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View Full Version : 3rd Ed What advantages exist to casting a spell as an arcane spell?



Endarire
2020-04-17, 04:09 AM
Divine spells in 3.x generally get a better deal: They have no arcane spell failure and Prayer Beads of Karma can give them +4 caster levels.

Aside from meeting prerequisites, what advantages does a spell have if it's cast as arcane instead of divine? This isn't about saying class X is better than class Y because one is arcane or divine, nor that a class gets a set of spells sooner than another because one is arcane or divine.

MaxiDuRaritry
2020-04-17, 04:16 AM
For one, the ability to cast spells as arcane spells allows you to progress that class with arcane casting PrCs. Another is that certain items or feats (such as the MIC's arcanist gloves) function only for arcane spells. Certain items can only be crafted with arcane spells (as with eternal wands). Also, the convert-spell-to-power erudite can convert any arcane spell to a psionic power. Converting a divine spell to an arcane spell allows the erudite to learn it as a power, which is handy for, say, a thrallherd.

NontheistCleric
2020-04-17, 04:39 AM
Some creatures have defenses against divine spells that wouldn't apply to arcane spells, like anyone with levels in Defiant (PH) or the Elder Evils in the Elder Evils book.

MaxiDuRaritry
2020-04-17, 05:10 AM
You might get away with being a cleric in the Time of Troubles if you cast everything as arcane...

Kayblis
2020-04-17, 06:26 AM
Other than the few differences cited above, the biggest divide is what's available to you. Arcane spells are more plentiful and most situational spells are arcane-only. Lore-wise, divine spells are granted by a god while arcane spells are crafted through research by accomplished scholars, which fits well with how many specific spells exist for specific situations - they were hand-crafted by mages through the times to deal with issues they personally had.

The divide also defines which PrCs you can enter, most of which have a specific casting theme. Schools are very important with arcane spells, while divine spells just have a school mostly for mechanical purposes(like spell focus).

All in all, it's a bit like asking "what's the difference between arcane spells and psionics?". They're clearly different and have different meanings, but they still share some spells(think of all the "Psionic X" powers that exist). No one asks about this kind of difference because they have a separate spellcasting system in power points, but to a character in the world, they're pretty much the same in term of separation.

Edit: As an extra, there's no clear 'advantage' in casting a spell as an arcane spell. Edge cases exist, like Elder Evils being sometimes immune to divine spells, or the Ur-Priest having spell resistance that affects only divine spells. The advantage for a character that casts one of the two, if you were to pick a side, is the easier time picking and preparing divine spells versus the breadth of possibilities that comes with studying and acquiring arcane spells.