Converted Spell from 2nd Ed. Question

[kmdietri]

I am wondering what people think the level of this converted spell should be. The original spell appeared in Tome of Magic. The first description is the conversion, the second description is the original.

Thanks

Age Dragon
Transmutation
Level: 7 or 8 (IMO)
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 Dragon
Duration: 1 round/lvl (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell allows the caster to cause any dragon to temporarily gain one age category per five levels of the caster. For instance, a 14th-level caster could cause a dragon to gain two age categories; a mature adult dragon could be temporarily transformed into a very old dragon. A dragon’s age cannot be increased beyond great wyrm.
Unwilling dragons are allowed a Will saving to avoid the effect.
A dragon effected by age dragon temporarily acquires the natural armour bonus, hit dice, spell-like abilities, extraordinary abilities, supernatural abilities, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, ability bonuses, speed, and size of the new age category. The dragon retains his memories and personality. At the end of the spell’s duration, the dragon returns to his normal age category.
If the dragon was damaged before the spell was cast or suffers damage while experiencing his modified age, these hit points remain lost when the dragon changes age. If the dragon loses more hit points at his modified age then it has at its actual age, it dies when the spell expires.
If the dragon is killed while under the effect of age dragon, it remains dead at the end of the spell’s duration.
Material Component: A handful of dirt taken from a dragon’s footprint.

2nd Edition Version:

7th lvl Priest Spell

Age Dragon (Alteration)
Sphere: Time
Range: 30 yards
Components: V,S,M
Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: One dragon
Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell allows the caster to cause any dragon to temporarily gain or lose one age level per five levels of the caster. For instance, a 14th-level caster could cause a dragon to gain or lose two age levels; a mature adult dragon could be temporarily transformed into a young adult dragon or into a very old dragon. A dragon’s age cannot be reduced below hatchling, or increased beyond great wyrm.
Unwilling dragons are allowed a saving throw vs. spells with a -4 penalty to avoid the effect.
A dragon affected by age dragon temporarily acquires the armour class, hit points, spell abilities, combat modifiers, size, and other attributes of his new age level. The dragon retains his memories and personality. At the end of the spell’s duration, the dragon returns to his normal age level.
If the dragon suffered damage while experiencing his modified age, these hit points remain lost when he resumes his normal age. If the dragon loses more hit points at his modified age than he has at his actual age, he dies when the spell expires. For example, a young adult bronze dragon with 110 hit points is aged to mature adult with 120 hit points. The dragon suffers 115 hit points in combat. Unless the dragon is healed of 6 points of damage before the spell expires, the dragon dies at the end of the spell since his damage is greater then his actual hit points.
If a dragon is killed while under the effect of age dragon, he is dead at the end of the spell’s duration.
The material component is a handful of dirt taken from a dragon’s foot print.

 

[The Souljourner]

Yech. This is definitely in the category of "spells I wouldn't migrate to 3.x".

However, I think 7th is probably fine. I certainly wouldn't call it harmless though.

Losing 2-4 age categories (you might want to put a cap on the number of levels it can add/remove) can easily change a fight from impossible to laughable.

Take a young adult red dragon (CR13) and have this spell cast at it. if it fails, it is suddenly young, and CR7. A change of 6 CR for one failed spell? Seems a bit ridiculous to me.

Yeah, it's specialized, but still, it would be a quest spell for anyone who ever had to deal with a dragon.

-The Souljourner

 

[kmdietri]

In the conversion I would only allow the increasing age effect not the decreasing. If it allowed decreasing I would say it would have to be 9th IMO.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Surely this is at least an 8th level spell, with the edition changes. As a 7th-level spell, the young adult bronze dragon (as in the 2E example) now gains 87 hit points instead of 10, for example. Of course, as an 8th level spell the hit points gained would be at least 148, since you'd have to be 15th level to cast it.

 

[the Jester]

Well, here's the conversion of it I've been using in my campaign:

AGE DRAGON
Transmutation
Level: Time 7
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25’ + 5’/2 levels)
Target: One true dragon
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell causes a true dragon (one which progresses through various age categories) to physically age one category per eight caster levels. This aging takes effect immediately, but it does not change the dragon’s intelligence, wisdom or charisma. Other than that, however, it is just as if the dragon had aged naturally; it gains skill points, feats, special abilities, increased hit dice and breath weapon damage, etc. This spell will affect dragons with the Drake template on them. It has no affect on other creatures.

This spell does not stack with itself. It is, however, subject to permanency.


Note that the big limiting factor is that it's a domain spell for the Time domain. Moreover, it's an alternate domain spell, meaning you have to find it in a holy text (a clerical spellbook, essentially) and meditate on it to switch it out for the standard 7th-level Time domain spell (Reverse Time, itself a fab choice). This process takes 7 days and a bunch of xp. You can switch back the same way.

Of course, this doesn't help unless you have the Time domain in the first place.