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Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-06, 11:56 AM
A few people may remember this domain from back when I first posted it. Well, now that Keith Baker has come along with his blessed birth spell and rendered the domain's 2nd level spell obsolete, I need a new one. I've reposted the domain and its spells a) to (re)familiarize you with the flavor of the domain, and b) to prevent you from having to dig through my campaign setting thread to find it.

The spell that needs to be replaced is ease birth; and just as a quick note, this domain is concerned with human and demihuman fertility primarily, with some applications for animal fertility. Plant fertility is handled already by the Plant domain, so all you people who want to go on and on about ancient fertility cults and the involvement of plants and animals can just bugger off and keep yer yaps shut. Thank you.

Fertility Domain
Deities: Fortuna, Maia, Mariko
Granted Power: You are immune to all mundane disease. At 5th level, you become immune to supernatural disease as well.
Spells
1 Conceive/Contraceive*: Guarantees conception or contraception for 1 hour after cast.
2 Protected Youth*: Protects one infant from disease and poison until adulthood.
3 Protection from Disease*: Grants temporary immunity to mundane disease.
4 Bestow/Remove Potency*: Makes one subject sexually potent or impotent.
5 Bestow/Remove Fertility*: Makes one subject fertile or infertile.
6 Miraculous Birth*: Magically removes a baby from the mother during labor.
7 Protection from Disease, Greater*: As protection from disease, but protects against supernatural disease as well.
8 Parthenogenesis*: One woman magically conceives without having intercourse.
9 Transfer Pregnancy*: Transfers a developing fetus from one woman to another.

Bestow/Remove Fertility
Transmutation
Level: Druid 5, Fertility 5
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 creature within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

If you picked bestow fertility, target creature becomes fertile; that is, able to father or bear children. If you picked remove fertility, target creature becomes infertile; that is, unable to father or bear children. Bestow/remove fertility counters and dispels itself. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.

Bestow/Remove Potency
Transmutation
Level: Druid 4, Fertility 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 male creature within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

If you picked bestow potency, target creature becomes sexually potent. If you picked remove potency, target creature becomes sexually impotent. Bestow/remove potency counters and dispels itself. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.

Conceive/Contraceive
Conjuration
Level: Druid 1, Fertility 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 hour/level or Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

For 1 hour/level after the casting of this spell, if the subject engages in sexual intercourse, one of two effects will take place, depending on the version of the spell you chose:
Conceive: The target becomes pregnant. Conceive counters and dispels contraceive.
Contraceive: The target does not become pregnant. Alternatively, contraceive can be used to prevent pregnancy from occurring if cast up to 1 hour/level after intercourse. This use of the spell is instantaneous in duration. Either version of contraceive counters and dispels conceive.
If two partners have opposing versions on themselves both are dispelled. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.

Miraculous Birth
Conjuration (Healing, Creation)
Level: Fertility 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 1 woman in labor and 1 infant being born within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The infant is removed from the mother, the umbilical cord cut and tied, the infant cleaned, wrapped in blankets or other cloth, and deposited in the caster's arms. Both the mother and the infant are healthy.

Parthenogenesis
Conjuration
Level: Fertility 8
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: 1 female creature of childbearing age touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

One female creature of childbearing age whom you touch conceives a child. You must specify the gender of the child during the casting of this spell. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.
Material component: A few drops of fresh semen. You must supply this component even if you possess the Eschew Materials feat, and this component is not contained within spell component pouches.

Protected Youth
Aburjation
Level: Druid 2, Fertility 2
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: touch
Target: 1 newborn infant
Duration: varies; see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The child is blessed with health through his developmental years and gains a +2 to his fortitude saves against poison, disease, and sickness until around the time of his adulthood. Though the exact time that the benefit wears off can't be fully predicted, it is always gone by the time the child is fully developed into adulthood.
Material component: A bit of holy water or holly ashes to be sprinkled on the baby.

Protection from Disease
Abjuration
Level: Druid 3, Fertility 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The target is immune to mundane disease for the duration of this spell.

Protection from Disease, Greater
Abjuration
Level: Fertility 7

As protection from disease, except that the spell grants immunity to supernatural disease in addition to mundane disease, and as noted above.

Transfer Pregnancy
Transmutation
Level: Fertility 9
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: 2 female humanoids of childbearing age of the same race within range, one of whom is pregnant
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

When you cast this spell, the pregnant target ceases to be pregnant, and the other target becomes pregnant with the same child. The newly pregnant target is at the same stage of pregnancy as the target who was originally pregnant.

averagejoe
2006-12-06, 07:53 PM
It would probably be a good idea, in the interest of my not re-covering ground, to say what blessed birth does. I assume it ensures an automatically safe delivery, but it would be nice to state it's precise effects.

I don't know if you have pregnancy rules either, but a spell like relieve morning sickness, or some varient would be in-flavor and useful, though perhaps you'd consider it already covered in remove disease. It also may be a somewhat paltry effect for second level, but it's hard to judge with this pregnancy stuff, as it is almost completely out of combat. Maybe, then, avoid nausia, or something, would be something more generally useful, but still have the application for easing pregnancy/birth.

That's all I have right now. I'll come back if I think of anything else.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-06, 07:56 PM
Blessed birth is a spell created by Keith Baker for the Gleaner class here on GitP. Gimme a sec to go grab the text and post it here (dunno why I didn't before - it is OGC, after all).



Blessed Birth
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Gleaner 1
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Pregnant creature touched
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You channel positive energy to ease the birthing process of any mother to be. If a child is born while the mother is under the influence of this spell, the birth will be swift, pain will be limited, and chances of survival are greatly increased. This spell also provides the subject with a +3 resistance bonus to Fortitude and Will saving throws against effects based on extreme pain, such as symbol of pain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/symbolOfPain.htm) or recall agony (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/recallAgony.htm).

ChaosStorm
2006-12-06, 08:24 PM
I'm not totally certain whether Brace New World or Transfer Pregnancy would be considered Harmless, but I understand the situation.

It's a really interesting spell list and Domain. I love the flavor idea that's associated with this Domain. In practical use for an adventurer this Domain isn't so important, but Fertility Gods are a normal part of some societies and the players could easily come across a group that uses this Domain. I like it!

I wonder if there are any other classes that might have access to these spells. Druid and Domain make a lot of sense, but I'm almost tempted to ask about Bards.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-06, 08:48 PM
Thank you for the positive feedback, ChaosStorm. But, to reiterate, what I'm really looking for is a replacement for ease birth. Any ideas?

averagejoe
2006-12-06, 09:21 PM
This is something I've been tossing around, but want to know if it's appropriate for the flavor you want before doing anything concrete. I was thinking of something where you bless the child itself, perhaps only usable on fetuses and three-month-olders, that helps them through childhood in some way. I have a few ideas on this, but want to know if it's the sort of thing you might want first.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-06, 09:24 PM
Hmmm. Out of the three goddesses who have the domain, it's appropriate for two of them. Let's hear it.

Mewtarthio
2006-12-06, 10:14 PM
Doesn't the material component of Brave New Word kinda defeat the purpose unless one of the couple has a Vow of Sexual Abstinence?

...By the way, what happens if a Cleric with Eschew Materials casts the spell? Is is the child biologically his? What if the Cleric's a woman? Or do you just force the player to acquire some semen and say Eschew Materials doesn't apply to that spell (as is sometimes done with Plane Shift)?

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-06, 10:22 PM
The child quite literally has no father. The gender of the cleric is immaterial, and I will add text to the effect that the semen is required even if the caster possesses the Eschew Materials feat.

averagejoe
2006-12-06, 11:30 PM
I had three ideas along that vein. Both of them would have little to no effect on the PC's, but that's pretty much true for most of these spells. Again, the essential idea is that the child is given a blessing, to aid in its development.

In each case the target would be "one fetus or one child of less than three (or whatever) months of age," and in each case the spell works only once on any single child. In each case the spell is supposed to ensure that the child grows up safely.

Idea #1: The child is blessed with health through his/her developmental years and gains a +2 to his/her saves vs disease/sickness until around his/her adulthood. Though the exact time that the benifit wears off can't be fully predicted, it is always gone by the time the child is fully developed. (this is the simplest one, and probably my favorite).

Idea #2: The child's growth is blessed, and the child is watched by divine agents. This gives the child extraordinary luck at a critical time during his/her life. The first time in the child's life that the child would be reduced to 0 hp because of a failed save, the child may reroll the save with a +2 luck bonus. This check may be made after the result of the initial save is known. (This one is somewhat problematic, as this event in the child's life would never bee "seen." Still, it could be described as an, "this one time I almost got buried by a rockslide, but luckily X happened and I was alright" story in the child's life. Still, if it was to be used it could probably do with some more tweaking.)

Idea #3: The child grows up to be extraordinarily healthy. He/she gets a +1 perminant bonus to his/her constitution. (This one has rather obvious problems. In the case of the players, if any of them were to have been blessed by this effect as a child, one could just rule that one of their constitution points they had anyways was because of this.)

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-06, 11:45 PM
#1 is the best.

averagejoe
2006-12-07, 12:01 AM
I thought so too, I just wanted to give options. They were just the possible interpretations for a "blessed child" I could think of.

One other idea that just came to me is a divination that is essentially the equivilent of a modern sonogram. I don't know what the exact implications of this would be in terms of the rules (heck, I don't even know why sonograms help, and the divinatoion would do it much better.) Just throwing stuff out there.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-07, 12:06 AM
Yeah, existing divinations aready cover that aspect. I like the blessed child thing much better. If you're any good at statting up spells, go on ahead and write it up, and I'll put you on my list of contributors.

TimeWizard
2006-12-07, 12:07 AM
Points for Brave New World. May those born of it be wonderous people. Increased fertility and increased potency seem kind of redundent. On a side note, do you find players mature enough for this? it seems kind of, well, many groups dont get past the sophmoric notion that female PC's (or NPC's of signifigance) have a certain minimum cup size.

With what degree of finesse is such a topic handled?

averagejoe
2006-12-07, 12:23 AM
This is my write up. (obviously) I changed the maximum age for the child, because one could probably use the phases of the moon, or something, to describe the reasoning for this, if necessary.

Enduring Beginnings
Aburjation
Level: Fertility 2
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: ten minutes
Range: touch
Target: 1 unborn infant or 1 baby less than one month old
Duration: varies; see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The child is blessed with health through his developmental years and gains a +2 to his fortitude saves vs poison, disease, and sickness until around the time of his adulthood. Though the exact time that the benifit wears off can't be fully predicted, it is always gone by the time the child is fully developed into adulthood.
Material component: A bit of holy water, to be sprinkled on the child (or mother if the baby is unborn), or a bit of holly (or other holy plant), to be burned.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-07, 01:00 AM
Problem: This spell has the same name as the one Keith Baker invented. Give it a new name, and we're set.

@ TimeWizard: Well, fertility and potency are different things. I suggest you look them up before saying that they are redundant. As for the maturity level, that will obviously vary from group to group, as will the degree of finesse required to handle the topic.

averagejoe
2006-12-07, 01:12 AM
D'oh. Musta been subconcious. I hate it when I do that. Erm... sorry Kieth, if you're out there.

How about Enduring Beginnings? I'll go ahead and retroactively change... I mean, do nothing because you're obviously mistaken. I had this name up the whole time.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-07, 01:16 AM
Meh. It's vaguelt unsatsfying, but I can't come up with anything better. We'll go with it for now.

Mewtarthio
2006-12-07, 10:47 AM
How about "Auspicious Childhood"?

Also, if you hit someone with "Remove Potency," does that really mean that they are rendered sexually impotent forever? I know there's no mechanical downside, but it still seems harsh. Can "Remove Curse" restore potency, or do you have to find another cleric of a fertility god/goddess?

Rebonack
2006-12-07, 11:28 AM
I would suggest changing the name of Brave New World to Parthenogenesis for two reasons.

1) It the technical term for a virgin birth.

and

2) It sounds spiffyer.

ChaosStorm
2006-12-07, 11:47 AM
Oh. haha. got a little to caught up in the exciting new Domain and spells to think about the problem at hand.

I'm suddenly reminded of Sleeping Beauty and the types of blessings given to her when she was born.

How about "Stouthearted Childhood"? Or Hardy?

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-07, 11:58 AM
Also, if you hit someone with "Remove Potency," does that really mean that they are rendered sexually impotent forever?
Yes.


Can "Remove Curse" restore potency, or do you have to find another cleric of a fertility god/goddess?Hm. I'm going to go with having to find another fertility cleric. Bestow/remove potency is an instantaneous effect, so there's no curse to be removed. It's bad to tick off the goddess of sex.:smallamused: Fortunately, there are 3 goddesses with this domain, so...


I would suggest changing the name of Brave New World to Parthenogenesis for two reasons.

1) It the technical term for a virgin birth.

and

2) It sounds spiffyer.
Done.

And As for the spell formerly known as Pri - no, sorry, Enduring Beginnings, there've been a lot of good suggestions so far. "Auspicious Childhood" was my favorite until I thought of this one: Sheltered Youth.

averagejoe
2006-12-07, 04:05 PM
Yeah, any of those are way better than my names. Naming just doesn't tend to be my strong suit. I like Auspicious Childhood myself. Sheltered Youth makes him sound like he was "uncool" as a child because he wasn't exposed to enough sex/violence/swearing as a child. You know, like the stereotypical "homeschooled kid." (Stereotypical, I said. I know it doesn't fit most of the time. Sheesh.)

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-07, 04:15 PM
then how about "Protected Youth" or something like that?

Katasi
2007-01-04, 07:51 AM
I would like permission to use this domain in my PbP campaign, please.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-01-04, 09:54 AM
Go for it. *gives thumbs up*

Peregrine
2007-01-04, 10:37 AM
Hm. I'm going to go with having to find another fertility cleric. Bestow/remove potency is an instantaneous effect, so there's no curse to be removed. It's bad to tick off the goddess of sex.:smallamused: Fortunately, there are 3 goddesses with this domain, so...

Well, break enchantment would work. But finding another fertility cleric would probably be easier (4th level spell vs 5th).

I like the overall idea, but something about it seems vaguely... unsatisfying. It feels a little lacking in cohesion, like some/many of the spells were just thrown in to fill domain levels. (Which is what it does look like, reading this thread -- no offence intended, mind.) Perhaps a better way would be to brainstorm a bunch of ideas, then simplify down.

As a specific case, I agree with TimeWizard. Yes, fertility and potency are two different things, but ultimately the spell reduces to effectively the same thing. I can see a case for keeping the two spells, but as domain spells they just don't excite me. 4th level... grant/remove the capability to engage in reproductive behaviour. 5th level... grant/remove the capability for anything to come of reproductive behaviour.

And if you keep bestow/remove potency, work on its description. Male subjects only? (...actually a lot of the spells could do with better specifying of targets. Humanoid [male/female only where appropriate] would be a good limitation for most of them.) What does bestow do to a character not currently affected by remove (or the equivalent mundane medical condition)?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-01-04, 11:00 AM
I like the overall idea, but something about it seems vaguely... unsatisfying. It feels a little lacking in cohesion, like some/many of the spells were just thrown in to fill domain levels. (Which is what it does look like, reading this thread -- no offence intended, mind.) Perhaps a better way would be to brainstorm a bunch of ideas, then simplify down.

Well, if you have suggestions, feel free to put them forward. What with the rest of my campaign setting, I'm brainstormed out.


And if you keep bestow/remove potency, work on its description. Male subjects only? (...actually a lot of the spells could do with better specifying of targets. Humanoid [male/female only where appropriate] would be a good limitation for most of them.) What does bestow do to a character not currently affected by remove (or the equivalent mundane medical condition)?

Yes, you're right, bestow/remove potency should be male only... I'm pretty sure the spells dealing with pregnancies already specify females, and why should I want to limit the spells to humanoid only? And as for what bestow would do if cast on a target not affected by the opposing remove or the mundane medical condition, the answer is "the same thing that happens when a cure spell is cast on someone with full hp".

Peregrine
2007-01-04, 12:46 PM
...why should I want to limit the spells to humanoid only?

Because that avoids a whole lot of corner cases, like casting on constructs, oozes or (*shudder*) undead. Some aberrations, magical beasts, and even animals and vermin would obey the rules for sexual reproduction that your spells assume, others wouldn't (and then there's oviparous vs viviparous creatures), so you wouldn't want to blanket-include their types. Giants, fey, monstrous humanoids, and perhaps dragons would probably be safe, but how certain of that can we be? Plants may reproduce sexually, but several concepts used of humanoid reproduction would not apply. Lastly, 'woman' isn't a very well-defined game term (it could mean only female humans, for instance), but 'female humanoid' is, and I think it's about what you're after as the target for such spells as parthenogenesis.


And as for what bestow would do if cast on a target not affected by the opposing remove or the mundane medical condition, the answer is "the same thing that happens when a cure spell is cast on someone with full hp".

Righto then. I just thought it might... actually, never mind.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-01-04, 12:49 PM
Because that avoids a whole lot of corner cases, like casting on constructs, oozes or (*shudder*) undead. Some aberrations, magical beasts, and even animals and vermin would obey the rules for sexual reproduction that your spells assume, others wouldn't (and then there's oviparous vs viviparous creatures), so you wouldn't want to blanket-include their types. Giants, fey, monstrous humanoids, and perhaps dragons would probably be safe, but how certain of that can we be? Plants may reproduce sexually, but several concepts used of humanoid reproduction would not apply. Lastly, 'woman' isn't a very well-defined game term (it could mean only female humans, for instance), but 'female humanoid' is, and I think it's about what you're after as the target for such spells as parthenogenesis.

Excellent advice. Very well; editing, away!

purple gelatinous cube o' Doom
2007-01-04, 12:55 PM
wow, this is something you would think to find in the book of erotic fantasy.
Why that book was ever created is beyond me. But the sacred prostitue in there in kind of an interesting class.

XtheYeti
2007-01-04, 01:57 PM
But the sacred prostitue in there in kind of an interesting class.
What the hell has D&D come to... a hooker class? oh god

Lord Iames Osari
2007-01-04, 03:18 PM
A hooker class... with divine backing!

Katasi
2007-01-04, 05:47 PM
Yes.
It's bad to tick off the goddess of sex.

In the words of the joke:

Bob and John where golfing one day when both their balls got lost in the woods. bob came accross his ball in a growth of buttercups. Rather than just take the penalty he decided to play it from there, but missed his swing. He got really angry at this and began thrashing the buttercups. Instantly an woman appeared in front of him. "I am mother nautre" she said. "Because you destroyed my buttercups you will never have butter again, for anything ever." Then poof, she was gone. Bob looked around for John and yelled "Hey John, where are you?" John replied. "Over here in the ***** willows" Bob paniced and yelled. "Don't swing, for God's sake, don't swing!"

Iron_Mouse
2007-01-05, 06:54 AM
Dunno...that Transfer Pregnancy spell kind of creeps me out. It's usable on unwilling targets, right? So you can steal babies with it?
Having your unborn baby suddenly removed from your own womb, that's...like the worst nightmare coming true for any expecting mother (unless she doesn't want that child, but then she probably isn't "unwilling"). That's just evil.
And forcing said child into someone else who doesn't want it isn't much better, either.

I suggest to specify that the spell can only be used on willing targets (since if they're not, then the caster is almost certanly abusing it anyway). Unless of course, you want that the spell can be used that way, but then you should remove the harmless descriptor from the save.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-01-05, 10:02 AM
Well, what better way for CE clerics of Fortuna to wreak havoc? Harmless descriptor removed.

kamikasei
2007-02-11, 11:59 PM
Two thoughts.

I'm curious about Parthogenesis. You say the child has literally no father. Is it a clone of the mother? Does it get a second set of chromosomes magicked in? Will the child always be a specific gender, as happens in some real-world parthenogenesis? I think the heredity of the child could really do with more description.

Secondly, Transfer Pregnancy creeps me out. I have a mental image of a King and Queen eager to have lots of kids, but instead of popping them out one at a time and using wet nurses, the King impregnates the Queen, the Queen gets the fetus Transferred to a surrogate servant, rinse, repeat, unlimited number of heirs all gestating in parallel without the need for multiple wives...

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-12, 12:35 AM
Parthenogenesis
Conjuration
Level: Fertility 8
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: 1 female creature of childbearing age touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

One female creature of childbearing age whom you touch conceives a child. You must specify the sex of the child during the casting of this spell. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.
Material component: A few drops of fresh semen. You must supply this component even if you possess the Eschew Materials feat, and this component is not contained within spell component pouches.


Two thoughts.

I'm curious about Parthogenesis. You say the child has literally no father. Is it a clone of the mother? Does it get a second set of chromosomes magicked in? Will the child always be a specific gender, as happens in some real-world parthenogenesis? I think the heredity of the child could really do with more description.

I'm going to leave a lot of those questions for individual DMs to decide. To answer your question about gender, see the underlined portion of the quoted spell description.


Secondly, Transfer Pregnancy creeps me out. I have a mental image of a King and Queen eager to have lots of kids, but instead of popping them out one at a time and using wet nurses, the King impregnates the Queen, the Queen gets the fetus Transferred to a surrogate servant, rinse, repeat, unlimited number of heirs all gestating in parallel without the need for multiple wives...

That is pretty creepy. Let me just say that in one of my campaigns, the wielders of this magic would almost univerally decline to do that sort of thing.

The Orange Zergling
2007-02-12, 08:07 PM
Is it wrong that I snickered after reading the noteation under the material components for Parthenogenesis? (Specifically, the last part in the last sentence)

Otherwise, it seems good, not something an adventuring party would find helpful... but great for NPCs.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-12, 09:02 PM
That's mostly the point. It's NPC magic.

And no, I wouldn't say it's wrong of you to snicker.

kamikasei
2007-02-12, 09:24 PM
I'm going to leave a lot of those questions for individual DMs to decide. To answer your question about gender, see the underlined portion of the quoted spell description.

Ah yes. You'll have to forgive me, I'm apparently an imbecile, and also blind.

I do think it would be helpful to have more detail on just how some of the 'odder' spells like this work, though. Perhaps fluff rather than crunch; do you have non-mechanical explanations for these to go with the rules?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-12, 09:27 PM
Which spells did you have in mind?

kamikasei
2007-02-13, 12:06 AM
Which spells did you have in mind?

Well, most of them have a fairly obvious purpose. I suppose it's Miraculous Birth and most especially Parthenogenesis and Transfer Pregnancy that warrant explanation. The others more or less duplicate the effects of better healthcare or similar things we've seen happen in the real world, but those three basically change how reproduction works at a very basic level. Some exploration of the intent behind these, how the clergy restrict them, and what effects they have on the gameworld would be very useful.

Mewtarthio
2007-02-13, 09:10 PM
Well, most of them have a fairly obvious purpose. I suppose it's Miraculous Birth and most especially Parthenogenesis and Transfer Pregnancy that warrant explanation. The others more or less duplicate the effects of better healthcare or similar things we've seen happen in the real world, but those three basically change how reproduction works at a very basic level. Some exploration of the intent behind these, how the clergy restrict them, and what effects they have on the gameworld would be very useful.

Miraculous Birth doesn't really change anything reproductive. It basically speeds up the birthing process and does all the work that a midwife would do in one standard action. Transfer Pregnancy just moves the fetus from one female to another. Parthenogenesis...

Hang on, what does Parthenogenesis do? If the semen's fresh, and you want to impregnate the woman, isn't it easier to do it the natural way rather than giving it to a cleric? I suppose you could "stealth impregnate" someone with this spell, but something makes me think that anyone who takes this domain would find a few things morally wrong with that.

By the way, does Bestow/Remove Potency also affect sexual desire, or does it just prevent the action itself?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-13, 09:27 PM
*sigh* Just because fresh semen is a material component doesn't mean that the donor of the semen has anything to do with the spell or the result, at least not in any more meaningful a way than a bat has anything to do with a fireball cast using its guano.

Bestow/Remove Potency affects only the physical ability.

Mewtarthio
2007-02-13, 09:47 PM
*sigh* Just because fresh semen is a material component doesn't mean that the donor of the semen has anything to do with the spell or the result, at least not in any more meaningful a way than a bat has anything to do with a fireball cast using its guano.

I was just wondering why, if you've already got a fertile male and a childbearing female, you'd use this spell instead of the natural method.

...Wait, nevermind, I just figured it out. Funny how that objection seems so stupid when you put it in print. Carry on.