True Nuetral Mage

[Skjaldbakka]

Can I reseach arcane versions of the detect (G/E/L/C) spells? I think it would be really thematic for this character, and I don't really see any balance issues. I'm also interested in the various holy smite/order's wrath/unholy blight/ . . . the chaos one spells, later on down the road. Which might pose some balance issues, but I really don't see alignment-based blast-it being a problem issue with a cerebremancer.

Assuming that I fail at getting my DM to just allow me to research these spells as arcane, is there any way to get these on my wizard list by RAW?

[Dhavaer]

Arcane Disciple adds a domain's worth of spells to your spell list, but I think you need the Wisdom to cast them as Divine. Also, you'd need a deity with all four domains, and those are hard to come by (and not RAW-legal, according the Deities and Demigods).

[Skjaldbakka]

Is there some kind of Balance Domain? What spells would/does it get?

[deadseashoals]

If you're going to be a cerebremancer, you could manifest aura sight to determine that information. Of course, it would take a really long time.

[Dhavaer]

Is there some kind of Balance Domain? What spells would/does it get?

Two smite-type spells: word of balance, which is just like blasphemy, and weighed in the balance which is ninth level and quite good, if you like spells that damage enemies and heal you at once.

Edit: It's in the Spell Compendium.

[Aquillion]

Detect Neutrality

You can sense the presence of neutrality. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.

1st Round
Presence or absence of neutrality.

2nd Round
Number of neutral auras (creatures, objects, or spells) in the area and the power of the most potent neutral aura present.

If your alignment contains no neutral component, and the strongest neutral aura’s power is overwhelming (see below), and the HD or level of the aura’s source is at least twice your character level, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.

3rd Round
The power and location of each aura. If an aura is outside your line of sight, then you discern its direction but not its exact location.

Aura Power
A neutral aura’s power depends on the type of neutral creature or object that you’re detecting and its HD, caster level, or (in the case of a cleric) class level; see the accompanying table. If an aura falls into more than one strength category, the spell indicates the stronger of the two.

{table=head]Creature/Object|Faint|Moderate|Strong|Overwhelming

Neutral creature (HD) | 10 or lower | 11-25 | 26-50 | 51 or higher
Neutral outsider (HD) | 1 or lower | 2-4 | 5-10 | 11 or higher
Bored creature (HD) | 2 or lower | 3-8 | 9-20 | 21 or higher
Neutral Object (example) | Bent copper piece | Lloth Plushie | Inanimate Carbon Rod | Sphere of Annihilation
Nation | Japan | Canada | Turkmenistan | Switzerland [/table]
...What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?"

[Skjaldbakka]

I have some issues with the implications of that kind of spell. Is it even possible to radiate 'nuetrality'? . . .

. . .



Hehe . . . you were joking, weren't you? Switzerland . . .

[Roderick_BR]

There would be more like "Don't find any alignment" detection spell. Instead of casting detect good, detect evil, detect law, and finally detect chaos to determine a person/thing is neutral, you'd use that. Interesting.
I think it would be okay for wizards to use detect alignment spells as arcane spells, but the smite ones should remain divine spells, seeing as this "smite" thing is more about divine than arcane powers. If a DM finds that too overpowered (I don't know why), just bump it to level 2 spells.

[Skjaldbakka]

I imagine I'll wrangle with the DM abit on the smite line of spells. I don't see any balance issue, and it fits the flavor of the character really well. If I can't convince him, I'll invest in UMD and buy wands (eventually). That is a very cost-ineffective solution however (as a spell on my list, I might make a couple scrolls of each. I seriously doubt that I would ever use those spells enough to justify their cost in wand-form).

[Xuincherguixe]

Is it even possible to radiate 'nuetrality'? . . .

Why is that any harder to believe than emitting "good" or "evil"?

[Overlard]

Why is that any harder to believe than emitting "good" or "evil"?

Because neutrality is an absence of these things, like darkness is the absence of light. Dark things things don't emit darkness, they just don't emit (as much) light.

[Skjaldbakka]

My DM approved researching the spells, although he bumped the smites up a level for arcane spells.

Hurrah!

Re: radiating neutral, what ^he^ said


What would be an appropriate arcane spell focus for those spells?

[MCerberus]

Because neutrality is an absence of these things, like darkness is the absence of light. Dark things things don't emit darkness, they just don't emit (as much) light.

Except neutral would radiate two different things at once in relatively equal amounts. Plus the spell would be... well... "I cast detect neutrality"

"Okay something's neutral"

"What kind of neutral?"

"It has neutrality!"

"..."

[Collin152]

Which spells, smite or sight?
Detect spells, eyes of opposing alignment-apropriate outsiders; Formian eyes should finally come in handy now.
Smite spells, holy/unholy water, chaos beast flesh blob, some generic law-monster something or other.

[Skjaldbakka]

Ughh . . . I'm reminded how much I hate material components. Maybe I'll just take Eschew Materials and be done with it.

[Wolfwood2]

This thread has gone on long enough without quoting the definitive source on neutrality, Captain Zap Brannigan.

"I hate these filthy neutrals Kif! With enemies you know where they stand, but with neutrals? Who knows! It sickens me."

"How very neutral of you!"

"Sooo beautiful, yet so neutral."

"What makes a man turn neutral ... Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?"

[Aquillion]

This thread has gone on long enough without quoting the definitive source on neutrality, Captain Zap Brannigan.

Go read my post again more carefully.