I've been working to homebrew spells to fill out the different elements, given the extreme over presence of Fire damage and general lack of damage types like Poison, Acid, etc. One of my ideas for Acid, though, I've got an issue with. Normally similar spells like this are either a mental attack, forcing a Wis or Int save, or endurance based and force a Con save. I kinda feel like, based on the nature of the spell, neither of those groups work. It's not an illusion or some sort of puzzle trap, so Wis and Int feel super out of place. But it's also not a matter of enduring or shaking off some physical assault like Con. The more common Dex save doesn't apply, because it's not about evading it physically. The targeting shakes out more akin to Hold Person or something like this, but the effect is basically Witch Bolt or Enervation. It just doesn't fit any of the existing patterns.
I'm tempted to make it Charisma, based on the concept that Charisma isn't just about your ability to communicate with people, but is also referenced in a few places about being related to force of will. Which is also why the Sorcerer uses Charisma as a casting stat, and to a lesser extent Paladins. But this would be the only example of a damage spell using a Charisma save.
I'm also kind of in need of peer-review for balance concerns. That's not the purpose of this thread, but it's entirely welcome.
Flesh Melting:
5th level, 30 feet, Concentration up to 1 minute
Target creature you focus upon becomes shrouded in degenerative energy, forcing it to make a Con save. On a success, the spell fails to take hold of the creature and ends. On a failure, the creature takes 6d8 Acid damage. On each of your turns, you may use your Action to maintain the spell, forcing the creature to repeat the save. If the creature succeeds, or if you use your Action for anything other than maintaining the spell, the spell ends. The spell also ends if the target leaves the range of the spell, or has total cover from you.
At higher levels. When cast using a spell slot of 6 level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 per level above 5. In addition, if cast at a 7 level or higher, you may target a second creature within 10 feet of the first, or when cast at 9 level, you may target up to 4 additional creatures within 15 feet of the first.
The spell seems pretty well designed. Con also seems fitting as your description of how the damage is done doesn't really appear to be physically or mentally escapable, only endured. There aren't many spells around this level I can think of that don't at least apply half damage on a save before the spell ends.
Not seeing the Cha connection really but, a lot of the saves could be changed to make more sense in my mind so, if that's how you see it, do it.
If it were just pain though, it wouldn't really be acid damage. It would be more appropriate for that to be psychic damage. Since the pain of acid is coming from actual bodily harm, it's really a side effect of how badly the acid is, you know, eating away at your flesh. Really feels like CON to me.
Acid is a physical material and so the expected defense for it is either evading it as it's coming at you (DEX), or enduring its effects (CON). "Degenerative energy" without any physical agent would more likely be necrotic or maybe psychic damage.
One other way to look at saves is to think "who would be good at saving this?" I feel like a tough fighter would be better at resisting an acid attack than a charismatic bard. Just as the bard would be expected to better handle a degenerative mental attack (insert joke about bards being degenerates here).
I've been working to homebrew spells to fill out the different elements, given the extreme over presence of Fire damage and general lack of damage types like Poison, Acid, etc. One of my ideas for Acid, though, I've got an issue with. Normally similar spells like this are either a mental attack, forcing a Wis or Int save, or endurance based and force a Con save. I kinda feel like, based on the nature of the spell, neither of those groups work. It's not an illusion or some sort of puzzle trap, so Wis and Int feel super out of place. But it's also not a matter of enduring or shaking off some physical assault like Con. The more common Dex save doesn't apply, because it's not about evading it physically. The targeting shakes out more akin to Hold Person or something like this, but the effect is basically Witch Bolt or Enervation. It just doesn't fit any of the existing patterns.
I'm tempted to make it Charisma, based on the concept that Charisma isn't just about your ability to communicate with people, but is also referenced in a few places about being related to force of will. Which is also why the Sorcerer uses Charisma as a casting stat, and to a lesser extent Paladins. But this would be the only example of a damage spell using a Charisma save.
I'm also kind of in need of peer-review for balance concerns. That's not the purpose of this thread, but it's entirely welcome.
Flesh Melting:
5th level, 30 feet, Concentration up to 1 minute
Target creature you focus upon becomes shrouded in degenerative energy, forcing it to make a Con save. On a success, the spell fails to take hold of the creature and ends. On a failure, the creature takes 6d8 Acid damage. On each of your turns, you may use your Action to maintain the spell, forcing the creature to repeat the save. If the creature succeeds, or if you use your Action for anything other than maintaining the spell, the spell ends. The spell also ends if the target leaves the range of the spell, or has total cover from you.
At higher levels. When cast using a spell slot of 6 level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 per level above 5. In addition, if cast at a 7 level or higher, you may target a second creature within 10 feet of the first, or when cast at 9 level, you may target up to 4 additional creatures within 15 feet of the first.
Doesn't sound like Charisma, I would envision a charisma check would be for something like a spell that attacks your esteem.
The spell seems pretty well designed. Con also seems fitting as your description of how the damage is done doesn't really appear to be physically or mentally escapable, only endured. There aren't many spells around this level I can think of that don't at least apply half damage on a save before the spell ends.
Not seeing the Cha connection really but, a lot of the saves could be changed to make more sense in my mind so, if that's how you see it, do it.
it is like a pain spell. I would say con is better, but charisma is good for the "I will not succumb to the pain" bit.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
If it were just pain though, it wouldn't really be acid damage. It would be more appropriate for that to be psychic damage. Since the pain of acid is coming from actual bodily harm, it's really a side effect of how badly the acid is, you know, eating away at your flesh. Really feels like CON to me.
Acid is a physical material and so the expected defense for it is either evading it as it's coming at you (DEX), or enduring its effects (CON). "Degenerative energy" without any physical agent would more likely be necrotic or maybe psychic damage.
One other way to look at saves is to think "who would be good at saving this?" I feel like a tough fighter would be better at resisting an acid attack than a charismatic bard. Just as the bard would be expected to better handle a degenerative mental attack (insert joke about bards being degenerates here).
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm