Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KhosatralKhel 06-30-07, 01:38 AM	I'm curious about whether or not stone shape can be used to directly inflict damage. Possible scenarios range from cages to causing the ground to sprout long spikes, and as was attempted by my pcs already to crush a monstrous spider with the floor. To say the least Im hoping there is some limiting aspect to this spell. I'm fairly certain regardless of this missing mechanic it can still be used to drop large rocks from an availible rock ceiling.
weasel0 06-30-07, 02:01 AM	well, for the arcane version, the caster is supposed to sculpt a piece of clay and then use it as a model for the spell to take after. The divine ... the power of X compels you boy!! to be whatever shape i want. I dunno though. Treat them as simple trap spikes. 1d6 dmg. And now the PCs have to cross them too when the battle is done. Don't see why one couldn't drop a huge 10'x10' boulder from cave ceiling. Well, except for the whole "touch" range... Time to metamagic it as a 30' ray. Reach Spell FTW.
Pegasos989 06-30-07, 02:29 PM	I'm curious about whether or not stone shape can be used to directly inflict damage. Possible scenarios range from cages to causing the ground to sprout long spikes, and as was attempted by my pcs already to crush a monstrous spider with the floor. To say the least Im hoping there is some limiting aspect to this spell. I'm fairly certain regardless of this missing mechanic it can still be used to drop large rocks from an availible rock ceiling. Floor spikes? It certainly can! Especially the divine version! Just makes me wonder why spend a third level spell instead of throwing 1gp caltrops, whichs might be better... A limitation? "Fine detail is impossible". The very sharp tips of pointy rocks could easily be understood as fine detail so saying "They aren't all that sharp. They deal 1 point of damage." (Note that it is 50% of a commoner's health! So stepping on such twice would make you unconcious? 1 point of damage seems generous) and maybe making them as efficient as caltrops when it comes to stopping running etc. Crushing someone? 5th casterlevel means 15 cu feet of stone. If you want to make a 5 foot square of roof coming down or raise from floor towards the roof, it is raised by less than a feet! (5*5 square is 25 square feet, So the 15 cu feet it is about 2/3rds of 5*5 which would be raised by a feet). If you only raise a tiny portition of the square (1 feet * 1 feet area could be raised 15 feet towards the roof), how likely will the creature be standing there and not automatically jump off? I would not allow it but if player insisted, I would give reflex save with +10 modifier to avoid effect. Making boulders fall off the roof? Well, very small boulder. If you are touching the roof. And in that case it is unlikely that boulder falls far so not much damage. And there is reflex save to avoid falling objects... So this spell is good in creating doorways etc... Very useful utility spell but offensive capabilities are nonexistant...
KhosatralKhel 06-30-07, 10:21 PM	Floor spikes? It certainly can! Especially the divine version! Just makes me wonder why spend a third level spell instead of throwing 1gp caltrops, whichs might be better... I meant large spires not fine details. Big human sized rock spike rise right under them since it occurs all in one standard action, more "battleaxe" sharp than pointy-sharp. I admit the error was I was thinking in terms of 5x5 blocks on the maps. :eek: I'll pay closer attention to the precise volumes.
Leonis472 07-09-07, 11:10 PM	Just eschew materials and you're fine for the arcane version: no messy clays to shape in six seconds. Without the feat, I don't suppose I'd allow much offensive use based on that alone. Alternatively, a spellcaster with enough time could take 10 or 20 on a sculpting craft check to make a model of fine detail, even one of appropriate sharpness for trap spikes. It's worth it, as the duration is instantaneous. Edit: I wouldn't allow the fine detail a craft check would provide as written above to circumvent the possible failure of movable parts in the spell's description. However, I would probably halve the chance moving parts wouldn't work (to 15%) for a transmuter, and only for a transmuter. See below. In addition, I give specialist wizards—in this case transmuters—a sweeping affinity for spells of their chosen school. I've ruled in the past that specializing in a school offers great leeway in spellcasting from that school based simply on the following: "Essentially, the wizard gains exceptional mastery over a single school by neglecting the study of other schools." -the last sentence of the first paragraph in the School Specialization entry at the bottom of page 57, PH3.5 What "exceptional mastery" means to you as a DM is not my call, but to me it means placing spells of a wizard's specialty school under the exception to the rule rather than the rule. Though this often means playing things by ear, I don't think specializing gives quite enough benefits for the costs, so I try to make up for it a bit.