Battle Meditation original spell advice

[AngelOfFaith]

Enchantment(Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting, Fear]
Level: Sorcerer ?, Wizard ?, Bard ?-1
Components: V, S,
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 1 mile per three caster levels
Area: 1 mile per three caster levels radius circle, centered on you
Duration: Concentration (up to 1 hour/three caster levels); see text
Saving Throw: Will negates or None; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster inspires courage in their allies and fear in their foes. An affected ally receives a morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and on attack and weapon damage rolls. This effect functions like the Inspire Courage (Su) Bard class ability except the affected ally doesn't need to hear the caster in order to receive the bonuses. The caster's Bard level for this effect is equal to their caster level. While your allies receive bonuses, your foes take the same amount of penalties on those same rolls unless they succeed on a Will saving throw to deny the effect for the duration of the spell. Any creature entering the area of the spell are affected by it as normal unless they already successfully saved against it.
Maintaining concentration on this spell requires a full-round action instead of a standard action.


I'm a 18 lvl Sorcerer probably about to have some down time right as a war is brewing about. I'll have a new spell known slot next level so I was thinking of researching a new spell. I am assuming that the only rules describing this are the ones on page 35 and 198 of the DMG. That means that the level of the spell is unknown until the end of the research and I haven't shown my DM this yet. For the reference we are using any book we can show him that doesn't make him vomit and so far the only thing he doesn't allow us using is Tome of Magic.

So what I'd like is for you guys to tell me what you think. I imagine it as an 8/9th lvl spell(DM's call) that helps swing a battle by giving all of the rabble some bonuses for the price of making a 16-18 lvl caster sit this one out. Or an 8/9th lvl spell that practically summons a bunch of high level bards around the battlefield doing nothing but singing incessantly for a few hours. Is it OP? Is it underpowered for a 9th lvl spell. I imagine that if it is unbalanced in some way what might change is the area, the duration or maybe how it affects enemies. Plus material components, foci and as a last resort XP costs.

Your opinions mean a lot to me. Either that or I am just a lonely guy talking to strangers on the internet about magic and stuff.
And I am definitely getting a brilliant energy longsword and making it green.

[Saintheart]

Well, the first thing is that it can't be a Bard 8-9th level spell, because bards only get casting up to fifth level.

Second is that if it explicitly functions as Inspire Courage does: bardic music effects last up to five rounds after the bard stops singing, so arguably it doesn't necessarily lock the caster down to sit the battle out. Cast once, use four more rounds to unleash further hell on the enemy, cast again, repeat.

In terms of its effects -- given the bard level = caster level for the purposes of the Inspire Courage effect, this amounts to a +3 to fear, charm, attack and damage effects, presumably as morale bonuses. And it makes all the enemy take a -3 to each of those stats. Not all that thrilling for a ninth level spell given you've got Wish and Miracle occupying the same stable. A bard using the second-level Resounding Voice could achieve very similar to the same effect since his bardic music can then be applied for miles, albeit without debuffing the enemy in the same way.

Honestly for a ninth level spell of this type I'd rather take summoning a bunch of high level bards around the battlefield, because if said high level bards have the right feats, they can blast the Inspire Courage bonuses much, much higher than +3 ... let alone if they're high level bards with Dragonfire Inspiration.

[AngelOfFaith]

I do realize this is not on par with Wish or Miracle, I kinda wanted that - I don't want more spells with stupid high XP costs. Heck if I wanted I could have probably just wished for this effect. That is why I tried to design the spell with drawbacks - you have to stay put and do nothing else. That is also why I am not concerned with trying to cheat some immediate actions in between every full-round action as well.
But yes, I guess it is a bit under whelming for an ultimate level spell. I could add more, like denying every enemy flanking bonuses while at least two allies are within line of sight of each other and some such.
I guess that is what I need help with - trying to think of a fun sounding battle scale buff without it having so many benefits that it requires a 2000 XP and 10 000 gold cost. What would you be happy with such a spell doing? Excluding DFI-like cream cheese.

[AngelOfFaith]

Thread necromancy in order to not post a brand new one.

Long story short I'm 18 lvl Sorc, heres a spell I'm brewing. What do you think?


Battle Meditation Enchantment(Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Wizard ?, Sorcerer ?, (Bard ?)
Components: V, S, F
Casting time: 10 minutes
Range: 1 mile/3 caster levels
Area: 1 mile/3 caster levels radius circle, centered on you
Duration: Concentration (up to 1 hour/3 caster levels)
Saving Throw: None
Spell resistance: Yes (harmless)

Concentrating and uttering the arcane words you extend your mind over all of your allies', connecting them in order to make one united fighting force, bolstering their morale and combat prowess.

You connect the minds of all your allies within the spell's area, giving them the ability to witness the flow of the entire battle through each other and bolstering their confidence.
An affected ally receives a morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and on attack and weapon damage rolls. This ability functions like the bard class feature to inspire courage except as stated above and the affected creatures don't need to hear the caster. The caster's bard level for this effect is equal to her caster level.

Your allies see the battlefield around them through their connected psyche and react as one, glimpses of impending danger from their comrades giving them a chance to react.
As long as they remain within the spell's area, every two affected creatures with line of sight to each other receive the benefits of the uncanny dodge barbarian class feature and the evasion monk class feature.

While maintaining the spell the caster can contact those under her influence directly to relay information and orders.
Each turn while the spell lasts the caster can call upon a sending effect as the spell except the time to establish the connection is one round and each creature affected by battle meditation is considered familiar for the purpose of the effect.

Arcane Focus: A weapon wielded by the caster.


Do you think it'll be fun?
Do you think it'll be useless?
I know it's not optimized, I'd just like some opinions. At the very least what level you'd give it

[Grod_The_Giant]

Now THAT'S a warlord's spell - a significant uptick in combat power (assuming low-level conscripts, at least), morale, and a downright incredible increase in coordination.

It's probably not a 9th, though. Maybe 7th. If you want a 9th...maybe kick the morale bonus up a bit, let it apply to more things, and/or fold in an Inspire Greatness effect?

Oh, and it should do something special for Bards. As is it's kind of a replacement for their main shtick.

[AngelOfFaith]

Do you mean that it should buff bards better than the others or do you mean that bards should be able to cast a better version of the spell?