Time Doesn't Heal All Wounds... [Spell]

[Maerok]

Claw of Nerull
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Cleric 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: None

You draw the useless little scythe from your sleeve as that smug hero draws closer. He bares his teeth and lunges, but misses just in time to be cut with the tiny blade; your serpentine utterance drifts away from earshot as the tiniest speck of blood drips from the silver edge. The warrior barely seems to notice, yet you know that the wound will take its toll in time.

The subject's current and maximum hitpoints are reduced by 1d3; if the maximum is reduced to 0, the subject is slain and can only be brought back by true resurrection, wish, or miracle. If the subject's current hitpoints are reduced to or below 0, they are slain instantly. The wound never heals, but does not incur any further damage; the deepest cut it could make, visually, is little better than a paper cut.

The permanent hitpoint damage is undone if the character is ever brought back to life from death.

Focus: A tiny replica scythe, made from silver and blessed by priests of Nerull for one night, worth 500 gp.

[Proven_Paradox]

That's rather strong, especially for a 4th level spell. Maybe you could increase the damage it deals, but make it removable by something like remove curse?

[Jasdoif]

Planning to punish PCs, I'm guessing?

[DracoDei]

So... if they are reduced below a max of 0 and then True Res.'ed what is their max at that point? One hp?

[Maerok]

Well I've fixed it now so that the damage is undone if they are ever brought back to life in any occasion.

This wasn't really intended as PC punishment; I've just never seen permanent hitpoint damage used as anything but a cost for abilities (like with a few artifacts) and this was a sort of experiment to see what it would look like. I think it raises the ante and tension when you've got something to permanently lose, at least for a while if you do plan of getting revived down the road.

[Jasdoif]

This wasn't really intended as PC punishment; I've just never seen permanent hitpoint damage used as anything but a cost for abilities (like with a few artifacts) and this was a sort of experiment to see what it would look like. I think it raises the ante and tension when you've got something to permanently lose, at least for a while if you do plan of getting revived down the road.A couple of epic monsters do permanent hit point damage, specifically the blazefire ability of lavawights (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/lavawight.htm) and shapes of fire (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/shapeOfFire.htm).


Anyway, the thing is, the PCs tend to be involved in every single encounter, while most foes only last for one. The PCs having a spell that does 1d3 points of damage, even permanently, makes little sense since whatever they use it on is "supposed" to die anyway, and you can do a lot more then 1d3 damage with a spell of the same level.

And because you can do a lot more then 1d3 with a similar-level spell, it's not in the best interests of NPCs to use the spell on the PCs, either. Unless they're trying to inconvenience the PCs over the long-term instead of actually dealing with them, which doesn't make much sense from an in-world perspective.

[Miles Invictus]

Sounds a bit like Vile Damage, except that it's even harder to remove.

This would actually work better as a special ability, like the diseases and poisons that a lot of creatures have, than as a spell. Apply it to something appropriate, like a zombie dire hedgehog, and watch the panic begin.

Maybe you could make it a spell that augments a creature with this ability for their next couple of attacks. That'd give it a bit more utility -- I know if I was a caster, I wouldn't want to get close enough to use this spell. It'd be great for my mook squads, though. They're gonna die anyway; might as well make their sacrifice worthwhile.

[Zeful]

Yeah it'd be better as a feat, something like:
Claws of Nerull
You can chanel the deathly energies of the death gods into your attacks, suffing out a potion of the opponent's life essence with each strike...
Prerequisites: Nongood Alignment, ability to cast 4th level divine spells(maybe)
Benefit: A number times per days equal to your charisma modifier you can charge your attacks with the energies of death. You may deal your unarmed or weapon base damage as permenent damage to the subject's maximum Hp. If this damage would bring a subject's Hp to 0 he is instantly slain and cannot be ressurected by anything except True Ressurection, Wish or Miracle. These spells heal the permenent Hp damage caused by this feat.
Special:Extra sorces of damage, such as the Rogue's Sneak attack, do not deal more permanent ability damage.
This?

I know this is badly designed but it sounds much more in line with the concept presented, in my opinion.