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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Help With a Custom Spell



glitterbaby
2016-09-06, 11:55 PM
Hey all. First off, let me thank you all in advance for any and all input you toss my way.

The world had a massive scale demon invasion some time ago. The mortal races banded together and eventually were able to route the massive demon army and seal the major portal. There are still many demons roaming the land and portals that need closing and organizations have sprung up to accomplish such goals. Our characters are all, by and large, the most powerful guys in the land. We're all 15th level

So I'm looking at designing a spell for my character in an upcoming game a group of friends and I are throwing together. He's a a character I've played once before but he died rather early into the RHoD module and I like him so much I keep trying to bring him back into new games, just now getting the setting details and party composition to cooperate. He's Halfir the Indomitable, celestial general of the largest demon-hunting army in the land. He's a 15th level gestalted Crusader//Trumpet Archon with some additional fun stuff, he's special. I switched his casting from Cleric to Favored Soul (I know, I know) because I wanted him casting off Charisma because his passions are really what leads him and my DM didn't want a charisma-based cleric. He leads all his battles from the front of his army, relaying tactical information and orders telepathically. He acts in major capacity as the leader of his army, as a judge of his soldiers/subjects, and as the lawmaker.

So the spell I'm looking to create largely deals with his capacities as a judge. I have a desired effect and a few details as well as the spell level but I'm looking for help on the rest.



Peer Into the Soul

Divination
Level: Cleric 7
Components: S
Casting Time: 2 Rounds
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Yes
Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon studying a target creature for two rounds you are able to see deep into the very fabric of their being.

You are given information about the targets past and future morality. In addition to learning the target's current alignment, you receive a percentage breakdown of the target's alignment up to this point and percentage of likelihood the target will end at each alignment upon death.



So that's what I have so far. I'm not sure if it accomplishes what I'm going for but I'm having difficulty putting my fluff idea into crunch. I'm definitely interested in knowing the creature's relative power level upon their death as far as recruiting for elite squadrons in the army and such but I'm not sure how I'd incorporate that mechanically.

Again, any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Darth Ultron
2016-09-07, 08:14 PM
This is an odd spell. You can't have ''mechanics'' for something with no ''mechanics'', and even more so you can't have fluff if there is no fluff.

So how does the ''dead soul goes to the afterlife and so on'' even work in the game? What fluff are you using?

Is this spell just to figure out who would make a good troop in your army after death? That does not seem all that useful. Can't you just ''figure'' the good paladins and clerics might be the ones?

glitterbaby
2016-09-08, 03:03 PM
This is an odd spell. You can't have ''mechanics'' for something with no ''mechanics'', and even more so you can't have fluff if there is no fluff.

So how does the ''dead soul goes to the afterlife and so on'' even work in the game? What fluff are you using?

Is this spell just to figure out who would make a good troop in your army after death? That does not seem all that useful. Can't you just ''figure'' the good paladins and clerics might be the ones?

I'm afraid I don't fully understand the first comment. All I have cemented at the moment is the effect that I want the caster of this spell to basically be able to peer deeply into a creature and examine the soul for its parts while also being given information about the past and future of this individual creature.

This actually hasn't been brought up yet between the DM and myself, I'm not sure it's all too relevant as I'm primarily interested in their status upon death and nothing later. I'll go ahead and ask him anyway and get back with more information. Otherwise he frequents these boards on occasion so he might pop in.

Well yes and no. I'm certainly not going to be using the spell on every single troop in the army but when recruiting for elite squads it might be useful. I'm completely aware I won't be using this much while adventuring and certainly never while in combat. Like I was saying, he acts as a judge as well so it could come in useful when trying to determine an appropriate punishment when evidence is lacking or something of that nature. He's also one of the most powerful creatures on the plane at the time we're going to be scheduled to begin play so I could be acting in some sort of quest-giving capacity for powerful NPCs that seek my approval or aid or something along those lines. It'd come in handy then.

Maxrim
2016-09-08, 03:49 PM
You'll want to change the saving throw entry to Will Negates, or Will Partial if you want to learn their current alignment regardless of their save, which I think would be reasonable.

A percentage breakdown seems odd, you could phrase it more like:
"You see a line unfold before your eyes, stretching into three dimensions, depicting the morality and the ethos of your target over time. This line does not stop at the present, however, it fades and broadens, depicting possibilities. This provides you with an idea of how likely the target is to retain their alignment over the course of their life, what it may change to, and, in some cases, even a rough idea of life expectancy."

Darth Ultron
2016-09-08, 06:59 PM
I'm afraid I don't fully understand the first comment. All I have cemented at the moment is the effect that I want the caster of this spell to basically be able to peer deeply into a creature and examine the soul for its parts while also being given information about the past and future of this individual creature.

Well, are you saying the effect of this spell is ''the DM just randomly says something''? See there are no mechanics or fluff or anything for what you want the spell to do...


Do you just plan to cast the spell every so often just to see if when someone you like dies they might join your army of good? OK? Does not seem all that useful.

Like...ok...say your standing next to Constance Goodheart and you want to know that if and when she dies...maybe decides from now...will she join your army?

Or...ok, say you cast the spell, get a yes, and a second later Constance dies....ok, so how does the whole afterlife/judgment/army thing work? Does it take any time? What about..well everything? Does Constance just drop dead and suddenly pops back as an angel of war right next to you?