May the Gods Preserve Your Soul [Spell]

[Lord Iames Osari]

Claim the Soul
Abjuration [See text]
Level: Cleric 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

This spell marks the soul of the creature you touch as belonging to your patron deity. Spells that would raise the character from the dead fail unless cast by a cleric of your patron deity, a cleric of a deity who is 1 step away from your deity's alignment, or a cleric of Scitayr (TCS-specific). The creature cannot be made into a mindless undead, and if transformed into a greater type of undead, the character retains whatever alignment he possessed in life.

This spell has alignment subtypes corresponding to the alignment of your deity.

If you have no deity, then this spell has alignment subtypes corresponding to your alignment, and the target can be raised by any cleric whose alignment is within one step of yours, or by a cleric of Scitayr (TCS-specific).

[InaVegt]

I always picture mindless undead as those undead coming into being when you don't force the soul back into the dead body, also with a permanent duration this spell can be dispelled.

[Maryring]

Yes, but the spell is cast on the soul, so even if you get the body, you still can't raise it as an undead, because the dispel has to be cast on the soul. But what happens if the Cleric who casts the spell has no Patron Diety?

[Lord Iames Osari]

Yes, but the spell is cast on the soul, so even if you get the body, you still can't raise it as an undead, because the dispel has to be cast on the soul. But what happens if the Cleric who casts the spell has no Patron Diety?

Oh, they can be made into an undead. They'll just still be themselves, as opposed to being evil, twisted mockeries of themselves.

And if a cleric has no patron deity, then... Umm... good question, which I don't have an answer for right now.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Maybe the clerics ideal?

[Hunter Noventa]

I'd say any cleric within one step of the casting cleric's alignment who shares at least one domain with the casting cleric for the clerics with no deities.

[DaMullet]

This would really suck if shortly after casting this on the entire party, the cleric died and the party was deep within the Grey Wastes or something. Then nobody could ever get Rez'd, unless they had some sort of beacon to let the Cleric's church know where they were.

[DracoDei]

Yes, but the spell is cast on the soul, so even if you get the body, you still can't raise it as an undead, because the dispel has to be cast on the soul. But what happens if the Cleric who casts the spell has no Patron Diety?
Ok, so how does the original cleric cast the spell in the first place if that is correct? Doesn't add up the way you say from what I can see.

[Caewil]

Well, presumably the soul is still in the body at that point in time.

[Imrix.]

Question. Does that "Greater Undead" section extend to getting turned into a Lich?

[jindra34]

Question. Does that "Greater Undead" section extend to getting turned into a Lich?

Turning into a Lich is an active process during which you still possess your soul... thus it is likely not affected by this spell...

[JoshuaZ]

Claim the Soul
Abjuration [See text]
Level: Cleric 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Willl save (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

This spell marks the soul of the creature you touch as belonging to your patron deity. Spells that would raise the character from the dead fail unless cast by a cleric of your patron deity. The creature cannot be made into a mindless undead, and if transformed into a greater type of undead, the character retains whatever alignment he possessed in life.

This spell has alignment subtypes corresponding to the alignment of your deity.

If you have no deity, then this spell has alignment subtypes corresponding to your alignment, and the target can be raised by any cleric whose alignment is within one step of yours.


Too powerful. Soul Bind is very similar and is a level 9 spell and is much harder to counteract. With Soul Bind one just needs to find the gemstone. If an evil cleric uses this on a good hero or an good cleric on a villiain then there is no way this is going to be counteracted. I'd suggest the following modifications: 1) Any deity who shares at least 1 domain with the deity in question or is 1 alignment step away can also do it. 2) Add a rule that if 1 is not satisfied allow an opposed caster check 3) Regardless, a cleric of a deity of at least 2 divine ranks higher will always be succesful. These additions may need some tweaking.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Too powerful. Soul Bind is very similar and is a level 9 spell and is much harder to counteract. With Soul Bind one just needs to find the gemstone. If an evil cleric uses this on a good hero or an good cleric on a villiain then there is no way this is going to be counteracted. I'd suggest the following modifications: 1) Any deity who shares at least 1 domain with the deity in question or is 1 alignment step away can also do it. 2) Add a rule that if 1 is not satisfied allow an opposed caster check 3) Regardless, a cleric of a deity of at least 2 divine ranks higher will always be succesful. These additions may need some tweaking.

I like 1, but 2 and 3 aren't so hot for me.

[Imrix.]

While a good point, Soul Bind traps a dead soul, this seems to have a different purpuse. It strikes me as basically a way to "safeguard" a soul against those who would use it for purposes opposite to your own.

Sure, you COULD use it on an enemy to stop them from raising the guy, but that only needs a method of dispelling to get rid of. Also, you just wasted ten minutes... What're the odds that enemy is either dead by the time you're done, or has done a lot?

Or has at least moved away, it seems that once cast the caster has to touch the target instantly. I don't see this being used anything like Soul Bind.

[DracoDei]

Simply give the same requirements for willingness of the spirit as apply to "Raise Dead" Etc. that solves everything, without altering the intended purpose of the spell I think.