Contact Other Plane--Stat decrease or drain? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Contact Other Plane--Stat decrease or drain? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Crocodylus Pontifex
10-11-04, 06:58 PM Recently, a player decided to use the spell mentioned above and suffered the Int and Cha loss that results from a failed Int check. The other players, wanting their arcane spellcaster back, were wondering if a Restoration spell would alleviate this new weakness.

I'm stumped, considering the Restoration description mentions only ability drain and damage, not a "decrease" as stated in the footnotes of the chart on pg 213. So, does the wizard have to wait 5 weeks to cast spells again or can the party cleric bring him back to usefulness?
kSquared
10-11-04, 07:05 PM In this case, the caster's Intelligence and Charisma scores have been pegged at that value (8), so strictly speaking it's neither damage nor drain. I suppose you could consider it to be a third effect that drains exactly enough ability points to put you at 8 Int and Cha.

You can't get it back through natural healing (since it's not damage), but I'd rule that a restoration spell would be sufficient.
incubus
10-11-04, 10:52 PM Recently, a player decided to use the spell mentioned above and suffered the Int and Cha loss that results from a failed Int check. The other players, wanting their arcane spellcaster back, were wondering if a Restoration spell would alleviate this new weakness.

I'm stumped, considering the Restoration description mentions only ability drain and damage, not a "decrease" as stated in the footnotes of the chart on pg 213. So, does the wizard have to wait 5 weeks to cast spells again or can the party cleric bring him back to usefulness?

Frankly, it's a silly spell that breaks all the rules, and is probably totally overlooked by the powers that be. Add that to the fact that clerics get the same spell with no risk, and no chance of getting wrong answers, and it's just a kick in the face for divination specialists.

Especially since a lesser planar binding spell will get you an imp that you can order to cast commune, asking a preset list of questions and responding with the exact answers it recieved.

That said, I read it to say "the casters natural intelligence and charisma drop to 8 for the stated duration" which means that restoration will not work, however intelligence and charisma boosting items will, as will inherent bonuses. Which means that if you've got a clever wizard with a tome and headband at max, you'll go down to 19 int. The average wizard (when first casting this spell) should be dropped down to something in the region of 12 int, meaning he's stuck with 1st and 2nd level spells for a while.

Additionally I'd say that any wizard who didn't already have a high enough bonus that he cannot fail the roll should have perhaps not cast the spell in the first place.

Greater heroism, fox's cunning and a starting int of about 18 (bumped to 21 from levelling) will let you chat with lesser dieties for no risk at all. Add a stone of good luck and a headband of +6 intellect and you're onto intermediate deities. You'll need a tome +2 and a natural int increase to buddy it up with the greater ones.

You might also want to try chatting your DM into making an int-based 'circlet of persuasion' that gives you a +3 to all int-based checks. That'll knock off the need for the headband, tome and int increase.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Crocodylus Pontifex 10-11-04, 06:58 PM	Recently, a player decided to use the spell mentioned above and suffered the Int and Cha loss that results from a failed Int check. The other players, wanting their arcane spellcaster back, were wondering if a Restoration spell would alleviate this new weakness. I'm stumped, considering the Restoration description mentions only ability drain and damage, not a "decrease" as stated in the footnotes of the chart on pg 213. So, does the wizard have to wait 5 weeks to cast spells again or can the party cleric bring him back to usefulness?
kSquared 10-11-04, 07:05 PM	In this case, the caster's Intelligence and Charisma scores have been pegged at that value (8), so strictly speaking it's neither damage nor drain. I suppose you could consider it to be a third effect that drains exactly enough ability points to put you at 8 Int and Cha. You can't get it back through natural healing (since it's not damage), but I'd rule that a restoration spell would be sufficient.
incubus 10-11-04, 10:52 PM	Recently, a player decided to use the spell mentioned above and suffered the Int and Cha loss that results from a failed Int check. The other players, wanting their arcane spellcaster back, were wondering if a Restoration spell would alleviate this new weakness. I'm stumped, considering the Restoration description mentions only ability drain and damage, not a "decrease" as stated in the footnotes of the chart on pg 213. So, does the wizard have to wait 5 weeks to cast spells again or can the party cleric bring him back to usefulness? Frankly, it's a silly spell that breaks all the rules, and is probably totally overlooked by the powers that be. Add that to the fact that clerics get the same spell with no risk, and no chance of getting wrong answers, and it's just a kick in the face for divination specialists. Especially since a lesser planar binding spell will get you an imp that you can order to cast commune, asking a preset list of questions and responding with the exact answers it recieved. That said, I read it to say "the casters natural intelligence and charisma drop to 8 for the stated duration" which means that restoration will not work, however intelligence and charisma boosting items will, as will inherent bonuses. Which means that if you've got a clever wizard with a tome and headband at max, you'll go down to 19 int. The average wizard (when first casting this spell) should be dropped down to something in the region of 12 int, meaning he's stuck with 1st and 2nd level spells for a while. Additionally I'd say that any wizard who didn't already have a high enough bonus that he cannot fail the roll should have perhaps not cast the spell in the first place. Greater heroism, fox's cunning and a starting int of about 18 (bumped to 21 from levelling) will let you chat with lesser dieties for no risk at all. Add a stone of good luck and a headband of +6 intellect and you're onto intermediate deities. You'll need a tome +2 and a natural int increase to buddy it up with the greater ones. You might also want to try chatting your DM into making an int-based 'circlet of persuasion' that gives you a +3 to all int-based checks. That'll knock off the need for the headband, tome and int increase.