PDA

View Full Version : 3rd Ed Do we have examples of spells that grant class abilities temporarily?



unseenmage
2021-08-16, 12:05 PM
Just like it says on the tin.
Granting class abilities to Construct minions is difficult and that got me considering custom spells of class ability bestowed which made me wonder if there was any precedent.

Official content preferred, PF is acceptable, 3rd party jf there is nothing else too I guess.

Looking for precedent and ideas about implementing class abilities as temporary benefits from spells.

Dimers
2021-08-16, 12:23 PM
There's a spell in SC that grants a fighter bonus feat.

Evade Burst power grants evasion (very briefly) and Danger Sense power grants uncanny dodge or improved uncanny dodge if you augment it.

Psyren
2021-08-16, 12:28 PM
Trapfinder's Focus (aka Aram Zey's Focus) gives the Trapfinding class feature, though not having it isn't as much of a gap in PF.

Hunter's Friend lets a ranger, druid or hunter share some of their class abilities with their animal companion, e.g. favored enemy, hide in plain sight, and venom immunity.

Oracle's Burden is the rare offensive example of this - you can assign a target the negative effects of your Oracle's Curse feature and none of the benefits.

The Rage spell from core 3.5/PF actually works like barbarian rage, which means that powers and other effects usable while raging should function during it, though it doesn't give you any of those features itself.

As a 3.5 example, Mental Pinnacle is a spell that gives a spellcaster access to psionic powers and manifesting ability.

ciopo
2021-08-16, 12:39 PM
there is a druid spell that gives turn undead, it's called bone something something,

edit: here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a) it is

StSword
2021-08-16, 03:11 PM
The free product Practical Enchanter, by Distant Horizon Games, while third party is quite the useful product, and if memory serves includes both spells for granting feats and class features.

Kuulvheysoon
2021-08-16, 04:13 PM
The open least/lesser/greater chakra line of spells the psionic open chakra power in Magic of Incarnum gives you those relevant class features.

AvatarVecna
2021-08-16, 04:28 PM
3.5

"Ruin Delver's Fortune (Reflex)" (SpC) gives Cha to Ref saves and also gives evasion. Duration is only 1d4 rounds, and only personal range.

"Hunter's Eye" (PH2) is a ranger 2 spell that only lasts a single round, but it casts on a swift and gives SA for the duration (which scales with caster level).

"Warning" (PGtF) gives Uncanny Dodge, although it's very limited access so good luck getting it without an artificer's help.

"That Art Thou" (OA web enhancement) doesn't give Uncanny Dodge or Improved Uncanny Dodge per se, but it gives immunity to being flat-footed, and the only way you can personally be flanked is if literally everybody else within 30 ft is also flanked.

PF

"Bestow Grace" is a paladin 2 spell that gives the target a sacred bonus to saves equal to their cha mod. Technically "Divine Grace" gives an untyped bonus, but the fluff is literally that you're bestowing the target with a measure of your own Divine Grace so I'm counting it.

"Bestow Grace Of The Champion" is a paladin 4 spell that gives the target several abilities mimicking paladin class features. This includes an untyped save bonus equal to your cha mod, immunity to fear, immunity to disease, at-will "Detect Evil" SLA, a once-per-duration smite, and a once-per-duration lay on hands. It also lets you (for the duration) use magic items as if you were a paladin.

Thurbane
2021-08-17, 03:12 PM
Aura of Evasion (SC): Evasion, but only against breath weapons.
Find Traps (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/findTraps.htm) (PHB): Trapfinding.
Mirror Move (online (https://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20000901a)): emulate various Fighter bonus feats.
Nightstalker's Transformation (SC): gives a bunch of abilities to emulate being a Rogue, including Evasion. Basically, a Rogue version of Tenser's Transformation.
Primal Hunter, Primal Instinct, Primal Speed & Primal Senses (DM): if you have three of these active, you get Uncanny Dodge. If you have all four, you get Improved Uncanny Dodge.
Tormenting Thirst (Sand): can inflict Barbarian-like rage.
Watchful Ancestors (MoE): pseudo Uncanny Dodge.

Hua
2021-08-17, 03:23 PM
If you count casting spells as a Class Ability, then yes.
Cleric spell Imbue with Spell Ability lets a non-caster cast a some low level cleric spells, within some restrictions.

Vaern
2021-08-18, 07:18 AM
Protégé gives someone bardic knowledge and bardic music as a bard half your level.

Ruin Delver's Fortune can grant evasion.

iceifur
2021-08-18, 11:45 PM
Sense Vitals (https://aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Sense%20Vitals) grants +1d6 sneak attack per 3 CLs when using manufactured weapons, and lasts for 1 round per CL.

Naga Shape (https://aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Naga%20Shape%20II) II or III can theoretically grant +2d6 or +3d6 sneak attack, respectively.

Both are from Pathfinder.

Bohandas
2021-08-19, 10:09 PM
Mental Pinnacle from the Expanded Psionics Handbook grants psionic power temporarily

EDIT:
Oh, you meant bestowing on others. I missed that initially. You could still probably make it into an item

unseenmage
2021-08-22, 01:06 PM
Wow. Looks like casters get to be rogues and barbarians fairly easily.

Beni-Kujaku
2021-08-22, 02:14 PM
Wow. Looks like casters get to be rogues and barbarians fairly easily.

Let's face it, casters get to be anything fairly easily *cough* Assume Supernatural Ability/Polymorph *cough*

Kuulvheysoon
2021-08-22, 02:21 PM
There's a reason that there's only casters in T1/T2. If they can't do it, there's inevitably a spell or prestige class that will let them do it.