What harm house rule do you use (the real thread)

[Ace]

C

Harm isn't broken IMO. The spell is rare enough IMC that I don't worry about it.

PHB rules for me.

 

[CRGreathouse]

My house rule #1:
Change the save on harm to “Will partial” and add the following to the text description: “If the save is successful, the subject instead takes 1d8 damage per caster level; this cannot deal enough damage to drop them below 5 hp.”

This keeps harm in line with the insta-kill spells.

 

[Psion]

One of the reasons I set it as Fortitude is Slay Living, Disintegrate, and Destruction all require Fortitude saves to avoid the primary effect. I agree that a Willpower save would allow it more success against higher level critters but then you could argue the other spells should be changed as well.

Um... why? If you give it the same save as slay living, then how is it any better than slay living? Slay living kills the target; harm only reduces the target to 1-4 hp.

 

[Khaalis]

We simply allow a Fortitude save and on a failed save the spell max's out at 100hp.

 

[Lord Vangarel]

Originally posted by Psion[/I]
Um... why? If you give it the same save as slay living, then how is it any better than slay living? Slay living kills the target; harm only reduces the target to 1-4 hp.

True, if the save is failed Slay Living (5th level) kills the target, Harm (6th level) reduces the target to 1d4 hit points. So in that sense Slay Living is better. The difference is what happens when the save is made. Slay Living inflicts 3d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level of damage to the target which can kill the target, my variant Harm inflicts 1d6 per two caster levels (min 5d6, max 10d6) which cannot kill the target.

I think Harm is probably better than Slay Living because it inflicts more damage if the save is made, but that's why it a level higher.