Replacing Outsider Detect Alignment with "Smell" alignment?

[Crake]

So the game i'm running has very lax alignment rules, so I've gotten rid of detect alignment spells for the most part. Some creatures still have them, mostly outsiders, and material plane denizens still have alignments and emnate auras (however weak or strong), but I'm considering replacing any detect alignment SLA that an outsider might get with instead the scent ability regarding that alignment.

Is this too big a buff perhaps?

Edit: Perhaps allow Protection from X protect you from the scent ability of the opposite alignment (so protection from good will prevent smell evil)

[The Viscount]

It doesn't seem that unbalanced to me, especially since Stalker of Kharash from BoED has this exact ability. Since WotC did it, seems fair game.

[Red Fel]

So the game i'm running has very lax alignment rules, so I've gotten rid of detect alignment spells for the most part. Some creatures still have them, mostly outsiders, and material plane denizens still have alignments and emnate auras (however weak or strong), but I'm considering replacing any detect alignment SLA that an outsider might get with instead the scent ability regarding that alignment.

Is this too big a buff perhaps?

Edit: Perhaps allow Protection from X protect you from the scent ability of the opposite alignment (so protection from good will prevent smell evil)

... Wait. So, instead of, say, a "Detect Evil" SLA, which takes three rounds to actually locate a thing, assuming the thing actually bothers to stay still, you are creating, in effect, a limited form of Scent? Basically, instead of having to focus for three rounds, you can instantly tell (1) if the creature is nearby, and (2) its exact location, if within 5 feet?

Scent is considered pretty powerful. Smell X, while less powerful than Scent specifically, is still extremely potent. You are basically killing stealth with this, because - assuming all of your PCs are Good - any enemy with Smell Good will basically be able to detect your presence if you're close enough to attack, and pinpoint you precisely if you're in melee range.

In short, you are hurting melees while causing a minor inconvenience to casters. Good for you.

What function is this supposed to serve, exactly? You take away Detect X spells, but give a much more powerful ability to NPCs? It just strikes me as a bit rude, really. Particularly to the party Paladin, whom I assume is a non-Outsider.

[Crake]

It doesn't seem that unbalanced to me, especially since Stalker of Kharash from BoED has this exact ability. Since WotC did it, seems fair game.

Oh, nice, too easy then


... Wait. So, instead of, say, a "Detect Evil" SLA, which takes three rounds to actually locate a thing, assuming the thing actually bothers to stay still, you are creating, in effect, a limited form of Scent? Basically, instead of having to focus for three rounds, you can instantly tell (1) if the creature is nearby, and (2) its exact location, if within 5 feet?

Scent is considered pretty powerful. Smell X, while less powerful than Scent specifically, is still extremely potent. You are basically killing stealth with this, because - assuming all of your PCs are Good - any enemy with Smell Good will basically be able to detect your presence if you're close enough to attack, and pinpoint you precisely if you're in melee range.

In short, you are hurting melees while causing a minor inconvenience to casters. Good for you.

What function is this supposed to serve, exactly? You take away Detect X spells, but give a much more powerful ability to NPCs? It just strikes me as a bit rude, really. Particularly to the party Paladin, whom I assume is a non-Outsider.

Woah woah, settle your kettle there son. Not that it's relevant to this, but I'm running some houserules that bring casters down several notches, so they aren't anywhere near the kings of the castle that they currently are. As for killing stealth, I find that a pretty unreasonable assessment. As I put in there, I'd be happy to allow protection spells to grant you immunity from the scent effect, as would undetectable alignment, nondetection, pretty much anything that would protect you from detect evil (I realise that protection spells don't normally do this, but I'd allow it in this case), so if you're prepared, then there's no real change.

And scent only gives you the presence of evil within 30 feet (double for upwind half for downwind i know) unless you get within 5 feet, and even then you need to spend move actions to note direction, the only real difference is that detect evil is a cone, but scent is a circle.

As for most of my players being good, hah, yeah right.

Also I don't allow paladins in my game. If you want to play a paladin themed character, you can always go crusader.

[ZamielVanWeber]

My first thought: *Smelling* *pretty colors* is the best *game*

Then: seems a bit too strong in the long run. Attach a full round to detect would seem better.