Hard to say...
- Some spells are changed completely; namely, almost all Save or Die like Slay Living, Finger of Death, Implosion and so on now deal 10 hp damage per caster level on a failed save
- Some spells that previously had no save, now allow a save (namely, Holy Word/ Blasphemy/ Word of Chaos/ Dictum) to lessen their effect
- Other spells had some slight changes that are not easy to detect at a first glance (Flaming Sphere now deals 3d6 instead of 2d6, Greater Magic Weapon grants the same bonuses than before but these bonuses don't allow a weapon to bypass DR aside from magic - since DR has slightly changed, to avoid the need of multiple weapons of different materials - the so-called 'golf bag syndrome')
- There are some new spells that replace the whole polymorphing mechanics; some of them keep the old name (Shapechange, Alter Self...) but work in a very different way.
It's a bit hard to make an exhaustive list; the best suggestion I can give is to look again to spells to see how they work now (without the need of comparison - that would be an Epic challenge...)
About the 'cure spells given randomly', I don't understand what you mean - they work exactly like in 3.x. The only addition is the Channel Energy feature (previously, Turn/Rebuke Undead) that cures living creatures and damages undead (Channel Positive Energy) or the reverse (Channel Negative Energy).
It's actually easier to see which spells have been changed if you check the Alpha document (since they basically left out all the spells that they didn't change).
Notable changes:
-nerfs to Entangle, Web, Glitterdust to make them easier to escape
-nerfs to Heroes' Feast and Death Ward to remove absolute immunity to X (poison, death, etc.)
-improvements to Flaming Sphere and Incendiary Cloud (50% damage increase)
-changes to Knock, Arcane Lock, Remove Disease and Remove Curse (now involve caster checks)
-changes to Detect Magic and Identify (detect magic can identify items now)
-changes to death spells, as noted above
-changes to polymorph spells
-change to mirror image (to clarify it a little bit)
I'm sure I'll think of more as they come to me.
Hmmm, this brings up a question, sorry if it's not in the right forum, I'm thinking about it right now...
If a person does not see you cast Charm person on them, would they still know after the fact, that they had been magically charmed? Or would they just assume that they had been uncharacteristically helpful for some reason?
Usually, a creature that succeeds in a Save against a spell targeted against him notices that 'something' tried to influence him.
If he fails the save, however, he doesn't notice anything.In fact, the best tactics with Charm spells is usually to cast them in a 'neutral' environment, better yet from a hiding position (in order to avoid 1) the +5 bonus to saves granted by the spell if cast in a hostile situation, and 2) friends of the victim that try anything to stop the charmed creature to do something strange).
When the spell is cast - and successful - , the caster can approach the victim who will find a powerful feeling towards him, and would be extremely pleased to help him if possible.
Notice that the caster of a spell which includes specific targets (not a generic area spell like Fireball) knows immediately the result of the save of his targets - whether the save was made, failed, or failed with no effects (like in case of specific immunities).
You can see some of those examples above in the WoTC 'Rules of the Game' page here, under the 'Saving Throws' header.
Also, the Official 3.5 FAQ, on page 115, says:
"If my character casts a silent and stilled spell of any sort that affects the target’s behavior (charm person, suggestion, and so on) and the target makes the saving throw, would they know they were being cast upon and who cast the spell? What would a typical NPC reaction be to this scenario?
The target of a spell or effect is always aware that he’s rolled a saving throw, though the caster of the spell isn’t revealed."
Hope this helps.
Several Cleric buff spells were nerfed (Divine Power, Righteous Might).
Just to chime in: I really like the new Divine Power. No more recalculating of BAB and so on - just fixed bonuses.
It does represent a nerf to the fighting cleric - since you can no longer benefit from divine power and haste/divine favour at the same time, but it does combine the effects of both (well, more or less - you only get the extra attack from haste) and allows you to use strength boosting items or magic without making the spell any weaker for you.
Also, the Official 3.5 FAQ, on page 115, says:
"If my character casts a silent and stilled spell of any sort that affects the target’s behavior (charm person, suggestion, and so on) and the target makes the saving throw, would they know they were being cast upon and who cast the spell? What would a typical NPC reaction be to this scenario?
The target of a spell or effect is always aware that he’s rolled a saving throw, though the caster of the spell isn’t revealed."
Hey, does this quote mean "always aware that he's rolled a successful saving throw"?
Because if not, this could be problematic.
I would assume, for Charm Person, that knowing he rolled a saving throw would be postponed until the spell wore off.
Otherwise, it would have to go something like this:
Mage: I charm the guard.
DM: Ok, he failed his save, you charmed him. Now he looks around suspciously to see if he can spot the source of the magical energy he felt.
Mage: How did he feel anything?
DM: He knows he rolled a saving throw. In game terms, he knows he feels strange and suspects magic is afoot. But he doesn't know what it is or where it came from.
Mage: Oh, OK, well then I approach the now charmed guard and ask him to let me into the treasure vault, since he's now my friend.
DM: the guard knows he rolled a saving throw, but he doesn't know what or why. Then you approach and he figures it out. Even though he likes you, he thinks it's too much of a coincidence that magic is in the air and then you show up, and he questions why he feels such fondness for a total stranger. He decides you must be the source of the magic that he felt and now he doesn't trust you. In fact, he's rather hostile about the whole thing and draws his sword...
Which of course would mean Charm Person is totally worthless.
I have always ruled that, if the effects are visible and obvious, like Sleep, the victim knows he failed a save (after he wakes up) and knows what happened.
But if the effects are not visible or obvious, like Charm Person, the victim will only know something happened after it wears off. For example, he'll remember being friendly and helpful to a total stranger, and he'll wonder why he would behave so oddly. Then he'll suddenly recall feeling a little funny right before he met the stranger (hence the part about knowing he rolled a saving throw, delayed until the spell wears off) and he'll realize there must have been some kind of magic involved.
How he reacts to that will depend mostly on what the mage made him do while he was charmed. But in any case, next time he sees that mage, he's automatically distrustful and maybe hostile.
Thus, Charm Person is great when sneaking around in enemy castles, or foreign lands you'll be soon leaving, but it's not so great to get a discount from the blacksmith in your own home town where you plan to keep living.
At least that's how I see it.
Otherwise, it would have to go something like this:
Mage: I charm the guard.
DM: Ok, he failed his save, you charmed him. Now he looks around suspciously to see if he can spot the source of the magical energy he felt.
Mage: How did he feel anything?
DM: He knows he rolled a saving throw. In game terms, he knows he feels strange and suspects magic is afoot. But he doesn't know what it is or where it came from.
Mage: Oh, OK, well then I approach the now charmed guard and ask him to let me into the treasure vault, since he's now my friend.
DM: the guard knows he rolled a saving throw, but he doesn't know what or why. Then you approach and he figures it out. Even though he likes you, he thinks it's too much of a coincidence that magic is in the air and then you show up, and he questions why he feels such fondness for a total stranger. He decides you must be the source of the magic that he felt and now he doesn't trust you. In fact, he's rather hostile about the whole thing and draws his sword...Which of course would mean Charm Person is totally worthless.
I agree with your sequence of events until the DM's last comment. My take is: "Yes, you know someone just cast a spell on you, but it's a friend of yours who just cast a spell on you, so you don't mind."
Hey, does this quote mean "always aware that he's rolled a successful saving throw"?
Because if not, this could be problematic.
From the 'Rules of the Game' page:
"Negates: The spell has no effect on a recipient who makes a successful saving throw.If the spell has no obvious physical effects (and most spells that allow saves to negate don't), a recipient that makes a successful saving throw still feels an obviously hostile force or tingle. If the spell has a target or targets entry, the caster knows that the spell has failed.
A recipient who makes a successful saving throw doesn't know where the spell came from (though that might be obvious if the caster is visible) or what the spell was. If the spell has a target or targets entry, however, a recipient that makes a successful saving throw can attempt a Spellcraft check (DC 25 plus the spell level) to determine what the spell was. This does not take an action, and the recipient cannot retry the check if it fails."
So, yes, your guess is correct.
Blake:
I hope the charmer in your example uses a little more subtlety in his approach. "Hi, I'm your friend, let me into the treasure vault." !!!! If you worked at a bank and your best friend came in and asked that, wouldn't you be a bit suspicious?
Apart from that, of course you're right. He may feel there was some magic in the air, but he'll also feel (because of the nature of the charm) that A: he resisted it, or B: you had nothing to do with it. Either way, you're good until it wears off.
LOL, I did work at a bank, and now I work at an Interbank.
And yes, I was abbreviating the charmer's dialogue.
Hey, does this quote mean "always aware that he's rolled a successful saving throw"?
Because if not, this could be problematic.
From the 'Rules of the Game' page:
"Negates: The spell has no effect on a recipient who makes a successful saving throw.If the spell has no obvious physical effects (and most spells that allow saves to negate don't), a recipient that makes a successful saving throw still feels an obviously hostile force or tingle. If the spell has a target or targets entry, the caster knows that the spell has failed.
A recipient who makes a successful saving throw doesn't know where the spell came from (though that might be obvious if the caster is visible) or what the spell was. If the spell has a target or targets entry, however, a recipient that makes a successful saving throw can attempt a Spellcraft check (DC 25 plus the spell level) to determine what the spell was. This does not take an action, and the recipient cannot retry the check if it fails."
So, yes, your guess is correct.
But I'm worried about what isn't written in your quote.
What happens when the victim fails his save?
Sure, the obvious stuff like Sleep, or Hold Person, or Finger of Death - he's going to know exactly what happened, though he may still have no idea where it came from or who cast it.
But with Charm Person, if he fails the save but he is aware "he rolled a saving throw" (game terms for being aware he was just the target of something magical), I see that as breaking the usefulness of the spell.
As with my silly example of charming the treasure vault guard, the instant he feels all tingly, he knows he got hit with a spell.
He knows he was just attacked.
He feels fine, so he might assume he resisted it.
But he's a guard. He's now on instant alert looking for danger. He will automatically assume that whoever cast something on him is aware that it didn't work and will most likely try again. It could be a death spell that he resisted, for all he knows, and he surely doesn't want to let the would-be assassin cast another one that he might not resist. He's scared for his life, afraid magic-wielding assassins are breaking into the vault he's supposed to guard.
Maybe he runs away, cowardly abandoning his post so he can live.
Maybe he shouts for backup and sounds an alarm.
Maybe he darts off down the passage, looking to find and attack whoever just attacked him.
But what he doesn't do is just stand there, minding his own business, waiting for the unknown assailant to target him with another mysterious and possibly deadly spell.
And then his friend walks up (this being the total stranger who just charmed him and now this terrified suspicious guard regards him fondly without knowing him or even knowing his name) and wants to chat, right in the middly of life-or-death magical assassination attempts.
That would pretty much break the usefulness of Charm Person.
Hence my concern that there must either:
1. be no sensation or awareness that something happened if you fail a saving throw, unless the effects are obvious, such as falling over asleep.
or
2. be a delay of sensation or awareness that something happened if you fail a saving throw, so that you don't know about it until the effects of the spell wear off.
Which of course would mean Charm Person is totally worthless.I agree with your sequence of events until the DM's last comment. My take is: "Yes, you know someone just cast a spell on you, but it's a friend of yours who just cast a spell on you, so you don't mind."
Blake:
Apart from that, of course you're right. He may feel there was some magic in the air, but he'll also feel (because of the nature of the charm) that A: he resisted it, or B: you had nothing to do with it. Either way, you're good until it wears off.
I don't buy it.
In a world full of magic that can kill you, or ruin your life in the blink of an eye, people don't take magic lightly.
Friends don't cast spells on friends without an invitation to do so, without an agreement that the friend asked for the spell or wants/needs the spell.
Friends especially don't walk up and cast spells on treasure vault guards without warning, even if the guard is their friend.
Sure, spellcasters might pull a prank on a friend, a practical joke. But it won't be appreciated. Especially if they pull that prank on a guard on duty. Don't believe me? Try walking into a bank, approach a guard, and whip out a machine gun without warning. If you have a friend who works as a guard in a job like that, try doing it to him, your friend, with no warning in advance.
Disclaimer: No, don't do that. It's a mental exercise, not a real plan of action.
In a world with dopplegangers, illusionists, enchanters with dominate spells, etc., nobody can really trust that the person they think is a friend really is one.
No, assuming everyone you meet is a doppleganger is extremely paranoid, even in a D&D world.
But, when you're a guard on duty in front of a treasure vault, and someone you think you know walks up and starts casting a spell, you make them stop. You stop them first and ask questions later, even if that means whacking them in the head with the flat side of your halberd.
And if he cast something on you from around the corner before you saw him, then he walks up to you, you'd be angry. Angry enough to whack him upside the head anyway. At the very least, if you value your job and your life, you'd make him stop far away, not let him walk right up to you, and you'd be extremely suspicious of what's going on.
And resisting it, or thinking your friend isn't involved, doesn't change the fact that some unknown assailant just attempted to cast an unknown spell on you. Maybe a deadly spell. You could have died. And now your friend is in danger too. You need to spring into action, find the assassin, or mage, and eliminate the threat. You need to call your allies, fellow guards, any help you can find and eliminate the threat.
You have no time to engage your buddy in idle chit-chat.
And if you're worth your salt as a guard, you'd have to be at least a little suspicious that your friend showed up at almost the exact same instant that some unseen assailant tried to wipe you out with some unknown magic.
And that's when you realize you don't even know this particular friend's name...