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<blockquote data-quote="Empirate" data-source="post: 5802991" data-attributes="member: 78958"><p><strong>Love Letter </strong>is worded incredibly open-endedly: what manner of information-gathering is required of the letter's reader to find the signer? What obstacles must the reader try to overcome in order to get to the signer? How long must the reader go on trying to find/get to the signer? Can the reader save the world first, or put out the fire his room is on, or eat a meal when hungry? What consequences does the reader face if prevented from going to the signer? What if he simply can't find the signer and doesn't know where to look? What targets are viable (I'm assuming intelligent creatures capable of feeling love etc.)? Etc.</p><p></p><p>Also, having the letter affect anyone reading it opens the door to abuse further: How about a letter written on a billboard sign, put up in the capital's busiest market? How about a letter written in cloud, on the sky? High-level casters can do that.</p><p></p><p>Furthermore, the Target and Duration entries are a bit wonky, seemingly contradicting the text (charmed until someone breaks the spell; all readers are targets in a sense) and at least require a "(see text)" or similar.</p><p></p><p>I find it hard to judge what level this should be in, based on the above.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Bad Touch</strong> is an interesting spell, which suffers from its incredibly awkward casting time. I couldn't imagine a single situation in which a spell that takes 1 HOUR to cast, but only lasts a few ROUNDS, could be made to work. I strongly suggest changing the casting time to 1 standard action.</p><p></p><p>The spell misses a few key stipulations, the material component among them, but some more information on eligible targets also seems to be in order: intelligent (Int 3+) creatures, I'm guessing. Also, being compelled to fondle a Manticore when you're a Human... ouch. Finally, does it matter if the target's 'significant other' is present (and not the fondlee stipulated by the caster...)? Can the target be restrained (and what happens then)? Etc.</p><p></p><p>Power-wise, I wouldn't compare it to Suggestion but to Daze Monster and Hideous Laughter: it basically takes one target out of the encounter and compels it to do something unproductive for rounds/level. Daze Monster does the same, but it only does so for 1 round, AND has a low HD cap. Daze Monster is, furthermore, a very low-powered and limited spell (shoulda been 1st level, really) and thus probably not a good point of comparison. Hideous Laughter does the same more or less, as well, but it has certain restrictions on eligible targets; however, the target also falls prone.</p><p></p><p>Both comparable spells are 2nd level, and Bad Touch (including the abovementioned fixes) seems only slightly more powerful than Hideous Laughter. However, it WILL create socially awkward situations, possibly destroying careers, marriages etc. in a single casting. Daze Monster and Hideous Laughter have no comparable use in social situations. Since Bad Touch has no stipulation along the lines of "if the target wouldn't normally do this, it receives another save each round/a +4 bonus on the save/whatever", I'd even call it 4th level. It's OK as a 3rd level combat spell, but its social consequences, which are what you seem to be shooting for here, increase the level to me.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Empirate, post: 5802991, member: 78958"] [B]Love Letter [/B]is worded incredibly open-endedly: what manner of information-gathering is required of the letter's reader to find the signer? What obstacles must the reader try to overcome in order to get to the signer? How long must the reader go on trying to find/get to the signer? Can the reader save the world first, or put out the fire his room is on, or eat a meal when hungry? What consequences does the reader face if prevented from going to the signer? What if he simply can't find the signer and doesn't know where to look? What targets are viable (I'm assuming intelligent creatures capable of feeling love etc.)? Etc. Also, having the letter affect anyone reading it opens the door to abuse further: How about a letter written on a billboard sign, put up in the capital's busiest market? How about a letter written in cloud, on the sky? High-level casters can do that. Furthermore, the Target and Duration entries are a bit wonky, seemingly contradicting the text (charmed until someone breaks the spell; all readers are targets in a sense) and at least require a "(see text)" or similar. I find it hard to judge what level this should be in, based on the above. [B]Bad Touch[/B] is an interesting spell, which suffers from its incredibly awkward casting time. I couldn't imagine a single situation in which a spell that takes 1 HOUR to cast, but only lasts a few ROUNDS, could be made to work. I strongly suggest changing the casting time to 1 standard action. The spell misses a few key stipulations, the material component among them, but some more information on eligible targets also seems to be in order: intelligent (Int 3+) creatures, I'm guessing. Also, being compelled to fondle a Manticore when you're a Human... ouch. Finally, does it matter if the target's 'significant other' is present (and not the fondlee stipulated by the caster...)? Can the target be restrained (and what happens then)? Etc. Power-wise, I wouldn't compare it to Suggestion but to Daze Monster and Hideous Laughter: it basically takes one target out of the encounter and compels it to do something unproductive for rounds/level. Daze Monster does the same, but it only does so for 1 round, AND has a low HD cap. Daze Monster is, furthermore, a very low-powered and limited spell (shoulda been 1st level, really) and thus probably not a good point of comparison. Hideous Laughter does the same more or less, as well, but it has certain restrictions on eligible targets; however, the target also falls prone. Both comparable spells are 2nd level, and Bad Touch (including the abovementioned fixes) seems only slightly more powerful than Hideous Laughter. However, it WILL create socially awkward situations, possibly destroying careers, marriages etc. in a single casting. Daze Monster and Hideous Laughter have no comparable use in social situations. Since Bad Touch has no stipulation along the lines of "if the target wouldn't normally do this, it receives another save each round/a +4 bonus on the save/whatever", I'd even call it 4th level. It's OK as a 3rd level combat spell, but its social consequences, which are what you seem to be shooting for here, increase the level to me. [/QUOTE]
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