New cleric- spell research question

[Zug]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I recently joined a group for my first time really playing D&D and they needed a cleric. In the course of our sessions i've noted a spell that doesn't exist but should be handy.

Mass protection from evil.

I know there is circle but the 10-foot range on it is a real turn off since our group tends to be all over the place.

Is there a spell like this already, or is this something that should be researchable?

Playing 3.0 with just PH and DMG

Thank you.

[Fouredged Sword]

Well, the chain metamagic seems to be what you want.

[Zug]

Interesting, I had never heard of it before. I'm not sure the DM will allow me to take that feat though. I tried to take a feat from BoED when I hit 6 and he said no, which led me to think about researching a mass version of protection from evil.

[Diarmuid]

Did he just flatly say no, or did he say you didnt qualify for an exalted feat?

[Zug]

Flat no, didn't want to use anything from BoED. I suspect he didn't want to open up a can of worms with the other players and I didn't argue it.

[Mnemnosyne]

No reason you shouldn't be able to research it. Magic circle against evil is 3rd level, and since mass protection from evil would be more powerful than that, it needs to be higher level. If we look at the various statbuff spells, and their mass version, we see the original spells are 2nd level and the mass versions are 6th on the cleric list, at least. If we apply the same level bump to protection from evil, then mass protection from evil would be a 5th level spell. That puts it 2 levels higher than magic circle against evil which sounds pretty fair.

Of course, you should then compare it against other 5th level spells that you memorize. Is this spell, at 5th level, something you would ever consider memorizing over other options available? If it is, but it's annoying to lose one of your other spells, then that's probably the right level for it. If the other spells are far and away so vastly superior that you could never justify dropping one of them for mass protection from evil, then maybe 5th is too high level and it needs to be 4th. Personally I think 5th would probably be pretty fair for it.

[Diarmuid]

Mnem, out of curiosity would you say the various Mass versions of the stat buff spells are spells you ever actually memorize and cast out of a 6th level slot?

Only asking based on your comparison. I dont think I've ever seen them cast, as by 11th level everyone has most of their enhancement bonuses to abilities they care about covered.

[Fouredged Sword]

Yeah, blanket immunity to compulsion for the whole party is worth a 5th level spell slot, but isn't overpowred for said spell slot.

BUT, chain spell is in complete arcana, page 79, not the BoED. Now you must apply reach as well to make protection from evil qualify for chain, so two feats. Funny enough that is a total of 5 levels of adjustment, making it a 6th level spell. I would try to get a metamagic rod of reach to save a feat slot and drop the level to 4th.

[Mnemnosyne]

Mnem, out of curiosity would you say the various Mass versions of the stat buff spells are spells you ever actually memorize and cast out of a 6th level slot?

Only asking based on your comparison. I dont think I've ever seen them cast, as by 11th level everyone has most of their enhancement bonuses to abilities they care about covered.
I think the mass statbuff spells are probably a bit overleveled because of that, yes. Also because often the entire party doesn't need the same stat. The one I think I recall seeing used/using once or twice, but I can't be sure, is mass bear's endurance because Constitution is something everyone can use, and a lot of the time people are a bit behind on purchasing or otherwise obtaining their +Con item(s) because they've focused on say, their casting stat.

Even then, the fact that it's a short-duration buff instead of an all-day buff makes it awkward to use such a high level slot for.

[Zug]

I'm assuming if he would not allow anything from BoED then CA isn't going to be allowed either.

The benefits of the spell would be very useful for this group since they all seem to be ignoring their AC and saves. The paladin has an AC of 15 or so and the rest have even less (my cleric is currently rocking an AC of 24) which strikes me as low for a group in the 7-9 level range. A lot of compulsion spells have been used also.

Since my cleric seems (to me anyway) so weak in the melee fighting, i'm usually in the back casting buffs or other spells to try to help the group in general.

[iceman10058]

if the party is ignoring their ac and saves, then its a hopeless party as far as im concerned. but a mass protection from evil spell at level 5 seems fair to me.