I'm thinking this should be a grand hex, but I'd like constructive critique/opinions. Aging matters a great deal in my campaign and I track time religiously. Obviously, longer-lived races will be less affected by it, but it could potentially be devastating against those with much shorter lifespans (humans, half-orcs, and so on). I believe I've covered all the bases in balancing it against the other hexes at grand level, but would appreciate any feedback:
Grand Hex
Curse of Ages (Su) The witch curses the target so he is doomed to die of rapid aging (Will negates). As long as the curse persists, the target ages 20 years each day at midnight, suffering the penalties of aging, but gaining none of the benefits provided by their new age category. A target can only have one curse of ages upon him at a time. Slaying the witch that hexed the creature ends the effect, but any aging effects remains and can only be reversed by a miracle or wish spell. Whether or not the saves are successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day. This is a curse effect.
im not overly familiar w the witch class but that seems really powerful. I mean 1 year per day or 2 years per day is still vicious
I really like this! Am I correct in assuming you drew inspiration from "The Warlock" for this curse? "A decade twice a day" To me the power is spot on for a grand hex, if not a little weak in the hands of a PC. Just be wary of syringes filled with saline!
im not overly familiar w the witch class but that seems really powerful. I mean 1 year per day or 2 years per day is still vicious
In essence, the character (or NPCs) wouldn't have access to this until 18th level (witches don't get Grand Hexes until then). Truth be told, it really is pretty "vicious". The reason for the large number of years, however, is due to the very slow mechanic of it. Comparing to many spells of lower level (which are save or die immediately) and some of the witches' hexes (one of which is save or die 3 rounds later), you really have a lot of time to "end" this curse before death. In essence, if you catch it, you can drop it with a remove curse (a 3-4th level spell, depending on who casts it). If you don't, you have roughly 3-4 days to try and get the remove curse spell cast. Since 17th level is when both of these become available, it's expensive, but possible to both reverse the aging or resurrect someone who died from old age (due to the curse).
You can find the witch class and the hexes here, for reference.Witches & Hexes
I really like this! Am I correct in assuming you drew inspiration from "The Warlock" for this curse? "A decade twice a day" To me the power is spot on for a grand hex, if not a little weak in the hands of a PC. Just be wary of syringes filled with saline!
That salt-water is brutal. Ever read the book? She doesn't stick the needles in his neck in the book - it's worse.
Yes, I directly took the inspiration for it from the curse he cast on Lori Singer's character. As far as in the hands of PCs go, it does seem a little weak compared to the instant death of most other things. On the other hand, if a PC woke up the next day 20 years older, I'm sure they'd think it wasn't very funny.=)
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I'm thinking this should be a grand hex, but I'd like constructive critique/opinions.
To make it more relevant to any mortal target, from mayfly to elf, you could just have it automatically increase the age category of the target by one, with a venerable target having to save or die instantly.
Creatures that don't use the standard young, adult, middle aged, old, venerable aging categories, like dragons, would either be unaffected, or magically forced to behave as if standard mortals by the power of the hex (so that even a demon or dragon might gain the penalties of becoming old, despite not normally ever suffering that sort of problem).
This would be much weaker, and more immediately effective, and might be a fine Major Hex (or even Minor Hex, if the death-to-venerable option is removed, and replaced with exhausted or unconscious-to-venerable). Like most hexes, it might only affect a single person once in a 24 hour period, but otherwise be able to stack, so that a witch could hex a hated rival again the next day, causing them to suffer the penalties of advancing *another* age category... (and, obviously, gaining none of the benefits of advanced age, such as wisdom, etc.)
As a curse effect, it should be able to be removed, and, if removed, the effects go away (although their might be a saving throw to avoid some lingering effect, for your more powerful version).
To make it more relevant to any mortal target, from mayfly to elf, you could just have it automatically increase the age category of the target by one, with a venerable target having to save or die instantly.
Creatures that don't use the standard young, adult, middle aged, old, venerable aging categories, like dragons, would either be unaffected, or magically forced to behave as if standard mortals by the power of the hex (so that even a demon or dragon might gain the penalties of becoming old, despite not normally ever suffering that sort of problem).
This would be much weaker, and more immediately effective, and might be a fine Major Hex (or even Minor Hex, if the death-to-venerable option is removed, and replaced with exhausted or unconscious-to-venerable). Like most hexes, it might only affect a single person once in a 24 hour period, but otherwise be able to stack, so that a witch could hex a hated rival again the next day, causing them to suffer the penalties of advancing *another* age category... (and, obviously, gaining none of the benefits of advanced age, such as wisdom, etc.)
As a curse effect, it should be able to be removed, and, if removed, the effects go away (although their might be a saving throw to avoid some lingering effect, for your more powerful version).
That's a brilliant and very elegant solution. Thank you! I'll repost a reworded version this evening when I get home.