Michael's MtG Spell thread (last update: Blockbuster 3/7/7)

[Michael Morris]

But you use your own ability modifier, while the "save DC as if the spell was cast" would be based on the victim's ability modifier. Hence the wordiness.

Maybe: "Use the level of the spell to be lost instead of this spell's level when calculating the save DC." Or something like that.

Correct. I agree - this particular spell is a bit on the wordy side - especially for me (those who are familiar with my spells, even in this thread, should note I don't often use more words than it takes for the effect. My spells tend to have very short and to the point descriptions).

 

[Corlon]

Are the colors sort of like the ones in the card game Magic: the Gathering?

It seems similar. Anyways, great spells, for the leeches spell perhaps make it so that the con drain doesn't affect you for 1rd/caster level or something. That way it can be a sorcerer's rage sort of thing, where it's hard to kill them because of the fast healing but after the duration they lose a great deal of their constitution.

It still keeps risk without the setback of the spell setting back the bonus IMO.

 

[Michael Morris]

The colors are MtG Related. Reference threads:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=96112
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=121207

 

[Stalker0]

Aura barbs is one of those spells that's a great idea but horrible to run in game (just like greater dispelling at high levels).

Having for every spell effect a caster has in place gets daunting at high levels. Bull's str, divine favor, divine might, shield of faith, the list goes on and on. Its just too much work to make it worthwhile.

 

[moritheil]

Given everything else that guidance does it's irrelevant.

...

2) This is a bard spell. Bards don't get 1st level spells until 2nd level and their "people spells" are a lot better at 1st. For instance, who cares how someone feels about you if you can just cast charm person on them. Bards also have a class ability to sway emotions.

What, precisely, is "everything else" that guidance does? It just gives a +1 to one roll that has to be within a short amount of time, and not just any roll either. Perhaps you read it as giving +1 for the duration instead of giving +1 once within the duration?

Calling upon True Strike to justify +20 is dubious, as it's already a subject of contention that True Strike is broken.

Charm person can FAIL, and often will at higher levels, whereas this spell will continue to be useful.

Saying that "Bards already have powerful abilities to sway emotions," so we should give them the ability to sense emotions accurately with a 0-level spell is akin to saying that "Sorcerers have powerful abilities to deal serious damage," so we should give them the ability to heal serious damage with a 0-level spell. The abilities are two different sides of the same coin. Bards can sense emotion by taking enough ranks in Sense Motive; that provides a mechanic for them to grow into their role.

With this spell, everyone would be an open book to even a first level bard. No party with a bard could ever be betrayed without the bard knowing about it well in advance (or it would be very difficult.) This makes plot twists hard to spring on PCs.

 

[Michael Morris]

The spell senses emotion, not intention. It's purpose is extremely narrow - Guidance however can be used with any skill or attack roll. And where there's a sense/detect spell, there's usually a conceal spell.

With this spell, everyone would be an open book to even a first level bard. No party with a bard could ever be betrayed without the bard knowing about it well in advance (or it would be very difficult.) This makes plot twists hard to spring on PCs.

And how exactly is this worse than detect evil, a spell I don't allow because it spoils plot twists? Sense emotion can be helpful, but it's not gamebusting by a long shot. If you think it is, you haven't had to DM an effective caster.

 

[moritheil]

The spell would automatically sense people who hated the party, right? Of course, as I said, that doesn't make things undoable - you can either have someone who doesn't hate the party still want to kill them, and you can have lots of people who hate the party but don't actually have plans to kill them. It does, however, make things more difficult for no particular reason, which is what I said.

Guidance is narrow but relatively worthless. +1 vs. +20 is a huge difference. If you were to make a spell +5 for one purpose and argue that guidance was overall a more useful spell, I would probably agree. The dose makes the poison here.

Detect evil? Are you now comparing a 1st level spell to a 0 level spell and having to argue with me that the 0 level spell is not superior? Regardless, the use of detect evil involves THREE rounds of concentration to get the full benefit, whereas this is just cast-and-check. I run paladins with a decent amount of regularity, and I do not tend to have any trouble with plot twists spoiled by detect evil.

Please tell me how your inability to roll with a core spell makes me the one who cannot DM effective casters.

The spell senses emotion, not intention. It's purpose is extremely narrow - Guidance however can be used with any skill or attack roll. And where there's a sense/detect spell, there's usually a conceal spell.

And how exactly is this worse than detect evil, a spell I don't allow because it spoils plot twists? Sense emotion can be helpful, but it's not gamebusting by a long shot. If you think it is, you haven't had to DM an effective caster.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

What, no spell for today Michael? And just when I was starting to enjoy this thread !

 

[Jdvn1]

He's still got three hours in my timezone.

 

[Jdvn1]

He's still got three hours in my timezone.

Beep. Over.