9th Level Spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

9th Level Spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Zaistars69
04-24-07, 04:36 PM So my cleric just got access to 9th level spells this week and after looking through the various books I was fairly dissapointed. now I know people will say gate is good but I don't really want to sack 1000xp everytime I need to summon something useful. Are there any 9th level spells people think are good? I don't have any metamagic feats, yes I know persisting greater visige of the diety would be good.
tarkin
04-24-07, 04:41 PM What are your domains?

My standard Cleric good 9th level spells are all core spells:

True Ressurection (expensive, but very powerfull)
Implosion (one spell = four deaths cool!)
Mass Heal (9 rounds and realizing you bit off more than your party can handle? Both the Fighter and the Rogue begging for healing? Facing undead? MASS HEAL )
Astral Projection, assuming the DM does not house rule limiting it.

Also, if you have smart players, than the spell End to strife can be effective. It can easily buy you a couple of rounds of safety, enough time to escape/avoid trouble/achieve your goals.

But generally you have to be willing to NOT attack the monsters for it to be effective.

Miracle and Gate are OK, but in reality they are spells that are intended to be balanced by the DM.

If he does a good job balancing them, they are not as great as the standard ones I mentioned above
Tempest Stormwind
04-24-07, 04:41 PM So my cleric just got access to 9th level spells this week and after looking through the various books I was fairly dissapointed. now I know people will say gate is good but I don't really want to sack 1000xp everytime I need to summon something useful. Are there any 9th level spells people think are good? I don't have any metamagic feats, yes I know persisting greater visige of the diety would be good.

Gate.

Seriously.

You lose 1000xp and get a CR 23 SOLAR from the heavens to appear and win the battle for you. Anything you're fighting at this point should provide you with at least 1000xp and undoubtedly more.

If you want broken spells, look no further than your PHB.

The best 9th level cleric spells (not knowing what your domains are) from the PHB are, in alphabetical order, Astral Projection, Gate, Miracle, and True Resurrection. If you use Gate and/or Astral Projection, you'll never need the last one.
Witch
04-24-07, 04:47 PM Concurring with Tempest: definitely get Astral Projection.
Zaistars69
04-24-07, 04:47 PM My domains, prepare to cringe, are cold and strength. the Obedient Avalanch is pretty neat if I have a need to suffocate someone. But seriously a damaging spell at this point is a bit silly. damn near everything makes it's saves these days.
Zaistars69
04-24-07, 04:59 PM Concurring with Tempest: definitely get Astral Projection.

so wait a minute. I just read through astral projection again. You create a new body and equipment when you travel to another plane. Is this equipment seperate from the equipment on the material plane? So if I have a wand of vigor on the other plane and use it, do charges expend from the one in the material plane? that seems kind of crazy.
Witch
04-24-07, 05:02 PM so wait a minute. I just read through astral projection again. You create a new body and equipment when you travel to another plane. Is this equipment seperate from the equipment on the material plane? So if I have a wand of vigor on the other plane and use it, do charges expend from the one in the material plane? that seems kind of crazy.
It is crazy (I houserule that charges are used, though.)
tarkin
04-24-07, 05:05 PM That is why I put in my comment about house ruling.

Astral Projection is the single best 9th level spell if your DM does not house rule.

But I find it happens so often, that it rarely gets onto my list.

It also requires your DM to be willing to let you do some alternate plane stuff, which some DM's dislike with a passion.
Yadot
04-24-07, 05:05 PM You can also use Astral Projection to go to say Bytopia then have a friend planeshift you back to the Material Plane to double your items and never have to worry about dying.
Tempest Stormwind
04-24-07, 05:09 PM Even if your DM doesn't houserule equipment, you can use it, and your whole party can adventure anywhere in the multiverse they feel like with an emergency exit to the Astral Plane. Furthermore, if you were in a really safe sanctum in the first place, they cannot be killed, *except* on the Astral Plane by a special weapon like a githyanki silver sword.

This means that they could be fighting you at full strength, you could die, and still return home a la MMORPG respawns. And Astral Projection has been in the game for how many decades, now?
ArcTan
04-24-07, 05:38 PM Gate.

Seriously.

You lose 1000xp and get a CR 23 SOLAR from the heavens to appear and win the battle for you. Anything you're fighting at this point should provide you with at least 1000xp and undoubtedly more.

...Which means you're netting a few hundred XP from a fight that should've gotten you over a thousand. Which means getting to that next level will be slow as molasses. Slower, if your DM does the smart thing and starts docking XP for using abusive, boring tactics. (XP is ultimately based on how interesting and how difficult encounters are. Finding a way to break them means you earn nothing for them.)
Tempest Stormwind
04-24-07, 05:48 PM ...Which means you're netting a few hundred XP from a fight that should've gotten you over a thousand. Which means getting to that next level will be slow as molasses. Slower, if your DM does the smart thing and starts docking XP for using abusive, boring tactics. (XP is ultimately based on how interesting and how difficult encounters are. Finding a way to break them means you earn nothing for them.)

Experience is a river. Ever hear of the one-level gravy train?

If you're one level behind your party, you actually gain more experience from the same encounters. Typically, this experience is spent crafting items. As a result, you can get a lot of extra gear while still advancing at the same rate as the rest of your party.

However, if the DM reduces XP awards on a houserule instead of just altering, nerfing, or banning the stupidly-overpowered spells, I have to question his judgement on what needs houseruling and what doesn't.
Magetastic
04-24-07, 07:09 PM If you're worried about the XP cost just gate in a solar (or efreet) and have it wish you up a rod of excellent magic. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/magicItems/rods.htm#excellentMagic)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zaistars69 04-24-07, 04:36 PM	So my cleric just got access to 9th level spells this week and after looking through the various books I was fairly dissapointed. now I know people will say gate is good but I don't really want to sack 1000xp everytime I need to summon something useful. Are there any 9th level spells people think are good? I don't have any metamagic feats, yes I know persisting greater visige of the diety would be good.
tarkin 04-24-07, 04:41 PM	What are your domains? My standard Cleric good 9th level spells are all core spells: True Ressurection (expensive, but very powerfull) Implosion (one spell = four deaths cool!) Mass Heal (9 rounds and realizing you bit off more than your party can handle? Both the Fighter and the Rogue begging for healing? Facing undead? MASS HEAL ) Astral Projection, assuming the DM does not house rule limiting it. Also, if you have smart players, than the spell End to strife can be effective. It can easily buy you a couple of rounds of safety, enough time to escape/avoid trouble/achieve your goals. But generally you have to be willing to NOT attack the monsters for it to be effective. Miracle and Gate are OK, but in reality they are spells that are intended to be balanced by the DM. If he does a good job balancing them, they are not as great as the standard ones I mentioned above
Tempest Stormwind 04-24-07, 04:41 PM	So my cleric just got access to 9th level spells this week and after looking through the various books I was fairly dissapointed. now I know people will say gate is good but I don't really want to sack 1000xp everytime I need to summon something useful. Are there any 9th level spells people think are good? I don't have any metamagic feats, yes I know persisting greater visige of the diety would be good. Gate. Seriously. You lose 1000xp and get a CR 23 SOLAR from the heavens to appear and win the battle for you. Anything you're fighting at this point should provide you with at least 1000xp and undoubtedly more. If you want broken spells, look no further than your PHB. The best 9th level cleric spells (not knowing what your domains are) from the PHB are, in alphabetical order, Astral Projection, Gate, Miracle, and True Resurrection. If you use Gate and/or Astral Projection, you'll never need the last one.
Witch 04-24-07, 04:47 PM	Concurring with Tempest: definitely get Astral Projection.
Zaistars69 04-24-07, 04:47 PM	My domains, prepare to cringe, are cold and strength. the Obedient Avalanch is pretty neat if I have a need to suffocate someone. But seriously a damaging spell at this point is a bit silly. damn near everything makes it's saves these days.
Zaistars69 04-24-07, 04:59 PM	Concurring with Tempest: definitely get Astral Projection. so wait a minute. I just read through astral projection again. You create a new body and equipment when you travel to another plane. Is this equipment seperate from the equipment on the material plane? So if I have a wand of vigor on the other plane and use it, do charges expend from the one in the material plane? that seems kind of crazy.
Witch 04-24-07, 05:02 PM	so wait a minute. I just read through astral projection again. You create a new body and equipment when you travel to another plane. Is this equipment seperate from the equipment on the material plane? So if I have a wand of vigor on the other plane and use it, do charges expend from the one in the material plane? that seems kind of crazy. It is crazy (I houserule that charges are used, though.)
tarkin 04-24-07, 05:05 PM	That is why I put in my comment about house ruling. Astral Projection is the single best 9th level spell if your DM does not house rule. But I find it happens so often, that it rarely gets onto my list. It also requires your DM to be willing to let you do some alternate plane stuff, which some DM's dislike with a passion.
Yadot 04-24-07, 05:05 PM	You can also use Astral Projection to go to say Bytopia then have a friend planeshift you back to the Material Plane to double your items and never have to worry about dying.
Tempest Stormwind 04-24-07, 05:09 PM	Even if your DM doesn't houserule equipment, you can use it, and your whole party can adventure anywhere in the multiverse they feel like with an emergency exit to the Astral Plane. Furthermore, if you were in a really safe sanctum in the first place, they cannot be killed, except on the Astral Plane by a special weapon like a githyanki silver sword. This means that they could be fighting you at full strength, you could die, and still return home a la MMORPG respawns. And Astral Projection has been in the game for how many decades, now?
ArcTan 04-24-07, 05:38 PM	Gate. Seriously. You lose 1000xp and get a CR 23 SOLAR from the heavens to appear and win the battle for you. Anything you're fighting at this point should provide you with at least 1000xp and undoubtedly more. ...Which means you're netting a few hundred XP from a fight that should've gotten you over a thousand. Which means getting to that next level will be slow as molasses. Slower, if your DM does the smart thing and starts docking XP for using abusive, boring tactics. (XP is ultimately based on how interesting and how difficult encounters are. Finding a way to break them means you earn nothing for them.)
Tempest Stormwind 04-24-07, 05:48 PM	...Which means you're netting a few hundred XP from a fight that should've gotten you over a thousand. Which means getting to that next level will be slow as molasses. Slower, if your DM does the smart thing and starts docking XP for using abusive, boring tactics. (XP is ultimately based on how interesting and how difficult encounters are. Finding a way to break them means you earn nothing for them.) Experience is a river. Ever hear of the one-level gravy train? If you're one level behind your party, you actually gain more experience from the same encounters. Typically, this experience is spent crafting items. As a result, you can get a lot of extra gear while still advancing at the same rate as the rest of your party. However, if the DM reduces XP awards on a houserule instead of just altering, nerfing, or banning the stupidly-overpowered spells, I have to question his judgement on what needs houseruling and what doesn't.
Magetastic 04-24-07, 07:09 PM	If you're worried about the XP cost just gate in a solar (or efreet) and have it wish you up a rod of excellent magic. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/magicItems/rods.htm#excellentMagic)