Momento Mori spell from ELH

[Crothian]

If its correct, explain why its 160 HD and not 10,000. Might as well be.

I don't have the ELH, but in one of the Dragon Magazines there is a 248HD creature. So, I in higher levels it will be possible to meet things with greater then 160HD. Now, for such things the DC is insanely low, but that's another matter completely.

 

[AuraSeer]

There's a mathematical formula that determines the Spellcraft DC, the development cost, and so on. Plug in a HD limit of 160-- high enough to be practically unreachable in most games-- and you get the costs listed in the description. [WAG]Removing the HD limit entirely would probably cost lots more.[/wag]

 

[kreynolds]

Did you write the book?

No. Why do you ask?

If its correct, explain why its 160 HD and not 10,000.

Because it doesn't say 10,000 HD. Did you really need to hear someone tell you that?

Might as well be.

No. It might as well be 160 HD because it says 160 HD. If it said 10,000 HD, then yes, I would have to agree that it might as well be 10,000 HD.

160 HD doesn't make the spell powerful in and of itself. The saving throw isn't that hard to beat. For simplicity's sake, a 40th level fighter with a Constitution of 28 (not unreasonable at all), would have a base Fort save of 31. If he were only 30th level, and had a Constitution of 26, he would have a base Fort save of 25, which is still not bad at all.

 

[Someone]

Seems like a cool epic version of Power Word Kill. I would assume 160HD is correct.

It´s more like a cool superheightened Finger of Death.

 

[Junkheap]

It could be very easily be made painfull tho.

I don't really know how epic levels work, but my cleric/contemplative/hierophant(5 levels of +2 to dc/oversome Sr)
btw the hierophant 5 lvls are future addons.


wisdom 30, very very attainable, gives + 10 to Dc
hierophant gives +10 to DC

thats a DC of 50.

Like was said a fighter lvl 40 has a base fort save of 31. With cload of res +5, great fort, and whatever else say 42. Hell even say 45

Thats still a VERY VERY VERY good chance of a fighter failing that save. mages, rogues or low fort saves and you are pretty much DEAD. I think it is a bit too powerfull for the hd range.

And yes you can raise the fighters saves easily, but you can also raise the clerics dc, with spell caster prodigy, focus on specific schools and such. Either way, that is my cleric in a campaign i play in now, and right now i usually destruction evrything to death. The DC is 26, but my character was not optomized for DC and it still is pretty deadly(no heirophant levels right now) Lvl 18 cleric.

 

[kreynolds]

thats a DC of 50.

Like was said a fighter lvl 40 has a base fort save of 31. With cload of res +5, great fort, and whatever else say 42. Hell even say 45

Thats still a VERY VERY VERY good chance of a fighter failing that save.

How do you figure? He'd only have to roll 5 or better to save against the spell. That's hardly "VERY VERY VERY".

 

[Greatwyrm]

Wow! That sounds like a great way to kill a god. That is, except for that fact that gods nearly always make their saves. Oh, and that pesky divine spell resistance that usually makes it difficult or impossible to affect them with any spell if you're of a lesser divine rank than they are. Oh well....

 

[kreynolds]

Wow! That sounds like a great way to kill a god. That is, except....<snip>

And thus, Greatwyrm ushers in a new era, where the masses no longer fear the epic level rules, for they actually get it.

Here's to hoping.

Cheers.

 

[Kai Lord]

I don't have the ELH, but in one of the Dragon Magazines there is a 248HD creature. So, I in higher levels it will be possible to meet things with greater then 160HD.

Well there you go then. I wasn't aware that anything in any book had nearly that many hit dice. I guess there is a precedent for the 160 HD cap.

 

[Kai Lord]

No. Why do you ask?

You appeared to give an answer that you had no basis for.

No. It might as well be 160 HD because it says 160 HD. If it said 10,000 HD, then yes, I would have to agree that it might as well be 10,000 HD.

Sounds like a pretty naive statement in this Age of Errata. If no creature has more than 100 or so HD, then saying "up to 160 HD" is effectively no different than saying "up to 10,000 HD" or even "kills any creature, regardless of HD." It doesn't matter though, since I guess there is a creature with almost 250 HD. Looks like my initial assumption was wrong.