Chrono Trigger spells - Magus' Barrier [Archive] - Wizards Community

Chrono Trigger spells - Magus' Barrier [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Novacat
04-27-06, 11:45 PM Barrier
Abjuration
Level: Wiz/Sorc 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 minute/level; concentration, see text. (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell conjures four colored spheres which encircle the casters and spin around him, protecting him from certain types of attacks. When casting Barrier, the caster chooses either fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic, good, evil, chaotic, lawful, or physical. The color of the spheres becomes the corresponding color, as shown below. For the duration of the spell, the caster is immune to damage from all spells, attacks, and effects, except those of the designated type. If an attack is of more than one type (for instance, a physical attack with a holy weapon), and either type is the designated attack type, the barrier is bypassed. This effect persists even if the caster does not concentrate on the barrier.

Unfortunately, the barrier blocks attacks in both directions. While the barrier is set to Fire, for example, the caster can only cast spells, use abilities with the fire descriptor, and only attack with Flaming weapons. This only blocks spells and effects whose targets are outside the barrier; the caster may cast any spells on himself while the barrier remains.

By concentrating on the barrier for 1 round (a standard action), the caster may change the barrier to a different type. A spellcraft check (DC 22) reveals to any observers which type of attack can bypass the barrier.

Red - Fire
Blue - Cold
Yellow - Electricity
Green - Acid
Grey - Sonic
White - Good
Black - Evil
Purple - Law
Orange - Chaos
Brown - Physical

Greater Barrier
Abjuration
Level: Wiz/Sorc 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 minute/level; concentration, see text
Saving Throw: None; Reflex half, see text
Spell Resistance: No; see text

This spell functions like Barrier, except as noted. Whenever the caster changes the barrier type, he may choose to release an energy burst of the given type, dealing 1d6 damage/level to all creatures within 60 feet (Relfex for half, SR applies). If the new barrier type is physical, the caster may make 1 melee or ranged attack while changing the barrier instead (he cannot generate an energy burst dealing physical damage).
Chrono Nexus
04-28-06, 12:03 AM Barrier seems too good... yet at the same time it seems far too limiting. I think you need to more closely define the purpose of this spell- if it is meant to protect you, it should do that but little else. It seems like a very fun spell! I think that you should reverse the way the orbs work... the orbs should be the immunities, not the weaknesses. That is, a cold, law, fire, electricity orb combination should grant immunity to those effects. For a PC, this spell makes them win the game... I think it might only be appropriate for a Big Boss NPC(if it is as you have currently written it). I can think of one kind of attack that could take down this spell defense very easily- dispel magic.
If you altered this according to my suggestions, I could peg this around eighth level... seventh if you changed the duration to one round/level.

Greater Barrier should be its own spell... For the 60 ft. burst for d6/level (cap at 20d6), it should be an eighth level spell. I would call it Nova.
Novacat
04-28-06, 03:54 AM Barrier seems too good... yet at the same time it seems far too limiting. I think you need to more closely define the purpose of this spell- if it is meant to protect you, it should do that but little else. It seems like a very fun spell! I think that you should reverse the way the orbs work... the orbs should be the immunities, not the weaknesses. That is, a cold, law, fire, electricity orb combination should grant immunity to those effects. For a PC, this spell makes them win the game... I think it might only be appropriate for a Big Boss NPC(if it is as you have currently written it). I can think of one kind of attack that could take down this spell defense very easily- dispel magic.
If you altered this according to my suggestions, I could peg this around eighth level... seventh if you changed the duration to one round/level.

Greater Barrier should be its own spell... For the 60 ft. burst for d6/level (cap at 20d6), it should be an eighth level spell. I would call it Nova.
Ironic if you haven't played Chrono Trigger. Magus is one of the big bosses of the game (or at least, that's what you're lead to believe), and this is a spell that he uses. Dispel Magic is a 3rd level spell, so PCs shouldn't have a problem taking this spell out by the time they get to it, and it's reasonable for enemies to be able to bypass it also. If you have played Chrono Trigger, you may remember that Magus made cast a spell every time he switch barriers, not just while the barrier was up, and he had to lower the barrier for a few rounds to cast his big spells.

Comparing this to similar spells, Sanctuary is a 1st level spell that protects against ALL attacks (albeit, with a save to bypass it), and allows any non-attack spell to be cast from within it. Globes of Invulnerability are much more limited in their protection, but don't hamper the caster at all. In retrospect, the burst when changing barriers may allow the caster too much power, dealing 1d6/level in a 60 foot burst every round without having to recast. Let's try this rewrite:

Greater Barrier
Abjuration
Level: Wiz/Sorc 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 round/level; concentration, see text
Saving Throw: None; Reflex half, see text
Spell Resistance: No; see text

This spell functions like Barrier, except as noted. Whenever the caster changes the barrier type, he may choose to release an energy burst of the given type, dealing 1d6 damage/2 levels to all creatures within 60 feet (Relfex for half, SR applies). If the new barrier type is physical, the caster may make 1 melee or ranged attack while changing the barrier instead (he cannot generate an energy burst dealing physical damage).

Lastly, I agree that these should be 1 round/level instead of 1 minute/level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Novacat 04-27-06, 11:45 PM	Barrier Abjuration Level: Wiz/Sorc 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Duration: 1 minute/level; concentration, see text. (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell conjures four colored spheres which encircle the casters and spin around him, protecting him from certain types of attacks. When casting Barrier, the caster chooses either fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic, good, evil, chaotic, lawful, or physical. The color of the spheres becomes the corresponding color, as shown below. For the duration of the spell, the caster is immune to damage from all spells, attacks, and effects, except those of the designated type. If an attack is of more than one type (for instance, a physical attack with a holy weapon), and either type is the designated attack type, the barrier is bypassed. This effect persists even if the caster does not concentrate on the barrier. Unfortunately, the barrier blocks attacks in both directions. While the barrier is set to Fire, for example, the caster can only cast spells, use abilities with the fire descriptor, and only attack with Flaming weapons. This only blocks spells and effects whose targets are outside the barrier; the caster may cast any spells on himself while the barrier remains. By concentrating on the barrier for 1 round (a standard action), the caster may change the barrier to a different type. A spellcraft check (DC 22) reveals to any observers which type of attack can bypass the barrier. Red - Fire Blue - Cold Yellow - Electricity Green - Acid Grey - Sonic White - Good Black - Evil Purple - Law Orange - Chaos Brown - Physical Greater Barrier Abjuration Level: Wiz/Sorc 8 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Duration: 1 minute/level; concentration, see text Saving Throw: None; Reflex half, see text Spell Resistance: No; see text This spell functions like Barrier, except as noted. Whenever the caster changes the barrier type, he may choose to release an energy burst of the given type, dealing 1d6 damage/level to all creatures within 60 feet (Relfex for half, SR applies). If the new barrier type is physical, the caster may make 1 melee or ranged attack while changing the barrier instead (he cannot generate an energy burst dealing physical damage).
Chrono Nexus 04-28-06, 12:03 AM	Barrier seems too good... yet at the same time it seems far too limiting. I think you need to more closely define the purpose of this spell- if it is meant to protect you, it should do that but little else. It seems like a very fun spell! I think that you should reverse the way the orbs work... the orbs should be the immunities, not the weaknesses. That is, a cold, law, fire, electricity orb combination should grant immunity to those effects. For a PC, this spell makes them win the game... I think it might only be appropriate for a Big Boss NPC(if it is as you have currently written it). I can think of one kind of attack that could take down this spell defense very easily- dispel magic. If you altered this according to my suggestions, I could peg this around eighth level... seventh if you changed the duration to one round/level. Greater Barrier should be its own spell... For the 60 ft. burst for d6/level (cap at 20d6), it should be an eighth level spell. I would call it Nova.
Novacat 04-28-06, 03:54 AM	Barrier seems too good... yet at the same time it seems far too limiting. I think you need to more closely define the purpose of this spell- if it is meant to protect you, it should do that but little else. It seems like a very fun spell! I think that you should reverse the way the orbs work... the orbs should be the immunities, not the weaknesses. That is, a cold, law, fire, electricity orb combination should grant immunity to those effects. For a PC, this spell makes them win the game... I think it might only be appropriate for a Big Boss NPC(if it is as you have currently written it). I can think of one kind of attack that could take down this spell defense very easily- dispel magic. If you altered this according to my suggestions, I could peg this around eighth level... seventh if you changed the duration to one round/level. Greater Barrier should be its own spell... For the 60 ft. burst for d6/level (cap at 20d6), it should be an eighth level spell. I would call it Nova. Ironic if you haven't played Chrono Trigger. Magus is one of the big bosses of the game (or at least, that's what you're lead to believe), and this is a spell that he uses. Dispel Magic is a 3rd level spell, so PCs shouldn't have a problem taking this spell out by the time they get to it, and it's reasonable for enemies to be able to bypass it also. If you have played Chrono Trigger, you may remember that Magus made cast a spell every time he switch barriers, not just while the barrier was up, and he had to lower the barrier for a few rounds to cast his big spells. Comparing this to similar spells, Sanctuary is a 1st level spell that protects against ALL attacks (albeit, with a save to bypass it), and allows any non-attack spell to be cast from within it. Globes of Invulnerability are much more limited in their protection, but don't hamper the caster at all. In retrospect, the burst when changing barriers may allow the caster too much power, dealing 1d6/level in a 60 foot burst every round without having to recast. Let's try this rewrite: Greater Barrier Abjuration Level: Wiz/Sorc 8 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Duration: 1 round/level; concentration, see text Saving Throw: None; Reflex half, see text Spell Resistance: No; see text This spell functions like Barrier, except as noted. Whenever the caster changes the barrier type, he may choose to release an energy burst of the given type, dealing 1d6 damage/2 levels to all creatures within 60 feet (Relfex for half, SR applies). If the new barrier type is physical, the caster may make 1 melee or ranged attack while changing the barrier instead (he cannot generate an energy burst dealing physical damage). Lastly, I agree that these should be 1 round/level instead of 1 minute/level.