Can this be done?


Rules Questions


I want to design a spell. Rules here. Click me

Hers my idea. I have a druid with the 'Cave Domain' So after 6th level I get tremorsence 30 ft. I believe.

I want to take the Deeper Darkness Spell and Design/change it so that its new radius is 15 ft.

The reason why should be obvious, but I want to be able to blind all enemies within 15 feet of me, (and I can still sense them) but keep it small enough that I don't blind my whole party in the process.

Can anyone see a reason why this would change the power of the spell to a higher level? Or have reason why this shouldn't be allowed?

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

I think chopping 5ft off the radius is a fair design option, but Druids don't normally get (Deeper) Darkness.

Deeper Darkness is also fairly limited in that it only reduces light levels by two, so you could turn normal light dark (but any darkvision beats it), so it would have to be already dim to achieve supernatural dark that foils darkvision.

Obscuring Mist/Fog Cloud may be more reliable options, though if opponents get within 5ft of you they can spot you.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Why not make a metamagic feat? Widen spell (+3) expands the area. Reducing the area is sort of situational (maybe?), so maybe make Narrow Spell (+2 or +1) which halves the area. I get that you don't want to change the spell level, but no need to completely re-invent the wheel.

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

It could even be a +0 Metamagic honestly, there's precedent.


Petty Alchemy wrote:

I think chopping 5ft off the radius is a fair design option, but Druids don't normally get (Deeper) Darkness.

Deeper Darkness is also fairly limited in that it only reduces light levels by two, so you could turn normal light dark (but any darkvision beats it), so it would have to be already dim to achieve supernatural dark that foils darkvision.

Obscuring Mist/Fog Cloud may be more reliable options, though if opponents get within 5ft of you they can spot you.

Check out the link I provided Petty Alchemy, the range for Deeper Darkness is 60 ft. Second, I took the Cave Domain, which gives the spell. And third, it can turn normal light into darkness and Deeper Darkness blocks Darkvision of any range.

DarthSlash

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

Whoops, I was looking at Darkness, you're right about the 60ft. However, Deeper Darkness only blocks Darkvision if it achieves Supernatural Darkness.

Areas of dim light and darkness become supernaturally dark. This functions like darkness, but even creatures with darkvision cannot see within the spell's confines.

I'm looking at the Caves domain and I don't see any Darkness. Perhaps you took the Cave Druid archetype, and the Darkness domain?


Cave Domain

Granted Powers: The wonders and dark secrets of the deepest caves give you strength.

Cavesight (Sp): You can grant darkvision 60 feet to a willing creature you touch. This effect lasts 1 minute, or 1 hour if used on yourself. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

Tremorsense (Ex): At 6th level, you gain tremorsense 30 feet. At 12th level, you gain tremorsense 60 feet.

Domain Spells: 1st—detect aberration, 2nd—stone call, 3rd—deeper darkness, 4th—echolocation, 5th—wall of stone, 6th—conjure black pudding, 7th—statue (looking like a stalagmite or stalactite), 8th—earthquake, 9th—imprisonment.


Deeper Darkness wrote:
This spell functions as darkness, except that objects radiate darkness in a 60-foot radius and the light level is lowered by two steps. Bright light becomes dim light and normal light becomes darkness. Areas of dim light and darkness become supernaturally dark. This functions like darkness, but even creatures with darkvision cannot see within the spell's confines.

The highlighted section says to me, that since no creatures can see in 'darkness' without darkvision, and since this spell blocks darkvision. Creatures with Darkvision would not be able to see anything once it hit the dark (no light) level.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

If the light level before Deeper Darkness is bright light, it is dim light in DD. If the light level before DD is normal light, it is darkness in DD - this is normal, mundane, darkness. Darkvision will operate normally. If the light level before is dim light, or mundane darkness, then the area become supernaturally dark - at that point only darkvision is blocked.

Bleh, that's a mouthful.

Anyway, I like your plan, Darthslash. I still think a metamagic feat would do what you need without too much issue. Just work with your GM for the level adjustment (+1, or even +0, as Petty Alchemy suggested).


Feats cost a lot of a character's resources. Researching a new version of a spell merely takes a bit of time and money.

A smaller version of an existing spell shouldn't be a problem and shouldn't be higher level either. Ask your GM.


Question, can creatures with Darkvision see in Supernatural Darkness? If no, then why would the spell state darkvision doesn't work in it when its already the standard state? The spell would only state darkvision doesn't work with this spell is if it blocks darkvision in an instance when it would normally work.

Silver Crusade

Supernatural Darkness is a very rare condition, mostly caused by the spell Deeper Darkness. So, the description in the spell is a good place to have it.

There is a power, and some Devils have it, called See in Darkness. This allows sight in Supernatural Darkness. PRD link to Universal Monster rule on See in Darkness


Darthslash wrote:
Question, can creatures with Darkvision see in Supernatural Darkness? If no, then why would the spell state darkvision doesn't work in it when its already the standard state? The spell would only state darkvision doesn't work with this spell is if it blocks darkvision in an instance when it would normally work.

The above posters are right. Deeper Darkness only causes Darkvision not to function if the spell causes Supernatural Darkness. And supernatural darkness is only caused if the normal light level starts at dim light or lower.

Edit: Also

Quote:

This spell functions as darkness, except that objects radiate darkness in a 60-foot radius and the light level is lowered by two steps. Bright light becomes dim light and normal light becomes darkness. Areas of dim light and darkness become supernaturally dark. This functions like darkness, but even creatures with darkvision cannot see within the spell's confines.

This spell does not stack with itself. Deeper darkness can be used to counter or dispel any light spell of equal or lower spell level.

When it says "this functions like darkness" it means it has only the normal effects of darkness (as in it is dark outside and there is no light) except that supernatural darkness that it was talking about in the previous sentence also prevents darkvision from functioning where it normally would.

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