3.5 New Spell: Lesser Elemental Touch (please critque) [Archive] - Wizards Community

3.5 New Spell: Lesser Elemental Touch (please critque) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Harmor
08-22-04, 01:56 AM Elemental Touch, Lesser
Evocation
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

You channel elemental energy through your touch, doing damage to your target. You must succeed on a touch attack to strike a target.

At the time of casting you choose which type of damage to do, fire, cold, electricity, sonic or acid. You do 1d3 points of damage of the type you selected.

The reason I wanted this spell was so my Rogue/Wizard could sneak attack, but choose the type of elemental damage when casting.

What do you guys think?

[EDIT] Changed to 1d3 damage
[EDIT] Allowed for SR because its in the evocation school
smrtgmp
08-22-04, 05:51 AM given that it requires a touch attack, It would probably be fine at 1d3 damage. either way, the risk seems greater than the reward.
Bloodtide_the_Red
08-22-04, 01:32 PM As a Evocation Damage spell, it should have the Spell Resistance-Yes tag.

Though the spell hardly looks worth it. Your rouge/wizard walks up to the creature and does a melee touch for 1d3 with a +1d6 or so? Why not use a short sword(1d6) or even a dagger(1d4). For that matter, if you must use a spell, there are dozens to pick from.

Acid Splash or Ray of Frost works good, just toss it from within 30 feet.

Going up to first level gives you Shocking Grasp.

BT
smrtgmp
08-22-04, 05:01 PM bloodtides right about the SR. You can also pick up wands of ray of frost, acid splash, etc., for dirt cheap.
Harmor
08-23-04, 02:19 AM Added the SR resistance.

I know that a Wand of Ray of Frost is dirt cheap, but I needed a low level spell that allowed me to do different types of elemental damage without having to research a spell for each energy type.

I also needed a spell that was a melee touch and not a ranged touch attack.
Thelon Fairblade
08-23-04, 09:21 AM Given that there are RTA cantrips that do the same thing, giving up range in exchange for elemental versatility is fine... but I would disallow sonic as a valid "elemental" type. An "energy" it maybe, but an "element" it is not.
Harmor
08-23-04, 10:13 AM Well the possible descriptors for a spell are acid, air, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, earth, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, language-dependent, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, and water.

If I were to change the spell name to 'Lesser Energy Touch' would that make sence for the following:

acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic?

When I made the spell name I didn't consider that sonic wasn't an elemental form.
Thelon Fairblade
08-24-04, 10:02 AM Mostly my objection revolves around the ever-present fact that almost nothing resists Sonic damage.

In Psionics, for example, Fire does +1 damage per die, and Sonic does -1 die size (roughly the same as -1 per die), as a balance between the two.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Harmor 08-22-04, 01:56 AM	Elemental Touch, Lesser Evocation Level: Sor/Wiz 0 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes You channel elemental energy through your touch, doing damage to your target. You must succeed on a touch attack to strike a target. At the time of casting you choose which type of damage to do, fire, cold, electricity, sonic or acid. You do 1d3 points of damage of the type you selected. The reason I wanted this spell was so my Rogue/Wizard could sneak attack, but choose the type of elemental damage when casting. What do you guys think? [EDIT] Changed to 1d3 damage [EDIT] Allowed for SR because its in the evocation school
smrtgmp 08-22-04, 05:51 AM	given that it requires a touch attack, It would probably be fine at 1d3 damage. either way, the risk seems greater than the reward.
Bloodtide_the_Red 08-22-04, 01:32 PM	As a Evocation Damage spell, it should have the Spell Resistance-Yes tag. Though the spell hardly looks worth it. Your rouge/wizard walks up to the creature and does a melee touch for 1d3 with a +1d6 or so? Why not use a short sword(1d6) or even a dagger(1d4). For that matter, if you must use a spell, there are dozens to pick from. Acid Splash or Ray of Frost works good, just toss it from within 30 feet. Going up to first level gives you Shocking Grasp. BT
smrtgmp 08-22-04, 05:01 PM	bloodtides right about the SR. You can also pick up wands of ray of frost, acid splash, etc., for dirt cheap.
Harmor 08-23-04, 02:19 AM	Added the SR resistance. I know that a Wand of Ray of Frost is dirt cheap, but I needed a low level spell that allowed me to do different types of elemental damage without having to research a spell for each energy type. I also needed a spell that was a melee touch and not a ranged touch attack.
Thelon Fairblade 08-23-04, 09:21 AM	Given that there are RTA cantrips that do the same thing, giving up range in exchange for elemental versatility is fine... but I would disallow sonic as a valid "elemental" type. An "energy" it maybe, but an "element" it is not.
Harmor 08-23-04, 10:13 AM	Well the possible descriptors for a spell are acid, air, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, earth, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, language-dependent, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, and water. If I were to change the spell name to 'Lesser Energy Touch' would that make sence for the following: acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic? When I made the spell name I didn't consider that sonic wasn't an elemental form.
Thelon Fairblade 08-24-04, 10:02 AM	Mostly my objection revolves around the ever-present fact that almost nothing resists Sonic damage. In Psionics, for example, Fire does +1 damage per die, and Sonic does -1 die size (roughly the same as -1 per die), as a balance between the two.