[3.5 spell] True Seeing. Do you really want it?

[Ernir]

Here, you see a version of True Seeing that is more available, more dangerous, and hopefully more interesting.

Lesser True Seeing
Divination
Level: Clr 3, Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 4
Target: Humanoid or monstrous humanoid touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)

This spell functions as the True Seeing (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trueSeeing.htm) spell, except as noted here.
You open your mind wide, allowing yourself to see the full extent of reality. Although this spell allows you to see through all manner of disguises and illusions like its more powerful cousin, it does not protect you against what you may perceive.

The world appears vibrant, clear, and enhanced while the spell is in effect. Roses seem more red, the sky more blue, edges sharper and pillows softer. Every detail constantly tries to embed itself in your mind, taxing it greatly. At the end of each round of the spell's duration, you must make a DC 15 Will save or take 1 point of Wisdom damage.

While the true form of most mortal creatures is similar to their normal appearance, that of some magical beings can easily overwhelm weak minds. The effect different creature types have is outlined on the following table:

HD/TypeDragonFeyOutsiderUndead
> your HDNo effectDazzledDazzledSickened
> your HD + 5ShakenFascinated*BlindedShaken
> your HD + 10CoweringCharmed (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/charmMonster.htm) by the FeyPermanently Confused (insane)Nauseated

*A creature that is Charmed is not Fascinated
You may attempt a will save (DC 10 + the creature's HD - your HD) to negate each individual effect. The effects are cumulative and concurrent. Unless otherwise noted, the effects last until the spell ends or the creature moves out of the spell's range (or your line of sight), whichever happens sooner.
Certain magical beasts and aberrations may also have similarly disturbing true forms. While the true forms of powerful members of the common races may be spectacular, and somewhat different from their normal appearance, their nature is mundane enough for most minds to have no problems comprehending them.

Finally, all forms of ability damage to mental ability scores becomes visible under the spell. A creature so injured usually appears to have wounds on the body locations corresponding to its power chakras (see Magic of Incarnum).

Material Component
Drops for the eyes that cost 125 gp, made from distilled water and diamond powder.





Another idea I had is to make this the spell called True Seeing, while making the old True Seeing a higher level spell called something like "Guarded True Seeing".

For the curious, yes, this is stolen from inspired by the Dresden Files version of "True Seeing". :smalltongue:

[DracoDei]

Wikipedia-like cross indexing: Q-Ray Vision(AKA False Seeing) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6504098#post6504098)
(similar, except with comedy rather than horror for the drawback)

[madock345]

I think Outsiders should inflict insanity.

[Veklim]

I think Outsiders should inflict insanity.
+1 to that.

Nice idea, well executed. Wondering now if any of my players would take it...I believe a couple of them might!

[Gamer Girl]

Here, you see a version of True Seeing that is more available, more dangerous, and hopefully more interesting.


This is a good idea, but a bad spell. To have just one divination spell with such drawbacks is a bad idea.....but to add a rule to your game that effected all divinations in a good idea.

I have lots of such rules in my game. It's dangerous to read the mind of anything that is not quite human, for example. It's also dangerous to steal life force from anything that is not 'normal alive'.

[Answerer]

For the curious, yes, this is stolen from inspired by the Dresden Files version of "True Seeing". :smalltongue:
I suspected as much and am thrilled to be correct.

[Ernir]

I think Outsiders should inflict insanity.
Ooo, good idea. Switched confusion and permanent blindness to become temporary blindness and permanent insanity. >=D

This is a good idea, but a bad spell. To have just one divination spell with such drawbacks is a bad idea.....but to add a rule to your game that effected all divinations in a good idea.

I have lots of such rules in my game. It's dangerous to read the mind of anything that is not quite human, for example. It's also dangerous to steal life force from anything that is not 'normal alive'.

How do you phrase such rules? Because currently, all we have on Divinations in general is this:
Divination
Divination spells enable you to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things, and to foil deceptive spells.

Many divination spells have cone-shaped areas. These move with you and extend in the direction you look. The cone defines the area that you can sweep each round. If you study the same area for multiple rounds, you can often gain additional information, as noted in the descriptive text for the spell.

Scrying
A scrying spell creates an invisible magical sensor that sends you information. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of sensory acuity that you possess. This level of acuity includes any spells or effects that target you, but not spells or effects that emanate from you. However, the sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ of yours, and thus it functions normally even if you have been blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffered sensory impairment.

Any creature with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Intelligence check. The sensor can be dispelled as if it were an active spell.

Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks a scrying spell, and you sense that the spell is so blocked.
I'm having a hard time imagining what to add to make the school dangerous in general, it being as diverse as it is. =/

[Gamer Girl]

You can generally phrase a rule like this: If you do action X, then reaction Y might happen. So ''It's dangerous to cast a divination that directly effects and outsider'' is all the players get. The DM has the 'secret' rules at to what happens. And I like to keep things vague and flavorful...so it's not 'cast the spell and take one damage', but more ''if you use a divination on a demon you maybe effect by it's chaotic evil nature.''

[Ernir]

You can generally phrase a rule like this: If you do action X, then reaction Y might happen. So ''It's dangerous to cast a divination that directly effects and outsider'' is all the players get. The DM has the 'secret' rules at to what happens. And I like to keep things vague and flavorful...so it's not 'cast the spell and take one damage', but more ''if you use a divination on a demon you maybe effect by it's chaotic evil nature.''

Sounds like a style difference. I, for one, don't like to have unwritten rules. =/

Also, those tend to be very hard to share with the public...

[Gamer Girl]

Well, having a rule that says ''It's dangerous to cast divination spells directly on outsiders'', it not exactly an unwritten rule...as look it's right there. Unless your talking about a hard set rule like ''if you cast a divination spell on an outsider you take 1d4 wisdom damage unless you make a save''. But if you want to make your rules like that you can...and they are still rules.


I'm just saying that instead of one spell with special rules...for just that spell...you might want to just add a paragraph to the school description.

[dspeyer]

Maybe outsiders should be broken down by type. Insantiy doesn't seem to fit all of them.

If you See a good outsider, you are stricken with guilt of how you can never live up to its standards. This has the effects of a permanent Crushing Despair spell, but is not actually magic and cannot be removed by Remove Curse or Dispel Magic. It can, however, be removed by Atonement from a good source, which allows you to recognize that what goodness there is in you is valuable.
If you See an evil outsider, you are filled with fear to know that such a fearsome creature greatly desires to torture you forever. You permanently Cower. This can be ended by a Dispel Evil spell.
If you See a creature native to the Far Realm, you are permanently Insane, and nothing short of Miracle can cure you.
If you See a creature with the Fire subtype, you are so taken with the beauty of primordial fire that you must see things burn. You are under a compulsion to ignite all flammable materials within reach. After one hour, this obsession recedes so that a DC 15 will save allows you to refrain from igniting a given object. A Dominate Person spell can cancel this obsession

and so on.

[Virdish]

Maybe outsiders should be broken down by type. Insantiy doesn't seem to fit all of them.

If you See a good outsider, you are stricken with guilt of how you can never live up to its standards. This has the effects of a permanent Crushing Despair spell, but is not actually magic and cannot be removed by Remove Curse or Dispel Magic. It can, however, be removed by Atonement from a good source, which allows you to recognize that what goodness there is in you is valuable.
If you See an evil outsider, you are filled with fear to know that such a fearsome creature greatly desires to torture you forever. You permanently Cower. This can be ended by a Dispel Evil spell.
If you See a creature native to the Far Realm, you are permanently Insane, and nothing short of Miracle can cure you.
If you See a creature with the Fire subtype, you are so taken with the beauty of primordial fire that you must see things burn. You are under a compulsion to ignite all flammable materials within reach. After one hour, this obsession recedes so that a DC 15 will save allows you to refrain from igniting a given object. A Dominate Person spell can cancel this obsession

and so on.

I like where you are going with that idea but I don't like the idea of using Dominate person for the fire one.

[ericgrau]

At level 7 the saves look like about a 50:50 shot against things that have at most 7-8 more HD (or if more than that it's a TPK anyway). Even failed saves are a minor drawback. Outsiders have much bigger drawbacks for the HD but outsiders have less HD so the PC is only dazzled. I like the concept but I don't think the drawback is enough; often it's a -1 or -2 or so. Up the drawback a little without fully disabling the caster and I'd say you have something solid.