So, I had this idea for a spell that basically goes like this:
Butterfly Effect
?th level transmutation
Casting time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
When you cast this spell, the world around you rewinds backwards for 6 seconds, and you find yourself at the start of your previous turn, and everything is as it was when your previous turn started, but you now have knowledge of what is supposed to happen in the next 6 seconds. Your conditions, HP, etc. go back as they were when you started your last turn, but the spell slot used for this spell is lost.
So, the thing is, being a purely utility spell, it is hard to quantify using the DMG rules or confronting with other spells in general. In utility I think it is similar to the 4th level spell Divination (in that it gives you information about the future), but in this case it always gives you very useful information (you could use it if for example one of your teammates dies to change the past and stop that from happening). Also, I was thinking maybe that upcasting it could extend the travel time, like if you cast it 2 levels higher it allows u to go back 2 rounds instead of 1. Also, obviously if you change nothing, everybody else does the same actions and the same rolls as they did the first time around. Thoughts?
I have a small hiccup with the idea that the caster's status is reverted back the 6 seconds as well. If the caster is using this power to reverse time by 6 seconds then they would be outside of the stream of time, so the reversal would not affect them. This would also ensure that the memory of events is not affected either since, in order for the body to be returned to its previous state, one could argue that the neurons and experiences would be returned to their previous state as well.
I would also have fun with this spell due to it's name as well. Butterfly Effect refers to a seemingly innocuous act causing paramount changes elsewhere; the flap of a butterfly's wing causing a hurricane half way across the world. I'd have some sort of "wild magic-esq" chart of possible changes that could come from using the spell, from minor things like hair changing color, to major events, such as NPCs having altered memories.
When you cast this spell, the world around you rewinds backwards for 6 seconds, and you find yourself at the start of your previous turn, and everything is as it was when your previous turn started, but you now have knowledge of what is supposed to happen in the next 6 seconds.
This is an absolute nightmare for everyone at the table, and especially for the DM. A spell that asks everybody to keep tabs on all of their stats from the round before just in case this spell gets cast and replay their turns precisely is a non-starter.
I'm not too happy with it from a world building perspective either. Time traveling just to see 6 seconds is insanely roundabout and overkill compared to just using divination to look into the future, something even a humble cantrip like True Strike can pull off. Manipulating time this way is usually reserved for really high level spells. In fact, this is more powerful than one of Wish's additional effects, since you can redo a whole round and not just one roll.
Why not take a page from features like the Diviner's Portent or the Augury spell and just create a divination spell that lets you replace a roll that's about to happen or predict what an enemy will do?
Have to agree with InquisitiveCoderhere. The only way to make this work is to be able to reset positions ( if you use minis, putting them back in the last position ), stats ( did the fighter use Action Surge last turn?), HP ( Um ... I'm at 20 ... did that Ogre hit me for 11 or 12? How about that crossbow bolt? How many do I add back? ), etc.
If you routinely are already tracking every change in stat and position in a running "combat log" or something, then it may work for your party ... wouldn't work for mine, we don't keep records that detailed.
It's a cool idea, for sure!
It would just be a pain in the ass for the DM/Players to actually try and use.
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I have a small hiccup with the idea that the caster's status is reverted back the 6 seconds as well. If the caster is using this power to reverse time by 6 seconds then they would be outside of the stream of time, so the reversal would not affect them. This would also ensure that the memory of events is not affected either since, in order for the body to be returned to its previous state, one could argue that the neurons and experiences would be returned to their previous state as well.
I would also have fun with this spell due to it's name as well. Butterfly Effect refers to a seemingly innocuous act causing paramount changes elsewhere; the flap of a butterfly's wing causing a hurricane half way across the world. I'd have some sort of "wild magic-esq" chart of possible changes that could come from using the spell, from minor things like hair changing color, to major events, such as NPCs having altered memories.
i thought about doing it that way, but that might be abused to effectively heal the caster of any ill effect and damage, as he says "ok buds imma reverse time, heal me with all u got" and everyone on the table heals him, so he can go back with full hp. So yeah, I wanted to avoid that :)
I like your idea of the part I've enboldened: it could be pretty interesting I'm gonna think about it
Have to agree with InquisitiveCoder here. The only way to make this work is to be able to reset positions ( if you use minis, putting them back in the last position ), stats ( did the fighter use Action Surge last turn?), HP ( Um ... I'm at 20 ... did that Ogre hit me for 11 or 12? How about that crossbow bolt? How many do I add back? ), etc.
If you routinely are already tracking every change in stat and position in a running "combat log" or something, then it may work for your party ... wouldn't work for mine, we don't keep records that detailed.
It's a cool idea, for sure!
It would just be a pain in the ass for the DM/Players to actually try and use.
You know what, you make an incredibly good point! I think that certainly rules out the idea of upcasting it to go back more. I might just start trying to keep up a combat log and see if I can keep it up well enough to make this spell possible.
Regarding InquisitiveCoder, the problem with this "predict what an enemy will do?" is that I cannot predict what an enemy will do until I know what the players do, u know? Let's say I say "the enemy will walk forwards and attack X", and the caster puts a wall of fire there: the enemy might NOT walk forwards, but walk around, so the prediction would be inaccurate.
I don't know - you would have to log each and every change for every character for every round in every combat, just on the off chance that your player might use the spell.
It's up to you, but I don't see "the juice being worth the squeeze" on this one.
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
Maybe just go with a rewind time for yourself, negating the effects and damage on you from your previous turn? Then you just have to keep track of yourself for the spell. A little Time Skip would be fun but I would say it would A: need a very rare or expensive ingredient B: At least 4th level spell maybe even higher. I am torn on the level appropriate for it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
So, I had this idea for a spell that basically goes like this:
Butterfly Effect
?th level transmutation
Casting time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
When you cast this spell, the world around you rewinds backwards for 6 seconds, and you find yourself at the start of your previous turn, and everything is as it was when your previous turn started, but you now have knowledge of what is supposed to happen in the next 6 seconds. Your conditions, HP, etc. go back as they were when you started your last turn, but the spell slot used for this spell is lost.
So, the thing is, being a purely utility spell, it is hard to quantify using the DMG rules or confronting with other spells in general. In utility I think it is similar to the 4th level spell Divination (in that it gives you information about the future), but in this case it always gives you very useful information (you could use it if for example one of your teammates dies to change the past and stop that from happening). Also, I was thinking maybe that upcasting it could extend the travel time, like if you cast it 2 levels higher it allows u to go back 2 rounds instead of 1. Also, obviously if you change nothing, everybody else does the same actions and the same rolls as they did the first time around. Thoughts?
I have a small hiccup with the idea that the caster's status is reverted back the 6 seconds as well. If the caster is using this power to reverse time by 6 seconds then they would be outside of the stream of time, so the reversal would not affect them. This would also ensure that the memory of events is not affected either since, in order for the body to be returned to its previous state, one could argue that the neurons and experiences would be returned to their previous state as well.
I would also have fun with this spell due to it's name as well. Butterfly Effect refers to a seemingly innocuous act causing paramount changes elsewhere; the flap of a butterfly's wing causing a hurricane half way across the world. I'd have some sort of "wild magic-esq" chart of possible changes that could come from using the spell, from minor things like hair changing color, to major events, such as NPCs having altered memories.
This is an absolute nightmare for everyone at the table, and especially for the DM. A spell that asks everybody to keep tabs on all of their stats from the round before just in case this spell gets cast and replay their turns precisely is a non-starter.
I'm not too happy with it from a world building perspective either. Time traveling just to see 6 seconds is insanely roundabout and overkill compared to just using divination to look into the future, something even a humble cantrip like True Strike can pull off. Manipulating time this way is usually reserved for really high level spells. In fact, this is more powerful than one of Wish's additional effects, since you can redo a whole round and not just one roll.
Why not take a page from features like the Diviner's Portent or the Augury spell and just create a divination spell that lets you replace a roll that's about to happen or predict what an enemy will do?
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Have to agree with InquisitiveCoder here. The only way to make this work is to be able to reset positions ( if you use minis, putting them back in the last position ), stats ( did the fighter use Action Surge last turn?), HP ( Um ... I'm at 20 ... did that Ogre hit me for 11 or 12? How about that crossbow bolt? How many do I add back? ), etc.
If you routinely are already tracking every change in stat and position in a running "combat log" or something, then it may work for your party ... wouldn't work for mine, we don't keep records that detailed.
It's a cool idea, for sure!
It would just be a pain in the ass for the DM/Players to actually try and use.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
i thought about doing it that way, but that might be abused to effectively heal the caster of any ill effect and damage, as he says "ok buds imma reverse time, heal me with all u got" and everyone on the table heals him, so he can go back with full hp. So yeah, I wanted to avoid that :)
I like your idea of the part I've enboldened: it could be pretty interesting I'm gonna think about it
You know what, you make an incredibly good point! I think that certainly rules out the idea of upcasting it to go back more. I might just start trying to keep up a combat log and see if I can keep it up well enough to make this spell possible.
Regarding InquisitiveCoder, the problem with this "predict what an enemy will do?" is that I cannot predict what an enemy will do until I know what the players do, u know? Let's say I say "the enemy will walk forwards and attack X", and the caster puts a wall of fire there: the enemy might NOT walk forwards, but walk around, so the prediction would be inaccurate.
I don't know - you would have to log each and every change for every character for every round in every combat, just on the off chance that your player might use the spell.
It's up to you, but I don't see "the juice being worth the squeeze" on this one.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
Maybe just go with a rewind time for yourself, negating the effects and damage on you from your previous turn? Then you just have to keep track of yourself for the spell. A little Time Skip would be fun but I would say it would A: need a very rare or expensive ingredient B: At least 4th level spell maybe even higher. I am torn on the level appropriate for it.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Hi, how could I get the spell and how to use it. Please help me
Please I want this spell to save a life. Kindly help me