(Spell) Sorry, I can't understand you... [PEACH]

[DracoDei]

Haven't thought these through TOO much... the level jump between the single target version and the Mass version is smaller than for most such upgrades, but it seemed appropriate. Also I went with a longish duration because it seemed like something whose down sides would make it unlikely to be abused duration-wise.


Confuse Language, Personal
Enchantment (Compulsion)
Level: Brd 1, Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M, (DF)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: 10 minutes/Level(D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
Material Component: Two Peices of Wax mixed with Cotton
This spell changes the basic way you think such that you lose all ability to communicate or comprehend language in verbal, written or telepathy. This make you resistant to language dependant spells and effects as if you did not share a language with the caster. It also makes you immune to any spell or effect that would read your thoughts. Certain types of mental dominantion may bypass the mind and control the body directly (for instance the malevolence ability of a ghost). If you share this spell with your familiar or special mount with this spell they you two can still understand eachother, since your thinking is changed in the same way. While under the effect of this spell any spells you cast with a verbal component receive a 5% chance of spell failure. A Tongues spell can overcome this, but only if the caster beats you in an opposed caster level check and only between the caster of the Tongues spell and yourself.


Confuse Language
Enchantment (Compulsion)
Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: S, M, (DF)
Range: Touch
Target: One intellegent creature
Duration: 10 minutes/Level(D)
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Often considered Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Often considered Harmless)
As per Confuse Languages, Personal except as noted. A Tongues spell can overcome this, but only if the caster beats you in an opposed caster level check and only between the caster of the Tongues spell and the target of this spell. If the caster choses so at the time of casting then the recipient of this spell may dismiss it at any time as a free action simply by willing it so.


Confuse Language, Mass
Enchantment (Compulsion)
Level: Brd 4, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M, (DF)
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/level)
Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Often considered Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Often considered Harmless)
As per Confuse Languages, Personal except as above and also a Tongues spell can overcome this, but only if the caster beats you in an opposed caster level check and only between the caster of the Tongues spell and as a single target specified by that caster. If you so choose at the time of the casting then each recepient of this spell may dismiss it, for themself only at any time as a free action simply by willing it so.



Battle Code
Enchantment (Compulsion)
Level: Brd 4, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M, (DF)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One willing creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 10 minutes/Level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
As per Confuse Languages, Mass except as above and as follows. It fails on any unwilling target. Also creatures under the same casting of this spell can understand eachother if they otherwise could if this spell were not in effect. Each recepient of this spell may dismiss it, for themself only at any time as a free action simply by willing it so. A single Tongues that succeeds on an opposed caster level check with a -3 penalty allows the caster of the Tongues to understand and be understood by all members of the group affected by Battle Code within the normal range of Tongues (considered moment to moment) but does not affect anyone else.

[aaron_the_cow]

this looks good but I don't get how it can make phsionics not work, because don't uninteligent thoughts (or I would think nonunderstandalble) apear as pictures?
just my 2 cents

[Maldraugedhen]

I personally really like this spell series, it's sort of a desperate defense strategy for yourself or teammates.

What about the use of Tongues against Battle Codes? Since it is essentially ciphering the group's interpretation of language, wouldn't 'breaking the cipher' with a Tongues spell for one of the people be breaking it for all of them? To compensate, you could crank up the DC to overcome with Tongues, since it breaks the whole thing wide open, and honestly, what language dependent caster wouldn't take Tongues?

[Poppatomus]

this looks good but I don't get how it can make phsionics not work, because don't uninteligent thoughts (or I would think nonunderstandalble) apear as pictures?
just my 2 cents

by telepathy I think he means spells or effects that require telepathicly transmitted verbal commands. Not quite sure how telepathy works in this game, but I was under the impression that was sometimes the mechanism.

Although, if it disrupts the mind's ability to comprehend ordered instructions coming from others it makes sense for it to work for pictures as well as words.

As a side note, can this be case on a creature already dominated? would it prevent someone from commanding a dominated creature for instance?

EDIT: they're very good by the way. Although there should be a rule that anytime you make casters more powerful/useful you need to make a melee class change of equal impact.

[DracoDei]

What about the use of Tongues against Battle Codes? Since it is essentially ciphering the group's interpretation of language, wouldn't 'breaking the cipher' with a Tongues spell for one of the people be breaking it for all of them? To compensate, you could crank up the DC to overcome with Tongues, since it breaks the whole thing wide open, and honestly, what language dependent caster wouldn't take Tongues?
Good idea... but it only would allow the caster of a successful Tongues spell to understand (and be understood by) everyone in the Battle Code group.


by telepathy I think he means spells or effects that require telepathicly transmitted verbal commands. Not quite sure how telepathy works in this game, but I was under the impression that was sometimes the mechanism.
Although, if it disrupts the mind's ability to comprehend ordered instructions coming from others it makes sense for it to work for pictures as well as words.
Most telepathic control mechanisms are not language dependant. It still works against them.



As a side note, can this be case on a creature already dominated? would it prevent someone from commanding a dominated creature for instance?

Yes, if you can get past the dominated creatures spell resistance/saving throw.



EDIT: they're very good by the way. Although there should be a rule that anytime you make casters more powerful/useful you need to make a melee class change of equal impact.
Short answer: If I get inspired in that direction I will be sure to post it.

Long answer:
Actually, most of these arguably benefits fighting types more than casters since they are mostly spells cast against other casters, and those with lower will saves benefit more from them. So the first one just lets casters mess with other casters (and resist torture for a short while),Confuse Language when cast as a defensive measure is more useful to cast on a fighting type then on a caster and when used offensively is a toss-up as to who to use it on. Confuse Language, Mass will generally effect the whole party equally used defensively, although if used offensively (or in a combination way for some reason) it is another way to mess up fighting types(since they have lower will saves) but the consequences against a caster will be slightly worse if they are effected. Battle Code is a whole party spell, and thus, to my mind, not significant in the whole "Casters are overpowered" debate.

[Poppatomus]

Short answer: If I get inspired in that direction I will be sure to post it.

Long answer:
Actually, most of these arguably benefits fighting types more than casters since they are mostly spells cast against other casters, and those with will saves benefit more from them. So the first one just lets casters mess with other casters (and resist torture for a short while),Confuse Language when cast as a defensive measure is more useful to cast on a fighting type then on a caster and when used offensively is a toss-up as to who to use it on. Confuse Language, Mass will generally effect the whole party equally used defensively, although if used offensively (or in a combination way for some reason) it is another way to mess up fighting types(since they have lower will saves) but the consequences against a caster will be slightly worse if they are effected. Battle Code is a whole party spell, and thus, to my mind, not significant in the whole "Casters are overpowered" debate.

Right, I understand that and wasn't trying to start caster v. melee here. It's not a question of overpowered, but one of versatility.

How about:

Hey, I'm trying to talk over here!
Req: +2 to intimidate or bluff; +13 Con, +13 int
On the fighter bonus feat list.

Someone with this feat is practiced enough at making noise that they can interfere with their opponent's communication. By taking a -1 on their attack roll, a character with this feat can interfere with any verbal communication within 60 ft. Making a statement, even only one word long, becomes a full round action if the speaker desires it to be intelligible.

This noise also makes it very difficult to communicate with any precision or force. Any creature that normally can only understand simple commands, as well as any creature under an involuntary magical control, is incapable of receiving new commands while in range.

This feat does not function within areas of magical silence. No spell with a verbal component can be cast while using this ability.

Stop Saying THAT!!!
Req: Hey, I'm trying to talk over here!, +13 int, at least one rank in Spellcraft or knowledge (magic)

The character repeats a mantra over and over again, interfering with an opponents focus. By taking a -2 on all attack rolls, any caster within 60 ft capable of hearing is considered threatened, and adds +5 to their normal concentration check to cast any spell with a verbal component. This ability also function as Hey, I'm trying to talk over here, except it also prevents any magical command from being delievered, even telepathically, so long as the creature attempting to make these commands is in range.

An ally is able to avoid impeding her Allies with this mantra, and may reduce their attack roll by an additional -1 for each ally they wish to exempt, to a "max" of a +0 Attack bonus.

This feat does not function in areas of magical silence. No spell with a verbal component can be cast while using this ability.

[DracoDei]

Still trying to work through the ramifications of this... Perhaps add a prerequisit of CON 13 to have the lung capacity to be this loud this continuously? Although WHAT is said is equally important to volume...

[Poppatomus]

made some changes to reflect that. Decided the what was more important for the second than the former (which in my mind could either be someone screaming or someone just smacking their armor with their sword) but that the Con requirement should be a feature of the first.

[Triaxx]

Exactly. Some barbarians used to bang swords and shields together, both to rile up their own troops, and annoy the foe in attacking hurriedly.

[FoeHammer]

You say that the recipent can negate the ability at will. What if the caster dosen't want them to? I see a powerful wizard on trial, but when the key witness speaks against him all that comes out is meaningless gibberish.

P.S Were you inspired by OotS's Haleys inability to speak?

[DracoDei]

Oops... will fix that on Confuse Language it is already set so the caster can decide if the recipients can dismiss it or not with the Mass version.

No, I don't think I was inspired by Haley. There might have been a reversed Comprehend Languages in 2nd edition but I can't remember. There was also a homebrew thing I saw on the net years ago for 2nd that was Confuse Self that turned the caster into a blithering idiot for a certain period of time so that he couldn't be interogated.