Feat: Persistent Spell (revised)

[Vargo]

Here's my attempt to fix "Persistent Spell". Let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions on making it more clear, or any spells that this might potentially cause problems for.

Duration chart:
round(s)
minute(s)
10 minute(s)
hour(s)
day(s)

Shift cost chart:
1 step - +2 levels
2 steps - +4 levels
3 steps - +8 levels

This metamagic feat allows a caster to increase the duration of a spell, by casting it with a higher level spell slot. This feat only impacts spells with a duration type that appears on the duration chart. For example, Bull's Strength is a second level spell that lasts 1 minute per caster level. If somebody wanted the spell to last 1 hour per caster level, that would be two steps away, and hence a +4 level adjustment, making it a 6th level spell. Bumping it up to days per level would be +8 levels, making it a 10th level spell, and unavailable to anybody but epic level casters.

[FreeTheSlaves]

The real test for any version of the persistant feat is "divine favour" and "divine power".

Going by your system "divine favour" can be pumped up to hours with a 9th level slot.

So in that respect it seems fine.

[mikebr99]

I've expanded it a bit more then you... and not as harsh.

1 rnd/lvl
1 min/lvl
10 min/lvl
1 hr/lvl
2 hr/lvl
24 hrs


Steps (cost)
1 (+2)
2 (+3)
3 (+4)
4 (+5)
5 (+6)


So divine Favour... for the day would be a 7th level slot.


Mike

[Vargo]

Originally Posted by mikebr99

I've expanded it a bit more then you... and not as harsh.

1 rnd/lvl
1 min/lvl
10 min/lvl
1 hr/lvl
2 hr/lvl
24 hrs

Interesting - I was trying to stick with currently accepted durations, and I don't believe there are any spells out there with 2 hr/level durations. It's a nice granular step.

I was also trying to give an extension to "fixed" duration spells - spells with a duration of 1 rnd could be come 1 minute, 10 minutes, or an hour in duration.

[FreeTheSlaves]

Something to bare in mind is that if the spell ends up lasting for days it effectively is free.

I.e.

Cast divine favour as a 9th level spell and have it persistant for the next 17 days. The following day memorize your spells and do your quests whilst under the persistant spell.

[drakkdrakk]

Originally Posted by Vargo

I don't believe there are any spells out there with 2 hr/level durations.

Alarm is the only spell that i believe has a 2hr/level duration, but i havent looked at spells recently as I'm playing mostly melee these days =)

edit - er, antipathy, consecrate, desecrate, forcecage, guards and walls... and several others that i dont feel like typing are all also 2 hours a level lol

edit again (with my thoughts lol)

if you do have the 2/hr a level deal, it really makes the 24 hour step pretty useless, since in his version would take up a slot 5 levels higher, meaning at least you would have to be a 9th level caster to cast a 0th level spell which would be 18 hours.... 22 hours if you actually wanted a first level spell, and at higher levels it would surpass 24 hours, unless there was a cap on how many hours per level it could be, eg 1/hour level up to 5, 2/hr level up to 10, and then having 24 hours

and then, you might as well say 5 hours, 10 hours and 24 hours, since they'll obviously be that high... or you could say 1/hour every other level, up to 5, or something (brain is fried, super tired =))