Potential game balance issue...help!

[boxstop7]

Not so sure this belongs in "Rules", but I didn't know where else to put it. Potential players (Palantir!!!) need look no further...
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I'm trying to develop a cool little ending for the players in an adventure I might be running. It'll involve each player looking into a well (the well serves as a crystal ball, a la Galadriel in LotR). In these wells each player will see a different scenario and will have to decide what course of action they will take. What the situations are isn't important (each is tied to its respective benefit/penalty). What is important is that if they choose either a "good" or "evil" way to handle the situation presented, they will recieve a bonus or penalty accordingly that will impact the battle with the final bad guy and will only last as long as they are battling in the chamber where the battle will take place. Below are the potential benefits/penalties for each well. Are any of these unbalanced? If so, how would you fix them?

Well #1:
Good - Immunity to Destruction, Evil and Trickery domain spells
Evil - (-3) to Wisdom

Well #2:
Good - Damage Reduction of +7/+2
Evil - (-3) to Constitution

Well #3:
Good - (+2) to Wisdom and Charisma
Evil - (-2) to Strength and Constitution

Well #4:
Good - Exalted (+2 morale bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, ability checks, skill checks and saving throws)
Evil - Doomed (-2 to all above)

Well #5:
Good - Quickened (+5 to Initiative)
Evil - Slowed (-5 to Initiative)

The party will be 8-9th level at the time they reach the wells. Again, are any of these unbalanced in any way, shape or form? Could they be improved upon? Can anyone think of a better way that each character might receive the bonus/penalty? Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

~Box

 

[Berk]

just sucks to see that evil is always looked down upon in roleplaying games

 

[Piratecat]

7/+2 seems a little powerful to me. How buff is the bad guy?

 

[bret]

I would make the attribute changes always be an even amount. That makes them easier to figure, since they will always change the attribute modifier by the same amount.

Looks like clerics and fighters have the most to gain or loose in this.

 

[Veldrane]

just sucks to see that evil is always looked down upon in roleplaying games

This is probably a Holy place in a good-aligned campaign.. ..it's just obvious that evil is looked down upon..

Take an evil campaign, and players will look for unholy areas to quest in.. ..where bonuses and penalties switch places..

..don't think there was need to add that pseudo-harsh comment, though..

 

[Number47]

I would change well number 4 to be a sacred bonus instead of a morale bonus, unless you really don't want it to stack with Inspire Confidence or Bless

 

[boxstop7]

updating...

Thanks for the input so far, everyone.

Yes, this is a good-aligned campaign: they've been sent by a church to stop a cleric-gone-insane from starting a ritual that would turn him into a lich courtesy of Cyric. We've got a fighter, a paladin, a cleric, a wizard and a rogue. The characters will get to choose which well they approach, but each character *must* approach one of the wells.

Yes, it did used to be a holy place, but it's been fouled recently. These wells are the only things in the area that haven't yet been corrupted by the presence of evil magic and the work of Cyric's disciples.

The final battle will consist of a CR 13 baddie, a CR 7 accomplice, a CR 5 cronie and anywhere from 10-15 CR 1 critters. They (meaning the party) will also have another level 9 cleric on their side, if all goes according to plan. If the plan falls through (which it may, knowing these players and their propensity to swing weapons before thinking), it'll just be 5 level 8-9 characters fighting the good fight.

Since each character gets to choose his or her well, do these seem pretty well balanced across the board, knowing what I've added here? Thanks again everyone!

~Box

 

[Berk]

This is probably a Holy place in a good-aligned campaign.. ..it's just obvious that evil is looked down upon..

Take an evil campaign, and players will look for unholy areas to quest in.. ..where bonuses and penalties switch places..


..don't think there was need to add that pseudo-harsh comment, though..

I figured it wasn't an evil aligned campaign, just saying that even through evil good can come.

and it wasn't a pseudo-harsh comment, though it could have been taken like it, my own apologies though cuz I meant to include a signature smilie =o)
and must have forgot =o)

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Well #1:
Good - Immunity to Destruction, Evil and Trickery domain spells
Evil - (-3) to Wisdom

The benefit is nice assuming that the bad guys use Destruction, Evil, and/or Trickery domain spells.

The penalty is strange--it should probably be -2 or -4 to wisdom. There's not much point to -3.

If you know who this is going to, I'd rig it to them. -2 wis for a divine spellcaster is a heavy penalty but not much for others. . . .

Well #2:
Good - Damage Reduction of +7/+2
Evil - (-3) to Constitution

Do the bad guys all have +2 weapons? If so, the DR is worthless.
-3 con is a strange penalty as well. I'd make it -2.

Well #3:
Good - (+2) to Wisdom and Charisma
Evil - (-2) to Strength and Constitution

+2 wis and cha would be good for a paladin or cleric, bard, or sorceror but pretty useless to anyone else. A half-orc barbarian essentially would get +1 to will saves out of this.

-2 str and -2 con is a very serious penalty--much more than the previous ones. I'd make it -2 str.

Well #4:
Good - Exalted (+2 morale bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, ability checks, skill checks and saving throws)
Evil - Doomed (-2 to all above)

This is a good bonus/penalty.

Well #5:
Good - Quickened (+5 to Initiative)
Evil - Slowed (-5 to Initiative)

The initiative modifier is pretty useless compared to the others. It only effects the first round of combat and even then not too much. If you doubt this, consider this question: Would you allow a feat with no prereqs to give +2 wis and +2 cha? How about +2 attack, damage, ability, skill, and saving throws? Probably not. Would you allow a feat to give +5 to initiative? Well, unless you're operating under odd house rules, you have have one that gives +4 init.

 

[Tetsuo]

Yes, as stated by Basilisk, a -2 penalty to both strength and constitution far outweighs the +2 to wisdom and charisma.

There's a section in the DM's guide I believe that states which stats outweigh the others. Str/Con are the two biggest stats, so if you take -2 to str/con, you'll probably need to have +3 to two other stats or possibly even +4, or just lessen the penalty. I suppose you should look at what situation your players are in as far as stats go to see what is suitable for a bonus.