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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 514752" data-attributes="member: 2020">Loviatar's Dominion(regards the toy computer he is typing on coldly)  There is Game Balance, and then there are Archmages and Archmagistresses.  The two concepts, do not coexist.  When I was an active player, spell resistance was based on level.  For example, a 50% magic resistance (equivalent in 3E to a spell resistance of 10) would work like that against an 11th level opponent.  Against a 12th level opponent, magic resistance dropped by 5%, to 45%.  In 3E, it would drop by one point, to 9.  So, against an 18th level archmage or archmagistress, it would drop to 15%, or 3 by 3E terms.  Against a truly competent archmage or archmagistress of, say, 25th level, it would drop to well below 0%.  So much for magic resistance.  Or spell resistance.  Or whatever you wanted to call it.  And so much for your character, if he or she was so foolish as to take on an archmage or archmagistress without proper preparation.  Consider the power of the 9th level spell Soulshatter (the spell from Relics and Rituals.)  This spell is the one that makes the target not merely dead, but truly sincerely dead.  It kills the target, and shatters the target's soul into dozens of pieces which fly around the world and hide themselves.  Finding the soul shards is very difficult, retrieving them more difficult, and unless all of them are brought back together, resurrection is not possible.  And importantly, someone out there in the designing world felt 9th level spells could affect the soul or spirit of an enemy.  Avissar's Bane was 9th level.  It allowed no save.  It could not be reversed by anything except a Wish or the death of the spellcaster (which is why it is called Avissar's Bane, by the way.)  Blade in the Soul allowed no save.  It requires the target to take a certain course of action, which can be self-destructive, or suffer 1d12 points of damage per caster level (so, at least 18d12 hp of damage would be incoming.)  If the damage killed the target, the target was returned as an undead who became fanatically loyal to his or her slayer.  Blade in the Soul was a ranged spell, too.  Therefore, with 9th level magic, it became possible for the clergy of Loviatar to create a spell to strike true TERROR into the hearts of even the mightiest of foes.  Loviatar's Dominion has a dark joke in it:  the secondary target is allowed a save (certainly, the might of Loviatar's Dominion was sufficient to disallow a save, as the much weaker Loviatar's Will did ... but the clergy of Loviatar designed it to allow a save!)  Therefore, if the main target of Loviatar's Dominion - who is forewarned by the spell just what is about to be done to him or her - chooses to resist it, he or she does so knowing that his or her most cherished someone is going to get it instead.  Except, if that cherished someone MAKES the save, the spell rebounds on the main target, and it is enhanced by the selfish act (wouldn't you call it selfish, to inflict this kind of thing on a cherished innocent?) so that no save is possible, and the main target's soul perishes at the end of the 24 hour period!  Thus, the joke is on the main target.  Had he or she accepted the attack, it would have hurt - oh Gods, it would have hurt! - but he or she would have survived, and could even have gotten help from allies to stop the pain (and thus, not suffer permanent stat losses and insanity.)  But no ... the main target choose to resist, knowing a cherished innocent would receive it instead, knowing it would kill the soul of that innocent ... but NOT knowing the innocent was entitled to a saving throw (in In Character terms, of course.)  So, when the innocent saved, and the spell rebounded on the main target ... well ... what can you say for one who'd so hurt and destroy someone he or she cherished?  The Clergy of Loviatar, depraved and dark, think this very humorous.  Others, think differently.  NO good or neutral character can use this spell, so it is off limits to most PCs.   Evil PCs who use this spell had better be prepared for retaliation - after all, what if the target is evil, decides to resist, succeeds, and the cherished someone happens to be the KING or QUEEN of a large nation, or perhaps a Chosen of Mystra, hmmm?  (Or worse, some evil Lichlord or powerful monster ... imagine the tarrasque being accidentally struck by this spell.  It will most CERTAINLY awaken, and it will most CERTAINLY want to kick some serious Faerunian butt, after being fried by this spell!!)  The point of this spell is not to kill.  The point of this spell, is not necessarily to be used at all.  The point of this spell, is to THREATEN.  The Clergy of Loviatar desire dominion over all others, to crush free will out of the minds of sentient beings, to use fear of pain as a weapon to subdue all.  This spell is a good example of that kind of thinking put into action.  Any high level character who takes on the clergy of Loviatar should be suitably protected, and have created counterspells to resist the kind of attacks they will levy against him or her.  Otherwise, if PCs insist on taking on Loviarite high clerics, archmages, and archmagistresses, without the proper preparation, without respect for the enemy, without respect for the power of magic, they will suffer the fate decreed.  If they survive this spell, and are healed of it's effects, they will have learned respect and appreciation for the enemy and their magic!  Heck, MY most powerful character, Edena, is respectful and well aware of the threat these people pose.  He does not take archmages, archmagistresses, and high clerics for granted.  He does not, anymore than he takes Larloch, the phaerimm, the Shade, or the Sharn for granted.</blockquote>

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