Plant Body from SC (too good?)

[shilsen]

I was looking at the Plant Body spell from Spell Compendium and it seems a significantly better protective spell than most that I can think of at that level or a couple higher. It provides complete immunity to criticals, mind-affecting spells and abilities, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning a polymorphing. And also happens to last 10 minutes per level. The fact that it is a druid spell doesn't make me that happier with it, since I do think druids have been getting a little too much love recently in the spellcasting department, especially considering all of their other strengths.

In short, I'm curious to hear about people's opinions of the spell, and experiences with it, if any.

 

[Slaved]

How different is it from the spell it originally came from?

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20030420a

It is there with the name Green Oath instead of Plant Body.

 

[hong]

If it's the same spell as from Savage Species, the shaman in my Brit3E game used it all the time. It didn't cause problems, but then the (OA) shaman isn't a very powerful class.

 

[shilsen]

How different is it from the spell it originally came from?

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20030420a

It is there with the name Green Oath instead of Plant Body.

It's similar, but my original post covered everything. Those are all the benefits you get and that's it. I notice that the version you linked to was 1 hr/lvl, but only granted one of the given benefits, not all of them.

If it's the same spell as from Savage Species, the shaman in my Brit3E game used it all the time. It didn't cause problems, but then the (OA) shaman isn't a very powerful class.

It's exactly the same spell, I think, but a level lower (5th) now.

 

[hong]

5th level is silly. Even at 6th it's a great spell.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I loved this spell when i played a druid pc. Its really strong, may be broken. At level is can be cast though, druids are already immune to poison. the real qustion is, why do plants get all the love? In the old wildshape (this book came out before the errata) a druid at level 12 could wildshape into a plant and get pritty much the same benifits. So this would make this spell a level 6 spell pre errata. however a druid can wildshape for hours and this spell its 10 minits/level, so its possible they lowerd it to a level 5 spell becuse of that.

 

[shilsen]

5th level is silly. Even at 6th it's a great spell.

That's my feeling as well. I'd peg it as a very (perhaps overly) strong 6th lvl spell and a good 7th lvl spell.

 

[satori01]

7th level is too high for it. Making you immune to mind affecting spell is the power of a 1st level spell, or 3rd level if you want it to effect a 10' radius.

Immunity to crits is very nice.
Sleep is irrelevant at the level, stunning and paralysis are infrequent threats.
Immunity to polymorph is nice as well, but basically protects against a single spell, (Baleful Polymorph), and would also nerf the ability of the Druid to wildshape.

All in all it protects you against some powerful, but ultimately ancillary effects in D&D.

 

[The Souljourner]

Meh. It protects you against a whole bunch of rare afflictions. Doesn't provide any protection against most people's #1 affliction - damage. It's basically just anti-DM cheese. *shrug*

I think it's fine. Cool, but definitely not overpowered.

It would be horrible as a 6th level spell... anti-magic shell is 6th level. Talk about protection. Globe of invulnerability is 6th level. heal is 6th level. Chain lightning, disintegrate....

Yes, being immune to mind affecting stuff is pretty sweet, but that's all it does, and it only lasts 10 minutes a level, which means you can't just be assumed to have it on all day.

I don't know the spell, but I'm guessing it's personal only? So they're already immune to poison, which is about the most common thing on the list.

I say meh! It's fine as 5th. There are a lot of other good 5th level spells it's competing with, so unless you know you're travelling into DM cheese land, I don't think it's a no brainer.

-Nate

 

[hong]

Meh. It protects you against a whole bunch of rare afflictions. Doesn't provide any protection against most people's #1 affliction - damage.

Ahem. Anti-crit. Anti-sneak attack.