Why has Divine Favor a fixed duration of 1 minute instead of 1 minute per level?
The only other spells that I know of that have a fixed duration instead of a variable, level dependent duration are either level 0 spells, spells that have a really long duration (1 hour +) anyway, or spells that only have a one round (or other low) duration for a specific reason.
So what's up with Divine Favor?
I mean the spell is not that uber-powerful to begin with (imho) so basically having to cast it inside combat wastes a lot of its already not so high potential.
And please don't argue with "it was like that in 3.5".
Other spells which are similar are the inquisitor spells Wrath and Shared Wrath and the bard spell Delusional Pride.
I would really like these spells to officially get the 1 min/level treatment or alternatively a reasonable explanation why it's like this, because I can't see them being suddenly too powerful with a 1 min/level duration.
Cheers
Actually, it (they?) is powerful. A LUCK bonus on attack and damage rolls is quite rare. You've gotta hit, what, fourth? Fifth level spells to get it as a cleric? And then it's only a self buff.
The balancing factor comes in for higher levels. When you have a million first level spells to throw around, it's no problem to keep a fifteen minute buff up if the spell has a 1 minute per level duration. That would make the few higher level spells that grant the rare luck bonus nowhere near as appealing, because it's so easily achieved by a scaling Divine Favor.
If you want to boost the duration and keep the spell at the same level of power, just take away the scaling. +1 attack and damage period, with no increase, would probably be fine. But with a +3, and the ability to keep it up at all times, it IS pretty powerful.
It should actually be a 1 round/level spell. Compare it to Divine Power, which is basically just an improved version of Divine Favor. The 1 min duration ensures that it has usability during early levels. At later levels, you just cast another one.
I see the action cost as part of the penalty for not playing a full BAB, non-caster class. If you want a permanently better attack/damage bonus, make a fighter.
I like playing clerics/oracles. This spell is pretty well balanced IMO.