D&D 3E/3.5 Regenerate is useless in 3E. Why does it exist?

[BSF]

Hey! I was flipping through Magic of Faerun last night and noticed that there is a Regen spell that gives you troll's regeneration. Dang, I am too tired to remember the name. Something like Monstrous Regeneration, or something like that.

Check it out. I am curious what other people think on the power scale compared to Core Regeneration.

Since ForceUser specifically asked about a case in the Core Rules where Regeneration woudl be useful, I ignored the spells in BoVD. There are a few there that would make Regeneration more useful.

By and large, I would say the examples where this spell would be useful _without_ DM judgement are very few. As I said, I am fine with that. I don't think there is a problem with having flavor spells available. It just means that DM doesn't need to make up their own version of regenerate for use in their games.

 

[kreynolds]

Personally, I think a 7th-level spell to regrow a finger or eyeball is outrageous. *shrug* Other than that, its better than nothing. My fire genasi recently lost his eye to a jackass of a half-orc while helpless.

 

[kreynolds]

Something like Monstrous Regeneration...

That's the one. Good spell.

 

[TuDogz]

Our current campaign has used regen for the following purposes.

To restore NPC's whose bodies were shattered in torture. Arms/legs broken and purposefully reset at odd angles to make escape difficult.

Restore NPC wife's hot bod after childbearing. Twice.

Put arms back on after grim revenge. Next week. I've got two so far.

Restore the manhood and other tasty bits of a character that got stuck in a hole and had carrion crawlers nibbling on his bottom half while he was extracted from the top side (all paralyzed and couldn't even scream, I'm still laughing).

As far as core spells or straight 3e combat issues creating a need for regen there aren't any I know of. But traps, BBEGs and a little creativity/specificity in unusual circumstances have made it necessary in ours.

 

[Keith]

I think the funny thing is that this spell would actually be one of the two or three most valued and sought after spells in the event that magic was available. It is a rare case of the spells available to a class who are supposed to be spending their time healing and caring for people actually being useful for that purpose, instead of violence.

If a PC needs a reason to use this spell, consider traveling about and finding the likely large number of people injured in agricultural accidents, etc., and actually fulfilling the function of a healer. Regenerate is probably the spell that would most impress other people and make an “adventurer” seem like they had some usefulness beyond robbing the nearby graves of their ancestors...
Kind of interesting to think that this spell probably results in a world with no blind or less-able people of any kind, assuming you have at least a few people who act out of charity, and yet it is roundly regarded as a useless spell from the gamers’ perspective.

It still has the usefulness described above, though, even from that perspective. How about this: perhaps it could be used to remove distinguishing scars permanently as part of a disguise. What if characters are looking for the villain with the huge facial scar, and he doesn’t have it anymore- might be amusing.

 

[Urklore]

Perhaps it will be useful when the fighter book comes out in DEC?

 

[BSF]

Nah, I wouldn't call it useless. But, it is of limited combat value. Post-combat value is another story.

As a 7th level spell, it does seem ... well ... weak. I mean, you can bring somebody back from the dead with a 5th level spell. Admittedly, they are weak and any body parts that are missing, aren't grown back. But, this is back from the dead! Ressurect is a 7th level spell, the same level as Regenerate. So, to me, it seems like a disproportionately high level spell.

Except, that it would be tremendously useful and if it is high level, then it won't be "commonplace". Not every crippled person will have access to it. So, perhaps it is a game flavor aspect that keeps it such high level. It looks like it doesn't have any material component costs, so maybe that helps balance it against Raise Dead?

 

[Olive]

Personally, I think a 7th-level spell to regrow a finger or eyeball is outrageous. *shrug* Other than that, its better than nothing. My fire genasi recently lost his eye to a jackass of a half-orc while helpless.

Outrageous in the it's too high sense right?

I recko that DM fiat is a pretty important reason to have a spell there. I cause loss of limbs (to an NPC) in the first adventure of the current party.

 

[Pbartender]

Re: Filling a hole...

To get your Arm back, that was broken off while you were petrified.

Or your buddies could use a 0-level Mending spell on that broken stone arm, before they Stone to Flesh you...

Unless that arm was stolen after it was broken off.

 

[hong]

I recko that DM fiat is a pretty important reason to have a spell there. I cause loss of limbs (to an NPC) in the first adventure of the current party.

I think the point is that if you can DM fiat a finger off, you can just as easily DM fiat it back on.