House Rules for Blaphemy

[maggot]

Blaphemy allows no save and dazes (or worse) without a save. It makes any type of level raising ability very dangerous. Consider a cleric with the Evil domain and a bead of karma can paralyze scores of like level creatures with no save. Also balor can use blasphemy at will, allowing their evil cohorts to leisurely slay attackers.

So I'm considering a save for blasphemy (and by extention Holy Word, etc.). But does a Will Save weaken it too much or change the set of creatures it is used against? What about Will Save at -4 like the banishment affect? I need something to make this spell work.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I would suggest making the effects of Blasphemy, Holy Word and the like independent of their level. Like they were in 3.0, say.

 

[Darklone]

I think most people use the 3.0 version, as Cheiromancer said.

 

[Hypersmurf]

And to solve the Balor problem, play it as written in the 3E PHB, not the 3E Main FAQ - the special effects only apply to creatures native to the caster's plane.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

I would suggest making the effects of Blasphemy, Holy Word and the like independent of their level. Like they were in 3.0, say.

This solves the caster level problem by making blasphemy even worse. Now the cleric doesn't even have to boost his caster level to daze anyone he wants.

 

[Darklone]

This solves the caster level problem by making blasphemy even worse. Now the cleric doesn't even have to boost his caster level to daze anyone he wants.

Yes. But this cleric would usually need a wand of Blasphemy to keep a group of PCs dazed for some time, while the Balor could do it without preparation for half a year while someone gets some deaf dudes who chew the PCs ears off.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Well, the general idea is that Blasphemy shouldn't scale with level. So cap it at level 15 (or whatever works for you). Characters (or critters) with 15+ hit dice would never be affected, but lower level folks would.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes. But this cleric would usually need a wand of Blasphemy to keep a group of PCs dazed for some time, while the Balor could do it without preparation for half a year while someone gets some deaf dudes who chew the PCs ears off.

That's the other problem with 3.5 Blasphemy, of course - deafness is of no help.

Word of Chaos and Holy Word have their special effects on "non-chaotic/good creatures within the area who hear the word"; Blasphemy and Dictum, on the other hand, affect "non-evil/lawful creatures within the area".

Whether or not you hear a 3.5 Blasphemy or Dictum is irrelevant.

-Hyp.

 

[maggot]

This solves the caster level problem by making blasphemy even worse. Now the cleric doesn't even have to boost his caster level to daze anyone he wants.

The best solution I've heard for 3.0 blasphemy is to make the daze effect allow movement. So you can't take any actions like attack or cast spells, but you can move to get out of the range of the next blasphemy.