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First off, I want to begin by saying that I've been reading over the words of power alternate spellcasting system and I really like it. I have a few questions, however, of things that either don't make sense to me or I'd wish to clarify:
1) (I posted this question here: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2s8vv?Servitor-word-of-power-and-Boost#1 but there haven't been any responses to it. Rather than bump it, I thought I'd add it to the other questions I've come up with since then) Does Boosting the target word of Servitor add 3 levels to the spell level? The only place that is mentioned is in the Selected target word under the Boost heading, but the rest of the effect of Boosting Selected doesn't seem to apply to Boosting Servitor (obviously the 1 target/level within 30' of each other wouldn't count, but the range might). If there is a +3 level increase, why was it listed as an option for Servitor VII - IX?
2) The illumination spells (Gloom, Radiance, and Sunshine) each have a saving throw, but I'm not sure what you are saving against (or the effect of a successful save). If you are within the Burst area of a Gloom spell and you save, do you see as if the light didn't change?
3) Stone Wall and Ice Wall both allow for SR, but, at least by what I read, they cannot be cast in an occupied square (they both say "The wall must be a smooth, uninterrupted surface when formed."). What happens if you fail to penetrate the SR? Does the resistant creature walk through them as if they didn't exist?
4) Lastly, when combining words, the duration is supposed to be the shortest, yet the example spell "Selected Ice Blast Life Leech" should be instantaneous (with the negative levels appearing then disappearing immediately) since Ice Blast is instantaneous and Life Leech is 1 hour/level. Does that mean instantaneous effects are handled differently when combined?
Thanks!
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As someone who loves WoP dearly and would love to see it replace standard casting, I will come right out and say that a FAQ, errata, or official response is very unlikely as it is an alternate system. To answer your questions, though:
1: Yes, boosting the target word adds 3 to the spell level. Indeed, this means that it is not an option for VII-IX, as you indicated. Kind of the price you pay for default standard action summons.
2: There's a target and effect mismatch on these Words. You can either replace the target restriction with Selected and retain the saves or remove them and retain the target Word as Burst (emanation). Check with your GM as to which interpretation your table will be using.
3. Yes, sadly. This is particularly odd since Stone Wall is Conjuration (Creation). Again, speak with your GM about this.
4. I had some verbal sparring with SKR about this issue. Your interpretation is correct. The example spell was probably written at a point when Life Leech didn't have a duration. There's a case to be made for ridiculousness (which was on my side of the fence when I debated it with SKR) wherein instantaneous effects cause duration effects to be similarly instantaneous (permanent, non-dispellable effects). The CRB mentions damage as the primary example of this, but this is not intended to apply to buffs and debuffs in WoP. As such, treat "instantaneous" as a duration of zero rounds for non-instantaneous Words
1: Yes, boosting the target word adds 3 to the spell level. Indeed, this means that it is not an option for VII-IX, as you indicated. Kind of the price you pay for default standard action summons.
I'll admit that that was my first reading of it as well, and it wasn't until my GM pointed out that the same text existed for Servitor VII - IX. Once I started questioning it, however, I started getting more confused.
Specifically this:
If you ARE taking the +3 to level from the Boost section of Selected, then are you also taking the range? If not, why not? It seems that every time I see this discussion on the boards, everyone replaces all of the BENEFITS of boosting Selected with the text under Servitor, but still applying the last line that increases the level, but with no logic behind why they do it that way.
If there is another thread somewhere where someone DID point out the logic behind it, then I'd like to see it.
2: There's a target and effect mismatch on these Words. You can either replace the target restriction with Selected and retain the saves or remove them and retain the target Word as Burst (emanation). Check with your GM as to which interpretation your table will be using.
So you are suggesting making it so you can cast Gloom on a person, and the light would dim for them? Or are you suggesting casting Gloom on a person and they would radiate darkness?
I seem to recall being able to do something similar in previous versions of D&D, so it wouldn't necessarily be off the wall.
I know that since it's a variant system, I shouldn't hold my breath, but technically anything not in Core is "variant", right? :) And one could hope. Right now, my GM is pretty much of the opinion that the words of power system is underpowered, but interesting. He's leaning back towards the +3 level Servitor boost, and going back and forth about where Instantaneous is compared to Timed Durations for combined words. If we had a FAQ then it would definitely make things easier :)