Blasphemy..!

[Thanee]

Well, a single Blasphemy isn't that bad, unless there are leagues of other hostile creatures nearby.

Using Blasphemy multiple times in a row makes it really broken.

Bye
Thanee

 

[med stud]

The only time the death effect of blasphemy would become hairy is if the PCs encounter a creature 10+ HD over them with the ability to cast blasphemy. But with humanoid clerics I cant see the problem that a character has a spell that autokills creatures 10 levels below them. It's like complaining over cloud kill cast by a 15 lvl wizard against a bunch of ogres.

 

[Hypersmurf]

If we look at the effects of the other word spells (Dictum, Holy Word and Word of Chaos) they are definitely linked to you hearing a divine word.

Dictum isn't.

Dictum: "Any nonlawful creature within the area of a dictum spell suffers the following ill effects."
Holy Word: "Any nongood creature within the area that hears the holy word suffers the following ill effects."
Word of Chaos: "Any nonchaotic creature within the area who hears the word of chaos suffers the following ill effects."

And the rules for deafness vs sonic spells: "Stopping one’s ears ahead of time allows opponents to avoid having to make saving throws against mind-affecting sonic attacks, but not other kinds of sonic attacks."

Dictum is not mind-affecting, and doesn't allow a save anyway.

Deafness is of no use against Blasphemy or Dictum, but since it prevents you hearing, it does protect against Word of Chaos or Holy Word.

-Hyp.

 

[SpadeHammerfist]

That just backs up my idea that they have got the descriptor wrong!

If Blasphemy and Dictum don't say if creature hears the spell, but says within the area instead - and it can't be blocked by silence - why are they a [Sonic] spells at all? Perhaps they should be [Mind-affecting] instead?

 

[hong]

That just backs up my idea that they have got the descriptor wrong!

If Blasphemy and Dictum don't say if creature hears the spell, but says within the area instead - and it can't be blocked by silence - why are they a [Sonic] spells at all? Perhaps they should be [Mind-affecting] instead?

Blasphemy and dictum are blocked perfectly well by the silence spell. This is because _all_ sonic effects (with possibly some obscure exceptions) are blocked by the silence spell.

Blasphemy and dictum are _not_ blocked by a target creature being deaf.

The silence spell is not the same as being deaf.

Getting back to the topic, I might house rule blasphemy so that it staggers you instead of dazing. As it stands, it's just crazy powerful, especially in the hands of someone who can do it multiple times.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Blasphemy and dictum are blocked perfectly well by the silence spell. This is because _all_ sonic effects (with possibly some obscure exceptions) are blocked by the silence spell.

Right.

Someone noticed a while back that while you can't use Energy Substitution on Blasphemy (since it doesn't deal damage), you can use an Archmage's Mastery of Elements on it.

So a [Fire] Blasphemy, not being a [Sonic] spell, would be unaffected by Silence.

A [Fire] Holy Word, on the other hand, would be prevented by Silence, since the creatures would not hear the Word. (Although the Dismissal effect would work in this case, since a/ it's not required to hear it, and b/ Silence does not provide a defence against [Fire] spells.)

-Hyp.

 

[Celtavian]

Right.

Someone noticed a while back that while you can't use Energy Substitution on Blasphemy (since it doesn't deal damage), you can use an Archmage's Mastery of Elements on it.

So a [Fire] Blasphemy, not being a [Sonic] spell, would be unaffected by Silence.

A [Fire] Holy Word, on the other hand, would be prevented by Silence, since the creatures would not hear the Word. (Although the Dismissal effect would work in this case, since a/ it's not required to hear it, and b/ Silence does not provide a defence against [Fire] spells.)

-Hyp.

True by a literal interpretation of the rules. I certainly wouldn't allow it if an Archmage somehow was able to cast Blasphemy. At least it's a situation that most likely won't come up.

 

[Hypersmurf]

True by a literal interpretation of the rules.

Isn't that what counts?

-Hyp.