backbiter:
1st level, necromancy, will negates(sorta), SR(sortof),
basically, cast it on a weapon and the next attack by that weapon hits the wielder. It could be argued, due to its wording in the compendium, that there is only a save for magic weapons, but it is a bit ambiguous and I am not going to try arguing for that. Same deal with spell resistance, so long as it in the possession of a creature when the spell is cast, the creature gets saves and SR as normal. At low levels this is crazy powerful because it can use up your opponent's only attack and weapon attacks are typically more powerful than spell. At high level it is powerful because it is only 1st level, a will save(although you can use the weapon's will save which may be higher than the late-game tank with a +20 miracle weapon, 5 wisdom, and 5 different +0 will classes...) , and causes the opponent to lose their best swing and hurt themselves with what is probably a beefy late-game power-attack... It is pretty cool and different, but maybe too powerful, only works on people who are using melee weapons, so users of natural weapons, ranged weapons, and spells or abilities are immune...
Benign transposition
1 conj - -
Swap position with a willing target. "up to large size" so presumably it is open to abuse with flying familiars...
Buzzing Bee
1 conj no no
-10 to move silently and DC save(11+bee caster's stat bonus) + cast spell level concentration to cast. So basically makes hiding difficult and forces a check that is similar to casting defensively. No save or SR is the scary part. Heighten it to 9th level, pack some DC boosting effects, you might be asking folk to make concentration checks in the high 30s with no save.
Caltrops
0 conj +0 att
Area denial/movement inhbitor. Gets more powerful, peaking at 5 squares with a +4 attack modifier that ignores shields, worn armour, deflection bonuses, but grants +2 armour for shoes. it halves movement until healed for small to large targets. it has lots of flaws, but is a pretty strong deterrent for a cantrip.
Distract assailant
1 ench will
Target is flat footed until their next turn, effectiveness depends upon rogues...
Ebon eyes
1 trans
May grant the ability to see in the darkness spell, for ten minutes per level, which is pretty exploitable if you spam darkness.
Expeditious retreat, swift
1 trans
+30 feet of movement with basically no action cost. useful for emergencies.
guided shot
1 divi
ignore partial cover, concealment, or range penalties, although the total versions still work. Swift action and lasts for one round. handy negation for low-level defensive efforts against ranged attacks. Follow it up with a scorching ray and the blurred archer hiding behind an arrow slit has a good chance of getting roasted.
Horrible taste
1 trans fort noSR
Fort save or become nauseated if you bite the target. Fort save means it really won't stop you being swallowed whole, but the idea sounds promising. Works on all bite attacks but poison immune and tasteless people are immune. Druids are immune to poison right? They probably wear leaves to fancy balls anyway, so they cannot possibly have any sense of taste...
Launch item
0 trans no no
throw a 10lb or less item to medium range. useful for alchemicals or getting a tissue across a crowded room to someone who is about to sneeze...
Nerveskitter
1 trans no SR
+5 initiative at close range when initiative is rolled. Basically trade a 1st level spell per day and known for +5 initiative to one (probably) ally or self per encounter. considering that a feat only grants +4...
Net of shadows
1 illu will yes
one creature per level can only see 5 feet, and within five feet stuff has concealment. The wording is a bit odd, but it sounds like a mild form of mass blindness...
Lesser orb of acid
1 conj no no
Ranged touch, 1d8 acid, up to 5d8 at 9th casterlevel.
Ray of clumsiness
1 trans no SR
1d6+1 per two Clevel. max 1d6+5. Dexterity penalty, minimum one, like ray of enfeeblement, but dexterity and no save...
Ray of flame
1 evoc ref Sr
1d6 per two caster levels(5d6) and sets on fire. could mess up a caster's concentration for a while, or just mess up anyone who cannot make a DC 15 ref save. as worded, it appears to deal 0d6 base damage at 1st level, which could be a mistake, but gotta take it as written... should still set fires though...
Serene visage
1 illu no no
+half level(max 10) insight to bluff...
Shock and awe
1 ench no SR
only works on flat footed targets, and only in a surprise round, and not on targets that cannot be caught flat footed(rogue with uncanny dodge...). -10 initiative, multiple targets. iIt possibly only works on opponents who do not act in the surprise round, it doesn't explicitly say so, but it seems to imply that it affects then next initiative roll, which presumably the spell assumes is not made until the target acts or something. terribly worded spell really. But basically, pull it in a surprise round and watch the bad goblins all fail initiative... Combine it with a chained nerveskitter and suddenly everyone has +15 initiative...
Shieldbearer
1 trans
Basically grants a shield the animated ability for a battle...
Silent portal
0 illu
Squeaky doors don't squeak. Intelligent doors get a will save and SR versus mute button.
Slide
1 trans will SR
Give someone a free 5-foot step, of my choosing. Great for all those people who never realised that they wanted to dodge off of a ledge...
Sonic Snap
0 evoc will SR
1 sonic damage, no save, will versus deafened for 1 round. Ready to interrupt casting and they get no save to make a 1 damage conc check and a save versus deafened conc check. All the irritation that you have come to expect from cantrips.
Spellflower
1 trans
hold a touch spell for 1 round per level. good for casting other spells, or dual-wielding chill touch...
Spirit worm
1 necro Fort Sr
1 con damage per round, one round per level, max 5. fort save every round to end the spell. up to 5 con damage from a 1st level spell is not the most best fun times.
Targeting Ray
1 divi no no
+1 insight to ranged attacks per three Clevels against target. Because spending 1st level slots to improve the aim of useful things is good.
1 Necrotic awareness, detect necrotic cysts.
2 Necrotic Cyst: Touch someone to install a necrotic cyst. Fortitude and spell resistance. All the other spells only target necrotic cysts, but are not subject to spell resistance. So if nobody ever casts this one, then the others are useless. Protection from Evil blocks this. DC 20 heal check versus death to remove it in an hour long surgery. -2 to necromancy saves and +1d6 damage from natural attacks by undead.
2 Necrotic scrying: See OR hear someone who has a cyst. lead and magic al stuff blocks it, but you know that it is being blocked.
3 Necrotic Bloat: 1d6 damage per level(10) to target, half vile which can only be healed on consecrated or hallowed ground. no save
4 Necrotic domination: Dominate person except any humanoid(?) with a cyst. Humanoid looks like a typo, should be anything with a cyst, but it says humanoid so stuck with that...
5 Necrotic Burst: 1d6 per level(15), half vile. Fort save versus death and cyst breaks free as free-willed undead.
6 Necrotic Eruption: 1d6 per level(15), half vile. Fort save versus death, free willed undead rising from corpse, 1d6 damage per level(15) reflex half, half vile, 20 foot radius, applies effects of Necrotic Cyst spell to all within radius.
(This spell is vital for spreading cysts at higher levels...)
7 Necrotic Tumour: Can force the victim to follow reasonable suggestions. Fortitude save versus permanent mind slave.
8 Necrotic Empowerment: +8 dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, natural armour, +5 fortitude, +100 temporary hitpoints, no necrotic spells, self only, 1 round per level, not dismissable...
9 Necrotic Termination: 1d6 per level(25), half vile. Save versus lots and lots of not being alive anymore, eats your soul, and spits out a free-willed undead. Costs 1000 xp to cast and the cyst eats the soul, not the caster(frownyface).
The free-willed undead are CR4 with 4 hit dice, 13 14 16 int wis ch, an attitude of "Imma hide in this dark place and eat you when nobody is looking", blindsight, attach, blood drain, can cast necrotic cyst once per day, and various less exciting things. If they actually beat someone, then they are pretty nasty, but most folk should be able to handle them. The problems arise when a reckless caster just leaves them to wander the countryside. Even then, they only eat a good porton of your constitution, leave a cyst in you, then wander off. It shouldn't be the zombie apocalypse threat that most undead present... Also, it attacks with intestines, so there is that...
I was pretty lazy with my shortlist, so may as well be pretty lazy with allowing them...
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Topic: Chronicles Of Aprilia: The Apocalyptic Era (D&D 3.5 Maptool) - Now recruiting (Read 47378 times)