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View Full Version : Deny Death (3.5 spells, need help picking a spell level/school)



qwertyu63
2013-11-19, 01:58 PM
Deny Death
Necromancy
Level: Cle ?, Sor/Wiz ?
Comp: V, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Target: One touched creature
Duration: Permanent until triggered
Save: None
SR: No

Your target is protected from death, once. The next effect that would kill your target is countered (the next attack that would kill misses, the next spell that would kill does nothing, etc).

Material component:
A small crystal gravestone, worth 500 gp.

Deny Death, Greater
Necromancy
Level: Cle 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Comp: V, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Target: One touched creature
Duration: Permanent until triggered
Save: None
SR: No

Your target is protected from death, thrice. The next 3 effects that would kill your target are countered (the next attack that would kill misses, the next spell that would kill does nothing, etc).

Material component:
A small crystal gravestone, worth 3000 gp.

JoshuaZ
2013-11-19, 02:12 PM
Seems like either necromancy or abjuration. But the mechanics need work. How would this impact a lich that can regrow? What happens for a spell to "not work"? How does an area spell interact with this? Is there no effect from hit point loss, or do they go to -9? Etc.

~Corvus~
2013-11-19, 02:29 PM
The most relevant spell in the SRD is Death Ward (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/deathWard.htm) so I'd definitely say Necromancy.

qwertyu63
2013-11-19, 02:31 PM
Seems like either necromancy or abjuration. But the mechanics need work. How would this impact a lich that can regrow? What happens for a spell to "not work"? How does an area spell interact with this? Is there no effect from hit point loss, or do they go to -9? Etc.

A lich with this would have the first kill (or first 3 kills, if the greater form) stopped, and the next one would act normally.

If a spell would kill them, it instead has no effect on them at all. If an area spell would kill them, it still effects the rest of the area normally.

If a source of hit point damage would send them below -10, it instead deals no damage.

Hamste
2013-11-19, 02:38 PM
How does it work with delay death? When delay death expired what would happen to you?

~Corvus~
2013-11-19, 02:47 PM
How does it work with delay death? When delay death expired what would happen to you?

Simple. The Delay Death would work first; then you'd die after it's been delayed, after which point it would activate, preventing / negating the death.

Steward
2013-11-19, 04:10 PM
Simple. The Delay Death would work first; then you'd die after it's been delayed, after which point it would activate, preventing / negating the death.

That makes sense to me. The only ambiguity here is determining which spell triggers first. If this one triggers first, then the Delay Death effect shouldn't be triggered -- it should remain dormant as if it you hadn't been attacked in the first place. For instance, if you're stable at -9 hp and a monster is about to hit you again, the attack would fail due to Deny Death and the Delay Death spell wouldn't be activated at all, meaning that your hp would stay at -9).

~Corvus~
2013-11-19, 04:26 PM
That makes sense to me. The only ambiguity here is determining which spell triggers first. If this one triggers first, then the Delay Death effect shouldn't be triggered -- it should remain dormant as if it you hadn't been attacked in the first place. For instance, if you're stable at -9 hp and a monster is about to hit you again, the attack would fail due to Deny Death and the Delay Death spell wouldn't be activated at all, meaning that your hp would stay at -9).

Hmm... Delay Death specifically states that "while under the protection of this spell, the normal limit of -9 hit points before a character dies is extended without limit," which would mean that the Deny Death effect would not need to trigger until the Delayed effect wears off. The Delay effect supersedes the condition of Deny Death, since going past -9 HP wouldn't cause death.

Hamste
2013-11-19, 04:34 PM
How much health would you have though once delay death wore off? -9 or the health you had before delay death?

Also a suggrstion the creator might want to add a caveat that you automatically stabilize when in the negatives with this spell. Not needed but it is a small bonus at the level you would probably get this spell and it would be nice that if you were knocked into the negatives it would still be helpful at delaying death.