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From Champions of Purity, page 29
School evocation [good, light]; Level cleric 2, druid 2, sorcerer/
wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a piece of flint and a pinch of silver dust)
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area 10-ft.-radius burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex partial; Spell Resistance yes
This spell fills the area with a brilliant flash of shimmering light.
Creatures in the area are blinded for 1d4 rounds, or dazzled for 1d4 rounds if they succeed at a Reflex save. Evil creatures in the area of the burst take 1d4 points of damage per caster level (max 5d4), whether they succeed at the Reflex save or not.
overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls and sight-based Perception checks.
We where having a discussion in our game if this spell is too powerful for it's level. Specifically if it is too powerful at it's level for a Cleric/Oracle, but in general. So I figured I would ask what others think.
In my opinion, it's good, but not overly broken. It seems flavor wise to be a perfect fit for a divine spell fit for a Cleric type. I do feel that the Long Range should probably drop to Close, if not originating at the Caster, but what is your opinion.
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Reposting from another thread that started this topic. Yanos and I disagree on the power balance of this spell. Here was part of my argument that it was too powerful.
Comparing Burst of Radiance to Sound Burst.
Sound burst "blasts an area with a tremendous cacophony. Every creature in the area takes 1d8 points of sonic damage and must succeed on a Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. Creatures that cannot hear are not stunned but are still damaged". It has short range 25'/+5' every 2 levels.
Burst of Radiance does more average damage (3d4 minimum, averaging 6). You could argue that this is less because it only affects evil creatures, but more often than not PCs face evil enemies, so that is a weak argument for a drawback. But then it also blinds all creatures (regardless of alignment) for 1d4 rounds on a failed save (averaging twice as long). It also has medium range 100'/+10' level.
One last comparison, this time against a level 4 cleric spell only available as a domain bonus spell - Holy Smite.
The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to each evil creature in the area (or 1d6 points of damage per caster level, maximum 10d6, to an evil outsider) and causes it to become blinded for 1 round. A successful Will saving throw reduces damage to half and negates the blinded effect.
So, what I see are two similar spells here. At 7th level, a Holy Smite spell will average 12 points of damage (6 with a successful save). Burst of Radiance averages 10 (with no save, mind you) for a 5th level caster. Personally I think Holy Smite is inferior because it only blinds for 1 round, and can only blind evil creatures. It jumps in effectiveness against evil outsiders, but that is one of those unusual enemies clerics should have an edge against.
One last comparison, this time against a level 4 cleric spell only available as a domain bonus spell - Holy Smite.
Ok i don't understand this, are you saying that holy smite is a domain only spell?
To the matter at hand, i am with Yanos, the spell seems fine to me, maybe the long range is kinda overkill but other than that i just see a powerful level 2 (for the cleric list, for the wizard is a mediocre) spell.
Holy smite is a joke of 4th level spell.
Ok i don't understand this, are you saying that holy smite is a domain only spell?
It (and it's lawful, chaotic, and evil friends) used to be domain only. Made getting the prereqs for Holy weapons quite difficult.
To the matter at hand, i am with Yanos, the spell seems fine to me, maybe the long range is kinda overkill but other than that i just see a powerful level 2 (for the cleric list, for the wizard is a mediocre) spell.
Holy smite is a joke of 4th level spell.
Holy smite definitely has it's place. Memorize it if you expect evil outsiders - but decently useable on anything evil.
This spell should be 3rd level.
Ok i don't understand this, are you saying that holy smite is a domain only spell?It (and it's lawful, chaotic, and evil friends) used to be domain only. Made getting the prereqs for Holy weapons quite difficult.
To the matter at hand, i am with Yanos, the spell seems fine to me, maybe the long range is kinda overkill but other than that i just see a powerful level 2 (for the cleric list, for the wizard is a mediocre) spell.
Holy smite is a joke of 4th level spell.Holy smite definitely has it's place. Memorize it if you expect evil outsiders - but decently useable on anything evil.
This spell should be 3rd level.
A ok, yes in 3.5 the holy smite spell (and the other 3 alignment "smites") was domain only, but now in PF they aren't.
And i was reading the holy smite wrong, i thought it was a single target spell, now i think that it's a mediocre 4th level spell because of the highly situational usefulness.
On the burst of radiance, maybe it could be placed as 3rd level spell for clerics, but definetely not for wizards and i don't know about you but i don't want to have any more different leveled spells for full divine and full arcane lists. And i still think it wouldn't make a great 3rd level cleric spell.
Also i like good guys have some very effective weapons in their portofolio.
If this spell bothers you that much downgrade the range to medium, have the blinding only affecting evil creatures and have the damage to be halved on a succesful save.
PS. by full arcane and full divine i mean 9 spell levels
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Yes, Holy Smite used to be a Domain-Only spell, but I still feel it is extremely underpowered. I also feel that many of the Cleric's spells are rather weak, still suffering from the transition from 2E's 1st-7th spell list to 3E's 0-9th level. But that's a little off topic :)
In my experience, there are a pretty equal number of Neutral and Evil enemies/threats in PFS, but I could be wrong.
Yes, Holy Smite used to be a Domain-Only spell, but I still feel it is extremely underpowered. I also feel that many of the Cleric's spells are rather weak, still suffering from the transition from 2E's 1st-7th spell list to 3E's 0-9th level. But that's a little off topic :)
In my experience, there are a pretty equal number of Neutral and Evil enemies/threats in PFS, but I could be wrong.
I don't know about PFS but from what i have seen from APs the opposition is usually Evil (all kinds of), CN and lastly N for animals and constructs.
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It has also been my experience that you'll run into enough non-Evil enemies that there will be lots of fights where Burst of Radiance is only a potential 10-foot-radius Blinding effect, doing no damage.
Burst of Radiance is aggressively efficient, no doubt about it. That said, if you put it into Level 3... a lot of my arcane casters would consider not taking it. At Level 3 it competes with Fireball for damage (and Fireball wins that contest more often than not), plus Glitterdust (a Level 2 spell) looks more appealing for Blinding aspects. It is perhaps better to underpower than overpower content, but in this case it seems to sit right at the edge of what's appropriate for a level 2 spell.
I mostly look at this from a Sor/Wiz standpoint, mind you.
Power creep in a spell so specialized? Nah, I don't see it. And dazzled is not that powerful at all. The blindness only lasts 1d4 rounds...what is the likelihood you will roll a 4? Only 25%, right? Nah, it is definitely balanced. If your GM wants to 'nerf' it, all they have to do is send N creatures at you and there are plenty of those.
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I agree. Both from a flavor stand point, and from a functional stand point, in my opinion, this should sort of be the kind of go to for what a decent Cleric Spell should be. It's thematically appropriate for most Good deities, it has some effect regardless of a Save, and it targets individuals in a pretty small area in a divine smiting sort of way.
I sort of wish there was an evil version as well, as this would make for a great evil NPC Cleric tool against the party. Not enough to destroy them, even if they are a few levels lower, but enough to make a dent and be a noticeable threat without requiring minions to function.