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137beth
2010-09-09, 07:33 PM
Here it is:

Blessed Aura of <insert name of deity/idea/pantheon>
Level: Clr 5
Components: V,S,M,DF
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 40-ft.-radius emanation
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: yes (harmless, see text)

You call about the power of your deity to bless an area. Creatures in the area get a bonus (or penalty) as detailed below. If you can turn undead, the bonus is sacred. If you rebuke/command undead, the bonus is profane. Each bonus apply to all skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws made by a creature standing in the area of effect.


All creatures in the area who are the same alignment as your deity/higher power/faith gain a +1 bonus.

Any creature in the area that is a servant of your deity gains a +4 bonus.

If your deity belongs to a pantheon*, any creature in the area that is a servant of another deity in the same pantheon, or a servant of the pantheon as a whole*, gains a +2 bonus.

Any creature in the area of a different alignment than your deity gains a modifier equal to 1-<distance between their alignment and your deity's> . For example, if your deity is chaotic good, then neutral good creatures gain no bonus or penalty, chaotic evil creatures gain a -1 penalty, lawful neutral creatures get a -3 penalty, and lawful evil creatures get a -4 penalty.
Notice that this modifier is consistent with the +1 to same-aligned creatures (because 1-<0 steps away> is +1.)

If your deity belongs to a pantheon*, an alternate use is available (you decide which version of the spell to use upon casting). This version empowers the area with power from the entire pantheon. The value of the sacred/profane modifiers are slightly different. Note that in this case, when the pantheon's alignment is referenced, it refers to the entire pantheon's alignment*.

A creature with the same alignment of your pantheon gains a +1 bonus.
A creature with a different alignment than your pantheon gains a penalty as described above.

A creature that is a servant of a single deity in the pantheon gains a +2 bonus.

A creature that is a servant of the entire pantheon* gains a +3 bonus.


Special: A cleric that is a servant of an entire pantheon* can also cast the first version of this spell, and may choose to empower the area with the power of ANY deity in their pantheon.

*ANY mention of a pantheon in this spell description refers to a group of deities that share similar goals and work closely together. An example is the Sovereign Host, from the Eberron campaign setting. Rules for a divine character that serves an entire pantheon are assumed to be the rules described in the ECS, page 35. If your campaign does not contain similar pantheons , the DM and players should ignore any reference to pantheons (including the entire second use).

Material Component: Two fists full of diamond dust worth a total of at least 1800 gp.



Comments: I welcome any other advice for how to improve it.

Glimbur
2010-09-09, 08:04 PM
Compare it to Prayer, which buffs and debuffs everything you do except ability checks (which are rare unless you count initiative) and also weapon damage. It is only +1 though, while this is up to +4. This also lasts minute/level instead of round/level, which honestly is about one battle per spell either way. The emanation is smaller than Prayer by 10', but it's still enough.

I would put it at about Cleric 4, but the +4 sacred bonus to lots of stuff is quite nice. I might cap the bonus or penalty at 3 instead... but the diamond dust probably means 4 is fine.

137beth
2010-09-09, 09:28 PM
Thanks for the input! I edited it to a 40 ft. radius, to match prayer. Note that this also allows the area of effect to be centered somewhere other than on the caster. I don't think that the increased range justifies an increase in level...


On the other hand, 500 gp seems rather high for a 4th level spell lasting 1 battle. It should be usable by a level 7 cleric, who gains 650 gp per encounter on average. I am considering reducing the price to something lower...though I am not sure how much lower would be appropriate.
Then again, crushing despair gives only a -2 penalty AND gives no bonuses AND affects a smaller area...so either the material cost should be relatively high for a level 4 spell, or it should be a higher level than 4th.

blackjack217
2010-09-25, 09:03 PM
What if a cleric of Eilistraee cast the spell, she is technically past of the drow pantheon but not part of the main elven one.

ericgrau
2010-09-25, 11:42 PM
A +4 that stacks with everything is a bit much. You're effectively giving a temple the ability to cast mass divine power, plus 8 other effects as a level 4 spell o_O. For anyone else the spell is mild, but still useful. I'd cap it at +2. And even at +1 to friends and -1 to foes the spell isn't too bad compared to, say, prayer. Then maybe you could lower the material cost.

Even paying 500 gp for the +4, that's not too much to pay to turn a fight from a loss to a win. Heck, looting that one fight will get you over 5,000 gp in treasure, and more at higher levels. Or even turning a PC death to a deathless victory for only 500 gp saves you resurrection costs.

I mean at +4 instead of rolling a 10 now you need to roll a 6, instead of a 5 now you only fail on a natural 1, instead of a 15 now you only need to roll an 11. Fights will be easy. If it cost everyone involved an action or if it didn't stack with almost everything else the actual boost wouldn't be so high, but it does so it is.

137beth
2010-09-26, 09:31 AM
blackjack: This spell assumes that each deity in a pantheon has similar goals/alignments. A drow god(ess) who is an enemy of the other elven gods would not count as part of their pantheon.

ericgrau: The bonus is either sacred or profane, so it does not stack with everything. Other concerns are reasonable. Prayer is 3rd level and has no material cost, so this should definitely be stronger than that. However, notice that for a vast majority of fights, it won't be giving a +4 to everyone. The cleric casting it will probably get a +4, but the other PCs will likely get only +1, or none at all. In fact, if this is cast by a chaotic good cleric, any lawful good allies take a -1 PENALTY.

Comparing to mass divine power (assuming that is 8th level), this is definitely worse. It should probably be more than 4th level though...

So let's say its 6th level? Then I should probably up the cost also.