ghosts in the machine: Fulminar the Stormweaver

(chatgpt wrote this one. basically, the idea, fill in the missing lightning spells, makes lightning a real identity you can pick for your guy)

A once-inquisitive tinkerer turned accidental master of storms, Fulminar, a Deep Gnome, stumbled into the Elemental Plane of Storms via a misfiring teapot experiment. Returning forever changed, he's now the Stormweaver.

Fulminar, the Stormweaver

Small humanoid (deep gnome), any alignment

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)

Armor Class 15 (mage armor)

Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)

Speed 25 ft.

Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +4

Skills Arcana +7, Insight +4, Perception +4

Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages Common, Gnomish, Undercommon

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Gnome Cunning. Fulminar has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.

Virile Cantrip. Fulminar’s cantrips deal half damage on a missed attack or a successful save.

Spellcasting. Fulminar is a 10th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): Thunderclap (see below), Lightning Lure, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Shocking Grasp

1st-level (4 slots): Stormweaver’s Bolthold (see below), Mage Armor, Thunderwave, Shield, Magic Missile

2nd-level (3 slots): Gust of Wind, Scorching Ray

3rd-level (3 slots): Counterspell, Lightning Bolt, Fly

4th-level (3 slots): Storm Sphere, Arcane Eye

5th-level (2 slots): Teleportation Circle

6th-level (1 slot): Chain Lightning, Globe of Invulnerability

Actions

Arcane Shock. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) lightning damage.

Fulminar's Arcane Tempest (Recharge 5-6). Fulminar casts his signature spell, creating a 30-foot radius of crackling energy. Each creature he chooses within the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 27 (6d8) lightning damage and be restrained. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't restrained.

Legendary Actions

Fulminar can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Fulminar regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Legendary Cantrip. Fulminar casts one of his cantrips.

Reverberating Bolt. Fulminar sends a bolt of lightning, dealing 5 (1d8) damage to a target restrained by Fulminar’s Arcane Tempest.

Thunderous Barrier. Fulminar creates a protective barrier around himself, gaining resistance to all damage until the start of his next turn.

Teleport. Fulminar magically teleports to an unoccupied space he can see within 60 feet.

(and here are the promised spells, which will make it so that you, too, can stormweave…)

Thunderclap

Thunder evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous

You release a sudden burst of concussive sound localised in a 5-foot radius around you. All creatures in this area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d6 thunder damage and is deafened until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't deafened. Creatures deafened by this spell have disadvantage on attack rolls.

At Higher Levels: The damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Stormweaver’s Bolthold

1st-level lightning evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a piece of fur, a glass rod, and a pinch of iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure a powerful bolt of lightning that streaks toward a target within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 lightning damage.

Furthermore, the spell creates an electrified zone in a 10-foot radius around the target’s position. Creatures, excluding yourself, within this area when the spell is cast or who enter it for the first time on a turn or end their turn there, must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 lightning damage. This zone persists until the concentration ends.

At Higher Levels: When cast using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial target damage increases by 1d8, and the area effect damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Arcane Tempest

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30-foot radius)
Components: V, S, M (a small lodestone and a piece of fur)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

When you cast this spell, crackling energies spiral around you, manifesting a swirling storm of lightning within a 30-foot radius centered on yourself. Each creature of your choice within this area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 3d8 lightning damage and is restrained by the arcs of electrical energy. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't restrained.

A restrained creature can use its action to attempt to break free, making a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, the creature breaks free from the restraints and suffers no further effects.

Additionally, as a bonus action on each of your turns for the duration, you can cause bolts of lightning to strike one creature affected by this spell, dealing 1d8 lightning damage. You must maintain concentration on the spell to use this bonus action.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the initial lightning damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

(chatgpt wrote this. it was chatgpt)

Malwardin’s Grapnel (a spiderman spell)

 Malwardin’s Grapnel (level 1 conjuration spell)

Casting Time: 1 bonus action.

Target: creature, object or surface you can cast a line to within 60ft.

Duration: until the end of your next turn.

The caster sends forth a length of sturdy silken rope from their open palm, with a grapnel on the end which holds fast to the target. A targeted creature may make a dexterity check to dodge out of the way of the grapnel (in which case it will hit whatever is behind that creature, if possible), or a dexterity or strength check as an action on their turn to detach the grapnel. The grapnel does not require a particularly suitable target and holds onto a sheer featureless wall as well as to a suitable handhold.

While the grapnel is attached, the caster can expand or contract the rope as a free action on their turn, pulling themselves towards the target (if the target is larger, or sturdier, and spending their movement to do so) or pulling the target towards them (if the target is smaller, or of a similar size, and can be pulled). A targeted creature may make a save to detach the grapnel on each pull attempt after the first, and the caster must spend their own movement at twice the usual rate in order to pull an unwilling creature. The rope is strong enough to hold the weight of two creatures (of the caster’s weight or similar) at either end. The caster may detach the rope at either end at will.

 

ok, so i've written this out as this 5e-style spell, i'm pretty sure its balanced but im not sure its good. 5e style you get sort of bogged down with exceptions and the spell sort of ends up written backwards. i think the fun central idea of this is "there should be a spell that lets you swing around like youre spiderman, or grab a guy like youre scorpion from mortal kombat," 5e has web and thorn whip and spider climb already, and a character can carry a grappling hook and a rope anyway, so its hard to find a niche here, maybe it should be a cantrip. but there should be a spell that lets you swing around like youre spiderman, or grab a guy like youre scorpion from mortal kombat