Cover Image by Joe Calkins
Spell List (right click save as)
Is it March 1st yet?
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Unbalanced much?
A few of those spells are totally unbalanced even for 9th level spells.
And whats with the druid spell that creates undead? Someone doesn't understand how druids work me thinks.
It would be perfect for one of the Druids of the Uskwood in Nidal, who worship Zon-Kuthon. (see p. 111 of the old 3.5 Campaign Setting - dunno what page it'll be in the new one, if it'll be there at all.)
Unbalanced much?
A few of those spells are totally unbalanced even for 9th level spells.
How can you have any accurate judgement of balance based off a spell list? You don't know the required material component, you don't know the casting time, you don't know the range, you don't know the saving throws, not to mention the devil being in the details.
And whats with the druid spell that creates undead? Someone doesn't understand how druids work me thinks.
snf
Druids of the Uskwood in Nidal, who worship Zon-Kuthon.
It violates the land, defiling and making it uninhabitable, In my mind it was more Darksun than Uskwood but I can easily see that. It is probably pushing the limits of what a druid can or cannot do. Perhaps I will go back and change it so that if cast by a druid it does not create undead, then again I like the idea of undead druids who study the natural occuring undead (natural for a fantasy world). Shrug.
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The wording of a few spells is more than enough to judge them. I assume you wanted them to be seen and judged without the full details or why post it?
Secondly i have just read up on Uskwood and the Druid worshipers of Zon-Kuthon. To me this is on the border of what a druid can do without falling due to it being a lawful evil god with little druidic connection.
But even if you accept this god as a druid deity druids can still NEVER EVER summon/help/create or have anything to do with other than destroying undead. There are NO natural undead.. PERIOD. Undead by there idea and existence are the opposite of nature, requiring dark magic to bring forth, all druids good or evil should destroy all undead as soon as they see it.
On a positive note i will say that some of the spells have a good creativity about them and its good that many of them are moving away from the save or die/pure damage aspect that can easily overwhelm the idea of spells. So that aspect is nice.
But i do still believe that many of the spells are just to much despite any possible details that could be missing.
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I for one am excited to see the list! I was waiting to see what the 9th level version looked like before purchasing the lower level installments (I run mostly high - epic level games). I have a strong feeling I'll be making a few purchases soon.
Im afraid I can't support a snap judgement of the balance of a spell based on the one sentence description.
The wording of a few spells is more than enough to judge them. I assume you wanted them to be seen and judged without the full details or why post it?
I am sorry I will always disagree the balance of a spell is in its detailed execution and playtesting, not in the spell list which is there only to convey the idea, theme and a quick reference.
No, what i wanted was to provide a teaser for those people who are interested in new spells.
To me this is on the border of what a druid can do without falling due to it being a lawful evil god with little druidic connection.
Not my call that was Paizo
But even if you accept this god as a druid deity druids can still NEVER EVER summon/help/create or have anything to do with other than destroying undead. There are NO natural undead.. PERIOD. Undead by there idea and existence are the opposite of nature, requiring dark magic to bring forth, all druids good or evil should destroy all undead as soon as they see it.
I personally loved the insane necromancer druid that appeared in Elminster's Ecologies in the 2e days but I understand your concerns and view point, it is a PDF and we do have the ability to go back and make a change, as I said early it is something I am considering.
On a positive note i will say that some of the spells have a good creativity about them and its good that many of them are moving away from the save or die/pure damage aspect that can easily overwhelm the idea of spells. So that aspect is nice.
thank you we try very hard to avoid simply recycling (lesser, greater, superior, awesome mccoolio versions of existing spells, and tend to play with ideas and look for ways to push the envelope, while maintaining balance, rule of cool, and rule of fun.
But i do still believe that many of the spells are just to much despite any possible details that could be missing.
May I say, sir, that this is beyond awesome.
Thank you, that comes straight out of my actual homegame.
Im afraid I can't support a snap judgement of the balance of a spell based on the one sentence description.
Thank you, I would like to offer an opportunity here to see if this is correct if you would like simply select a spell that you believe is unbalanced and I will post the detailed spell here. I think 2 or 3 spells should do it.
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Accursed Rot, Immortality, and Bestow Malediction?
Immortality is more for 'what stops the party from making EVERYONE in the world immortal?'
Maledicition sounds powerful with the fail all saves, but then I realized it probably has a save, so making them automatically save a second one is hardly worse considering they failed the first. At most it lets you target a weaker save with Malediction to hit them automatically with a SoD on their stronger save.
The key to the balance of immortality is quality of life. The same reason some people like the idea of assisted suicide. You won't die of old age but that does not mean you won't wish you had.
As to what stops them from making the whole world immortal. Why money, my dear boy, money! Even if you fail the caster level check your still out the money.
Immortality
School: Abjuration; Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Casting Time: 24 hours
Components: V, S, M (5,000 gp jewel)
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless); Spell Resistance: Yes
The target stops aging. She continues to experience age effects, but has no maximum age.
When casting the spell, make a caster level check (DC 30). If you succeed, the target looks youthful and remains that way. If unsuccessful, she continues to look older and older as time passes, becoming a dreadful, shriveled husk. This spell can only be cast once on any living creature.
Immortality is more for 'what stops the party from making EVERYONE in the world immortal?'
Costly and rare components is my guess. When it comes to 9th level spells, I always have to compare something to wish.
Even if 10% of the spells are on the slightly too powerful side, this is definitely a worthwhile product. I myself really want a printed compendium of all 9 levels of spells.
Edit: Ninja'd! Is it bad that my first thought was I want a variant that creates a portrait that ages instead. Must protect the portrait at all costs! Ok, maybe I watch the Portrait of Dorian Gray a little too recently. Netflix instant watch is my friend.
Maledicition sounds powerful with the fail all saves, but then I realized it probably has a save, so making them automatically save a second one is hardly worse considering they failed the first. At most it lets you target a weaker save with Malediction to hit them automatically with a SoD on their stronger save.
Not only does it allow a save but its a touch spell, which of course puts the caster at risk. Plus its still a curse it can be removed with a wish or a miracle (and if PCs are casting this then I expect they to have access to miracle) .
And failing a save in pathfinder is not as bad as failing a save in 3.5.
I myself really want a printed compendium of all 9 levels of spells.
We are doing 10 levels as the next one is 101 Cantrips!
I myself really want a printed compendium of all 9 levels of spells.We are doing 10 levels as the next one is 101 Cantrips!
That's not making me want a printed compendium any less. ;)
That's not making me want a printed compendium any less. ;)I myself really want a printed compendium of all 9 levels of spells.We are doing 10 levels as the next one is 101 Cantrips!
+1
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We are doing 10 levels as the next one is 101 Cantrips!Any chance after that of putting out a small document that updates the spell lists for the APG classes?
I have asked about that too, I believe going from memory that they have said they would like to at some point down the road. When that is I am not sure.
Yes I have started doing this. Its really about finding the time to not work on other projects and to work on this.
While I don't think Immortality's costs and drawbacks are enough to balance it, I think the concept is good.
I'm hesitant to drop the cash on the PDFs as they are, but a compendium would be irresistible.
Immortality is overated mate, it's perfectly balacend to me. It makes no mathematical diference to the character, specially since it has the drawnbacks of getting old. Besides, more than one campaign setting allow you to play immortal beings from the start, and they are perfectly balanced with the other races, so, no biggie.
Immortality is overated mate, it's perfectly balacend to me. It makes no mathematical diference to the character, specially since it has the drawnbacks of getting old. Besides, more than one campaign setting allow you to play immortal beings from the start, and they are perfectly balanced with the other races, so, no biggie.While I don't think Immortality's costs and drawbacks are enough to balance it, I think the concept is good.
I'm hesitant to drop the cash on the PDFs as they are, but a compendium would be irresistible.
Bear in mind that I do not like the idea of it being simply a 9th level spell, specialy since there is no "rarity" on spells anymore, so, it could become that every spellcaster of 17th level is immortal, and that sucks for sure.
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Immortality is overated mate, it's perfectly balacend to me. It makes no mathematical diference to the character, specially since it has the drawnbacks of getting old. Besides, more than one campaign setting allow you to play immortal beings from the start, and they are perfectly balanced with the other races, so, no biggie.
Sorry, my first post got deleted, and I forgot to put in my 'combat-balanced but not gameworld-balanced' caveat.
It has no effect on the game itself, but changes the game world signifigantly. When any fool with the money can beg for immortality, it cheapens the quest for it. That was all I was saying.
A rare component rather than flat cash would be better I think.
I forget where in the CS it was, but there is an alchemist that produces a vial of immortality once a year and a kingdom that guards him and his secret close. Introducing the spell kind of borks that story element.
It has no effect on the game itself, but changes the game world significantly. When any fool with the money can beg for immortality, it cheapens the quest for it. That was all I was saying.
Fair enough, although depending on the world you are in level 17+ casters may still be rather rare.
A GM should definitely have some say in how available particular spells are. It's not like you can walk into Joe's Scroll Mart and pick up any old 9th level scroll. Also, the GM can decide what specific type of gem is required, maybe only alexandrite will work and it is very hard to come by.
Bear in mind that I do not like the idea of it being simply a 9th level spell, specialy since there is no "rarity" on spells anymore, so, it could become that every spellcaster of 17th level is immortal, and that sucks for sure.Immortality is overated mate, it's perfectly balacend to me. It makes no mathematical diference to the character, specially since it has the drawnbacks of getting old. Besides, more than one campaign setting allow you to play immortal beings from the start, and they are perfectly balanced with the other races, so, no biggie.While I don't think Immortality's costs and drawbacks are enough to balance it, I think the concept is good.
I'm hesitant to drop the cash on the PDFs as they are, but a compendium would be irresistible.
I agree. At most, immortality should be an 8th level spell. As written, a wish cannot emulate its effects, which is bogus in my opinion.
Finally, the one thing that I find silly is the idea that "anyone with money can beg for this spell." No they can't. Do you realize how few 9th level spellcasters there are in a given campaign world? Do you realize how many of those wizards would even ALLOW your common rich aristocrat to get close enough to their tower to even allow them to hope that they will have an immortality spell cast upon them?
Besides, the 5,000 is merely for the material component. To hire a spellcaster, the minimum fee (according to the Core Rulebook) is spell level x caster level x 10. Assuming the lowest-possible leveled spellcaster, you're looking at an extra thousand gold tacked on to the AVERAGE price. One thing that many players seem to forget that when dealing with merchants, the price in the book is not the price an item is always going to be; if only one Wizard in the entire world can cast immortality, he or she may choose to charge a thousand times that in gold if they wanted to.
TL;DR version is that when it comes to smart DMs making decisions in their world, things like gp cost are NOT a problem when dealing with NPCs.
Even one capable of casting it changes the dynamic of the world. Each one beyond increases the effect.
I dunno, without becoming ageless it seems like reincarnating as an elf is a cheaper and more effective solution.
And the ability for any spellcaster to become a Lich?
The Rarity of a spell is up to each GM personally I would make Immortality an exotic spell, that a rare 17th Level wizard develops personally. I won't get into the rarity of actually aquireing a 5,000 gp gem using the treasure tables, simply having 5,000 gp does not mean there is a 5,000 gp gem for sale at the local jewelers either.
Anyway.
Accursed Rot
School: Necromancy [Evil];
Level: Clr 9, Drd 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, M, DF, (10,000 gp diamond)
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent/Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None; see text;
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell infects both a powerful curse and a horrible rotting disease.
Accursed Rot
Type curse and disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC as the spell
Onset instantaneous; Frequency 1/round
Effect 1d6 Con; Cure remove curse followed by cure disease (or similar spell), miracle or wish spell.
Accursed rot attempts to dispel (as described in greater dispel magic) any and all spells or spell-like abilities on the target that directly or indirectly interfere with this accursed rot taking effect. For example, a character casts accursed rot and touches a subject with iron body. A dispel check is made (DC 11 + the caster level of the spell immunity). If the dispel succeeds, the iron body is dispelled before the accursed rot takes effect. Accursed rot’s dispelling can only affect spells cast upon a living creature. Independent spell effects or those affecting an area cannot be dispelled, even if they prevent the accursed rot from affecting the attending creature.
Accursed rot can dispel spells and magic items specifically intended to foil the spell in question (spell immunity), that provide general protection from spells (spell resistance), and/or offer any bonuses to the saving throws (cloak of resistance). You make a check for each instance of protection; a magic item so affected is suppressed for 1d4+1 rounds.
Normally to remove the curse and cure the disease on another creature, a caster must touch the victim; this constitutes contact for purposes of spreading the disease so the caster of a remove curse or a remove disease would instantly become infected. In addition, even after the curse element of accursed rot is lifted, a creature suffering from it cannot recover naturally over time. Anyone casting a conjuration (healing) spell on the afflicted creature must succeed on a caster level check (DC 15 + your caster level), or the spell is wasted and the healing has no effect; this effect ends once a creature is fully healed of the Constitution damage dealt by accursed rot.
Anyone who dies from accursed rot turns to dust and cannot be raised without a true resurrection and even after they are raised they are still afflicted by accursed rot until it is cured.
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Even one capable of casting it changes the dynamic of the world. Each one beyond increases the effect.I dunno, without becoming ageless it seems like reincarnating as an elf is a cheaper and more effective solution.
Reincarnation requires you to die and have someone else cast the spell every time. This spell is one casting and you're set.