Modifying Great Thunderclap

[Filatus]

I always kind of liked this spell, despite the fact that is relatively useless compared to others. Can't have a wizard with a last name like Stormcloud without casting this of course.  And the following  OotS strip gave me an idea that might be interesting.  Why don't we add some sonic damage to the spell. It affects partymembers so it shouldn't be too unbalancing. And it is a type of damage wizards are currently lacking, especially if they don't want to cast Wail.  Perhaps combine it to the deafness effect of the fort save that it has.  I don't think 10d6 sonic damage, half on a succeful save, would unbalance things.

[Harlas Ravelkione]

Another possibility could be to simply change the effects to last longer, i.e. 1 round/3 lvls or so. It is a nice effect spell, but due to the short duration it really is not much worth in NWN.

[Pankoki]

What is wrong with the current version of Thunderclap? To me it seems like a great spell with three different possible and useful effects (particularly the knockdown) and high level enough to have good DCs. Please explain why you think this spell is "Useless compared to others".

[LoganGrimnar]

lasts 1 round. 3 rounds per lvl would be to strong, but in the time it takes to cast the spell, and the system to stop freaking out becouse of the flash, the 1 round of knockdown or whatever is gone, it cant be used in comebat becouse it knocks down allies, so best time to use it is before the charge, but again, by the time you cast it and everything the effects have wore off. It alwese seamed rather weak for the lvl of spell it is. It looks cool though, i love how flashy it is, one of my favorit spells visual wise, but effectiveness it seams lacking.

[Pankoki]

So really, this only needs is a duration change and not anything else. The spell effects are quite fine as they are.

[LoganGrimnar]

Maybe make it 5 rounds, or something like that. That would at least give the fighters and what not a round or two to do something. Maybe more then 5 rounds, im not very good with the timeing.

On another note, i do like the idea of a Sonic damgage spell, though. I know for a while we had some spells that were sonic related, but they got editied out after an update i belive.

Im not sure adding Sonic damage to Thunderclap would be the way to get that element into the game. We have Fireballs for fire, scintillating sphere and lightn bolt for electricity, Mestil's acid breath for acid, negitive energy burst for Negitive Energy, Missle Storms for magic damage, we dont really have anything for holy or positive energy, but undeath to death kinda says holy/positive energy to me, though i think it does magic damage. But for sonic we have.. Wail of the Banshee and a whopping 5d6. dont misunderstand me, im not saying Wail is weak, just that Sonic dosent seam to have much of a calling.. maybe something i missed, i know there is sound burst, but thats bards and druids or.. something i think.

[Pankoki]

While I'm certainly not opposed to having a spell that deals sonic damage (though I would likely use it for bards instead of mages), Great Thunderclap certainly does not need sonic damage. The current duration is silly simply because it was likely made for nwn single player and no party pvp in mind. Thus you could just cast it mid-combat and get the benefits of it. However this is not so for Layonara and thus with such short duration it is just that.. flash.
  So we will definitely update the duration of this spell, but don't expect it to do more than it already does.

[Filatus]

I'm definately fine with such changes. My only reason behind the request was to see the spell gain usefulness so it would actually be used.

The longer duration is probably a more logical change than the sonic damage, enabling the spell to actually do what it is intended for.

As for the sonic damage, I can live without, although it would make sense to me to expand the energy options for arcane casters. Makes definately the most sense for bards, but there is always the option for adding it for several classes.

[Blackguy]

Just memorize Horizikaul's boom, and your sonic needs will be fullfilled.
  And Harlas Wrote 3 levels / 1 round, not the other way around.
  And yes a change in duration would be much appriciated.