What's wrong with... Divine Power?

[StealthyMark]

Divine Power
Evocation
Level: Clr 4, War 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: The character
Duration: 1 round/level
Calling upon the divine power of the character's patron, the character is imbued with strength and skill in combat. The character gains the base attack bonus of a fighter of the character's total character level, an enhancement bonus to Strength sufficient to raise the character's Strength score to 18 (if it is not already 18 or higher), and 1 temporary hit point per level.

Let's analyze this spell.

"The character gains the base attack bonus of a fighter of the character's total character level"
No other effect, including Feats and Special Abilities, changes your BAB. Except for Divine Power and Tenser's Transformation. Feels quite wrong.
IMO, this should be changed to a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls per five levels, maximum +4 (+1 on level 7-9, +2 on level 10-14, +3 on level 15-19, +4 on level 20+).

"an enhancement bonus to Strength sufficient to raise the character's Strength score to 18"
A variable enhancement bonus? A fixed ability score? Didn't we get rid of ability score caps? What about stronger races, for example Storm Giants?
IMO, this should be a flat +8 enhancement bonus to Strength. Why +8? Because the average Strength of a human is 10. To get the same result, add 8. Or maybe a +4 divine bonus to Strength.

"1 temporary hit point per level"
I'm fine with that.

What do you think about this spell?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Of course, where it gets really fun is a Clr8/Wiz12 or Clr7/Wiz13 casting Divine Power followed by Tenser's Transformation for a total BAB of +26, for 6 iterative attacks. Or 8 with ITWF.

(A Wiz20 could use Limited Wish and Tenser's Transformation for BAB +30, but it doesn't change the number of attacks...)

Anyway.

I don't really have a problem with the spell changing the BAB, but I think it should change the Cleric BAB to Fighter BAB, rather than changing the Character BAB to Fighter BAB. After all, the temporary hit points are based on class level, not character level.

I understand your point about the 18 Str. Even though 18 is 8 higher than human average... I think a flat +8 Enhancement is maybe slightly overpowered, though. That's just a gut feeling, but it's more than an Empowered Bull's Strength - also a 4th level spell, and the definitive "make me stronger" spell - can do on a perfect roll. And let's face it - is EBS usually cast on the guy with 10 Str, or the guy with 16+ already?

Just thoughts.

-Hyp.

 

[StealthyMark]

I think a flat +8 Enhancement is maybe slightly overpowered, though. That's just a gut feeling, but it's more than an Empowered Bull's Strength - also a 4th level spell

Yeah, didn't thougth about that. Maybe +6 enhancement bonus. After all, a real 4th level spell is supposed to be slightly better than a metamagicked one.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yeah, didn't thougth about that. Maybe +6 enhancement bonus. After all, a real 4th level spell is supposed to be slightly better than a metamagicked one.

Well, Bull's Strength doesn't give up to +5 BAB and 20 hit points

All it does is Strength... so it should be better at it than a generalised buff spell.

+6 sits more easily with me. Better max than 2nd level BS, better average but lower max than 4th level EBS.

-Hyp.

 

[Rook]

Don't forget that Bull's Strength lasts hours, while Divine Power will likely last a minute or so. I agree that the "enhancement bonus to 18 Str" is annoying, and I might consider the +6 Str enchancement bonus. Note that I think even without this change, Divine Power is fine, as long as you don't allow the Persistent Spell feat in your campaign.

 

['o Skoteinos]

Giving a +6 enhancement bonus isn't such a good idea: a cleric with 16 strenght will have more benefit with a +6 enhancement bonus than with "strenght set to 18". I don't have a problem with this spell, but if you want to change it, how's "+6 enhancement bonus to strenght to a maximum of 18"?

 

[Xahn'Tyr]

Well, if you weaken Divine Power so that I have to be casting Empowered Bull's Strength on myself (for STR) and Empowered Endurance on myself (for hp) and Greater Magic Weapon on myself (for a better to hit chance), then that is three less spells I am going to cast on the fighter, mage, and everyone else who is expecting me to buff them.

Leave the clerics alone. They are all but required to use half their abilities to help the other players, so it makes sense that the few they get to use on themselves be decent. Now if you have selfish clerics in your campaign, try to change the players, not the rules.

 

[dcollins]

If you go down this route, you might consider that the "typical" cleric adventurer is presumed to have a Strength of 13 (DMG p. 51). This would argue for giving a +5 enhancement to Strength.

 

[Crothian]

THe change of the BAB is so that you can get additional attacks. I have no problem with that. The increase to an 18 strength is probably becvause that is human maximium at first level. I don't think that number was pulled out of the air. So, that makes this spoell mre useful for weak creatures. I had a few Halfling NPCs use this spell when the PCs attacked them. THe PCs couldn't figure out how the halflings were so strong. The temporary HPs are nice, but there aren't that many of them.

I like the spell as is. I think it works great in the correct situations. Not all spells should be useful for everyone. There are enough other fourth level spells out there.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I doubt Tenser's transformation and divine power stack, and anyway, Wizard/Clerics are rare (unless they worship Mystra or Azuth I guess). I don't like the Str 18 part.