Casting Holy Word in a group of neutral or evil companions


Rules Questions


If I were to cast Holy Word and the rest of my party was say neutral or evil aligned and in range, would they be affected?

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

PRD wrote:


Any nongood creature within the area of a holy word spell suffers the following ill effects.

Yes.

"Any nongood creature" means ANY nongood creature.

If it excepted allies, it would say "any nongood enemies."

Liberty's Edge

If you're thinking of using this you could take the Merciful metamagic feat.

If you affect/drop your allies, they're only taking non-lethal damage instead.


Thanks for the reply. Thing is the GM of the group I play in wont let me cast detect evil to identify evil members in my group(out of character I know they are evil). But if I cast Holy Word....HA!


If your GM puts arbitrary restrictions on your ability to cast detect evil, he'll probably also put arbitrary restrictions on any other method you devise that might potentially reveal the alignment of your companions.

Edit: Does he also prohibit you from using detect evil to identify the alignments of enemies when your companions are in a position to also be detected by the spell?


Holy Smite is lower level (4th) and you can always say "I was shocked... I had no idea they were evil, I just assumed they had more genteel views of morality."

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I've seen party casters pull this stunt with Dictum. Chaotic and Neutral PC's were NOT happy.


Yea I know the GM will come up with "some way" of defeating my intentions but I will at least have him scrambling for answers. Thing is I have just been introduced into this gaming group and was instructed to make "as good aligned of a character as I can". I've been with the group 7 sessions now and I am left with my deity and temple not allowing me to speak with them(even though I still pray for my spells) because of the group I'm running with. I've also had "visons" of the world coming apart if I dont run with them. Very frustrating!!


I was told that spells like Detect Evil and Holy Smite only related to evil "outsiders". I know this is bunk but if the GM says so....

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

Yubein wrote:
Yea I know the GM will come up with "some way" of defeating my intentions but I will at least have him scrambling for answers. Thing is I have just been introduced into this gaming group and was instructed to make "as good aligned of a character as I can". I've been with the group 7 sessions now and I am left with my deity and temple not allowing me to speak with them(even though I still pray for my spells) because of the group I'm running with. I've also had "visons" of the world coming apart if I dont run with them. Very frustrating!!

Hmmm. This is raising a lot of red flags to me. It strikes me as VERY odd that a GM would ask you specifically to bring a good aligned character into an existing group with evil aligned characters, and then start restricting your character's abilities.

Are you friends with these guys? Are you just filling in for someone? Is there some backhistory/baggage about alignment we don't know about?

If a GM has decide he's going to "teach the new guy a lesson" this is not going to end well.

Granted I realize I don't know the whole story, but I would stay alert. If the GM keeps trying ways to keep you from using your class abilities and/or dealing with the party AFTER you designed a character as you did per his request, I'd get the heck out of dodge. Based on what you said it does not sound like a healthy situation, and one upsmanship on rules knowledge will unlikely be very effective in the long run at least. Good luck.


When I started playing with the group I didnt know them from Adam. They have been playing together for years and I answered a post on the local gaming clipboard. The GM seems to be "ok" but one of his long time players is a bit of a jerk. I have seen 3 other players quit the group because of the way they play. I just started playing Pathfinder and it is really hard to find groups at all. I have started a group on another night at my home(with 2 of the players that quit the group). I enjoy the new group more because we are more "rules" oriented but being new to "roleplaying" I find the old group much more challenging from a "roleplaying" perspective(during 1 of our 5hr. sessions I rolled only 1 20sided dice the entire time). I realize I'm just being their "huckleberry". Should I feel bad about this?

Scarab Sages

Basically: if its not fun, don't play. If it's fun, keep playing.

Your GM might have some kind of grand story brewing that requires your character to be good. If so, best bet is to pull him aside, and talk to him bluntly about it. You can always play long with his machinations if he lets you in on the plot.

If they're just screwing with you to screw with you, then forget it.

Liberty's Edge

3 players leaving in 7 sessions is a warning sign. Now, the warning might only be "their play-style is different" and that's fine, as long as you are aware.

My golden rule is: role-playing is a hobby. If a hobby causes you stress, it ain't really a hobby. If you're enjoying playing with the group, despite the occasionally annoyance (that 'jerk' player you mentioned), then game on!

On the other hand, you have started your own group and you have the potential to make a game the way you want. Experiment in your new group, talk about changes with all the group and see what you can play with.

Final word: Don't be anyone's whipping boy.

Cheers


Litmus test: correct the GM about something and ask if he was aware of it, or was it a modification you weren't aware of. IE: that whole detect evil actually ... detects evil.

If the GM goes "oh I was wrong yeah you should totally be able to do that." You might just have some people that are learning, and they just kind of established this culture. Hope remains because the culture can change.

If the GM gives you the "how dare you question the GM, the rules are whatever I want" then you've got some jerks... and probably should get out of there.

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