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Thread: [PF] CTP's Guide to Words of Power

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    Daemon

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    Default Re: CTP's Guide to Words of Power (Under Construction)

    4th Level Effect Words
    Spoiler
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    Acid Wave

    Equivalent spell: ???

    The next upgrade in the Acid line. It has the same damage dice and dice cap as the previous level damage spells, but it offers no SR and sickens targets for rounds/level on a failed save, or 1 round on a successful save. So it’s a combination damage and debuff spell. Could be useful opening move to soften up targets. No target word restriction, so you can go pretty nuts with it.

    Bestial Form

    Equivalent spell: Beast Shape II

    The next step up in the Change word line, this spell is like its predecessor, but with more options and an increase in the STR bonus. For gishes, this is noteworthy in that you can gain the ever-popular Pounce ability. A fly speed, trip, and grab are other options now available.

    Borrow Future

    Equivalent spell: Celerity (3.5)

    Oh dear. Celerity was a potent, often-banned spell from 3.5, and this spell closely resembles it. You cast it on a target, who then immediately takes a turn (specifically a standard and move, or full round action). They skip their next turn, but are at no other particular disadvantage. If you boost it, the target is instead staggered on its next turn. In some ways, this is even better than Celerity! There’s no reason for a caster to cast it on themselves... until you can Quicken it. Then you can take your turn... then take another turn. If there’s one thing Words of Power seems to do well, it’s summoning, and abusing the action economy.

    Elder Cure & Elder Wound

    Equivalent spells: Cure Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds

    Blah blah, move along, derp herp de derp.

    Fire Wall

    Equivalent spell: Wall of Fire

    Very similar to Wall of Fire, except that this spell does not radiate heat, and only deals damage to creatures passing through the wall, or caught in it as it appears. It has a more limited range, and more restrictive shaping parameters, so it’s less useful than Wall of Fire, but still a decent battlefield control option.

    Grave Bane

    Equivalent spell: Deathward

    Grave Bane is not as universally useful as Deathward. It provides protection against negative levels, auto-stabilizes the target should they drop to negative hp, and gives a +4 sacred bonus on saves against death effects. You’ve got to work with what you have; it’s a decent defensive buff against the right opponents.

    Ice Blast

    Equivalent spell: ???

    Much like Acid Wave, this is direct damage with a built-in debuff; in this case, it entangles targets. It allows SR though, so it’s probably not as useful as Acid Wave.

    Ice Wall

    Equivalent spell: Wall of Ice

    Much like Wall of Ice, this spell creates a solid barrier of opaque ice. It has a more restrictive range and fewer shaping options, nor does it damage opponents that manage to break through the ice. It also has a shorter duration. Still, for battlefield control, this will serve to divide opponents up or delay the enemy.

    Life Leech

    Equivalent spell: Enervation

    This spell inflicts negative levels. Unlike Enervation, this spell does not require a ranged touch attack; however, the target gets to negate the effect with a successful Fort. save. Boosting the target word can effect multiple targets, which can be cool for a mass debuff. Probably less useful ultimately than Enervation by fault of the save. Goes well with metamagic. Boosted to a 9th level spell, the negative levels become permanent, but this is unlikely to be a concern for most adventurers. Note that the hours/level duration means that it doesn’t combine well with other debuff words, most of which are rounds/level.

    Nature’s Command

    Equivalent spell: Dominate Animal

    This spell is basically the same thing as Dominate Animal, except that it can effect magical beasts (they get a bonus on their save). Pretty useful, but by this level animals are probably becoming an increasingly rare opponent. If you can find a magical beast with a crappy enough Will save, though, this is sort of like a much earlier version of Dominate Monster.

    Paralyze Creature

    Equivalent spell: Hold Monster

    Welcome to the Words of Power version of Hold Monster! Combine with allies ready to coupe de grace, and enjoy!

    Perfect Form

    Equivalent spells: Bull’s Strength, Cat’s Grace, Bear’s Endurance

    For 1 round per level, this spell provides the benefits of the above three spells all at once. However, by the time you get access to this spell, magic item redundancy has probably kicked in. Still, it’s a pretty solid buff for the more martial types. Shame the duration is so short.

    Purify

    Equivalent spell: Restoration

    This is a crappier version of Restoration and its ilk. Although there are no costly material components, this spell only removes negative levels. You can also choose one type of affliction, which the target then gets to make a new save against to remove. No ability damage is healed, it doesn’t automatically get rid of poisons... rough times.

    Servitor IV

    Still solid.

    Sound Blast

    Equivalent spell: Shout

    This is a higher level version of Fire Blast, the only difference being that it uses the rare sonic damage type. Could be useful in certain situations, particularly against outsiders.

    Terror

    Equivalent spell: Fear

    A simple save-or-lose. Has no target word restrictions! Make large numbers of foes run away! Quite useful, and a good candidate for Manifestation meta words.

    Unseen Shell

    Equivalent spell: Invisibility Sphere

    This is a higher-level, immobile version of Invisibility Sphere... It’s pretty much worse. I guess if you need to set an ambush, it could be useful? For a boost and an increase of 2 levels, creatures can attack from the shell without revealing themselves. Again, could be useful if you are trying to set up an ambush with a bunch of archers. Words of Power really takes a dump on illusions...


    5th Level Effect Words
    Spoiler
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    Alignment Assault

    Equivalent spells: Holy Smite, Unholy Blight, Chaos Hammer, Order’s Wrath

    If you know the alignment of your opponents, this is a decent source of damage, especially against outsiders. They get SR, but there’s no save against the damage. Indeed, if they fail their Will saves, they are staggered for 1 round/caster level. Pretty solid damage and debuff combo.

    Ball Lightning

    Equivalent spell: Chain Lightning

    This is a crappier version of Chain Lightning in most regards. It requires a ranged touch attack, and by the RAW it only effects other targets if you boost the target word (making it an 8th level spell?), in which case the secondary targets only take 1/2 damage. This spell could use some clarification... Against single targets, it’s not bad, though, as it uses 1d8 damage dice, capping at 15d8.

    Cinder Storm

    Equivalent spell: Delayed Blast Fireball

    The next evolution of the Fire line, the damage dice cap has now increased to 15. You can replicate this effect with a 4th level slot by Intensifying Fire Blast at CL 15th; otherwise, it’s like an auto-Empowered Fire Blast.

    Crush Will

    Equivalent spell: Dominate Person

    This is a worse version of Dominate Person; instead of having a mental slave for days, you control them for rounds/level. Still, for a single battle, this is usually enough to guarantee a humanoid opponent’s downfall. Sadly, Wordcasters can’t make an enduring menagerie of dominated thralls... That said, the Manifestation meta word makes this a great spell to cast against enemy wizards and sorcerers; you can do a lot of damage with other people’s spells in a very short amount of time.
    Oddly, this word combines well with buffs and utility words at higher levels; give your temporary ally bonuses that fade as soon as you lose control of them.

    Dimensional Jump

    Equivalent spell: Teleport

    Although there is no chance of a mishap, this spell can only teleport you to places you’ve been before. Useful, but slightly more limited than vanilla Teleport. Also, you have to boost the target word to bring along multiple people (there’s no limit on the size of the targets, but it's an 8th level slot). Try putting your friends in extradimensional storage!

    Dimensional Shift

    Equivalent spell: Plane Shift

    Basically the same thing as Plane Shift, but until you can boost the target word, you’ll be traversing the planes by yourself (typically not a wise thing to do). Pro tip: have everyone in your party step into a portable hole, then cast this spell! By the time you can affect other creatures, Dimensional Gate has probably come online, and the targets must be willing anyway...

    Far Casting

    Equivalent spell: Sending

    This spell has an odd name. The caster can communicate with any one willing creature it knows, regardless of distance, as long as he concentrates and is on the same plane as the target. They can communicate with each other even if they don’t share a language. This is a pretty solid utility spell.

    Force Blast

    Equivalent Spell: Orb of Force (3.5)

    This spell is the same thing as Fire Blast, but with force damage. It’s two levels higher, so it might not really be worth it. Still, few things resist force damage. A good contender for traditional metamagic.

    Monstrous Form

    Equivalent spell: Beast Shape III
    This is the best of the polymorph spells for Words of Magic. It’s a decent buff for a gish, with more options to pick from than ever before. You can burrow, gain ferocity, energy resistance, or even the constrict ability. You know the drill by this point. Either you like this spell, or you’re casting other things.

    Resist Arcana

    Equivalent spell: Spell Resistance

    This spell is pretty much an exact duplicate of Spell Resistance, save that you can boost the target word to effect multiple people. Can be pretty useful, especially if you know you’re going up against lots of spellcasters. Just be careful! SR can harm your ability to land buffs on folks, or even heal them.

    Revive

    Equivalent spell: Raise Dead

    Similar to the Breath of Life spell, or Revivify from 3.5, this spell allows you to return a recently slain creature to life. The window of revivification is a rather generous 1 hour/caster level, so you can afford to wait until after a dangerous encounter to cast this puppy. Even then, it’s only a standard action to cast, and there’s no costly material components. The downside is the target is at a fragile 1 hp, with 50% of their spells gone, and they have 3 permanent negative levels (ouch!). Still, three castings of the Purify spell, and they’ll be right as rain. This is a pretty sweet spell; you just have to have it at the ready, or you might miss your chance to resurrect your pals.

    Servitor V

    Homestyle Conjuration Goodness!

    Stone Wall

    Equivalent spell: Wall of Stone

    Similar to Wall of Stone, but worse. Wall of Stone has an instantaneous duration, so your wall is basically permanent. Stone Wall only lasts rounds per level. Useful battlefield control, but Ice Wall will likely serve just as well if you’re just looking for a solid obstruction.

    Unmake

    Equivalent spell: Greater Dispel Magic

    Now the dispelling words are getting somewhere. This spell is like an uncapped targeted Dispel. However, the target gets a Will save, and if they succeed, you can only attempt to dispel the highest-level spell affecting them. At least it’s not all or nothing! This is much more useful than Suppress, but you’ll have to wait a while to get it online. At higher levels, try combining it with debuff words!

    6th Level Effect Words

    This level of effect words marks the highest-level cutoff point for using the Boost Selected word. Any buffs or debuffs at this level or lower can be turned into ‘Mass’ versions of themselves by using Boost Selected; anything higher would take up spell slots higher than 9th level.
    Spoiler
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    Blade Wall

    Equivalent spell: Blade Barrier

    This spell is very similar to Blade Barrier, but with a shorter duration, and no damage cap. Also, it’s a conjuration (creation) spell, instead of an evocation (force) spell, so it won’t work against ghosts and similar foes. Weird! Could be potentially useful. I’m just not too impressed with the Wall effect words.

    Energy Immunity

    Equivalent spell: Protection from Energy

    While a wordcaster may never get Resist Energy 30, they can bust out total immunity! For rounds per level... A good clutch spell in certain circumstances. If you boost the target word, the whole party gains energy immunity for a 9th level spell slot.

    Force Ward

    Equivalent spell: Mage Armor?

    The highest of the armor line, this is exactly the same as Force Shield, but 2 points higher. Is this worth a 6th level spell slot? YOU DECIDE!

    Locate

    Equivalent spell: Find the Path

    This spell points you unerringly in the right direction toward a place you’ve been before, or an object you’ve held before, for 10 minutes per caster level. Typically, people want to use high level divinations to find things they don’t know about, or places they’ve never been... If you’re worried about getting lost, you can just use the 0 level Beacon spell and accomplish much the same thing. Useful if you lose an important item, I suppose. Not too terribly impressed.

    Negation

    Equivalent spell: Antimagic Field

    This functions like AMF, but notice that you don’t have to center it around yourself. You can thus place the negation field on enemies, or on... stuff you don’t want to be magic no more. The duration is only rounds per level, though, so don’t expect the negation to last! Antimagic is tricky business, but when you need it, you need it.

    Servitor VI

    Beep beep, whoop whoop, I ain’t playin’ around. Note that this is the highest level Servitor spell that can use the Boost Selected target word. No gangs of T-Rexes for you...

    Slay

    Equivalent spell: Finger of Death

    This spell is like Finger of Death, but with a damage cap: 150 on a failed save, in this case. It reminds me more of Harm than anything. There are fewer save-or-dies in Pathfinder, but this is thematically one of them. Could be useful! If you boost the target word, you get something resembling Wail of the Banshee for a 9th level slot.

    Unfetter

    Equivalent spell: Reverse Gravity

    This spell is like Reverse Gravity... except the range is worse, the targets are more restricted, and they get a save to resist the effect. So worse than Reverse Gravity in pretty much every way. You’re probably better off focusing your attention elsewhere if you’re looking for debuffs or battlefield control.
    Last edited by CockroachTeaParty; 2013-10-12 at 10:23 AM.