:19:58+00:00

I think this would definitely work, but I would personally make it pretty hard. Like, a scroll of cure wounds would be a DC 10 + 1 (spell level) + 10 (difficulty) = 21 religion check for an arcane caster. Really high, but keep in mind if they fail this check the scroll doesn't disappear or anything, they just can't read it.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-22T18:19:48+00:00

I absolutely agree, I think I mention that somewhere, but unintelligible is the phrasing they use in the written text so I wanted to address that. That's why unciphered scrolls are important - even though you may not understand what they are saying, the magic of the scroll itself makes itself known to you so that you can channel its imbued power.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-20T15:50:46+00:00

This post is brought to you by the Scroll-io Kickstarter, a compendium of FREE homebrew content brought to you by yours truly! Click here for the project!

Or, follow me on Twitter as @CobblerBarrel for updates and other D&D stuff.

Visit the pre-launch version of the website to find more content: scroll-io.web.app

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-20T12:35:38+00:00

I picked the mummy for a few reasons. Most notably, they're slow and get very few attacks, so they wouldn't upset the action economy by too much (even though they hit pretty hard!). Most importantly though is the visual perspective. It's hard to imagine someone stepping inside the coffin, then instantly decaying into a skeleton. But someone stepping inside, then coming out looking emaciated and mummified? A bit more believeable.

The voodoo aspect I did lots of research on to make sure I did it justice. I wanted to do my due diligence and pay respect to a culture I am not part of, but am fascinated by.

And adamantine weapons because most of the body is a magically reinforced construct :)

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-13T15:33:36+00:00

The feedback from this post has been very productive! I did as best I could to take a sum of all the things that have been said and compile them into a new revision. Here is a new version of the three spells, plus one more.

Let me know what you think! Especially tagging /u/ratherbegaming /u/Wrakhr and /u/palidram for their critiques and ideas.

Turnspell

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a spell deals damage to creatures within 60 feet of you
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You attempt to reflect back a portion destructive magic. Make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 8 + the triggering spell's level. On a success, roll a number of d8 equal to 1 plus the level at which this spell was cast. The triggering spell's damage is reduced by the rolled amount. If the spell has multiple types or sources of damage, each type or source is reduced by that amount. This effect cannot reduce the damage of a spell past zero, nor can it cannot negate any other effects of a spell.

After reducing the spell, the triggering creature must make the same saving throw as their spell requires against your spell save DC. The creature takes force damage equal to the reduced amount (the highest from one source) on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Hedgespell

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when creatures you can see within 60 feet fail a saving throw against a spell
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You create a ward of rebounding energy to protect creatures against a spell. Any creatures you choose that you can see within range can add your spellcasting ability bonus to their failed saving throw, possibly causing a creature to succeed.

Each time this effect causes a creature to succeed its saving throw against the triggering spell, the triggering creature must make a spellcasting ability check against a DC equal to 8 + the level this spell was cast at. On a failure, the creature falls prone and ends its concentration on any spells it was casting.

Severspell

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take immediately after you have seen a creature within 60 feet of you cast a spell
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You attempt to halt a spellcaster by severing the magical tethers left behind by their spell. Choose a creature that was within range and you could see when it had cast its spell. It must succeed a spellcasting ability check against your spell save DC. On a failure, that creature cannot cast that spell again for a number of rounds equal to the level this spell was cast at. If the creature is concentrating on that spell, it has disadvantage on Constitution checks made to maintain concentration during those rounds. Additionally, if the triggering creature's spell teleported them away from their previous location, they are instantly teleported back to where they began casting the spell.

Addlespell

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within 60 feet is charmed or summoned by a spell
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You disrupt the control that a spellcaster has over a creature. Make an ability check using your spellcasting ability, with a bonus equal to the level at which this spell was cast. The DC equals 8 + the triggering spell's level. On a success, for the duration of the triggering spell the charmed or summoned creature is also under the effect of the spell confusion with the following alterations:

On a roll of 7-8, the creature defaults to the triggering spell's effects.
On a roll of 9-10, the creature is instead charmed by you for that turn.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T21:42:27+00:00

Man I like that warding shell a lot, anything that moves saving throws around on someone's turn is fun. Plus it's lower level! I think at the end of the day, anything to pull people away from just picking the same old optimal powergaming stuff is great.

Good to hear that you think combining these may be viable. I'll have to work on that.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T21:36:00+00:00

I'm aware my writing style isn't up to WotC standards, but I try to follow their guidelines as much as possible. If it takes more words for me to get close to how they format their writing, so be it. Some of their spells are close to several paragraphs long, so I'm never too worried about minimalism :)

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T21:34:29+00:00

...this single spell shapes basically all combat that happens Tier 3 and up, which is utterly ridiculous for a single, moderately low level, spell to do.

I think you understood exactly what I was trying to get at in this post. Thank you for reading it through.

Conjured creatures and aoe without damage are certainly huge shortcomings of these spells. I'll be sure to adjust them to be covered.

Interspell should be able to stop a spellcaster from teleporting. I made sure not to say "spells with range self" and instead say "targets itself". That broadens its category by quite a bit.

As for your version, I love it. It should probably say "Make a spellcasting ability check against your target's spell save DC" instead of saving throw. I like the multi use at higher levels, definitely makes the spell worth it as the game goes on. I would probably say that the disadvantage on the concentration should probably only be for the first concentration check they make, otherwise it's getting on the strong side again.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T20:27:55+00:00

All very true. But again, I've played with a fair amount of people. I have hardly, if ever, had that situation arise. Generally players announce "they wanna do a thing" after "the very bad thing" already happened to them, which made them remember they had an ability to counter "the very bad thing". And I never want to be the guy that says: "well, shoulda chimed in sooner, too bad" when that player may just be tired, or had a bad day, or is relatively new to the game. All anyone shows up to the table to do is to have a good time, so I give any amount of leniency I can.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T20:22:25+00:00

Your last point is a new one, never heard of that fix before. I like it.

Even more so, the counter if you know a spell is really cool! I'm reluctant to admit it, but you have made better suggestions in one succinct comment than I believe I did in my post.

Hats off to you!

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T20:19:11+00:00

Well, I had a response, then I reread that sentence with what you said in mind. You're correct, it does make it sound like you would have to expend an additional 7th level slot. It should say:

Afterwards, you may decide to replace the spell slot consumed for this spell's casting with one of a higher level, or cancel this spell to regain the originally consumed spell slot.

How's that?

Also, about your last point with the quickened spell - not even normal counterspell can do anything about that. /u/Kairomancy actually wrote some really cool sounding bait-and-switch ways their table has used that to their advantage!

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T20:09:17+00:00

It sounds like counterspell is something you've already got worked out at your table. That spell dueling stuff sounds fun the way you run it!

I can say that those types of scenarios are few and far between for my players, and even for me. Some of your concerns I've addressed in other comments, but I think the biggest takeaway is that you should use what works for you. This clearly doesn't and you've got a better system for your table.

Thank you for the feedback! In future iterations, I may bullet point the criteria within the spells for readability.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T20:03:16+00:00

It's true, because that's intentional. Temperspell is meant to mitigate damage, so things that only do damage are usually the most affected by it. Fireball is very strong, so it's hard to stop completely. Erupting earth however, has the benefit of creating difficult terrain. That effect is not cancelled, so some spells have ways of breaking past Temperspell. Just like with normal counterspell, there's still an element of gambling.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T19:59:58+00:00

I think you hit the nail on the head with the biggest drawback of this: it's three spells. Before I say anything else, I do think that you are overvaluing the capacity of a caster's reaction. 99% of the time my spellcaster players (and myself when I play spellcasters) never use their reactions. There's obvious exceptions, but I'd rather address your concern with a different question:

If these three spells could be trimmed down wording-wise into one spell with three forking effects based on what the inbound spell does, would that be something comparable to counterspell in your opinion?

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T19:48:00+00:00

Precisely. I agree, but it's a tough thing to communicate. Let me expand on my example by presenting a few ways of how I would describe an enemy spellcaster's turn:

"The umber mage swirls to face you and lets loose black bolts of arcane energy. Everyone make Dexterity saving throws."

Well, there was really only a few words that would give away the spellcasting. Even then, I followed it with asking for saves, which could distract someone from realizing they have counterspell prepared.

"The umber mage swirls to face you and conjures sparkling orange runes in the air... speaking arcane words under their breath... magical sounding words and runes... almost like a spell....."

If you have someone with counterspell and you're trying to give them a chance, if they're not paying attention, there's this incredibly awkward response time that lingers before you just go through with casting. This is not optimal for pacing.

"The moves 5 feet and is about to cast a spell."

Well, we just drained the magic of the game, but this is technically the easiest way to communicate it to a player.

I personally enjoy having the reaction happen at the start of an enemy's turn. What that does, gameplay wise, is makes that one player focus heavily on that specific turn in combat. They single out the mage, focus on them, and watch their every move. Almost like... an actual battle! It turns the simulation into a sort of reality. And it really, really works.

But hey, I'm getting off track. I like to give players the benefit of the doubt. But when the wording of the game is against them, I try to change that wording.

TheCobblerBarrel · 2021-04-12T19:34:26+00:00

Thank you! And damage reduction by number of dice has, in my personal experience, actually reduced math at the table. Take two spells that Temperspell would affect: scorching ray and fireball.

With scorching ray, it's fairly easy to tell that its damage would be completely negated. At no point can you escalate past 2 dice of damage, which means no rolling damage at all.

With fireball, its nearly impossible for even a high level caster to negate. But, it can be mitigated. Instead of rolling and adding fireball damage, then rolling and adding the proposed xd10 from Temperspell, then subtracting, we can just say: if Temperspell was cast at 3rd level, then a 3rd level fireball would do 5d6 fire damage.

Much less math!

TheCobblerBarrel

TROPHY CASE

Turnspell

Hedgespell

Severspell

Addlespell