Spells which were not properly nerved...

[Wulf Ratbane]

Somewhat ironically, one might allow blasphemy to be negated with silence, but not all groups are battle focused enough to realize such tactics.

Hmm... You could if it were tagged with the [sonic] descriptor (which it probably should be).

Special Abilities :: d20srd.org

It should also be caster-level dependent, not HD dependent.

Any spell that is not caster-level dependent, rather than HD dependent, is necessarily going to be skewed in favor of the monsters. PCs tend to advance caster level and HD at the same rate, with one rarely outstripping the other; whereas monsters typically advance HD much faster than they advance corresponding CR.

Saving throws for other effects, for example poison or breath weapons, are based on the typical 10 + 1/2 HD + ability modifier mechanic, which also tend to outstrip the PCs ability to meet the DC-- but these, at least, are based on one-half of HD, rather than the 1:1 deadly seriousness of blasphemy.

 

[BryonD]

Hmm... You could if it were tagged with the [sonic] descriptor (which it probably should be).

It is.

 

[coyote6]

Hmm... You could if it were tagged with the [sonic] descriptor (which it probably should be).

Special Abilities :: d20srd.org

It should also be caster-level dependent, not HD dependent.

It is caster-level dependent; you compare CL to targets' HD to determine the effect. And, as mentioned, it is a [sonic] spell. (At least in 3.5e; I didn't check Pathfinder.)

The problem is with high caster-level foes, and especially critters whose CL is based on their HD (perhaps that's what you meant?). Personally, I just capped half-fiends' CL at 20.

Oh, another handy way to avoid the blasphemy -- the bardic song inspire greatness increases HD by 2 (3 if the bard has have the right feat from Eberron), which can save one's bacon.

(I ran a fight where the 19th level PCs got jumped by a pair of balors; fortunately, the paladin had a holy avenger, and the balor blew his CL check against the SR, which allowed the paladin and the adjacent bard to act; the bard Inspired Greatness on the cleric, boosting him to 22 HD, and the cleric deployed silence FTW.)

 

[Votan]

It is caster-level dependent; you compare CL to targets' HD to determine the effect. And, as mentioned, it is a [sonic] spell. (At least in 3.5e; I didn't check Pathfinder.)

The problem is with high caster-level foes, and especially critters whose CL is based on their HD (perhaps that's what you meant?). Personally, I just capped half-fiends' CL at 20.

Oh, another handy way to avoid the blasphemy -- the bardic song inspire greatness increases HD by 2 (3 if the bard has have the right feat from Eberron), which can save one's bacon.

(I ran a fight where the 19th level PCs got jumped by a pair of balors; fortunately, the paladin had a holy avenger, and the balor blew his CL check against the SR, which allowed the paladin and the adjacent bard to act; the bard Inspired Greatness on the cleric, boosting him to 22 HD, and the cleric deployed silence FTW.)

Yes, but that is a pretty swingy situation that could easiuly have been a TPK; if the sword had not blockd the Blasphemy (say it had been sheathed) then the party would have stood there while Balors savaged them (only having an actual if 2 Balors both failed CL checks and the Balor's did not disarm the Paladin).

It seems to be a bad spell where surprise can lead to a TPK at these levels so easily!

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Agreed

Whenever I see Blasphemy in a creature description, I change it to a 1/day ability, or delete it completely, depending on the HD of the party, replacing it with some kind of defensive ability generally. I don't see a point in automatically paralyzing the whole party for 1d10 minutes with no save.

Like silence, it's a poorly written, easily broken spell.

Ken

 

[yesnomu]

Likewise, Plane Shift, Baleful Polymorph and Flesh to Stone should probably all be altered in some way to fit the new "no save or die" paradigm. Maybe offer a new save every round? I'm not entirely sure how they were missed, to be honest.

 

[pawsplay]

Likewise, Plane Shift, Baleful Polymorph and Flesh to Stone should probably all be altered in some way to fit the new "no save or die" paradigm. Maybe offer a new save every round? I'm not entirely sure how they were missed, to be honest.

This way lies madness. If you cannot turn someone into a toad, then the design has failed and you may forget about other concerns such as "balance" and what.

 

[Felix]

Oh, another handy way to avoid the blasphemy -- the bardic song inspire greatness increases HD by 2 (3 if the bard has have the right feat from Eberron), which can save one's bacon.

It's even simpler than that: Countersong.

[sblock=Countersong]
At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.[/sblock]

[sblock=Blasphemy]
School evocation [evil, sonic]; Level cleric 7[/sblock]

Considering that an 11th level Bard's perform mod is going to be around +20, I'd say it would stand a pretty good chance to save against that hezrou.

Of course, he'd have to already be countersonging for that to help, but hey, at least it's something a bard can help with.

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

yes

I agree with PawnsPlay. Baleful Polymorph and its ilk have to stay.

It's the no-save aspect of Blasphemy that i have a problem with.

Ken

 

[trickybob]

Silence.

There needs to be a casterlevel check when you try to attempt to cast a spell. This is one of the single most broken spells out there, because a cleric can just castsilence on himself and kill any wizard.

Caster level check: DC 10 + spell level + caster level of the silence spell.

This should make it "possible" to cast without making it too easy. Silence needs a little something but not too much as it's only border-line strong, imo.