My fixes to spells

[Szatany]

To put quite simply, these are altered spells in my games. Some of the changes I haven't been able to playtest yet, but they look good on paper (at least to me). I'm using them with ultimate classes, but they work in normal games equally well.

SPELLS

Alter Self
Transmutation
Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
You assume the form of a creature roughly similar to you and of your size. The new form can be imaginary and you cannot assume the shape of any specific person. You can change into a member of your own kind or even into yourself.
You gain +2 bonus on any physical ability score. You retain all special attacks and qualities of your original form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have (such as a mouth for a breath weapon or eyes for a gaze attack).
If the new form is capable of speech, you can communicate normally. You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components.
You also gain one of the following abilities per 3 caster levels (maximum 3 abilities at level 9), provided the new form has appropriate body parts. Each ability can be taken only once. Those are:

• Fly speed 10 (poor) (requires wings)
• Climb speed 20 (requires claws or 6 legs)
• Burrowing speed 10 (requires claws)
• Swim speed 20
• Natural armor bonus 2 (requires either scales or thick fur)
• Natural attack that deals 1d6 + Str modifier damage (requires appropriate appendage or mouth)
• Damage Reduction 2/-
• +4 racial bonus to one of the following skills: Hide (requires coloration), Listen, Move Silently, Spot (requires eyes), Survival
• Low-light vision (requires eyes)
• Immunity to blindness (requires lack of eyes, but you are not blind because of this spell)
• Immunity to deafness (requires lack of ears, but you are not deaf because of this spell)
• Scent

If you alter self as a member of existing race, you are disguised as an average member of that race and you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.
When the change occurs, all your equipment that cannot be worn by your new form falls to the ground.
Any part of your body that is separated from the whole reverts to its true form.

Astral Projection
Necromancy
Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9, Travel 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 30 minutes
Range: Touch
Targets: You plus one additional willing creature touched per two caster levels
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
By freeing your spirit from your physical body, this spell allows you to project an astral body onto another plane altogether.
You can bring the astral forms of other willing creatures with you, provided that these subjects are linked in a circle with you at the time of the casting. These fellow travelers are dependent upon you and must accompany you at all times. If something happens to you during the journey, your companions return to their bodies immediately.
You project your astral self onto the Astral Plane, leaving your physical body behind on the Material Plane in a state of suspended animation. The spell projects an astral copy of you and all you wear or carry onto the Astral Plane. Since the Astral Plane touches upon other planes, you can travel astrally to any of these other planes as you will. To enter one, you leave the Astral Plane, forming a new physical body (and equipment) on the plane of existence you have chosen to enter, while your old body simultaneously decays into a poo of green slime. Should destruction of your old body be impossible, new one will not be formed and you might be trapped in your astral form indefinitely.
While you are on the Astral Plane, your astral body is connected at all times to your physical body by a silvery cord. If the cord is broken, you are killed, astrally and physically. Although astral projections are able to function on the Astral Plane, their actions affect only creatures existing on the Astral Plane; a physical body must be materialized on other planes.
You and your companions may travel through the Astral Plane indefinitely. Your bodies simply wait behind until you choose to return your spirits to them or form new ones. The spell lasts until you desire to end it, or until it is terminated by some outside means, such as dispel magic cast upon either the physical body or the astral form, the breaking of the silver cord, or the destruction of your body back on the Material Plane (which kills you).
Material Component: A jacinth worth at least 1,000 gp, plus a silver bar worth 5 gp for each person to be affected.

Awaken
Transmutation
Level: Drd 5
Components: V, S, DF, XP
Casting Time: 24 hours
Range: Touch
Target: Animal or tree touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You awaken a tree or animal to humanlike sentience. To succeed, you must make a Will save (DC 10 + the animal’s current HD, or the HD the tree will have once awakened).
The awakened animal or tree is friendly toward you. You have no special empathy or connection with a creature you awaken, although it serves you in specific tasks or endeavors if you communicate your desires to it.
An awakened tree has characteristics as if it were an animated object, except that it gains the plant type and its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are each 3d6. An awakened plant gains the ability to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth, and it has senses similar to a human’s.
An awakened animal gets 3d6 Intelligence, +1d3 Charisma, and +2 HD. Its type becomes magical beast (augmented animal). An awakened animal can’t serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.
An awakened tree or animal can speak one language that you know, plus one additional language that you know per point of Intelligence bonus (if any).
You cannot awaken a creature that has 3 or more Intelligence score (not even when that score is drained, reduced, or damaged).
XP Cost: 250 XP.

Blasphemy (same changes apply to Dictum/Holy Word/Word of Chaos)
Evocation [Evil, Sonic]
Level: Clr 7, Evil 7
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 ft.
Area: Nonevil creatures in a 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Any nonevil creature within the area of a blasphemy spell suffers the following ill effects.

[B]HD	                Effect[/B]
Equal to caster level	Dazed
Up to caster level –1	Weakened, dazed
Up to caster level –5	Paralyzed, weakened, dazed
Up to caster level –10	Killed, paralyzed, weakened, dazed

The effects are cumulative and concurrent.
Dazed: The creature can take no actions for 1 round, though it defends itself normally.
Weakened: The creature’s Strength score decreases by 2d6 points for 2d4 rounds.
Paralyzed: The creature is paralyzed and helpless for 1d10 minutes.
Killed: Living creatures die. Undead creatures are destroyed.
Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, nonevil extraplanar creatures within the area are instantly banished back to their home planes. Creatures so banished cannot return for at least 24 hours. This effect takes place regardless of whether the creatures hear the blasphemy.
Creatures whose Hit Dice exceed your caster level are unaffected by blasphemy.
Whenever a creature makes successful Will save, it suffers blasphemy's effects as if it was one HD category stronger. For example, if a creature would normally be weakened and dazed on a failed save, it is only dazed on a successful save.
A creature with HD equal to the caster level suffers no ill effects of this spell if it makes a successful Will save.
Neutral (neither good nor evil) creatures gain +4 bonus on Will save.

Cure Minor Wounds
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Clr 0, Drd 0
This spell functions like cure light wounds, except that it cures only 1d3 points of damage.

Dimension Door
Conjuration (Teleportation)
Level: Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 4, Travel 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target: You and touched objects or other touched willing creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None and Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: No and Yes (object)
You instantly transfer yourself from your current location to any other spot you can see within range. You always arrive at exactly the spot desired. After using this spell, you can’t take any other actions until your next turn. You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn’t exceed your maximum load. You may also bring one additional willing Medium or smaller creature (carrying gear or objects up to its maximum load) or its equivalent per three caster levels. A Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, a Huge creature counts as two Large creatures, and so forth. All creatures to be transported must be in contact with one another, and at least one of those creatures must be in contact with you.

Divine Power
Evocation
Level: Clr 4, War 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Calling upon the divine power of your patron, you imbue yourself with strength and skill in combat. You gain a +10 enhancement bonus to Strength, and you gain 1 temporary hit point per caster level.

Enlarge Person
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Strength 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One huge or smaller humanoid or giant
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell causes instant growth of a humanoid creature, giving it in essence powerful build ability.
Affected subject can function in many ways as if he was one size category larger. Whenever the subject is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the subject is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. The subject is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. The subject can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
Enlarge person has no effect on a creature that already has powerful build ability.
Enlarge person counters and dispels reduce person.
Enlarge person can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
Material Component: A pinch of powdered iron.

Fabricate
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: See text
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Up to 10 cu. ft./level; see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You convert material of one sort into a product that is of the same material. Creatures or magic items cannot be created or transmuted by the fabricate spell. The quality of items made by this spell is commensurate with the quality of material used as the basis for the new fabrication. If you work with a mineral, the target is reduced to 1 cubic foot per level instead of 10 cubic feet.
You cannot fabricate articles requiring a high degree of craftsmanship (craft's DC 15 or higher).
Casting requires 1 round per 10 cubic feet (or 1 cubic foot) of material to be affected by the spell.
Material Component: The original material, which costs the same amount as the raw materials required to craft the item to be created.

Fire Seeds
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Drd 6, Fire 6, Sun 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: Up to four touched acorns or up to eight touched holly berries
Duration: 10 min./level or until used
Saving Throw: None or Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: No
Depending on the version of fire seeds you choose, you turn acorns into splash weapons that you or another character can throw, or you turn holly berries into bombs that you can detonate on command.
Acorn Grenades: As many as four acorns turn into special splash weapons that can be thrown with 10 ft. range increment. A ranged touch attack roll is required to strike the intended target. You can throw more than one acorn at the same target at a time, but it's difficult. For each acorn you throw beyond first with the same action, you suffer -1 penalty on that attack roll. Each acorn explodes upon striking any hard surface and deals 3d6 points of fire damage. In addition to its regular fire damage, it deals 1d6 points of splash damage, and it ignites any combustible materials within 10 feet. A creature within this area that makes a successful Reflex saving throw takes only half damage; a creature struck directly is not allowed a saving throw.
Holly Berry Bombs: You turn as many as eight holly berries into special bombs. The holly berries are usually placed by hand, since they are too light to make effective thrown weapons (they can be tossed only 5 feet). If you are within 200 feet and speak a word of command, each berry instantly bursts into flame, causing 1d8 points of fire damage to every creature in a 5-foot radius burst and igniting any combustible materials within 5 feet. A creature in the area that makes a successful Reflex saving throw takes only half damage.
You can have up to 4 acorns or 8 berries enchanted at one time.
Material Component: The acorns or holly berries.

Fire Storm
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Clr 8, Drd 7, Fire 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: Cylinder (40-ft. radius, 160 ft. high)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
When a fire storm spell is cast, the whole area is shot through with sheets of roaring flame. The raging flames do not harm natural vegetation, ground cover, and any plant creatures in the area that you wish to exclude from damage. Any other creature within the area takes 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 20d6).

Fly
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Travel 3
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The subject can fly at a speed of 60 feet (or 40 feet if it wears medium or heavy armor, or if it carries a medium or heavy load). It can ascend at half speed and descend at double speed, and its maneuverability is good. Using a fly spell requires only as much concentration as walking, so the subject can attack or cast spells normally. The subject of a fly spell can charge but not run, and it cannot carry aloft more weight than its maximum load, plus any armor it wears.
Should the spell duration expire while the subject is still aloft, he falls to the ground, taking 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet of fall. Depending on the height he was at, falling may take more than one round, at which time spellcasting, among other activities, is possible, but with a -4 penalty.
Arcane Focus: A wing feather from any bird.

Forbiddance
Abjuration
Level: Clr 6
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 6 rounds
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 60-ft. cube/level (S)
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Forbiddance seals an area against all planar travel into or within it. This includes all teleportation spells (such as dimension door and teleport), plane shifting, astral travel, ethereal travel, and all summoning spells. Such effects simply fail automatically.
In addition, it damages entering creatures whose alignments are different from yours. The effect on those attempting to enter the warded area is based on their alignment relative to yours (see below). A creature inside the area when the spell is cast takes no damage unless it exits the area and attempts to reenter, at which time it is affected as normal.
Alignments identical: No effect. The creature may enter the area freely (although not by planar travel).
Alignments different with respect to either law/chaos or good/evil: The creature takes 6d6 points of damage. A successful Will save halves the damage, and spell resistance applies.
Alignments different with respect to both law/chaos and good/evil: The creature takes 12d6 points of damage. A successful Will save halves the damage, and spell resistance applies.
At your option, the abjuration can include a password, in which case creatures of alignments different from yours can avoid the damage by speaking the password as they enter the area. You must select this option (and the password) at the time of casting.
Dispel magic does not dispel a forbiddance effect unless the dispeller’s level is at least as high as your caster level.
You can’t have multiple overlapping forbiddance effects. In such a case, the more recent effect stops at the boundary of the older effect.
Material Component: A sprinkling of holy water and rare incenses worth at least 150 gp, plus 150 gp per 60-foot cube. If a password is desired, this requires the burning of additional rare incenses which doubles the price.

Freedom of Movement
Abjuration
Level: Brd 4, Clr 4, Drd 4, Luck 4, Rgr 4
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal or touch
Target: You or creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and act normally for the duration of the spell. While under the effects of this spell, the subject enjoys the following benefits:

• Under the influence of spell or effect that impedes movement but doesn't allow a save or skill check to ignore the effect, the subject has 75% chance to ignore the effect for one round.
  [*]Under the influence of spell or effect that impedes movement and allows a save or skill check to ignore the effect (such as grapple or pin), the subject gains bonus on said save or check equal to the caster level.
• Underwater, the spell allows the subject to move and attack normally, even with slashing weapons such as axes and swords or with bludgeoning weapons such as flails, hammers, and maces, provided that the weapon is wielded in the hand rather than hurled. The freedom of movement spell does not, however, allow water breathing.

Material Component: A leather thong, bound around the arm or a similar appendage.

Gate
Conjuration (Creation or Calling)
Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: See text
Duration: Instantaneous or concentration (up to 1 round/level); see text
Saving Throw: None or Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: No
Casting a gate spell has two effects. First, it creates an interdimensional connection between your plane of existence and a plane you specify, allowing travel between those two planes in either direction.
Second, you may then call a particular individual or kind of being through the gate.
The gate itself is a circular hoop or disk from 5 to 20 feet in diameter (your choice), oriented in the direction you desire when it comes into existence (typically vertical and facing you). It is a two-dimensional window looking into the plane you specified when casting the spell, and anyone or anything that moves through is shunted instantly to the other side.
A gate has a front and a back. Creatures moving through the gate from the front are transported to the other plane; creatures moving through it from the back are not.
Planar Travel: As a mode of planar travel, a gate spell functions much like a plane shift spell, except that the gate opens precisely at the point you desire (a creation effect). Deities and other beings who rule a planar realm can prevent a gate from opening in their presence or personal demesnes if they so desire. Travelers need not join hands with you—anyone who chooses to step through the portal is transported. A gate cannot be opened to another point on the same plane; the spell works only for interplanar travel.
You may hold the gate open only for a brief time (no more than 1 round per caster level), and you must concentrate on doing so, or else the interplanar connection is severed.
Calling Creatures: The second effect of the gate spell is to call an extraplanar creature to your aid (a calling effect). By naming a particular being or kind of being as you cast the spell, you cause the gate to open in the immediate vicinity of the desired creature and pull the subject through, willing or unwilling. Deities and creatures with at least 6 HD more than your caster level are under no compulsion to come through the gate, although they may choose to do so of their own accord. All other creatures can make a Will save to resist the pulling of the gate. This use of the spell creates a gate that remains open for just a moment - whether or not the subject is pulled.
You may call either a single creature or several creatures. You can call several creatures as long as their HD total does not exceed your caster level +5. Creatures you gate are not controlled. An uncontrolled being acts as it pleases, making the calling of such creatures rather dangerous. An uncontrolled being may return to its home plane at any time.
Note: When you use a calling spell such as gate to call an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it becomes a spell of that type.

Harm
Necromancy
Level: Clr 6, Destruction 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Harm charges a subject with negative energy that deals 10 points of damage per caster level (to a maximum of 150 points at 15th level). If the creature successfully saves, harm deals half this amount.
Harm cannot reduce the target’s hit points to less than -8.
If used on an undead creature, harm acts like heal.

Hold Person
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One humanoid creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject becomes paralyzed and freezes in place. It is aware and breathes normally but cannot take any actions, even speech.
A winged creature who is paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can’t swim and may drown.
If any enemy begins a hostile action (such as casting a offensive spell, making an attack, stealing a purse, and silmilar activities), the subject becomes free to act again and can defend against the action in a normal manner.
Arcane Focus: A small, straight piece of iron.

Identify
Divination
Level: Brd 1, Magic 2, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Targets: One touched object
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The spell determines all magic properties of a single magic item, including how to activate those functions (if appropriate), and how many charges are left (if any).
Identify does not function when used on an artifact.
Material Component: A pearl of at least 100 gp value, crushed and stirred into wine with an owl feather; the infusion must be drunk prior to spellcasting.

Inflict Minor Wounds
Necromancy
Level: Clr 0
Saving Throw: Will negates
This spell functions like inflict light wounds, except that you deal 1d3 points of damage and a Will save negates the damage instead of halving it.

Miracle
Universal
coming soon

Mordenkainen's Disjunction
Abjuration
Level: Magic 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: All magical effects and magic items within a 40-ft.-radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: No
All magical effects and magic items within the radius of the spell, except for those that you carry or touch, are disjoined. That is, spells and spell-like effects are separated into their individual components (ending the effect as a dispel magic spell does), and each permanent magic item must make a successful Will save or be turned into a normal item for 1 week. An item in a creature’s possession uses its own Will save bonus or its possessor’s Will save bonus, whichever is higher.
You also have a 50% chance of destroying an antimagic field. If the antimagic field survives the disjunction, no items within it are disjoined.
Artifacts and epic items are immune to disjunction.

 

[Szatany]

Polymorph
Replaced with Polymorph I-IX.

Polymorph I
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You or a willing creature touched transforms into another creature, chosen from the list below. The subject cannot assume the shape of any specific creature, only a general representative of that creature's kind. He cannot change into a member of his own kind, but if he is already polymorphed, you can use this spell to change the subject's shape into his original self.
The subject keeps his Hit Points, but gains all other characteristics of the new form and loses all other characteristics of his own form, including class abilities and the like.
If the new form is capable of speech, subject can communicate normally.
If polymorphed as a member of existing race, the subject is disguised as an average member of that race and gets a +10 bonus on Disguise check.
When the change occurs, all of the subject's equipment melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. As soon as the subject is restored to its original shape, all of his equipment reappears where it was. However, if you polymorph the subject into a form that has equipment listed in Monster Manual entry, the subject gains that equipment for the spell's duration. If any part of that equipment is separated from the subject, it disappears.
Any part of the body that is separated from the whole reverts to its true form.
Material Component: An empty cocoon.

Polymorph II
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
As polymorph I, but you can assume form of a more powerful creature.

Polymorph III-IX
Same as polymorph II.

LIST OF CREATURES:
Polymorph I

• Elf
• Gnoll
• Gnome
• Goblin
• Halfling
• Hobgoblin
• Kobold
• Krenshar
• Lizardfolk
• Merfolk
• Orc
• Stirge
• Troglodyte

Polymorph II

• Bugbear
• Drow
• Giant Eagle
• Giant Owl
• Grig
• Grimlock
• Hippogriff
• Sahuagin
• Shocker Lizard
• Skum
• Svirfneblin
• Worg

Polymorph III

• Ankheg
• Howler
• Nixie
• Ogre
• Pegasus
• Pseudodragon
• Rust Monster
• Satyr
• Triton
• Yeth hound

Polymorph IV

• Ettercap
• Grick
• Griffon
• Minotaur
• Otyugh
• Owlbear
• Sea Cat
• Thoqqua
• Unicorn

Polymorph V

• Achaierai
• Basilisk
• Gargoyle
• Harpy
• Hell Hound
• Manticore
• Mephit
• Winter Wolf
• Wyvern

Polymorph VI

• Azer
• Bulette
• Ethereal Filcher
• Ethereal Marauder
• Ettin
• Girallon
• Ravid
• Shadow Mastiff
• Spider Eater
• Xill

Polymorph VII

• Rast
• Scorpionfolk
• Tojanida
• Troll
• Will-O’-Wisp

Polymorph VIII

• Aboleth
• Athach
• Behir
• Gibbering Mouther
• Grey Render
• Hag
• Lamia
• Medusa
• Salamander (average)
• Xorn

Polymorph IX

• Gorgon
• Lillend
• Nightmare
• Pixie (with dance)
• Remorhaz
• Roc
• Yrthak

Polymorph Any Object
Transmutation
coming soon

Rope Trick
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One touched piece of rope from 5 ft. to 30 ft. long
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
When this spell is cast upon a piece of rope from 5 to 30 feet long, one end of the rope rises into the air until the whole rope hangs perpendicular to the ground, as if affixed at the upper end. The upper end is, in fact, fastened to a place in astral plane. Creatures in astral plane are hidden, beyond the reach of spells, unless those spells work across planes. As many as eight creatures (of any size) can hold the rope in astral space simultaneously. Creatures in the space can pull the rope up into the space, making the rope “disappear.” In that case, the rope counts as one of the eight creatures that can fit in the space. The rope can support up to 16,000 pounds. A weight greater than that can pull the rope free. If anyone drops the rope, spell for that person ends and it lands on the ground on the material plane. That creature can climb the rope again if it desires so.
Spells cannot be cast across the extradimensional interface, nor can area effects cross it. Those in the astral space can see out of it as if a 3-foot-by- 5-foot window were centered on the rope. The window is present on the Material Plane, but it’s invisible, and even creatures that can see the window can’t see through it. Anything inside the space drops out when the spell ends. The rope can be climbed by only one person at a time. The rope trick spell enables climbers to reach a normal place if they do not climb all the way to the astral space.
Note: Astral plane can be hazardous on its own. It's generally devoid of anything, but an occasional traveler or monster can be attracted to you or others holding the rope. Creatures on astral plane do not need to eat or sleep.
Material Component: Powdered corn extract and a twisted loop of parchment.

Shadow Conjuration
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, See text
Casting Time: See text
Range: See text
Effect: See text
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with); varies; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes; see text
You use material from the Plane of Shadow to shape quasi-real illusions of one or more creatures, objects, or forces. Shadow conjuration can mimic any conjuration (summoning) or conjuration (creation) spell of 3rd level or lower that is normally granted by your class (even if you personally are prohibited from casting it).
Shadow conjurations are actually one-fifth (20%) as strong as the real things, though creatures who believe the shadow conjurations to be real are affected by them at full strength.
Any creature that interacts with the conjured object, force, or creature can make a Will save to recognize its true nature.
Spells that deal damage have normal effects unless the affected creature succeeds on a Will save. Such spells deal typless damage. Each disbelieving creature takes only one-fifth (20%) damage from the attack. If the disbelieved attack has a special effect other than damage, that effect is only 20% likely to occur. Regardless of the result of the save to disbelieve, an affected creature is also allowed any save that the spell being simulated allows, but the save DC is set according to shadow conjuration’s level (4th) rather than the spell’s normal level. In addition, any effect created by shadow conjuration allows spell resistance, even if the spell it is simulating does not. Shadow objects or substances have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them.
Against disbelievers, they are 20% likely to work.
A shadow creature has one-fifth the hit points of a normal creature of its kind (regardless of whether it’s recognized as shadowy). It deals normal damage and has all normal abilities and weaknesses. Against a creature that recognizes it as a shadow creature, however, the shadow creature’s damage is one-fifth (20%) normal, and all special abilities that do not deal lethal damage are only 20% likely to work. (Roll for each use and each affected character separately.) Furthermore, the shadow creature’s AC bonuses are one-fifth as large.
A creature that succeeds on its save sees the shadow conjurations as transparent images superimposed on vague, shadowy forms.
Objects automatically succeed on their Will saves against this spell.
If mimicked spell has any components other than verbal or somatic, you must provide those components as well.
Shadow conjuration's casting time is equal to mimicked spell's casting time plus one move action.

Shadow Evocation
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, see text
Casting Time: See text
Range: See text
Effect: See text
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: Yes
You tap energy from the Plane of Shadow to cast a quasi-real, illusory version of an evocation spell of 4th level or lower that is normally granted by your class (even if you personally are prohibited from casting it).
Spells that deal damage have normal effects unless an affected creature succeeds on a Will save. Each disbelieving creature takes only one-fifth damage from the attack. If the disbelieved attack has a special effect other than damage, that effect is one-fifth as strong (if applicable) or only 20% likely to occur. If recognized as a shadow evocation, a damaging spell deals only one-fifth (20%) damage. Regardless of the result of the save to disbelieve, an affected creature is also allowed any save (or spell resistance) that the spell being simulated allows, but the save DC is set according to shadow evocation’s level (5th) rather than the spell’s normal level.
Nondamaging effects have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them. Against disbelievers, they have no effect.
Objects automatically succeed on their Will saves against this spell.
If mimicked spell has any components other than verbal or somatic, you must provide those components as well.
Shadow conjuration's casting time is equal to mimicked spell's casting time plus one move action.

Shapechange
Transmutation
Level: Animal 9, Drd 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
This spell functions like polymorph VII, except that it enables you to assume the form of any creature available with polymorph I-VI as well.
In addition, you can change form to a new one as a standard action.
If you cast this spell as cleric with animal domain, you are limited to animals, vermin, and magical beasts.[/color]
Focus: A jade circlet worth no less than 1,500 gp, which you must place on your head when casting the spell. (The focus melds into your new form when you change shape.)

Simulacrum
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 12 hours
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: One duplicate creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Simulacrum creates an illusory duplicate of any creature. The duplicate creature is partially real and formed from ice or snow. It appears to be the same as the original, but it has only one-half of the real creature’s levels or Hit Dice (and the appropriate hit points, feats, skill ranks, and special abilities for a creature of that level or HD). You can’t create a simulacrum of a creature whose Hit Dice or levels exceed your caster level. You must make a Disguise check when you cast the spell to determine how good the likeness is. A creature familiar with the original might detect the ruse with a successful Spot check (opposed by the caster’s Disguise check) or a DC 20 Sense Motive check.
At all times the simulacrum remains under your absolute command. No special telepathic link exists, so command must be exercised in some other manner. A simulacrum has no ability to become more powerful. It cannot increase its level or abilities. If reduced to 0 hit points or otherwise destroyed, it reverts to snow and melts instantly into nothingness. A complex process requiring at least 24 hours, 100 gp per hit point, and a fully equipped magical laboratory can repair damage to a simulacrum.
The simulacrum has no memories and divine abilities of the original (including cleric spells, aura of courage, and the like). It behaves similarily to the original, but has mind on its own. It is aware of what it is.
Material Component: The spell is cast over the rough snow or ice form, and some piece of the creature to be duplicated (hair, nail, or the like) must be placed inside the snow or ice. Additionally, the spell requires powdered ruby worth 100 gp per HD of the simulacrum to be created.
XP Cost: 100 XP per HD of the simulacrum to be created.

Teleport
Conjuration (Teleportation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Travel 5
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal and touch
Target: You and touched objects or other touched willing creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None and Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: No and Yes (object)
This spell instantly transports you to a designated destination, which must be within your sight, but otherwise can be as far as the horizon. Interplanar travel is not possible, nor is teleporting to places you can see with spells or similar effects. You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn’t exceed your maximum load. You may also bring one additional willing Medium or smaller creature (carrying gear or objects up to its maximum load) or its equivalent (see below) per three caster levels. A Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, a Huge creature counts as two Large creatures, and so forth. All creatures to be transported must be in contact with one another, and at least one of those creatures must be in contact with you. As with all spells where the range is personal and the target is you, you need not make a saving throw, nor is spell resistance applicable to you. Only objects held or in use (attended) by another person receive saving throws and spell resistance.
Once the spell takes place, you and your eventual companions appear on the spot you were looking at.
Focus: A special compass made of gold and astral driftmetal, worth 1,000 gp.

Teleport, Greater
Conjuration (Teleportation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 7, Travel 7
This spell functions like teleport, except that you can teleport to place you can't currently see.
You must have been or seen (via scry spell, for example) the general area you want to teleport to. You do not designate exact spot as the destination. Instead, you designate an area roughly the size of a large village or small castle, and the spell teleports you to seemingly random part of that area. Exact destination is not totally random, as empty places are more likely to attract greater teleport's subjects than occupied ones (that includes both buildings, vegetation, and people).
Areas of strong physical or magical energy may make teleportation more hazardous or even impossible.
If you attempt to teleport into a place that doesn't exist (because what you seen was an illusion or deception) or no longer can be teleported into safely (a cave system that was flooded with lava or water), the spell fails.
Interplanar travel is not possible.

True Seeing
Divination
Level: Clr 5, Drd 7, Knowledge 5, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You confer on the subject the ability to see things as they actually are. The subject sees through normal and magical darkness, notices secret doors hidden by magic, sees the exact locations of creatures or objects under blur or displacement effects, sees invisible creatures or objects normally, sees through illusions, and sees the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. Further, the subject can focus its vision to see into the Ethereal Plane (but not into extradimensional spaces). The range of true seeing conferred is 120 feet.
True seeing only discerns spells and effects with caster level +5 or lower, and up to 20. For example, a 10th level cleric will not be able to see through magical darkness created by 16th level wizard and no caster will be able to see invisible effect created by an epic sorcerer.
True seeing, however, does not penetrate solid objects. It in no way confers X-ray vision or its equivalent. It does not negate concealment, including that caused by fog and the like. True seeing does not help the viewer see through mundane disguises, spot creatures who are simply hiding, or notice secret doors hidden by mundane means. In addition, the spell effects cannot be further enhanced with known magic, so one cannot use true seeing through a crystal ball or in conjunction with clairaudience/clairvoyance.
Material Component: An ointment for the eyes that costs 250 gp and is made from mushroom powder, saffron, and fat.

Virtue
Transmutation
Level: Clr 0, Drd 0, Pal 1
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 min.
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The subject gains 2 temporary hit points. If you cast this spell as a paladin, the subject gains 2d4 temporary hit points instead.

Wall of Iron/Wall of Stone (and other spells that can provide raw materials)
Add: Any fragment of the wall separated from the main body disappears.

Wish
Universal
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, XP
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: See text
Target, Effect, or Area: See text
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes
By simply speaking aloud, you can alter reality to better suit you.
A wish can produce any one of the following effects. Each effect, however, costs you a number of experience points. The more potent the vagary, the higher the price. Also, there is 20% chance that a malevolent being or raw chaos energy will contaminate the spell and attempt to twist your wording of the wish as much as possible. Exact details of such situation are left to DM.

• Duplicate any wizard or sorcerer spell of 8th level or lower, provided the spell is not of a school prohibited to you. Cost: 200 XP per spell level.
• Duplicate any other spell of 6th level or lower, provided the spell is not of a school prohibited to you. Cost: 400 XP per spell level.
• Duplicate any wizard or sorcerer spell of 7th level or lower from a prohibited school. Cost: 300 XP per spell level.
• Duplicate any other spell of 5th level or lower from a prohibited school. Cost: 500 XP per spell level.
• Undo the harmful effects of many other spells, such as geas/quest or insanity. Cost: 200 XP per spell level.
  [*]Create a nonmagical item or building of size up to a cottage. Cost: 1 XP per 5 gp of item's value.
• Create or mend a magic item, or add to the powers of an existing magic item. Cost: 1 XP per 2 gp of the item's value.
• Grant a creature a +1 inherent bonus to an ability score or improve existing inherent bonus by +1. Inherent bonuses are instantaneous, so they cannot be dispelled. Note: Inherent bonuses to a particular ability score stack, but their total may not exceed +5 for a single ability score. Single ability score can not gain more than +1 inherent bonus at any given level. Cost: Special. You pay nothing beyond wish's basic cost (1000 XP), unless you cast wish on yourself. Spell's recipient must pay 1000 XP per point of (newly improved) inherent bonus squared (for example, yuo cast this spell on a creature that already has +3 inherent bonus to Wisdom and didn't improve the bonus at the current level; you attempt to improve the bonus to +4 so the cost is 4 x 4 x 1000 XP, or 16000 XP). Only willing creatures can be bestowed this effect.
• Remove injuries and afflictions. A single wish can aid one creature per caster level, and all subjects are cured of the same kind of affliction. For example, you could heal all the damage you and your companions have taken, or remove all poison effects from everyone in the party, but not do both with the same wish. A wish can never restore the experience point loss from any event or the level or Constitution loss from being raised from the dead. Cost: 3000 XP.
• Revive the dead. A wish can bring a dead creature back to life by duplicating a resurrection spell. A wish can revive a dead creature whose body has been destroyed, but the task takes two wishes, one to recreate the body and another to infuse the body with life again. A wish cannot prevent a character who was brought back to life from losing an experience level. Cost: 200 XP per resurrected creature's HD/level.
• Transport travelers. A wish can lift one creature per caster level from anywhere on any plane and place those creatures anywhere else on any plane regardless of local conditions. An unwilling target gets a Will save to negate the effect, and spell resistance (if any) applies. Cost: 100 XP per creature with 10 or less HD/levels, plus 500 XP per creature with 11-20 HD/levels, plus 2000 XP per creature with 21 or more HD/levels.
• Undo misfortune. A wish can undo a single recent event. The wish forces a reroll of any roll made within the last round (including your last turn). Reality reshapes itself to accommodate the new result. For example, a wish could undo an opponent’s successful save, a foe’s successful critical hit (either the attack roll or the critical roll), a friend’s failed save, and so on. The reroll, however, may be as bad as or worse than the original roll. An unwilling target gets a Will save to negate the effect, and spell resistance (if any) applies. Cost: 3000 XP.

Duplicated spells allow saves and spell resistance as normal (but save DCs are for 9th-level spells).
Material Component: When a wish duplicates a spell with a material component, you must provide that component or pay extra XP equal to 1 point per 5 gp of that component's value. Wish allows you to ignore components worth less than 5 gp.
XP Cost: The XP cost for casting wish is 1,000 XP or XP indicated by a particular effect, whichever is more. When a wish duplicates a spell that has an XP cost, you add that cost to wish's XP cost.

 

[Fieari]

I really like the changes! I may have to yoink these myself!

One thing though, in order to enable Blasphemy (and Holy Word) to not completely break epic play, I make one additional change (this honestly has very little effect on sub-epic play)

[B]HD					Effect[/B]
Equal to caster level			Dazed
Between 66%-99% of caster level		Weakened, dazed
Between 33%-65% of caster level		Paralyzed, weakened, dazed
Less than 33% of caster level		Killed, paralyzed, weakened, dazed

 

[Turanil]

I much like what you've done, and will likewise yoink it for my own purposes!

I was in fact thinking about similar things recently, so it's kind to have done the work. I especially like the treatment you gave to Teleportation, since I had no idea how to treat it. Teleportation often ruined the game in my experience. Otherwise here are some suggestions for a few modifications:

1) Teleport
Caster can teleport up to the horizon, but to arrive at a precise location, he must be able to see it clearly. For example: if the caster is in front of a building and can see inside it through a window, he could teleport inside the building to that place he saw behind the window, but not anywhere else he didn't see. If he is far enough to distinguish a window but not inside the building through it, the caster could teleport in front of the window not inside the buidling. Then if the caster is very far away, and only vaguely distinguish the building, he could teleport in its vicinity but not in a precise spot in front of that building.

2) Teleport No Error
Caster may teleport into places he sees through scrying, or places that he memorized (after having gone there at least once), but both wield a chance of mis-teleportation.

3) Hold Person/Monster/etc.
The subject becomes paralyzed and freezes in place. It is aware and breathes normally but cannot take any actions, even speech. A winged creature who is paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can’t swim and may drown. However, as soon as the subject is hurt and wounded, the enchantment is negated and the subject becomes free to act again and can defend against the action in a normal manner. Likewise, if the subject realizes that he is about to die (because a foe approaches, obviously to give him a "coup de grace"; or because a lava flow is rushing toward him; etc.) the subject is entitled a new saving throw each round of the impending noticed danger, to get free from the spell.

 

[jeffh]

With Blasphemy and its cousins, I actually wonder if you’ve gone far enough. I certainly agree with what you’re trying to do, i.e. make them affect the opposite alignment more than neutrals.

The change to Colour Spray seems unnecessary.

It’s not clear what the penalty mentioned for Fly applies to, and it’s very vague as to what you can and can’t do.

I don’t care for the bookkeeping you’ve added to Freedom of Movement.

I do like the changes to Gate, and that one is genuinely problematic in a way that a lot of the spells you’re changing aren’t.

I prefer the official 3.5 change to Hold Person. One thing I’m not clear on is what sort of hostile action triggers the escape clause – is it literally any hostile action, or only one taken towards the held creature? It sounds like the former, in which case you’ve neutered the spell too much and the 3.5 version is definitely preferable. If it’s the latter, that’s actually kind of a nifty limitation; I may even use that, whether it was what you intended or not.

The approach you’ve taken to the Polymorph spells – limiting them to specific lists of creatures – is sound in theory but I don’t like the length of the lists or some of the specific choices on them (e.g. turning into a Basilisk with a 5th level spell makes Flesh to Stone obsolete). Also, is spellcasting retained or isn’t it? The description contradicts itself, as spellcasting is a class ability. And if it is, why are other class abilities lost? That doesn’t seem either fair or particularly sensible.

What’s the point of your version of Rope Trick? You seem to have shut down the main purpose of the spell (creating a safe place to rest). It’s possible, even probable, that the original is too good for its level, but if that’s your only problem with it, raise its level or ban it.

Similarly, your changes to Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation defeat the purpose of learning those spells in the first place. If they don’t let you do anything but inferior versions of things you can already do anyway, I can’t see why anyone would bother with them.

Similar comments apply to Sleep as to Hold Person.

I like the line of sight limit on Teleport as a way around Scry/Teleport assassination.

 

[Szatany]

The change to Colour Spray seems unnecessary.

I agree. Actually, I posted the same material on several other threads and gained a lot of feedback. In moments I will update 1st and 2nd post. Among other things we decided that CS fixing was unnecessary.

It’s not clear what the penalty mentioned for Fly applies to, and it’s very vague as to what you can and can’t do.

You're right, I don't know what was I thinking. I will replace that vague -4 with some sort of forced Concentration check.

I don’t care for the bookkeeping you’ve added to Freedom of Movement.

I wanted the spell's effects to be less absolute but you're right, it has more bookkeeping which is bad.

I prefer the official 3.5 change to Hold Person. One thing I’m not clear on is what sort of hostile action triggers the escape clause

Only hostile actions toward the subject release him.

The approach you’ve taken to the Polymorph spells – limiting them to specific lists of creatures – is sound in theory but I don’t like the length

They are still shorter than summon monster lists, and I prefer such a list than barely readable PHB polymorph entry

of the lists or some of the specific choices on them (e.g. turning into a Basilisk with a 5th level spell makes Flesh to Stone obsolete).

Well, you could say that by becoming a basilisk you trade your spellcasting ability for unlimited flesh to stone, but I will move that creature to 6th level anyway.

Also, is spellcasting retained or isn’t it? The description contradicts itself, as spellcasting is a class ability. And if it is, why are other class abilities lost? That doesn’t seem either fair or particularly sensible.

I will have to think about it in detail.

What’s the point of your version of Rope Trick? You seem to have shut down the main purpose of the spell (creating a safe place to rest). It’s possible, even probable, that the original is too good for its level, but if that’s your only problem with it, raise its level or ban it.

I changed rope trick because I thought it was too good, and also wanted it to use plane rules as they are. So I decided that the spell accesses astral plane and went from there.

Similarly, your changes to Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation defeat the purpose of learning those spells in the first place. If they don’t let you do anything but inferior versions of things you can already do anyway, I can’t see why anyone would bother with them.

Those spells are abusable because they let you ignore components. I fixed that. The other change is really minor thing which shows my personal taste but doesn't even change much in actual gameplay.

Similar comments apply to Sleep as to Hold Person.

Sleep was also deemed unnecessary fix. It's removed.

I like the line of sight limit on Teleport as a way around Scry/Teleport assassination.

------------------------------------------------

Based on feedback from another thread, I changed few things:

- color spray, sleep, and teleportation circle removed

- shapechange, true seeing, virtue, wall of iron, wall of stone, and wish added

- blasphemy's saving throw works differently

- shadow conjuration and evocation's parts reworded

- greater teleport completly changed

------------------------------------------------

I much like what you've done, and will likewise yoink it for my own purposes!

Ok, but only if they are very dark

I was in fact thinking about similar things recently, so it's kind to have done the work. I especially like the treatment you gave to Teleportation, since I had no idea how to treat it. Teleportation often ruined the game in my experience.

Well, then you should enjoy new greater teleport. It's similar to PHB teleport on the surface, but it has fun rule that prevents it from spoiling anything if only DM doesn't wish it to!

1) Teleport
Caster can teleport up to the horizon, but to arrive at a precise location, he must be able to see it clearly. For example: if the caster is in front of a building and can see inside it through a window, he could teleport inside the building to that place he saw behind the window, but not anywhere else he didn't see. If he is far enough to distinguish a window but not inside the building through it, the caster could teleport in front of the window not inside the buidling. Then if the caster is very far away, and only vaguely distinguish the building, he could teleport in its vicinity but not in a precise spot in front of that building.

I like this one, I will most likely incorporate it
Now that I think of it (good thing I'm first!), I need to add a line that prevents the spell to be used to travel to other stars

3) Hold Person/Monster/etc.
The subject becomes paralyzed and freezes in place. It is aware and breathes normally but cannot take any actions, even speech. A winged creature who is paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can’t swim and may drown. However, as soon as the subject is hurt and wounded, the enchantment is negated and the subject becomes free to act again and can defend against the action in a normal manner. Likewise, if the subject realizes that he is about to die (because a foe approaches, obviously to give him a "coup de grace"; or because a lava flow is rushing toward him; etc.) the subject is entitled a new saving throw each round of the impending noticed danger, to get free from the spell.

This one would make problems because it basically says you can react to wound after you received it. How come? I also like the idea that someone held might be covered with lava. It's a smart and rarely possible use of the spell and a player should be rewarded for his imagination.

 

[airwalkrr]

I'll be honest. I don't like most of the changes. In general, it seems like you "fix" a lot of things that weren't broken or made complex things which were simple. However, you do have some good ideas. I like, for instance, your ideas on polymorph; though I won't yoink them wholesale, I may incorporate some of them into my home campaign. Some exceptions include divine power (I like it because it is simpler, but I don't feel it was complicated enough before to require a change), enlarge person (vast improvement over the current "must-have" 3.5 version), identify (I never saw why clerics didn't need to pay to cast it either), and rope trick (it is quite easy to rest in a rope trick, but putting you on the astral plane is a double edged sword; I like that).

Good work overall. I am curious about your motivations for some of the changes though. Specifically in the case of alter self, it seems you took a confusing spell, removed most of the confusion, and merely layered on lots of complexity. The new version is more complex, but easier to understand. I'm not sure if that was needed. I think simply clarifying the original spell would be better. I also don't agree with your change to hold person. I think simply making it a "dazed" condition preserves the intent of the spell much better. I don't understand the reason for the change to teleport at all. Seems it is now more of a "greater dimension door" than a "teleport." The change to true seeing is understandable, although it adds a level of complexity that I don't think is necessary. I also understand wanting to "fix" blasphemy, but I don't think you've "fixed" it so much as put a band-aid on a knife wound. I simply allow a Will save with a penalty for each level you are below the caster to negate the effect in my home campaign and it seems much more fair. I think your change to fly is a mistake, as it makes dispelling a fly spell an auto-kill in high altitude combat. I feel your change to freedom of movement (while I recognize it is a powerful spell) adds too much. Giving PCs yet one more thing to track will detract from the gameplay experience, and be unimportant for most high-level characters anyway. Your change to gate seems to greatly diminish the power of the spell. Adding an XP cost for summoning a specific creature is a good way to balance the spell in a simple manner.

 

[Szatany]

things that weren't broken

Well, broken is little disputable term, since it depends a lot on personal gaming style. But remember that I didn't only try to fix broken (in my oppinion) spells, also ones that I simply felt could've be done better.

or made complex things which were simple.

That is unfortunate, and I will gladly simplify things if possible, and if it doesn't make them broken. Simplicity is something D&D desperately needs IMO.

Some exceptions include divine power (I like it because it is simpler, but I don't feel it was complicated enough before to require a change),

I didn't change it because it was complicated. I changed it because I believe that clerics should not step on martial classes' toes. They just don't deserve that ability. Wanna full BAB? Be a paladin. I don't like the general trend that allows clerics (and other casters as well on more limited basis) to do just about anything there is to do, but only x times/day. Cleric should not be answer to everything.

I am curious about your motivations for some of the changes though. Specifically in the case of alter self, it seems you took a confusing spell, removed most of the confusion, and merely layered on lots of complexity. The new version is more complex, but easier to understand. I'm not sure if that was needed.

I don't see it as being complex. You simply choose few abilities from a small list. What's so complex about it? And I believe the new version is a lot less abusable while still stronger than most 2nd level spells. And it's a lot faster to use as you don't browse through MMs.

I think simply clarifying the original spell would be better.

WotC has been trying to clarify alter/poly spells for what, 6 years now? And see where they are. At best they made those spells slightly less abusable by adding unending layers of complexity and rules exceptions.

I also don't agree with your change to hold person. I think simply making it a "dazed" condition preserves the intent of the spell much better.

Not sure what do you mean by dazed, could you present your idea of the spell?

I don't understand the reason for the change to teleport at all. Seems it is now more of a "greater dimension door" than a "teleport."

Simple. I believe that teleport is just too good. My version makes scry/die tactic impossible. Also, describing teleport as greater dimension door is about right, after all they are only 1 level apart.
IMO teleport should be mainly travel spell, and my version has this function preserved.

The change to true seeing is understandable, although it adds a level of complexity that I don't think is necessary.

I agree. I'd like to simplify that, but I'm not sure how to approach that yet. Perhaps it could just say that true seeing sees through spells of up to 8th level. That would be dead simple.

I also understand wanting to "fix" blasphemy, but I don't think you've "fixed" it so much as put a band-aid on a knife wound.

Well, at least the spell now cannot kill anything that makes the save, it just grants some nasty penalties. I'm not saying that's a perfect fix, but what I added is the bare minimum the spell needed.

I simply allow a Will save with a penalty for each level you are below the caster to negate the effect in my home campaign and it seems much more fair.

It sounds complicated, and you were saying that I make complex unnecessary changes.

I think your change to fly is a mistake, as it makes dispelling a fly spell an auto-kill in high altitude combat.

High-altitude combat is rare thing, it didn't happen once in my games for example in 5 years of DMing. But even if it happens, you can still cast various spells until you fall to the ground. And you could have feather fall on yourself cast previously.

I feel your change to freedom of movement (while I recognize it is a powerful spell) adds too much. Giving PCs yet one more thing to track will detract from the gameplay experience, and be unimportant for most high-level characters anyway.

I'm aware of that. I'm currently looking for a way to remove freedom charges while preserving the idea of limited ability to avoid just about anything.

Your change to gate seems to greatly diminish the power of the spell. Adding an XP cost for summoning a specific creature is a good way to balance the spell in a simple manner.

PHB gate can be horribly abused. This gate not so much. I don't remember exactly what the trick was, but the XP cost would have to be huge. It would lead to a situation where someone either never summons anything because it costs too much or still abuses it despite the cost. And abusing is always bad, even if you have to pay for it.

------------------------------------

New version of Freedom of Movement posted. It's simpler, no bookkeeping. I decided to reduce the duration to 1 minute/level, since even with that it's an awesome defensive spell.



EDIT: Deleted the line in polymorph I about spellcasting. Now the text does not contradict itself (you do lose spellcasting while polymorphed).

 

[airwalkrr]

WotC has been trying to clarify alter/poly spells for what, 6 years now? And see where they are. At best they made those spells slightly less abusable by adding unending layers of complexity and rules exceptions.

Have you read the PH2 rules on the polymorph subschool. Very simple. Very easy. It was so simple, it made me laugh. Here they have gone to all this trouble to try to complicate polymorph in the various incarnations of the game since 1st edition, and what did they finally wind up doing? Going back to the 1st edition way of doing things. Of course, this is merely an optional rule, but one I will definitely be using in all my future campaigns as it makes polymorph MUCH easier to adjudicate and far less complicated.

Not sure what do you mean by dazed, could you present your idea of the spell?

I mean dazed, as in, the condition. IMC, hold person (and the other hold [creature] spells) daze the individual for 5 rounds. This is pretty similar to the 1st edition version in which the target loses its action for the duration of the spell. Not as bad as being completely paralyzed, and you don't even have to worry about making saving throws every round.

Simple. I believe that teleport is just too good. My version makes scry/die tactic impossible. Also, describing teleport as greater dimension door is about right, after all they are only 1 level apart.
IMO teleport should be mainly travel spell, and my version has this function preserved.

The scry/die combo is something I see mentioned far more often in theory than in practice. It only works against non-spellcasters with poor Will saves, poor Intelligence, and lack of mobility. If that is your main concern, you might wish to consider whether this is truly a problem with your current campaign (i.e. are your players using it all the time?) or if it is simply something you are trying to avoid "in the event..." If the latter, I would propose it isn't as much of a problem as it sounds. A good (and simpler) fix is to simply say that the teleporter always deviates a bit from his intended goal; a random deviation of 10 to 100 (1d10 x 10) feet is a good idea, one that doesn't preclude travel, but could throw a wrench into the scry n' die combo.

I agree. I'd like to simplify that, but I'm not sure how to approach that yet. Perhaps it could just say that true seeing sees through spells of up to 8th level. That would be dead simple.

That's a marvelous idea, actually.

It sounds complicated, and you were saying that I make complex unnecessary changes.

I suppose it does require a bit of calculation, but I always do it myself. For instance, Murphy's character Drezmond has 10 hit dice. Grelnor the evil cleric casts blasphemy at caster level 13. Drezmond rolls his saving throw and gets a 22. I apply a -3 penalty since I know the caster level and determine the result (19; a failure in this case as Grelnor's save DC for blasphemy is 21).

High-altitude combat is rare thing, it didn't happen once in my games for example in 5 years of DMing. But even if it happens, you can still cast various spells until you fall to the ground. And you could have feather fall on yourself cast previously.

I once ran an adventure on the Abyssal layer of Torremor, where falling meant a lot of damage. Fly was dispelled many times over many combats. It was a good thing the fly spell had a built-in feather fall effect in this case. It made the combat less complicated and also allowed the PCs to recover as opposed to simply ending their foray (and the adventure) prematurely.

I'm aware of that. I'm currently looking for a way to remove freedom charges while preserving the idea of limited ability to avoid just about anything.

How about a flat bonus, like +8, to resist or deal with such things? +8 to resist being grappled (not all grapple checks), +8 to swim checks, +8 to resist spells that impede movement. That way it makes these tasks much simpler (not even requiring a roll in some cases) while still not abrogating the possibility of failure completely. This is even simpler than your revision.

PHB gate can be horribly abused.

Agreed.

This gate not so much.

Also agreed, but it creates too many rules when one unified rule would work better.

I don't remember exactly what the trick was, but the XP cost would have to be huge. It would lead to a situation where someone either never summons anything because it costs too much or still abuses it despite the cost. And abusing is always bad, even if you have to pay for it.

How about an expensive material component then? I find PCs are often far less willing to part with gold (not seen as a renewable resource, like XP) than with XP. Plus, if you make the gp cost based on HD, say 1,000 gp per HD if summoning a unique creature, it forces the PCs to either do some research or overcompensate if they wish to summon a god or other similar creature or otherwise risk wasting money on a fizzled spell.

 

[Li Shenron]

Have you read the PH2 rules on the polymorph subschool. Very simple. Very easy. It was so simple, it made me laugh. Here they have gone to all this trouble to try to complicate polymorph in the various incarnations of the game since 1st edition, and what did they finally wind up doing? Going back to the 1st edition way of doing things. Of course, this is merely an optional rule, but one I will definitely be using in all my future campaigns as it makes polymorph MUCH easier to adjudicate and far less complicated.

I haven't seen the PHB2, but here I have to take your opinion with some skepticism. No particular reason to disbelieve your honest opinion it's just that I've heard similar things EVERY time WotC revised how polymorphing spells work...