Better mass stat boost spells (PEACH)

[TuggyNE]

Mass bear's endurance and friends are generally pretty feeble, since a standard adventuring party already probably has +4 or at least +2 enhancement bonuses to all relevant stats. However, if you drop the level, army buffing becomes a potentially-overpowered niche option, which is not particularly great. What to do, then?

Make a hybrid!


Bear’s Endurance, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level or one creature/3 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The affected creatures gain greater vitality and stamina. Choose one of two versions: focused, or wide.
A wide casting targets up to one creature per caster level, and grants the subjects a +4 enhancement bonus to Constitution.
A focused casting targets up to one creature per three caster levels, and grants the subjects an enhancement bonus to Constitution equal to +2 per five caster levels (maximum +8).

The enhancement bonus adds the usual benefits to hit points, Fortitude saves, Constitution checks, and so forth. Hit points gained by a temporary increase in Constitution score are not temporary hit points. They go away when the subject’s Constitution drops back to normal. They are not lost first as temporary hit points are.

Bull’s Strength, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level or one creature/3 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The affected creatures become stronger. Choose one of two versions: focused, or wide.
A wide casting targets up to one creature per caster level, and grants the subjects a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength.
A focused casting targets up to one creature per three caster levels, and grants the subjects an enhancement bonus to Strength equal to +2 per five caster levels (maximum +8).

The enhancement bonus adds the usual benefits to melee attack rolls, melee damage rolls, and other uses of the Strength modifier.

Cat’s Grace, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level or one creature/3 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The affected creatures become more graceful, agile, and coordinated. Choose one of two versions: focused, or wide.
A wide casting targets up to one creature per caster level, and grants the subjects a +4 enhancement bonus to Dexterity.
A focused casting targets up to one creature per three caster levels, and grants the subjects an enhancement bonus to Dexterity equal to +2 per five caster levels (maximum +8).

The enhancement bonus adds the usual benefits to AC, Reflex saves, and other uses of the Dexterity modifier.

Eagle’s Splendor, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level or one creature/3 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The affected creatures become more poised, articulate, and personally forceful. Choose one of two versions: focused, or wide.
A wide casting targets up to one creature per caster level, and grants the subjects a +4 enhancement bonus to Charisma.
A focused casting targets up to one creature per three caster levels, and grants the subjects an enhancement bonus to Charisma equal to +2 per five caster levels (maximum +8).

The enhancement bonus adds the usual benefits to Charisma-based skill checks and other uses of the Charisma modifier. Sorcerers and bards (and other spellcasters who rely on Charisma) affected by this spell do not gain any additional bonus spells for the increased Charisma, but the save DCs for spells they cast while under this spell’s effect do increase.

Fox’s Cunning, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level or one creature/3 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The affected creatures become smarter. Choose one of two versions: focused, or wide.
A wide casting targets up to one creature per caster level, and grants the subjects a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence.
A focused casting targets up to one creature per three caster levels, and grants the subjects an enhancement bonus to Intelligence equal to +2 per five caster levels (maximum +8).

The enhancement bonus adds the usual benefits to Intelligence-based skill checks and other uses of the Intelligence modifier. Wizards (and other spellcasters who rely on Intelligence) affected by this spell do not gain any additional bonus spells for the increased Intelligence, but the save DCs for spells they cast while under this spell’s effect do increase. This spell doesn’t grant extra skill points.

Owl’s Wisdom, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level or one creature/3 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart; see text
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The affected creatures become wiser. Choose one of two versions: focused, or wide.
A wide casting targets up to one creature per caster level, and grants the subjects a +4 enhancement bonus to Wisdom.
A focused casting targets up to one creature per three caster levels, and grants the subjects an enhancement bonus to Wisdom equal to +2 per five caster levels (maximum +8).

The enhancement bonus adds the usual benefits to Wisdom-related skills. Clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers (and other Wisdom-based spellcasters) affected by this spell do not gain any additional bonus spells for the increased Wisdom, but the save DCs for their spells do increase.

The scaling is now such that at CL 15, some time after you get the spell, you can give 5 party members a +6 enhancement bonus for 15 minutes. I think this is reasonable. At CL 20, you can give 6 allies (probably more than you have) a +8 enhancement bonus for 20 minutes.

OK, hit me with the usual: ideas on wording, silly problems with scaling, or anything I forgot.

[Vadskye]

Lowering the number of effective targets to increase the benefit is a idea. However, a +10 enhancement bonus to an attribute is huge; at min/level, these would become standard or required buffs at high level play. I think it would be better to grant a flat +6 with the narrow version; the original line didn't scale, and this doesn't need to either. Note that it already has some nice built-in scaling, since the number of targets increases with level. I don't see a benefit to doubly scaling.

[TuggyNE]

Lowering the number of effective targets to increase the benefit is a idea. However, a +10 enhancement bonus to an attribute is huge; at min/level, these would become standard or required buffs at high level play. I think it would be better to grant a flat +6 with the narrow version; the original line didn't scale, and this doesn't need to either. Note that it already has some nice built-in scaling, since the number of targets increases with level. I don't see a benefit to doubly scaling.

Hmm, OK, that's something to consider I guess. I mostly approached it from "what would give +6 at CL 12" to start with.

[Segev]

If the one issue is that +10 is too much, you can cap it. "...to a maximum of a +8 bonus at level 16," is not an unreasonable clause and certainly has precedent in other spells.

You could also fix the duration at "1 minute" rather than "1 minute/level," which would make it a one-combat spell in almost all cases. And, if used outside of combat, just long enough to get most "work" done.

Though 1 minute/level, even at 20 minutes at 20th level, still isn't likely to be more than 2 combats unless you're churning through them one after another, I suppose.

[GGambrel]

Lowering the number of effective targets to increase the benefit is a idea. However, a +10 enhancement bonus to an attribute is huge; at min/level, these would become standard or required buffs at high level play. I think it would be better to grant a flat +6 with the narrow version; the original line didn't scale, and this doesn't need to either. Note that it already has some nice built-in scaling, since the number of targets increases with level. I don't see a benefit to doubly scaling.

I'm inclined to agree. Depending upon the campaign (and rulings regarding some feats), I can see a cleric with Persistent Spell combined with Divine Metamagic and Extra Turning causing quite a bit of mayhem when he has 6 allies with 24-hour +10 bonuses to multiple stats.

No non-epic item that I know of grants beyond a +6 enhancement bonus to a stat, so I do not see why a spell should either.

[Techwarrior]

Bite of the Werecreature spells (SpC) give more (up to +16 I believe), although I might be wrong about the type of bonus, and it's to specific stats (only Strength gets the largest bonuses).

[Vadskye]

Bite of the Werecreature spells (SpC) give more (up to +16 I believe), although I might be wrong about the type of bonus, and it's to specific stats (only Strength gets the largest bonuses).

Those are round/level spells with personal range. They have a completely different balance point.

[TuggyNE]

If the one issue is that +10 is too much, you can cap it. "...to a maximum of a +8 bonus at level 16," is not an unreasonable clause and certainly has precedent in other spells.

I think I'll go with that, yeah. New wording in the OP.


I'm inclined to agree. Depending upon the campaign (and rulings regarding some feats), I can see a cleric with Persistent Spell combined with Divine Metamagic and Extra Turning causing quite a bit of mayhem when he has 6 allies with 24-hour +10 bonuses to multiple stats.

How would you arrange that? These spells are not fixed-range, and thus not persistable; the only way around that would be some wackiness with, I dunno, Ocular Spell, and then it's eighth level and no longer multi-target. Burning all your persists for +10 to Con for the group is not broken compared to other high-end DMM abuses, so it's not a significant problem.


No non-epic item that I know of grants beyond a +6 enhancement bonus to a stat, so I do not see why a spell should either.

No non-epic item grants more than a +5 resistance bonus to saves, but superior resistance in SpC gives +6 for 24hrs, so, in principle, a high-level spell granting a bit beyond the usual item limits is not too much. +10 probably is, though.

[Vadskye]

I think I'll go with that, yeah. New wording in the OP.
So between 11th and 14th level, a narrow casting is strictly worse than a broad casting. And you finally get the scaling bonus at... one non-epic level? Two with that one ioun stone? :smallconfused:

I don't see why you keep trying to scale it.

[Segev]

I'd drop the "narrow" vs. "wide" casting and use your original scaling, just stopping it at +8.

+8 means it is a +2 even to people who have a +6 item already.

[TuggyNE]

So between 11th and 14th level, a narrow casting is strictly worse than a broad casting. And you finally get the scaling bonus at... one non-epic level? Two with that one ioun stone? :smallconfused:

Wow, my brain must really be taking the day off. :smallsigh: However, you do get, relative to the original spells, a bonus at 15th and up, not just 20th.

I'm gonna think about narrowing it a little more and pegging it at +6 out of the box, scaling to +8 at 15th or 17th.


I don't see why you keep trying to scale it.

Mostly because just making it a flat +6 seems boring.


I'd drop the "narrow" vs. "wide" casting and use your original scaling, just stopping it at +8.

That is, make it always narrow? That could work, although the niche use of (small) army buffing is something I would kind of like to keep.

[Techwarrior]

Those are round/level spells with personal range. They have aa completely different balance point.

:smallannoyed: The point wasn't about the balance of the spell. I was responding to someone else saying that no spell gives a higher enhancement bonus than +6. And if you really think it's more broken for Bulls Strength, Mass to give +10 Str, than it is for the Wizard to give himself +12 Str, +6 Con, +4 Dex, and +5 Natural armor... More power to you...

[Vadskye]

:smallannoyed: The point wasn't about the balance of the spell. I was responding to someone else saying that no spell gives a higher enhancement bonus than +6. And if you really think it's more broken for Bulls Strength, Mass to give +10 Str, than it is for the Wizard to give himself +12 Str, +6 Con, +4 Dex, and +5 Natural armor... More power to you...

Ah, if you were replying to GGambrel, that makes perfect sense. (And yes, as far as I'm concerned, the Bite spells are craaaazy balance-wise. But differently so than Mass Bull's Strength.)

[Segev]

I'd make a separate spell for mass army, buffing, honestly.

Though really, I think Reach Chain [spell] would do it applied to the basic ones. (Admittedly, that pushes it to 7th level, I think.)