Post/Author/DateTime	Post
InkBlot 09-03-05, 09:14 PM	I need some help balancing this spell. It is meant to give the caster one extra arm. I am unsure of what to do with the Area, Range, and Target lines. It might be clearer if it caused the caster to grow an extra arm, but since Ash is usually covered from head to toe that arm would be trapped in his clothing. Also his favored enemy is abberation and he doesnt want to look like one. I want to keep it balanced under 3rd level because as a multiclassed ranger/wizard he wont be getting 3rd level arcane spells for a while. I used Unseen Servant and Spectral Hand as precedents, and tried to balance it against Alter Self, Haste, and Fist of Stone (CA). Ash's Phantom Limb Conjuration (Creation) Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Effect: One ghostly arm and hand Target: You Duration: 10 min./level This spell creates a Phantom Limb - a ghostly arm and hand - which is attached to one of your shoulders. You can control the Phantom Limb exactly as you can your own natural limbs. You can use it to do anything you could do with your normal hands, using your own ability scores, skill modifiers, base attack bonus, reach, etc.. When wielding a weapon with your Phantom Limb you gain one extra off-hand attack at a -10 penalty (-4 if you have the Multiweapon Fighting feat; see page 304 of the Monster Manual). Common uses of this spell include (but are not limited to) casting a spell while your hands are full, attacking with two weapons while using a shield, holding the charge on a touch attack spell, and reloading while wielding two repeating crossbows. The Phantom Limb can be sundered as if it were a worn item. It has 3 hitpoints and an AC of 10 + its size modifier + your Dexterity modifier. The Phantom Limb is always one size category smaller than the caster. This spell does not give you an extra bracer, glove, or ring slot. The Phantom Limb is never a natural weapon, even if your normal limbs are. However you can make unarmed attacks using your Phantom Limb. Each time you cast this spell you gain an additional Phantom Limb, however this spell can not increase your total number of arms (both normal and Phantom Limbs) past twice the normal amount of arms for your race. Material Component: A tiny gauntlet, a few strands of athach hair, or a bit of garillon fur.
Bob the Great 09-03-05, 09:29 PM	Target: You Range: Personal Area: (Not all spells have area, this one doesn't) Hmmm, few things odd with it. There's not much imbalanced with the spell itself, after all, an extra attack at -10 is pretty much useless short of true strike, natural 20, etc. And the shield wielding thingy isn't that bad because it would take a full round action in all (Standard action, cast spell. Move action, draw shield.) It's good. As for looking like an aberation, not much can be done about it. No matter how you dress it up aesthetically, it's still an arm in your shoulder. EDIT: Here's an addition i suggest. "Rather than creating another arm, the caster may choose to reinforce the duration of his existing one. By casting this spell a second time, the caster may add 1 min/caster level to the duration of his existing phantom arm (This must be done to each arm separately). This is mostly for the convenience of not dropping stuff at end of duration. And cause it's cool.
InkBlot 09-03-05, 09:41 PM	Thanks for the help! I added the Target line. Your suggestion about the option to increase the duration through recasting is a good one, and Ill try to fit it into the spell without making it too awkward (IMHO this spell is already way too awkward).
InkBlot 09-05-05, 04:03 PM	Any other comments? Any at all? Does anybody think that this spell could be balanced as a first level spell, or with a longer duration? Is it balanced against Alter Self, which can give you extra arms if you choose the right form?
moto 09-05-05, 05:03 PM	Its fine
InkBlot 09-07-05, 12:52 AM	Yes, but could it be better?