The Secret Question About A Spell

[el-remmen]

I know that at least one of my players trolls about these boards, so on the off chance he or any of the others is looking through the Rules forum these days I didn't want to have the thread title give away too much. . .

So, if you are in my "Out of the Frying Pan" game and have gotten this far, please click out of this thread now. . .

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Still there?

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Shoo!

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Gone? Good. So, the spell Soul Bind uses a black sapphire to bind the spirit of a dead person. . . The spell description gives no way to tell that the gem is being used for this.

Can the spirit be seen flickering around inside? Will it detect as magical (I assume so). . Can it be identified?

Thanks for suggestions and clarifications.

Also, am I the only one that thinks the amount of time you have to cast the spell is way too short and should at least be 1 hour per level?

 

[Caeleddin]

I think the idea is for the bad guy to kill you and then trap you before your buddies can raise you. So, it has to be relatively fast.

The gem should have a magical aura. I don't know about the flickering, though.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Gone? Good. So, the spell Soul Bind uses a black sapphire to bind the spirit of a dead person. . . The spell description gives no way to tell that the gem is being used for this.

Well, if the caster uses the Spell Completion method of casting, they have to "manipulate the material components" when casting the spell. I would assume that, for this spell, that means presenting the gem in some fashion.

Can the spirit be seen flickering around inside? Will it detect as magical (I assume so). . Can it be identified?

Given:

Trap the Soul
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, M, (F); see text
Casting Time: 1 standard action or see text
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent; see text
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes; see text

Then, yes, the gem would radiate magic. In fact, it radiate a Strong (spell level 7-9) aura of Conjuration magic.

As to whether the spirit could be seen flickering around inside, that's pretty much flavor text. I'd say that the gem seems to glitter oddly in the light and that, when viewed through detect magic, something can be seen swirling in its depths.

 

[Hypersmurf]

As to whether the spirit could be seen flickering around inside, that's pretty much flavor text. I'd say that the gem seems to glitter oddly in the light and that, when viewed through detect magic, something can be seen swirling in its depths.

That's probably not necessary. When a high-level caster has a friend who can't be resurrected, and he finds a black sapphire that radiates strong Conjuration on his fallen enemy, that should set off all sorts of alarm bells in his head

-Hyp.

 

[Felnar]

Spellcraft skill check?

 

[Nareau]

Spellcraft skill check?

20 + spell level: Identify a spell that’s already in place and in effect. You must be able to see or detect the effects of the spell. No action required. No retry.

Yep.

Spider

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Soul Bind is different from Trap the Soul... Though only slightly.

It would definitely radiate magic, by the RAW. Flickering soul within? I like it, but there's nothing to say it does or doesn't. I'd have it be a very faint flicker, barely noticeable, that becomes very apparent when viewed with Detect Magic.

Identify is hard to judge. It works on "magic items" and doesn't say it work simply on items that have a temporary (or even permanent) aura. So by the RAW (so far as I can find) it's a toss-up. Personally, I'd say it works; I've ruled that way in my own campaign. Certainly a Legend Lore should do the trick.

 

[VorpalStare]

Will Negates?

It's interesting that this spell allows a save to negate its effect. I thought unconscious and dead persons were not entitled to saving throws, in general.

Does the creature get all of his normal bonuses on this save? Should the BBEG quickly strip the corpse of protective magic items in preparation of casting this spell? (Possibly problematic given only a couple of minutes to cast the spell if he doesn't know what equipment the subject posesses or where he keeps it) It looks like it's the Soul of the creature that makes the saving throw, already beginning it's journey to the outer planes and leaving its material posessions behind. If that's the case, the save bonus should not include equipment bonuses.

 

[VorpalStare]

More along the lines of the original post....

Would the soul-filled gem radiate an alignment? I would assume so (lawful - chaotic, good - evil, etc.).

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's interesting that this spell allows a save to negate its effect. I thought unconscious and dead persons were not entitled to saving throws, in general.

Unconscious people get Will and Fortitude saves. (Reflex saves depend on your interpretation of 'room to move'.) Dead people are unattended nonmagical objects, and get no save.

Unconscious people are always considered 'willing' for spells that require a willing target, but that doesn't mean they automatically submit to all spells.

-Hyp.