Thonda'a's Crucible LEVEL 7th CASTING TIME 1 Minute RANGE/AREA Touch COMPONENTS V, S, M * DURATION 3 rounds/until death or escape SCHOOL Evocation ATTACK/SAVE DEX DAMAGE/EFFECT Fire/Suffocation
Thonda'a's Crucible is a spell of cruel entrapment. The caster holds the material component, a ceramic crucible, and casts the spell. Upon completion of the verbal and somatic components the caster may make a melee touch attack against any creature. On a successful attack the creature becomes entrapped in the crucible via a dimensional warp and the crucible is filled with molten metal. If the caster fails a concentration check, before a successful touch attack, the spell ends with no effect. The trapped creature takes 3d8 damage per round, DEX save halves. Two successful saves in three rounds allow the creature to escape the crucible and end the spell.
Any creature in the crucible for four rounds becomes encased in solid metal. The creature is affected as per suffocation rules. The only means of escape is the destruction of the crucible or a dimension door spell allowing the trapped creature to escape. The crucible has 500 hit points and is resistant to fire.
Thonda'a was a vile, abusive wizard who attempted to craft this spell to cast upon a fellow mage who did not return his affection. His intended target uncovered the plot and finished the spell in secret. Thonda'a became the first victim of the spell that bears his name.
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Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.
A good idea, but there are a few super minor adjustments that I think may make it a really neat spell.
- I think you should need a CHA or WIS save to avoid being trapped. Maybe make it so you still must be within 5 feet, but instead present your crucible like a Cleric with a holy symbol and attempt to banish them into the crucible, or something to that effect. Melee attacks are just to easy to hit, versus saves can be made more easily. I only worry about your players doing this to your main villain, and he not being able to use a Legendary Resistance to get out of it.
- I would make the casting time 2 actions. One to prepare the spell and start the incantations, and another to actually activate it. If you are worried about it being too powerful, remember that it is a 7th level spell, and those things can deal upwards of 100 points of damage in a single action. Comparatively, this isn't so bad. Maybe you can use the first, preparatory action of casting away from the target, but the second time you must be within 5 feet, or else the spell fails. Maybe, since it takes 2 actions, you could even increase the damage a bit to 3d10 or so. Just comparing it's average damage to other spells of that level, I think that this makes it roughly comparable to other spells, even if it is a bit lower. This is compensated for because it has the ability to trap people, however, to I think 3d10 would be an okay buff.
- I would lower the HP of the crucible by quite a bit. Compare it to a kraken, a Monster Manual CR 23 monster that has 472 hit points. I don't think that the crucible would have roughly equal HP to a kraken, however, this may be okay since suffocation takes a while to take effect. Maybe lowered to 400 or 350 may be more balanced, although it's just a suggestion.
All around, the spell reminds me of Imprisonment, a 9th level spell that does something similar. This is weaker than it though, and I think it fits the 7th level well. All around, great idea, and a well made spell! I would implement these changes, but a good lore and good effects make a nice spell all around!
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Thonda'a's Crucible
LEVEL
7th
CASTING TIME
1 Minute
RANGE/AREA
Touch
COMPONENTS
V, S, M *
DURATION
3 rounds/until death or escape
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
DEX
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Fire/Suffocation
Thonda'a's Crucible is a spell of cruel entrapment. The caster holds the material component, a ceramic crucible, and casts the spell. Upon completion of the verbal and somatic components the caster may make a melee touch attack against any creature. On a successful attack the creature becomes entrapped in the crucible via a dimensional warp and the crucible is filled with molten metal. If the caster fails a concentration check, before a successful touch attack, the spell ends with no effect. The trapped creature takes 3d8 damage per round, DEX save halves. Two successful saves in three rounds allow the creature to escape the crucible and end the spell.
Any creature in the crucible for four rounds becomes encased in solid metal. The creature is affected as per suffocation rules. The only means of escape is the destruction of the crucible or a dimension door spell allowing the trapped creature to escape. The crucible has 500 hit points and is resistant to fire.
Thonda'a was a vile, abusive wizard who attempted to craft this spell to cast upon a fellow mage who did not return his affection. His intended target uncovered the plot and finished the spell in secret. Thonda'a became the first victim of the spell that bears his name.
Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.
― Friedrich Nietzsche
A good idea, but there are a few super minor adjustments that I think may make it a really neat spell.
- I think you should need a CHA or WIS save to avoid being trapped. Maybe make it so you still must be within 5 feet, but instead present your crucible like a Cleric with a holy symbol and attempt to banish them into the crucible, or something to that effect. Melee attacks are just to easy to hit, versus saves can be made more easily. I only worry about your players doing this to your main villain, and he not being able to use a Legendary Resistance to get out of it.
- I would make the casting time 2 actions. One to prepare the spell and start the incantations, and another to actually activate it. If you are worried about it being too powerful, remember that it is a 7th level spell, and those things can deal upwards of 100 points of damage in a single action. Comparatively, this isn't so bad. Maybe you can use the first, preparatory action of casting away from the target, but the second time you must be within 5 feet, or else the spell fails. Maybe, since it takes 2 actions, you could even increase the damage a bit to 3d10 or so. Just comparing it's average damage to other spells of that level, I think that this makes it roughly comparable to other spells, even if it is a bit lower. This is compensated for because it has the ability to trap people, however, to I think 3d10 would be an okay buff.
- I would lower the HP of the crucible by quite a bit. Compare it to a kraken, a Monster Manual CR 23 monster that has 472 hit points. I don't think that the crucible would have roughly equal HP to a kraken, however, this may be okay since suffocation takes a while to take effect. Maybe lowered to 400 or 350 may be more balanced, although it's just a suggestion.
All around, the spell reminds me of Imprisonment, a 9th level spell that does something similar. This is weaker than it though, and I think it fits the 7th level well. All around, great idea, and a well made spell! I would implement these changes, but a good lore and good effects make a nice spell all around!