Tratyn Runewind
First Post
Hi again,
What Staffan said...
It wasn't outright prohibited to use the "wrong" version, just vaguely discouraged. IIRC Neutral Clerics had to choose which was their "standard" version of reversed spells, but limits and penalties for overuse of the "wrong" version were unspecified for them as well. It was never a problem in my groups, anyway - everyone knew that keeping the Fighters and Magic-Users healed up and alive produced far more damage to enemies in the long run than the paltry few points a Cleric could score by risking his hide and blowing a Cure spell in melee to touch an opponent.
In general, yes, this is bad for Sorcerers and other characters with a limited spell list. But some of the weaker Symbols and Emotions have been lowered in level, so if these are the ones you wanted to use, you're actually gaining from the split. Emotion used to be 4th level, and Symbol 8th, for Sorcerors and Wizards. Emotion was 3rd level for Bards. The Rage spell is now 3rd level for Sor/Wiz, 2nd for Bards, and the best of the old Emotion choices, Hope, is now the 3rd level Good Hope spell (which is unfortunately only on the Bard's spell list). Symbol of Sleep and Symbol of Pain are 5th level, and Symbol of Fear is 6th, and Symbol of Stunning is 7th. The breakup has also allowed the Symbols to be placed in their appropriate schools, instead of leaving the lumped-together spell in the Universal school - this means better Save DCs for those using Spell Focus Feats, and more copies prepared for the specialist Wizards.
Again, hope this helps!
Posted by the Jester:
Tratyn, maybe I'm wrong, but back in the Basic days, didn't the evil (pardon me, Chaotic) clerics only get the evil versions of the spells and vice-versa? I don't recall ever seeing a BD&D Chaotic cleric cast a cure light wounds...
What Staffan said...
It wasn't outright prohibited to use the "wrong" version, just vaguely discouraged. IIRC Neutral Clerics had to choose which was their "standard" version of reversed spells, but limits and penalties for overuse of the "wrong" version were unspecified for them as well. It was never a problem in my groups, anyway - everyone knew that keeping the Fighters and Magic-Users healed up and alive produced far more damage to enemies in the long run than the paltry few points a Cleric could score by risking his hide and blowing a Cure spell in melee to touch an opponent. In general, yes, this is bad for Sorcerers and other characters with a limited spell list. But some of the weaker Symbols and Emotions have been lowered in level, so if these are the ones you wanted to use, you're actually gaining from the split. Emotion used to be 4th level, and Symbol 8th, for Sorcerors and Wizards. Emotion was 3rd level for Bards. The Rage spell is now 3rd level for Sor/Wiz, 2nd for Bards, and the best of the old Emotion choices, Hope, is now the 3rd level Good Hope spell (which is unfortunately only on the Bard's spell list). Symbol of Sleep and Symbol of Pain are 5th level, and Symbol of Fear is 6th, and Symbol of Stunning is 7th. The breakup has also allowed the Symbols to be placed in their appropriate schools, instead of leaving the lumped-together spell in the Universal school - this means better Save DCs for those using Spell Focus Feats, and more copies prepared for the specialist Wizards.
Again, hope this helps!
