Hero's Call [3.5 Cleric Spell]

[Lysander]

This spell could have some uses if you ever need to prepare the local village against some threat:

Hero's Call
Transformation
Level: Clr 3, Pal 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Target: 1 commoner
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You gift a commoner who perfectly embodies your deity's alignment with a magic sword, and in doing so transform them into a powerful fighter. The commoner replaces a number of their highest commoner levels with fighter levels, up to 1 level per 2 of your caster levels. This can alter feats, hitdice, skills, and proficiencies affected by the change. A commoner can only gain a maximum number of fighter levels equal to their commoner class level. The spell lasts until the sword is destroyed or if the subject ever uses another weapon in combat (other than unarmed attacks or improvised weapons), in which case the replaced levels usually revert back to commoner. Only once instance of this spell can be active on a person at a time. Over time should the subject prove themselves as an exemplary champion of your faith's ideals the change may become truly permanent and last even once the spell has ended.

Material Component
The magic sword, which must be uncursed, have an enhancement bonus of at least +1, and not of be of an alignment opposing your faith's.

[deuxhero]

Do they retain Chicken Infested?

[Zeta Kai]

Do they retain Chicken Infested?

No, no, no, no, no, NO. God no.

[Cieyrin]

I'm confused about why the description talks about the spell being made permanent if you're particularly devoted when the spell is already permanent.

Otherwise, interesting spell. I kinda likes.

[Lapak]

Clearly, it should also transform one of the commoner's household pets into a mighty battle-steed.

[Cieyrin]

Clearly, it should also transform one of the commoner's household pets into a mighty battle-steed.

Wouldn't that be instead changing the commoner into a paladin, instead?

[Boci]

I think it should have a small XP cost. As little as 25 or 50, just to make sure people do not spam it. If you don't want an XP cost, then add a gem to the material component.

P.S. Material components are used up as the spell is cast, so I think you want the sword to be a focus.

[Cieyrin]

I think it should have a small XP cost. As little as 25 or 50, just to make sure people do not spam it. If you don't want an XP cost, then add a gem to the material component.

P.S. Material components are used up as the spell is cast, so I think you want the sword to be a focus.

I think it's stopped by the fact that you need at least a +1 sword (or weapon in general). 2000+ gp a pop should keep you from arming every thorp across the kingdom with commoner-turned-fighters. The spell should probably be contingent on the status of the weapon, as it should only empower the commoner while he has it (which seconds the notion of it being a focus).

Speaking of the weapon, I think that should be changed in the spell, as different races will probably have different weapon preferences. I could see dwarves preferring an axe or hammer to a sword and elves may prefer a bow, especially if the cleric/paladin's god has a preference for archery. An idea for that is to make the focus the favored weapon of the deity, rather than just a sword.

[Fizban]

I like it. Only thing I don't like is the restriction on weapon use: the peasant hero typically makes use of more than just one sword to defeat evil, and part of that would be using a ranged attack when necessary. I think it needs a different ending condition, maybe "until the sword breaks, the hero takes an action against the tenants of your god's faith, or the hero is not called to duty for over a year." It makes the spell a lot more dependable, probably worth some level increase in that case, but you still don't have a whole town of fighters for years after. I'd also say whatever you do, it should allow any magic weapon, not just swords. It might make sense to match racial or deific themes, but being stuck with only one option makes it really hard to defend the weak.

[Silverscale]

How about this to incorperate peoples suggestions.

Hero's Call
Transformation
Level: Clr 4, Pal 4
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Target: 1 commoner
Range: Touch
Duration: See Text
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

You gift a commoner who perfectly embodies your deity's alignment with a magic weapon, and in doing so transform them into a powerful fighter. The commoner replaces a number of their highest commoner levels with fighter levels, up to 1 level per 2 of your caster levels. This can alter feats, hitdice, skills, and proficiencies affected by the change. A commoner can only gain a maximum number of fighter levels equal to their commoner class level. The spell lasts until the weapon breaks, the hero takes an action against the tenants of your god's faith, or the hero is not called to duty for over a year, in which case the replaced levels usually revert back to commoner. Only one instance of this spell can be active on a person at a time.

Note: Should the subject prove themselves as an exemplary champion of your faith's ideals the change may become truly permanent and last even once the spell has ended.

Spell Focus: The magic weapon favored by you diety, which must be uncursed, have an enhancement bonus of at least +1, and not of be of an alignment opposing your faith's.

[Worira]

I like this spell, although it could be somewhat abusable, depending on the availability of high-level commoners. One thing, though: The sword should be a focus, not a material component. As written, the sword is destroyed in the casting of the spell, instantly negating it.

[Silverscale]

I like this spell, although it could be somewhat abusable, depending on the availability of high-level commoners.

Only as abusable as the availability of magic weapons. In a low magic setting this spell is almost useless since you may be giving up the very sword you just went on an epic quest to get. In a campaign where magic is more omnipresent, the spell becomes more feasible and is balanced out by the fact that even if you do manage to arm the whole town with +1 weapons they are still faced with people who can probably hurl high level AoE's at them.

One thing, though: The sword should be a focus, not a material component. As written, the sword is destroyed in the casting of the spell, instantly negating it.

See my previous post which has a modified version of the spell.

[Cieyrin]

I like this spell, although it could be somewhat abusable, depending on the availability of high-level commoners. One thing, though: The sword should be a focus, not a material component. As written, the sword is destroyed in the casting of the spell, instantly negating it.

Given high level commoners are few and far between, the majority of whom never get above 1st level, I don't feel that concerned about it.

@Silverscale: That's a decent rewrite, though I don't think it necessarily needs to increase in spell level, as it's less long lasting than the original and isn't otherwise more powerful.