Spells that transfer health

I’m working on a visitor racial template based on the BCK visitor monster entry to use for NPCs. The last thing I need is a reverse engineering of the mind meld power. That said mind meld is more a narrative power and I’m effectively going to have to back it out as a spell.

At the same time I’m examining options for arcane healing spells. This is highly unconventional but then so is my whole setting. At first I thought I might build a completely different magic system, but I found it easier to view arcane magic as a hybrid of magic from the universe channeled using will and the mind. This effectively makes it a hybrid of arcane magic and psionics in my mind. The added bonus here is any spells I make can just be used as arcane spells in other settings.

The first thing I need to explore for mind meld is the transfer of health between people.

Transfer health 

So this one is simple, I’m trying to replicate cure light wounds for arcane magic with one change, the caster takes damage equal to the amount healed. Simple right? But lacking precedence in ACKs spell creation system.

So, how to factor in the damage? I could apply a multiplier but lack a benchmark. So let’s look at two damaging spells. The first is the spell cause light wounds.

Cause Light Wounds: 1d6+1 causing (10), target 1 creature (x1), attack throw required (x1), range 0' (x1), duration instantaneous (x1), no saving throw (x1), divine (x1.5), total cost 15.

As an arcane spell it would imply the spell penalty is equal to the gain (15 as arcane). A zero cost spell or cantrip sounds wrong here. Next let’s look at it as a blast spell. 

Take damage healed: 1d6+1 curing (33), same roll as healing roll x1, max 1D x0.1, one creature x1, touch x0.4, instant x1, no save x1, arcane x1, total cost 1.32.

This gives a near negligible reduction to the base spell. So let’s take an average, (1.3+15)/2 = 8.8. That’s a little higher than a half, so for simplicity let’s just make it a half. This give us our multiplier and alows me to make a new spell. I really like how this one came out.

Transfer life force 

Arcane 1

Range: touch

Duration: instantaneous 

This dangerous spell takes some of the caster's life force and transfers it to the recipient causing a burst of healing. The caster lays their hands on the injured creature and heals 1d6+1 points of damage with the caster taking as much damage as is healed. If using the hit point rules from heroic fantasy the recipient receives one day of healing at its BHR while the caster loses health based on one day of BHR. This spell may also be used to cure paralysis, transferring this state to the caster, but does not then cure or cause any points of damage. The spell will never increase a creature’s hit points beyond the normal amount but can reduce the caster's hit point below zero.

Transfer life force (1): healing, 1d6+1 curing (10), damages caster equal to amount healed (x0.5), target 1 creature (x1), attack throw required (x1), range 0' (x1), duration instantaneous (x1), arcane (x1.5), beneficial effect (x1), total cost 10.

Mind meld

Now I have a gauge on transfer health, I can build something resembling the mind meld power. I must admit though when running visitors I simplify this power to just giving groups of visitors pooled hit points, to make bookkeeping easier. The power wasn’t designed as a spell or character power so I'm trying to shoe horn it into something resembling the ability.

It’s key features are:

• Once per day.
• Group - 8 maximum.
• 60’ range
• Pool and redistribute health.

So the first problem with this as a spell is eight creatures, no such multiplier exists. Enchant has 3d6 for x5, it seems over cost (x1.1 for x1). Eight is half the levels in the game, a big bonus early on… let’s go with x5 though.

It’s only a benefit to those with the power, a severe limitation. I would say less than half utility, settling on a third. It also can only benefit once per day, which it in the healing cantrip.

Let’s build it at the lowest level first, a 10 point heal. 

Mind-meld minimum (1): healing, 1d6+1 curing (10), transfers health and damages participants equal to amount healed (x0.5), target 8 creatures (x5), all creatures must be able to cast mind-meld (0.33), no attack throw required (x1.4), range 60' (x1.3), duration instantaneous (x1), spell can only be cast on each target once per day (×0.33), arcane (x1.5), beneficial effect (x1), total cost 7.4.

Given the monster power lacks limits on transfers I need to amp this up a little, up to cure serious wounds and settling on a level 3 spell. In the end I’m not sure I would put this in a spell list, maybe just keep it as a racial power benchmarked as a spell.

Mind meld

Arcane 3

Range: 60’

Duration: instantaneous
This power allows a group of eight psionically active creatures that all possess this ability or spell to transfer health between them. The effect is psionic and does not require physical contact. Creatures in the meld may transfer health to each other, either taking damage in exchange or receiving healing. All participants must be willing to receive healing or take damage. Each creature in the meld may only receive or take up to 2d6 plus 1 point per level of the initiator as points of healing or damage. If using the hit point rules from heroic fantasy the recipient may receive four days of healing or damage at its BHR. The spell will never increase a creature’s hit points beyond the normal amount but can reduce a participants hit point below zero.

Mind-meld (3): healing, 2d6+level curing (40), transfers health and damages participants equal to amount healed (x0.5), target 8 creatures (x5), all creatures must be able to cast mind-meld (0.33), no attack throw required (x1.4), range 60' (x1.3), duration instantaneous (x1), spell can only be cast on each target once per day (×0.33), arcane (x1.5), beneficial effect (x1), total cost 29.7.