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...You cannot consecrate an area with a similar fixture of a deity other than your own patron. Instead, the consecrate spell curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above.
...If the area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture of a deity, pantheon, or higher power other than your patron, the desecrate spell instead curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above.
To me the secondary function reads, "Cast in opposing clerics temple adn shut off that cleric's ability to cast spells"?!?!?!?!
The line I am referring to is "Instead, the consecrate spell curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power."
What does cutting off its connection with teh associated deity or power actully do? Does it just turn off the bonuses granted by the spell, or does it cut off ALL connection to the diety which would also be spell casting and channel energy abilities.
Is this secondary function the ultimate pwn the cleric in his evil temple spell?
It just turns off the bonuses granted by the spell.
The rest is just flavor text.
What he said...
Cleric`s ability to cast spells, channel, use domain abilities is in no way dependent on a temple existing (anywhere).
Besides cancelling the non-undead-related bonuses of the spell, the area simply no longer counts as a ´consecrated temple´.
I´m not aware of anything that that particularly matters for (so you can take it as fluff), but it COULD matter in somebody`s gameworld, and new spells/effects/whatever which DO care if their AoE includes a consecrated temple could certainly be published in the future.
Well, certain story arcs could call for obscure rituals to be undertaken on the altar to <insert target God here>. The application of this aspect of consecrate/desecrate to that altar could thwart the designs of whoever is planning the ritual. This is, of course, a context-specific result.
For example, in one campaign that I run, the players entered a large temple complex dedicated to an exceptionally evil deity, protected by both Desecration and Unhallow effects. I ruled that the depth of Evil and the potency of the effects resulted in a diminished connection between the (good-aligned) Cleric and his God. I didn't explain anything in a mechanical sense (and I didn't gimp his spellcasting or diminish his channeled energy across the board) but I did cause him to take a bit longer praying for spells and using some spells or abilities when out of combat. This description enriched the sense of Evil in the temple complex and served to make the whole party a bit more jumpy and cautious, since their characters had been informed by the Cleric that his abilities were less certain than they had been outside.
In general, what the text of the spell means will vary from GM to GM, each of whom will interpret the wording as they see fit. I firmly believe that this situation (and others like it) are deliberately vague to allow for a large number of different interpretations and to provide opportunities for GMs to tell the stories they want to.
Consecrate & Desecrate are 2nd level spells.... way to low level to do much.
Hallow & Unhallow are 5th level spells.... still to low.
What he said...
Cleric`s ability to cast spells, channel, use domain abilities is in no way dependent on a temple existing (anywhere).Besides cancelling the non-undead-related bonuses of the spell, the area simply no longer counts as a ´consecrated temple´.
I´m not aware of anything that that particularly matters for (so you can take it as fluff), but it COULD matter in somebody`s gameworld, and new spells/effects/whatever which DO care if their AoE includes a consecrated temple could certainly be published in the future.
I want to say in previous version there was a high level spell where you could keep people from entering the enchanted area, I want to say it was available as divine magic and required you to consecrate the area. That is about the only thing I can remotely recall regarding consecrated areas rules wise and I might be wrong, it's been awhile.