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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 514693" data-attributes="member: 2020">Loviatar's WillHow does one outdo a spell as vile as Loviatar's Gift?  I mean, after all, the spellcaster points, and a part of the target (an eye, a finger, or other selected spots) is covered in acid which slowly fries said spot over a 2 to 8 hour period.  How does one top that?  Well, comparisons with the 6th level Harm spell and the 7th level Destruction spell are in order.  The game designers saw fit to create a spell, with Harm, that:  Removes all hit points from the target except 1 to 4.  Allows no saving throw.  It requires a successful Touch Attack.  Harm is an AWFULLY powerful spell.  With Harm, my 11th level cleric can slap a 1,000 hit point monster, then with a mere punch for 3 hit points of damage down that monster for good.  Yes, we can Rule Zero that Harm allows a save, but the Game Designers have not done so, and Harm remains unaltered since it's creation.  Destruction is the reverse of Resurrection.  Now, I appreciate that Resurrection has changed in 3E.  I am not familiar with the changes enough to comment on them - I am familiar with the old 7th level Resurrection.  The ORIGINAL Destruction spell allowed no saving throw.  The original Destruction not only killed the target and reduced it to dust, but effectively made it dead for 10 years per level of the cleric, thus preventing resurrection of the slain by any except a higher level cleric.    Harm and Destruction were the spells I had in mind, when I created Loviatar's Will, which is 7th level.  Loviatar's Will is much more powerful than Harm or Destruction in it's Range (which was designed to terrorize powerful enemies ... if the cleric of Loviatar managed to sight you, you could kiss it goodbye!  Stay hidden, dummy!)  Loviatar's Will is much weaker than Harm or Destruction in that it will not kill at all unless a vital part (such as the brain stem) of the opponent is specified, and even then it will take hours to kill, whereas Harm and Destruction are instantaneous.  I did not believe the target should have an easy way out of this spell's effect, if the spell worked, and IC neither did the clergy of Loviatar.  Thus, unconsciousness is no protection.  Spells of 5th level and under are useless, including Dispel Magic and Remove Curse (however, a 6th level version of Dispel Magic or Remove Curse, easily researched, WOULD stop this spell.)  Cutting off the afflicted part would stop the pain with the 5th level spell, but not with this more powerful 7th level spell.  It should not be easy, to evade the might of spells of this level!  The leaping effect of this spell is stronger than with the 5th level variant.  In this case, the spell forewarns the victim that it will leap if successfully resisted.  In this case, the spell attacks the person or being most cherished by the target.  There is no saving throw for the secondary target ... just as Harm and Destruction allowed no save, but the ORIGINAL target IS entitled to a save.  Again, there is a long period (up to 24 hours) in which the effects of this spell can be halted, either for the original target or the secondary target.  It is difficult to stop the effects, but not impossible.  The clergy of Loviatar wanted to inflict psychological pain with this spell, and that was the purpose for which it was created.  It is not an effective killing spell whatsoever.  If you take a look, it is a lousy spell for killing a foe (but it is a good spell for making your enemies really angry.)  It is a lousy choice for player characters of evil alignment (and an even worse choice for PCs of neutral alignment), but it is a good choice for certain evil NPCs, who come forward to bring terror and horror to the PCs and their allies - just the sort of thing Loviarites do.  After all, their creed is:  rule through fear.  The very real fear of very real pain.  This spell was meant to keep PCs sweating.  It is a dangerous world.  There are enemies who can breach any castle wall, pierce magical defenses, break through armies and guardians.  The High Level Character must always be ready for battle, for trouble, for the attack out of nowhere.  If the High Level Character thinks THIS spell is bad, and is intimidated by it out of his wits, then he had better hang up his sword and staff, for there is much, much worse in the campaign setting than a mere terror spell like this.</blockquote>

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