Michael Morris
First Post
Hello all. Due to the upgrade here at ENWorld and the extra coding work that entailed I sorta forgot to do a March preview for Art of Magic at all, so I'm going to make up some lost time by looking at a rather special set of spells from this book - the metamagic spells.
Like metamagic feats, metamagic spells alter other spells - usually while they are being cast but sometimes after they are in place. Metamagic spells can also affect a spellcaster's ability to use spells.
Only 6 spells in the Player's Handbook can be considered metamagic spells and thus gain the metamagic descriptor. They are contingency, imbue with spell ability, permanency, Rary's Mnuemonic Enhancer, spectral hand and spellstaff. To this meager group Art of Magic adds 68 new spells. This month's preview is one of the most interesting ones which also has the distinguishing trait of having the longest description of any spell in the book.
[h6]Sleight of Mind[/h6]
Illusion (Pattern) [Blue, Metamagic]
Level: (4), Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25' + 5' / 2 levels)
Target: One creature, object or spell.
Duration: 1 hour / level (D) or permanent (see text)
Saving Throw: Will Negates or none (objects & spells)
Spell Resistance: Yes
Acquistion: 1UUU
[bq]"To trick the eye is a small feat - to trick the mind is not. Of course, tricking a blind man is no feat, and since most folk are morons..." - Serrin.[/bq]
Sleight of Mind is a highly flexible spell that either assigns an illusory attribute to a creature, object or spell and masks any similar attributes; or changes the attributes sought by spells and magic items when they make their determination whether or not they will work. Examples include:
Note that sleight of mind does not change the mental or physical state of creatures, it only changes what magic items and spells "see." Sleight of Mind can be used to make a paladin appear to be chaotic evil as far as detection spells, abjurations and abilities directed at the paladin are concerned, but the paladin's alignment does not actually change nor does he lose any of his special powers that require him to be LG.
If sleight of mind is cast upon an unwilling creature or an object in his possession a willpower saving throw is permitted against its effects.
If this spell is cast against a spell that is already in place you make a caster level check as if you were attempting to dispel it in order to affect the sleight of mind change.
You can ready an action and cast sleight of mind in a counterspell-like fashion. If you do this the sleight of mind over-rides any modes the caster might have chosen or can even change the spell (as in the case of changing a magic circle against evil into warding against a different alignment). There is no level check to do this.
If you target a summoning spell you can change attributes of the summoned creatures and they do not gain a saving throw. Hence a lantern archon, which is a good celestial, could be given the apparent alignment of chaotic evil and then be subject to the effects of wards against evil creatures. Again, the creature's alignment does not actually change, only what magic items and spells see changes.
Cast upon a non-permanent spell sleight of mind lasts as long as the target spell does. Cast upon a permanent spell, magic item or creature sleight of mind lasts one hour per level.
Sleight of Mind is an illusion, and hence certain special spell effects that are dependent on the properties of a target are not triggered by it. For instance, fire based creatures take double damage from cold attacks and are immune to fire attacks. If you use sleight of mind to assign the illusionary type "cold" to the creature, it will not become immune to cold attacks. However, a symbol set to trigger when fire based creatures pass would be fooled by the sleight of mind.
As with most illusions, sleight of mind is defeated by true seeing or more powerful magics. Also, users of lesser divinations and intelligent magic items can make a willpower save to disbelieve the illusion or they might do so automatically. For instance, if sleight of mind is used to change the apparent alignment of a paladin to chaotic evil and that character is wielding an intelligent holy avenger he'd used for many years, that sword would be able to make it's save against the illusion automatically (though it would sense the nature of the casting). However, a non-intelligent holy avenger would cease to function properly for the paladin.
Like metamagic feats, metamagic spells alter other spells - usually while they are being cast but sometimes after they are in place. Metamagic spells can also affect a spellcaster's ability to use spells.
Only 6 spells in the Player's Handbook can be considered metamagic spells and thus gain the metamagic descriptor. They are contingency, imbue with spell ability, permanency, Rary's Mnuemonic Enhancer, spectral hand and spellstaff. To this meager group Art of Magic adds 68 new spells. This month's preview is one of the most interesting ones which also has the distinguishing trait of having the longest description of any spell in the book.
[h6]Sleight of Mind[/h6]
Illusion (Pattern) [Blue, Metamagic]
Level: (4), Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25' + 5' / 2 levels)
Target: One creature, object or spell.
Duration: 1 hour / level (D) or permanent (see text)
Saving Throw: Will Negates or none (objects & spells)
Spell Resistance: Yes
Acquistion: 1UUU
[bq]"To trick the eye is a small feat - to trick the mind is not. Of course, tricking a blind man is no feat, and since most folk are morons..." - Serrin.[/bq]
Sleight of Mind is a highly flexible spell that either assigns an illusory attribute to a creature, object or spell and masks any similar attributes; or changes the attributes sought by spells and magic items when they make their determination whether or not they will work. Examples include:
- Changing a magic circle against evil into a magic circle against law.
- Changing an absolute law spell to from affecting red spells to affecting black spells.
- Change a creature's apparent alignment from LG to NE so that they can move past a forbiddance spell.
- Change a creature's apparent race from human to elf so that a magic bow will bestow special properties on him.
- Change a magic axe so that it functions for elves instead of for dwarves.
Note that sleight of mind does not change the mental or physical state of creatures, it only changes what magic items and spells "see." Sleight of Mind can be used to make a paladin appear to be chaotic evil as far as detection spells, abjurations and abilities directed at the paladin are concerned, but the paladin's alignment does not actually change nor does he lose any of his special powers that require him to be LG.
If sleight of mind is cast upon an unwilling creature or an object in his possession a willpower saving throw is permitted against its effects.
If this spell is cast against a spell that is already in place you make a caster level check as if you were attempting to dispel it in order to affect the sleight of mind change.
You can ready an action and cast sleight of mind in a counterspell-like fashion. If you do this the sleight of mind over-rides any modes the caster might have chosen or can even change the spell (as in the case of changing a magic circle against evil into warding against a different alignment). There is no level check to do this.
If you target a summoning spell you can change attributes of the summoned creatures and they do not gain a saving throw. Hence a lantern archon, which is a good celestial, could be given the apparent alignment of chaotic evil and then be subject to the effects of wards against evil creatures. Again, the creature's alignment does not actually change, only what magic items and spells see changes.
Cast upon a non-permanent spell sleight of mind lasts as long as the target spell does. Cast upon a permanent spell, magic item or creature sleight of mind lasts one hour per level.
Sleight of Mind is an illusion, and hence certain special spell effects that are dependent on the properties of a target are not triggered by it. For instance, fire based creatures take double damage from cold attacks and are immune to fire attacks. If you use sleight of mind to assign the illusionary type "cold" to the creature, it will not become immune to cold attacks. However, a symbol set to trigger when fire based creatures pass would be fooled by the sleight of mind.
As with most illusions, sleight of mind is defeated by true seeing or more powerful magics. Also, users of lesser divinations and intelligent magic items can make a willpower save to disbelieve the illusion or they might do so automatically. For instance, if sleight of mind is used to change the apparent alignment of a paladin to chaotic evil and that character is wielding an intelligent holy avenger he'd used for many years, that sword would be able to make it's save against the illusion automatically (though it would sense the nature of the casting). However, a non-intelligent holy avenger would cease to function properly for the paladin.
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