Earthbound Spell + ???

[Nytemare3701]

Earthbound Spell (PHB2) seems like it could be a lot of fun. Any known tricks?

[cru]

For easy reference: http://dnd.savannahsoft.eu/feat-799-earthbound-spell.html

On a first reading, I am not impressed. It could help with action economy I guess if you know what's coming, but at +2, bit pricey. Probably not something you can use each encounter. At +0 or perhaps +1, it could be fun.

[Nytemare3701]

I'm going to be sticking it on a metamagic specialist anyway, so I won't be unduly bothered by the +2.

[cru]

RAW, an earthbound spell affects also illegal targets.

[PhaedrusXY]

RAW, an earthbound spell affects also illegal targets.

So you could use it to cast Enlarge Person on a non-humanoid, for example. Or Dominate Person on a non-humanoid. I doubt most DMs would let that fly, though.

Casting it inside a Bag of Holding, and hopping in and out of it to trigger a bunch of buffs onto yourself might be the best use, other than just using it "as intended" (i.e. to make a bunch of temporary traps).

[Nytemare3701]

So...bucket of buffs, like a warweaver lite?

[Widow]

Hmm, to me it looks like the spell picks up a fixed range.  The range in which you cast the spell is 5 feet since it effects the adjacent square.  Also when the spell goes off it effects the creature/area in that square, effectively a range of 0 feet.  If this is indeed true, this would allow you to turn any spell with a duration into a persistent spell (excluding personal spells which you can already make persistent and spells that are expendable).  Spells like Owl's insight come to mind.  Any takers on if this is RAW?  It gets kind of screwy because it also has a duration that the spell stays fixed to the spot, not sure it that would grab the persistent and not the regular spell duration.

[NiteCyper]

For easy reference:

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[AndyJames]

Earthbound spell is basically a trap metamagic. It makes any of your spells into a trap that an enemy can stumble on.

If you are being pursued, it is not a bad idea to drop an Earthbound lightning bolt to shoot back down the corridor when the first pursuer stumbles on it. Or use it to store a ultra high caster level Holy Word while your non-Good buddies beat a hasty retreat.

[X-Codes]

If you can get a Rod of this, that would be the best use of the feat.  That way, on the occasion that you're able to set up an ambush, you can whip out the rod and create a completely inhospitable battlefield for your opponents.  Classes that are able to add Metamagic for free and on-the-fly like Ultimate Magi or an Incantatrix could also make good use for it if, somehow, they had a spare Metamagic feat lying around.

That said, I don't see much room for cheese.  It's really only going to be persistable (in a practical sense) by using one of those classes that gets plain obscene metamagic abilities already (like Incantatrix).

[Nytemare3701]

Metamagic rod it is then.

On another note, are there any other metamagics that drastically change the way a spell works like this? I love using blasting spells for utility.

Entangling Blast + Earthbound + Streamers= Black Tentacles on crack.

[Ramaloke]

What really kills it is the duration, 1 hour is pretty short for a trap. Earthbound Reverse Gravity seems fun though.

[Endarire]

What's this streamers spell do?  I know it's from Shining South 50 and does lots of damage.  May I get a full text?

[Nytemare3701]

It's a ranged touch attack, can target multiple opponents or focus on one, and continues attacking foes without any direction from you for rounds/level if they take any action at all. Each ribbon deals 5d10 per hit (1 ribbon per 3 levels beyond 10), and the spell even uses your BAB, therefore getting iteratives.

[Widow]

That said, I don't see much room for cheese.  It's really only going to be persistable (in a practical sense) by using one of those classes that gets plain obscene metamagic abilities already (like Incantatrix).

That is pretty much the case for persistent spell in all circumstances.  Without cost reduction or free application through other abilities it is not a viable feat.

But does anyone see any problems with my previous interrupation that it would grant the spell a fixed range to qualify for persistent?

[AndyJames]

It's a ranged touch attack, can target multiple opponents or focus on one, and continues attacking foes without any direction from you for rounds/level if they take any action at all. Each ribbon deals 5d10 per hit (1 ribbon per 3 levels beyond 10), and the spell even uses your BAB, therefore getting iteratives.

You don't get iteratives on attacks of opportunities, which is what the ribbon does, I think.

[X-Codes]

That said, I don't see much room for cheese.  It's really only going to be persistable (in a practical sense) by using one of those classes that gets plain obscene metamagic abilities already (like Incantatrix).

That is pretty much the case for persistent spell in all circumstances.  Without cost reduction or free application through other abilities it is not a viable feat.

True for the most part, but throwing Earthbound in there actually makes it even harder to apply Persistent Spell for free.  A lot of classes that can make practical use of Persistent Spell just can't hack it with Persistent Earthbound spells.

[Widow]

That said, I don't see much room for cheese.  It's really only going to be persistable (in a practical sense) by using one of those classes that gets plain obscene metamagic abilities already (like Incantatrix).

That is pretty much the case for persistent spell in all circumstances.  Without cost reduction or free application through other abilities it is not a viable feat.

True for the most part, but throwing Earthbound in there actually makes it even harder to apply Persistent Spell for free.  A lot of classes that can make practical use of Persistent Spell just can't hack it with Persistent Earthbound spells.

Just means you divine metamagic persistent spell can only be on you top level spell-2.  I am not having too much trouble with getting extend and Fell energy spell tacked on in my current game, just cannot go all out with 9th level spells.

There are also lots of 4th and 5th level spells that would be great for this: Sheltered Vitality, Freedom of Movement on another target, Deathward, Owl's Insight, Divine Agility, Trueseeing, Shield of Faith (level 1), etc.  And those are just in the Player's Handbook and SRD.

[skydragonknight]

Maximized Ghoul Glyph + Rod-Earthbound Maw of Chaos in the same square.

8 rounds of CL d6 damage.