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View Full Version : (3.X) (Spell) Spiking the Bloody Wheels, an Anti-Ritual spell (P.E.A.C.H.)



DracoDei
2013-07-14, 09:06 PM
Invented these two spells for a homebrew friendly campaign I am playing in. No idea if the GM will allow my character to research them.

Obviously, a version of this that drops the necromancy tag and works on non-living material components or focii for rituals would be possible, but my character, Martin Morgan, has a necromancy focus and is planning to stick to what he knows.

Also, I know Detect Magic counters most of the uses of this spell... but Magic Aura counters Detect Magic.

Martin's Blood Ritual Sabotage
Necromancy/Abjuration
Level: Clr 3, Druid 4, Pal 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target or Area: Creature touched
Duration: 2 days/level or until discharged
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes; see text

If the creature is killed as part of a ritual or other spellcasting the release of spiritual energy from the killing is twisted against the ritual. Creatures of animal intelligence do not receive a saving throw against this spell.

This can have one of three effects, chosen at the time of casting (these effects are without save or spell resistance)*:

As per a Dispel Magic targeted at the ritual. This is either a Targeted Dispel, or Counterspell, depending on which the GM deems most appropriate. This dispel check gains a +2 untyped bonus. Note that this may increase the total bonus beyond the maxima listed in Dispel Magic.
Whatever 'fuel' the creature would provide to the ritual is doubled and then SUBTRACTED from the ritual.** The 'fuel' is instead quadrupled before the subtraction.
The DCs of all checks (Skills, caster-level, etc), is increased by +2 +4. The GM should note down how much each check was made by, since this applies retroactively as well.

*If the creature targeted by this spell has has an intelligence score of at least 3, and gives its consent, knowing the of the function of this spell and willingly fails its saving throw (and spell resistance, if any) against this spell then the effects are increased as detailed in underlined portions. No duress, compulsion, or magical influence can force the subject to accept this spell (although it might still be inflicted on it without the added benefits). Note that this consent can not be later withdrawn to any effect, and the victim can take whatever measures they like to avoid being sacrificed (other than, obviously, successful attempts to negate the effects of this spell) without impairing this spell in the least. This could include attempts to escape, informing the ritualists they are the subject of this spell (an option with limited utility), or whatever.

**For instance:

If a ritual requires 10 infants to be sacrificed, and 11 are actually sacrificed, but one of them has this spell on it, then it fails as if only 9 had been sacrificed.
If a ritual has a 1% chance of success for each (house) cat sacrificed, plus 5% for each great cat (lion, tiger, cheetah, puma, etc) sacrificed, and 50 cats and 10 great cats are sacrificed, but 2 of the (house) cats were the subjects of this spell, then the ritual has a 48+(5*10)-(2*2)= 94% chance of success.
If a ritual has a duration of 1 day for each humanoid sacrificed, and 6 humanoids are sacrificed, but one has willingly had this spell placed on them, then the effects of the ritual last only a single day.


Material Component: A miniature golden statue that is a generic image of the target's species, worth at least 200 GP.

Martin's Blood Ritual Sabotage, Greater
Necromancy/Abjuration
Level: Clr 6, Drd 7, Pal 4*, Sor/Wiz 6
Duration: 1 week/level or until discharged
*When cast by a Paladin, this spell only functions on willing targets (as defined in the description for Martin's Blood Ritual Sabotage).

This spell functions like Martin's Ritual Sabotage, except as follows:

The three effects (and upgrade versions for intelligent, willing recipients of this spell), are as follows:

As per a Dispel Magic, Greater targeted at the ritual. This is either a Targeted Dispel, or Counterspell, depending on which the GM deems most appropriate. This dispel check gains a +4 untyped bonus. Note that this may increase the total bonus beyond the maxima listed in Dispel Magic, Greater.
Whatever 'fuel' the creature would provide to the ritual is tripled and then SUBTRACTED from the ritual. The 'fuel' is instead multiplied by six before the subtraction.
The DCs of all checks (Skills, caster-level, etc), is increased by +4 +8. The GM should note down how much each check was made by, since this applies retroactively as well.

In addition, a willing subject with the ability to cast spells of at least 0th level and/or 1 rank in spellcraft gains the ability to switch between the three effects as a spell-like ability that counts as a 0th level spell for purposes of concentration checks, and has no components.

If an additional material components of 1,000 GP worth of diamonds and 1,000 GP worth of pearls are provided then a willing subject gains spell resistance equal to 15+the caster level of this spell against Soul Bind and similar attempts to manipulate their soul during or after their death, and, much more importantly, if brought back from the dead after being killed during a ritual that triggered this spell via a method that usually involves losing a level, they may either:

Add any XPs that they had above their previous level to their new level, thus perhaps meaning that they do not lose a level after all, only some experience.
Have 80% of the experience points over their new level necessary to progress to their previous level, rather than 50%.

Material Component: A miniature golden statue that is a generic image of the target's species, worth at least 400 GP.



Questions:

Did I give too many examples?
Are all three options for how it disrupts the ritual good to have?
Did I make the kickers for willing sacrifices too powerful? Are they too complicated for the Greater version?
Are the levels right? I based them off of both Dispel Magic/Greater, and Glyph of Warding, Greater for clerics, and sorcerers/wizards. Paladin and Druid were added at the last minute for purposes of this thread. Not sure if druids should get them a level later, or at the same level as a cleric. It seems like a very "Paladin" spell, especially if cast on themselves, so I gave them access to the Greater version, and then threw in a caveat to balance it.
I designed the material components to require either carrying around a lot of them and a substantial gold piece investment, or actual forethought and planning. Does that make it too difficult?

DracoDei
2013-08-03, 12:58 PM
Well, the GM approved this, but I'm bumping for feedback anyway.

Cheiromancer
2013-08-04, 05:51 PM
I would make it a lot cheaper and easier to cast. And affect more creatures (1/level, maybe) for a much longer period of time.

Actually, wouldn't it be more practical to stop the bad guys from kidnapping and sacrificing babies than to go around casting this spell?

DracoDei
2013-08-04, 06:07 PM
I would make it a lot cheaper and easier to cast. And affect more creatures (1/level, maybe) for a much longer period of time.
I based the cost on Glyph of Warding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glyphOfWarding.htm)/Greater (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glyphOfWardingGreater.htm)

And any of them can be pretty nasty.
EDIT: And I meant to say that the one that subtracts two instead of adding one for the number of effective sacrificial victims is especially nasty.

Actually, wouldn't it be more practical to stop the bad guys from kidnapping and sacrificing babies than to go around casting this spell?
Ah, but if they even SUSPECT you have cast this then they get a lot more paranoid (Detect Magic at the least, which is when you start pairing this with Magic Aura...). If the badguys KNOW you have cast it on a specific target, then they need an extra step to get rid of the warding... which isn't more than an annoyance, but every little bit helps.

In the game I am in this is for when the badguys have a clear starting point for their supply chains (cattle and such), but we can't trace them all the way so we would have the option to poison the pipeline (taking a few tail-hairs from the cows so we can scry on them is also a good option). My character is actually a Deathless-making necromancer, so he has contacts in butchery and related trades.

If you think that cows don't make good undead, look at my Organ Undead in my signature, since that is what I am using him to playtest (swapped to Deathless since I can't play an Evil character for beans).

Yitzi
2013-08-04, 06:29 PM
I like it. IMO, this is what spells should be like...not easy to use, not much use in direct combat, but highly flavorful and powerful in the hands of a creative user.

DracoDei
2013-08-04, 06:49 PM
I like it. IMO, this is what spells should be like...not easy to use, not much use in direct combat, but highly flavorful and powerful in the hands of a creative user.
Well, it looks like we agree on everything but "not much use in direct combat" (which isn't relevant in this case).

Also, with a willing carrier, these get downright brutal. Self-sacrifice (pun not intended) should MEAN something, and this sets up some pretty good potential for meaning.

Rainbownaga
2013-08-04, 07:25 PM
If it requires a 10 minute casting time and an expensive material focus, you should probably also make it immune to dispelling. I would use similar wording to curse so they at least need a break enchantment spell. Otherwise a group of cultists would just make a practice of (area) casting dispel magic a couple of times over the victim(s) before performing any sacrifices.

Being able to break the spell with a standard action is not only anti-climactic, it means that the best use is to deliberately allow the bad guys to sacrifice the kittens rather than protecting a particular kitten from being sacrificed.

Still a pretty cool idea for a spell/ritual.

DracoDei
2013-08-04, 08:38 PM
If it requires a 10 minute casting time and an expensive material focus, you should probably also make it immune to dispelling. I would use similar wording to curse so they at least need a break enchantment spell. Otherwise a group of cultists would just make a practice of (area) casting dispel magic a couple of times over the victim(s) before performing any sacrifices.
Hmmm... good point. I'll probably see what my GM has to say.

Being able to break the spell with a standard action is not only anti-climactic, it means that the best use is to deliberately allow the bad guys to sacrifice the kittens rather than protecting a particular kitten from being sacrificed.
I like the idea of both being options (within the limits of alignment, of course).


Still a pretty cool idea for a spell/ritual.
Thank you.