Essentially I wanted to combine Healing Spirit from Ranger and Spirit Guardians. I know how strong Healing Spirit can be if fully exploited, but in a party that takes a lot of damage, I wanted a way to get passive healing and keep one of my favorite concentration spells active.
As a Cleric of Selune, I flavor my Spirit Guardians to be an orbiting mass of stars, and thought that I could make the Healing Spirit a moon to keep that flavor going.
I figure if Healing Spirit is too busted I could combine it with Aura of Vitality instead, and just stick with the stars.
Gospel of the Night Sky
5-6th lvl (I'm 9th lvl currently and I don't know what level it would be balanced at)
1 Action (Same as Spirit Guardians)
Concentration 1 minute (Same as Healing Spirit)
Centered on Self (Adjust range for balance 15-20)
Components: V,S,M (150gp[Is this enough of a cost for constant use?] symbol of Selune) .
4-5d8 Wis save radiant and free action 2-3d6 healing with the moveable healing guardian. (I'm scaling down the power of what each effect would be at this slot level because I'm combining them)
My DM is open to any ideas we have, and he already said this idea would be fine. I just want to make sure I don't break all of his encounters before I present concrete numbers to him.
To me, it’s a flawed concept. One of the tactical choices that makes clerics fun is trying to decide if you are going to hurt a bad guy or help a good guy. I can’t think of a spell that both, and with good reason. If this spell existed, people would only ever cast it. It is objectively better than any damage or healing spell, because it both damages and heals. (Side note: when something is clearly the best choice in every situation, that’s pretty much the definition of broken, at least it’s a definition of broken.) And for free! Once it’s up, you damage and heal people for no additional actions — meaning you still get an action and a bonus action every round to damage and heal some more — that’s extra OP!
The actual Healing Spirit spell isn't that powerful, but the buffs you're talking about putting on it would warrant a radically higher spell level all on its own, even before the radiant damage.
For the record:
Healing Spirit moves as a bonus action, not a free. I'm assuming you meant bonus, though, as free action healing is infinite healing.
It doesn't heal anyone during the cleric's turn unless the cleric moves into it - it only heals someone when they start their turn in the spirit or move into it.
It can heal a maximum of 6 times, if you're Wis 20.
There's a reason it's a spell level below Mass Healing Word.
Hmm. So it's still possible, but at A MUCH higher spell slot level? How high we talking? and is it really worth it at that point with all the other concentration spells?
Also, I didn't actually know about the max times healing, so that's informative.
Would lowering the damage and healing make it any better or is it, like Xalthu said, "a flawed concept" to create a catch-all concentration spell?
Hmm. So it's still possible, but at A MUCH higher spell slot level? How high we talking? and is it really worth it at that point with all the other concentration spells?
Also, I didn't actually know about the max times healing, so that's informative.
Would lowering the damage and healing make it any better or is it, like Xalthu said, "a flawed concept" to create a catch-all concentration spell?
I'm not good enough at spell balance to quote you actual numbers, but I would say this is roughly balanced, based on the Far Step spell as inspiration, as well as Way of Mercy Monks and Spirit Guardians; note that 6th level spells should be much more powerful than 5th level, due to slot numbers:
Word of Channeling
Spell Level: 6
Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.
Range: Self
When you cast this spell, determine a damage type based on your alignment: radiant for good or neutral, necrotic for evil. Also determine an amount of energy: this spell's level plus your spellcasting ability modifier.
When you cast this spell, you may immediately target one creature you can see within 60 feet and choose to either heal them for this spell's amount, or force them to make a Wisdom save. On a failure, the target suffers this spell's amount plus 2d8 damage of the spell's damage type; on a success, the target suffers half. You may repeat this bonus action on each of your turns for as long as the spell lasts.
You can, of course, describe what the spell looks and sounds like as you see fit.
Essentially I wanted to combine Healing Spirit from Ranger and Spirit Guardians. I know how strong Healing Spirit can be if fully exploited, but in a party that takes a lot of damage, I wanted a way to get passive healing and keep one of my favorite concentration spells active.
As a Cleric of Selune, I flavor my Spirit Guardians to be an orbiting mass of stars, and thought that I could make the Healing Spirit a moon to keep that flavor going.
I figure if Healing Spirit is too busted I could combine it with Aura of Vitality instead, and just stick with the stars.
Gospel of the Night Sky
5-6th lvl (I'm 9th lvl currently and I don't know what level it would be balanced at)
1 Action (Same as Spirit Guardians)
Concentration 1 minute (Same as Healing Spirit)
Centered on Self (Adjust range for balance 15-20)
Components: V,S,M (150gp[Is this enough of a cost for constant use?] symbol of Selune) .
4-5d8 Wis save radiant and free action 2-3d6 healing with the moveable healing guardian. (I'm scaling down the power of what each effect would be at this slot level because I'm combining them)
My DM is open to any ideas we have, and he already said this idea would be fine. I just want to make sure I don't break all of his encounters before I present concrete numbers to him.
Thanks.
To me, it’s a flawed concept. One of the tactical choices that makes clerics fun is trying to decide if you are going to hurt a bad guy or help a good guy. I can’t think of a spell that both, and with good reason. If this spell existed, people would only ever cast it. It is objectively better than any damage or healing spell, because it both damages and heals. (Side note: when something is clearly the best choice in every situation, that’s pretty much the definition of broken, at least it’s a definition of broken.)
And for free! Once it’s up, you damage and heal people for no additional actions — meaning you still get an action and a bonus action every round to damage and heal some more — that’s extra OP!
I thought so
Like you said, the struggle between heal and hurt is a big part of the Cleric.
I appreciate the input, I'm glad I didn't pull this out and ruin my DM's night. :D
The actual Healing Spirit spell isn't that powerful, but the buffs you're talking about putting on it would warrant a radically higher spell level all on its own, even before the radiant damage.
For the record:
There's a reason it's a spell level below Mass Healing Word.
Hmm. So it's still possible, but at A MUCH higher spell slot level? How high we talking? and is it really worth it at that point with all the other concentration spells?
Also, I didn't actually know about the max times healing, so that's informative.
Would lowering the damage and healing make it any better or is it, like Xalthu said, "a flawed concept" to create a catch-all concentration spell?
I'm not good enough at spell balance to quote you actual numbers, but I would say this is roughly balanced, based on the Far Step spell as inspiration, as well as Way of Mercy Monks and Spirit Guardians; note that 6th level spells should be much more powerful than 5th level, due to slot numbers:
Word of Channeling
Spell Level: 6
Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.
Range: Self
When you cast this spell, determine a damage type based on your alignment: radiant for good or neutral, necrotic for evil. Also determine an amount of energy: this spell's level plus your spellcasting ability modifier.
When you cast this spell, you may immediately target one creature you can see within 60 feet and choose to either heal them for this spell's amount, or force them to make a Wisdom save. On a failure, the target suffers this spell's amount plus 2d8 damage of the spell's damage type; on a success, the target suffers half. You may repeat this bonus action on each of your turns for as long as the spell lasts.
You can, of course, describe what the spell looks and sounds like as you see fit.
Alright. Nice spell. Saves my action for whatever I need without being op and doing everything at once.
I think this is what I want mechanically. And I can flavor it to do what I want.
Thanks for the help on this.