Blasphemy [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Blasphemy [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Andrick
10-08-04, 12:18 PM Can anyone answer if the str. reduction component of this spell stacks with itself? It does not seem to me that it should, as spells normally do not stack with themselves. However, in a recent campaign or DM ruled that it did, the hezrou we were fighting proceeded to use the ability repeatedly until all but 1 of the party members were at 0 str, at which point it "decided to leave" since we had hurt it pretty badly before it did this (read, DM did not want to wipe the party so he had it teleport away, left a bad taste in my mouth as the fight had been a good one up till that point. The one remaining party member was down to 5 str, so one more round of use and we were all dead).
The spell does not give any clear description of the possible stacking effect. Our DM used the "cumlative and concurrent" part of the description to explain why it stacked, I thought that just reffered to being effected by all lesser effects as well. If it does stack, it becomes one nasty spell (especially when being used by a creature that has unlimited uses of it per day).
Is there anywhere offical where this has been addressed?

Andrick
tarkin
10-08-04, 12:56 PM I would rule that it falls under the "same spell, different casting" rule for an unamed bonuses, so it does not stack.

As is, Blasphemy is an incredibally powerfull spell, that can abe abused. Some people modify it, giving it some kind of save.

I could not in good faith give it the generous interpreation that your DM did.

Here are two examples of abuses of Blasphemy:

Face someone capable of creating blasphemy at will that has a kobold with him.

Each round, the Blasphemer casts Blasphemy. No save, his opponents are dazed. The Kobold, being evil, is immune, and attacks you. Sure it will take some time, but that kobold WILL kill you eventually.
--------------------------
For a slightly more realistic version, try a party of 4 evil clerics that each memorize two copies of this spell, who have high Initiative scores., against a party of 8 whose level is the same as the clerics.

For the first 8 rounds of the battle, one member of the evil party casts this spell, the other 3 attack. In 8 rounds, the evil party has probably killed the other party and they other party never wounded the evil party at all.)
Someone
10-08-04, 01:18 PM What casting the spell again would do is re-set the duration the weakening lasts and possibly set a different penalty. Once you are weakened, you can't be weakened again, but by how much and for how long you are weakened can change.

Also, the "cumulative and concurrent" part of the spell refers to its own ability to do more than one thing to the target- paralyzing, weakening and dazing a target (cumulative effects) all at the same time (concurrent effects).

Oh, and a hezrou can only use blasphemy 3 times a day.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Andrick 10-08-04, 12:18 PM	Can anyone answer if the str. reduction component of this spell stacks with itself? It does not seem to me that it should, as spells normally do not stack with themselves. However, in a recent campaign or DM ruled that it did, the hezrou we were fighting proceeded to use the ability repeatedly until all but 1 of the party members were at 0 str, at which point it "decided to leave" since we had hurt it pretty badly before it did this (read, DM did not want to wipe the party so he had it teleport away, left a bad taste in my mouth as the fight had been a good one up till that point. The one remaining party member was down to 5 str, so one more round of use and we were all dead). The spell does not give any clear description of the possible stacking effect. Our DM used the "cumlative and concurrent" part of the description to explain why it stacked, I thought that just reffered to being effected by all lesser effects as well. If it does stack, it becomes one nasty spell (especially when being used by a creature that has unlimited uses of it per day). Is there anywhere offical where this has been addressed? Andrick
tarkin 10-08-04, 12:56 PM	I would rule that it falls under the "same spell, different casting" rule for an unamed bonuses, so it does not stack. As is, Blasphemy is an incredibally powerfull spell, that can abe abused. Some people modify it, giving it some kind of save. I could not in good faith give it the generous interpreation that your DM did. Here are two examples of abuses of Blasphemy: Face someone capable of creating blasphemy at will that has a kobold with him. Each round, the Blasphemer casts Blasphemy. No save, his opponents are dazed. The Kobold, being evil, is immune, and attacks you. Sure it will take some time, but that kobold WILL kill you eventually. -------------------------- For a slightly more realistic version, try a party of 4 evil clerics that each memorize two copies of this spell, who have high Initiative scores., against a party of 8 whose level is the same as the clerics. For the first 8 rounds of the battle, one member of the evil party casts this spell, the other 3 attack. In 8 rounds, the evil party has probably killed the other party and they other party never wounded the evil party at all.)
Someone 10-08-04, 01:18 PM	What casting the spell again would do is re-set the duration the weakening lasts and possibly set a different penalty. Once you are weakened, you can't be weakened again, but by how much and for how long you are weakened can change. Also, the "cumulative and concurrent" part of the spell refers to its own ability to do more than one thing to the target- paralyzing, weakening and dazing a target (cumulative effects) all at the same time (concurrent effects). Oh, and a hezrou can only use blasphemy 3 times a day.