A batch of Spells

[GuardianLurker]

OK, here's a series of spells - I'm curious if you believe them balanced for their spell level.

Taman's Perfect Scout
Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Target: One creature
Save: Will (harmless)
SR: Yes

The recipient of this spell receives the benefits of the following arcane spells for its duration - Invisiblity, Fly, See Invisibility, and Dark Vision. All benefits begin and end at the same time.

Zachir's Perfect Fortress
Wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Target: You

This spell grants the caster the benefits of Mage Armor, Shield, Displacement, and Stoneskin for its duration. All benefits begin and end at the same time.

Know Alignment
Cleric 3, Wizard 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60'
Area of Effect: Cone-shaped emanation
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 min/level
Description:
You can sense the presence of auras around you. The amount of information gained depends on the length of time you study a subject or area.
1st Round: The presence or absence of auras within the area.
2nd Round: The number of auras in the area and the power of the strongest aura present. If either of the your alignment components oppose the alignment components of the strongest aura present, and that aura is overwhelming, and the HD or level of the aura's source is at least twice the your character level, the you are stunned for one round and the spell ends.
3rd Round:The power and location of each aura. If an aura is outside of your line of sight, then you discern its direction, and not its exact location.
4th Round:The alignment components of an individual aura, and the relative strength of those components to each other.
Aura Power:Aura power is determined by the same chart used for Detect Evil.

Maren's Perfect Sight
Wizard 9
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 60'
Area of Effect: Cone-shaped emanation
Target: You
Duration: 1 min/level

This spell grants the caster the benefits of True Seeing, Arcane Sight, and Know Alignment for its duration. All benefits begin and end at the same time.

Arnold's Perfect Body
Wizard 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level

This spell grants the caster the benefits of Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, and Bear's Endurance for its duration. All benefits begin and end at the same time. (If using 3.5 variants, change accordingly).

Albert's Perfect Mind
Wizard 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level

This spell grants the caster the benefits of Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, and Owl's Wisdom for its duration. All benefits begin and end at the same time. (If using 3.5 variants, change accordingly).

Uberdude's Perfection
Wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level

This spell grants the caster the benefits of Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Bear's Endurance, Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, and Owl's Wisdom for its duration. All benefits begin and end at the same time. (If using 3.5 variants, change accordingly).

 

[brehobit]

OK, here's a series of spells - I'm curious if you believe them balanced for their spell level.

Taman's Perfect Scout
Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Target: One creature
Save: Will (harmless)
SR: Yes

The recipient of this spell receives the benefits of the following arcane spells for its duration - Invisiblity, Fly, See Invisibility, and Dark Vision. All benefits begin and end at the same time.
[\Quote]
I think this is fine. One question though, if the inviso drops because the scout attacks to the rest also go?

Zachir's Perfect Fortress
Wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Target: You

This spell grants the caster the benefits of Mage Armor, Shield, Displacement, and Stoneskin for its duration. All benefits begin and end at the same time.

Duration is too long (displacement is normally 1 round/level, and shield 1 min/level). I'd say 1 min/level would be okay. Also the the "M" component close in cost to the stoneskin spell? I think it needs to be. And if the stoneskin ends early, do they all drop? If the answer is yes to all of these, I'd say 7th or 8th level.

Arnold's Perfect Body

Albert's Perfect Mind

Uberdude's Perfection

I'd say the first 2 should be 5th level and the other 1 should be 8th, but I could also see arguments for higher...

Combining spells is in general really handy. If the casting times moved to 1 minute, at least some of the advantage would go away and maybe lower levels would be fine (4 and 7).

I would be interested in what others think.

 

[GuardianLurker]

In answer to your questions -

All the spells end at the same time, so yes, Zachir's Perfect Fortress ends if the Invisibility drops because the scout attacks, and Taman's Perfect Fortress ends if the Stoneskin runs out early.

As for the duration of Zachir's Perfect Fortress, the spell duration was my best attempt at reconciling all of the radically different durations of the base spells.

As for material components, your comment made me realize that I had missed some boilerplate - "This spell incurs all of the material and experience point costs of the spells whose effects it duplicates."

As for the buff variants, I'm not sure I agree with you - yes, they're useful, but I'm not sure they're as powerful as some of the others at that level. Especially since Permanency is 5th.

As for casting times, one of the goals (typified by Zachir's Perfect Fortress) is to shorten the pre-combat prep time a wizard needs, which is why I chose 1 round. WRT the buff variants specifically, remember too that all of the buff spells have a casting time of 1 action, so 1 round is still an increase. Also, at one minute casting time, the caster would actually be better off casting the spells individually, which defeats the purpose of the combining spell.

 

[GuardianLurker]

Hmm...
thought about the duration a little bit more.

Mage Armor is 600 rounds/level.
Shield is 10 rounds/level
Displacement is 1 round/level.
Stoneskin is 100 rounds/level.

Average duration of all four spells is 177.78 rounds/level. The nearest standard duration is {phew. lucky me.} 10 minutes/level.

 

[Wolffenjugend]

You have to remember that players will use the spells for purposes other than what the spell is named. For example, the scout spell is perfect for combat and allows a spellcaster to get several useful spells off all in one shot...

 

[GuardianLurker]

You have to remember that players will use the spells for purposes other than what the spell is named. For example, the scout spell is perfect for combat and allows a spellcaster to get several useful spells off all in one shot...

Well, it allows him to get a bunch of non-damage/combat spells off in a shot, yeah. That's kind of the point. ;D

However, as soon as he attacks *all* of the spell effects end, so no more Fly, See Invis, or Darkvision. In some ways, the wizard might be a little better off casting the spells individually, since he then has independent effects.

The question remains though - is the spell, given its limitations, balanced as a 6th level spell? How does it compare to Permanency? Teleport? Disintegrate? Death Spell? Limited Wish?