"The problem is that it's not really in line with anything."
It is in line with the character's background and being a paladin following Jergal. The GM and I discussed a few options and we both liked expanding the cantrip throughout the life of the character. We looked around and found a few different ideas building leveling mechanics for items that were homebrew and it seemed like a cool idea to try. This character will probably only be getting to level 13 or 14, so the higher level ideas might never even be reached. It feels more fun to carry an item that means something in the long run than just sitting around waiting for the next generic item to drop until you are at such a level the only sword left to get is a Holy Avenger or Blackrazor or some other published generic weapon every other PC in any other game might get in a loot pile. Place a level 17+ character next to the item at full strength and see how it stands next to other legendary weapons of equal bearing. I almost went with a suit of leveling armor instead, but carrying around a giant's femur as a legacy weapon is just kinda neat.
Thank you 6thLyranGuard for noticing that Chill Touch is a necrotic spell although the name would make you think it is a cold-based, touch spell. Also, I think it is a spell most players and GMs overlook which is why we liked it as an option. Half the time, it seems like people never even read the spell before commenting on it in different boards.
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IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Thank you. I was asking for balancing input because my GM thinks the idea is cool and figured having a cantrip level rider would not be to overwhelming. He left it up to me to balance which is why I was asking an extra set of eyes for assistance. I was making it paladin specific and increasing its strength in line with what I felt would be expected at those levels.
The problem is that it's not really in line with anything.
Building off of Chill Touch: Make a ranged spell Attack against the creature to assail it with the chill of the grave. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 necrotic damage, and it can't regain Hit Points until the start of your next turn. Until then, the hand clings to the target. If you hit an Undead target, it also has disadvantage on Attack Rolls against you until the end of your next turn.
At level 13 the cantrip would do 3d6 necrotic which is what I was using as my base. I chose WIS because out of the three main saves (WIS, DEX, and CON), it was the one that I felt represented the best defense against an attack on the spirit more than the flesh. It was strictly a judgement call, nothing more.
Well, no. Resisting cold is a Con thing. The fact that you choose a save that many enemies are worse at is basically hedging the bets in your favour.
Chill Touch inflicts necrotic damage, not cold damage. And necrotic damage often goes off wisdom saves (Toll the Dead, for instance).
Well, yes and no. Chill touch is necrotic damage but it's far from often that necrotic damage is reliant on wisdom saves. Destructive Wave, Symbol, Quivering Palm and Blight are all Con saves. Arms of Hadar uses a Strength save.
"The problem is that it's not really in line with anything."
It is in line with the character's background and being a paladin following Jergal. The GM and I discussed a few options and we both liked expanding the cantrip throughout the life of the character. We looked around and found a few different ideas building leveling mechanics for items that were homebrew and it seemed like a cool idea to try. This character will probably only be getting to level 13 or 14, so the higher level ideas might never even be reached. It feels more fun to carry an item that means something in the long run than just sitting around waiting for the next generic item to drop until you are at such a level the only sword left to get is a Holy Avenger or Blackrazor or some other published generic weapon every other PC in any other game might get in a loot pile. Place a level 17+ character next to the item at full strength and see how it stands next to other legendary weapons of equal bearing. I almost went with a suit of leveling armor instead, but carrying around a giant's femur as a legacy weapon is just kinda neat.
Again, you haven't actually told us anything about the weapon besides the fact that "it's kinda neat" and that it becomes more and more powerful as you go along. That doesn't have anything to do with your character, really. Besides being "kinda neat" (which is not really an ingame reason) what it is, storywise, that makes sense for a level 1 character to find this awesome (in the true meaning of the word) weapon that becomes more and more over-powered as he goes along his merry adventures? Does every paladin in your game world automatically recieve a legendary weapon when they become paladins?
For a Conquest Paladin specifically, I'd recommend Resilient Constitution. Your level 7 aura is a big, game changing, build-defining ability, but it only applies to frightened enemies, and some of your best frightening effects - Wrathful Smite and Fear specifically - are concentration spells. Additionally, when confronting enemies who are either immune to frighten or just have really strong wisdom saves, you'll find yourself falling back into a more typical damage dealing paladin mode. But even then, where other damage dealing paladins are happy to lay on the divine smites, you'd prefer more spell slot efficient boosting options, so as to still have slots open to use Wrathful Smite or Fear in later, more favorable encounters.
The obvious spell slot efficient damage boosting option for you is spiritual weapon off the oath spell list, which doesn't require concentration. However, Bless remains a significant tool for you - particularly after any cleric in the party starts shifting their concentration over to Spirit Guardians. Spirit Shroud is another relevant concentration spell to boost your output when frightening isn't an option, though it's one to save for particularly special occasions as you really want to dedicate third level slots to Fear.
Regardless, as a Conquest Paladin you lean very heavily on concentration spells while wading into melee, and as a result will probably be making more and more critical concentration saves than any other character apart from clerics and maybe melee bards. So where aura of protection is enough for most other paladins, Conquerors specifically really want something extra, either Warcaster (for sword & board builds or those that pick up Booming Blade somehow) or resilient con.
"The problem is that it's not really in line with anything."
It is in line with the character's background and being a paladin following Jergal. The GM and I discussed a few options and we both liked expanding the cantrip throughout the life of the character. We looked around and found a few different ideas building leveling mechanics for items that were homebrew and it seemed like a cool idea to try. This character will probably only be getting to level 13 or 14, so the higher level ideas might never even be reached. It feels more fun to carry an item that means something in the long run than just sitting around waiting for the next generic item to drop until you are at such a level the only sword left to get is a Holy Avenger or Blackrazor or some other published generic weapon every other PC in any other game might get in a loot pile. Place a level 17+ character next to the item at full strength and see how it stands next to other legendary weapons of equal bearing. I almost went with a suit of leveling armor instead, but carrying around a giant's femur as a legacy weapon is just kinda neat.
Thank you 6thLyranGuard for noticing that Chill Touch is a necrotic spell although the name would make you think it is a cold-based, touch spell. Also, I think it is a spell most players and GMs overlook which is why we liked it as an option. Half the time, it seems like people never even read the spell before commenting on it in different boards.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Well, yes and no. Chill touch is necrotic damage but it's far from often that necrotic damage is reliant on wisdom saves. Destructive Wave, Symbol, Quivering Palm and Blight are all Con saves. Arms of Hadar uses a Strength save.
Again, you haven't actually told us anything about the weapon besides the fact that "it's kinda neat" and that it becomes more and more powerful as you go along. That doesn't have anything to do with your character, really. Besides being "kinda neat" (which is not really an ingame reason) what it is, storywise, that makes sense for a level 1 character to find this awesome (in the true meaning of the word) weapon that becomes more and more over-powered as he goes along his merry adventures? Does every paladin in your game world automatically recieve a legendary weapon when they become paladins?
For a Conquest Paladin specifically, I'd recommend Resilient Constitution. Your level 7 aura is a big, game changing, build-defining ability, but it only applies to frightened enemies, and some of your best frightening effects - Wrathful Smite and Fear specifically - are concentration spells. Additionally, when confronting enemies who are either immune to frighten or just have really strong wisdom saves, you'll find yourself falling back into a more typical damage dealing paladin mode. But even then, where other damage dealing paladins are happy to lay on the divine smites, you'd prefer more spell slot efficient boosting options, so as to still have slots open to use Wrathful Smite or Fear in later, more favorable encounters.
The obvious spell slot efficient damage boosting option for you is spiritual weapon off the oath spell list, which doesn't require concentration. However, Bless remains a significant tool for you - particularly after any cleric in the party starts shifting their concentration over to Spirit Guardians. Spirit Shroud is another relevant concentration spell to boost your output when frightening isn't an option, though it's one to save for particularly special occasions as you really want to dedicate third level slots to Fear.
Regardless, as a Conquest Paladin you lean very heavily on concentration spells while wading into melee, and as a result will probably be making more and more critical concentration saves than any other character apart from clerics and maybe melee bards. So where aura of protection is enough for most other paladins, Conquerors specifically really want something extra, either Warcaster (for sword & board builds or those that pick up Booming Blade somehow) or resilient con.