"You shall not touch those under my protection!" (3.5 Spell, PEACH)

[Noctis Vigil]

I'm having a little trouble putting a spell level on this one; any help would be great. And yes, it's available several levels earlier for Paladins than it is for Clerics; that's intentional.

Divine Safeguard
Evocation [Force]
Level: Clr 4, Pal 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 5 to 20 ft. diameter area
Duration: up to 1 round
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You cry out your deity's name in a prayer for protection for you and your allies. As an immediate action, you raise a temporary hemispherical (or spherical if the target is flying) barrier around yourself or the ally you wish to protect. This barrier glows slightly in a pale white-blue but can still be seen through, and covers an area anywhere from 5 feet in diameter to 20 feet in diameter. The barrier functions for all intents and purposes as a Wall of Force, and lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

[TuggyNE]

Pal 1 seems low, even for this purpose. Also, consider adding to e.g. Protection domain, perhaps?

[Noctis Vigil]

Paladins get one or two uses of it a day max at 4th level provided they have a high Wis score. I think at 4th-5th level being able to pull this off once or twice a day isn't over powered, and it gives the Paladin a nice ace up his sleeve. Besides, the Paladin is in no ways high tier (3rd with optimization, 4th without IMHO). This makes him slightly more relevant at low levels.

I don't usually change domain spells around, however if you want to use it as a Protection domain spell feel free.

[Cieyrin]

This is very similar to Wings of Cover, which is 2nd level. I'd place this at Cleric 3, which still gets it into Paladin hands before Clerics, though Archivists will be picking it up from level 1 but that's not something to balance against, anyways.

[ShiningStarling]

Capital spell indeed, I always thought that sort of effect was missing from those of divine spellcasting. I wouldn't have thought of it myself. Good one.

[Noctis Vigil]

This is very similar to Wings of Cover, which is 2nd level. I'd place this at Cleric 3, which still gets it into Paladin hands before Clerics, though Archivists will be picking it up from level 1 but that's not something to balance against, anyways.

I've been told of the Wings of Cover spell before. Apparently it's a broken spell? What book is it in, how does it work, and what does it do similar to my spell?

And frankly, I wasn't going to give it to the Cleric at all, but a buddy said it should be. As for Archivists, they're banned at my table, so I never even try to balance against them.

@ObliviMancer: I'm glad you like it.

[Steward]

Wings of Cover is a Sorcerer only spell from the Races of the Dragon book. The description is kind of long, but what it does is if an opponent is about to throw a melee, ranged, spell, or psionic attack at you, you can cast the spell as an immediate action to create a "spherical/hemispherical" (yeah, the actual spell actually says that too!) barrier of force that lasts long enough to provide you with total cover against that attack only, essentially wasting that one attack. The main issue that people have with that is that it's a second level spell and can be "spammed". It's a strong spell granted at an extremely low-level.

[Cieyrin]

I've been told of the Wings of Cover spell before. Apparently it's a broken spell? What book is it in, how does it work, and what does it do similar to my spell?

And frankly, I wasn't going to give it to the Cleric at all, but a buddy said it should be. As for Archivists, they're banned at my table, so I never even try to balance against them.

@ObliviMancer: I'm glad you like it.

As Steward said, it's a Sorcerer-only spell that blocks line of effect to negate one attack, spell or power and then ends. If it's an area spell, you get Improved Cover instead. If anything, your spell is more broken, since it lasts for more than that first attack or effect, isn't limited by what effects can set it off and can protect more than just you. Sorcerers get it at the same level currently as Paladins do.

And as I said for Archivists before, there isn't a point to balancing against them, since they draw from whatever spell list is most beneficial. That way only lies madness.

[Noctis Vigil]

The only reason I'm going to say this isn't broken as a 1st level spell for Paladin is because Paladin really has very little going for it otherwise (at least for spells). I mean, let's face it, the Paladin spell list is pretty much just a boiled down list of healing and minor buffs off the Cleric list. If a Cleric with tons of powerful high level spells on top of this got it as a 1st or 2nd level spell it would be an issue, but Clerics need to expend a 4th level spell slot for it, making it less useful for them.

[Steward]

Yeah, I don't really have a problem with the spell as is. Even if this spell was overpowered, Paladins really don't get anything good out of their class except for fluff, which always struck me as unfair. Being able to shield allies from attack seems more than fair, especially since it fits in with the fluff.

[Cieyrin]

I'm not saying it is broken for Paladins to have it as a 1st level spell, given Pally 1st level spells are equivalent to 1st-2nd level spells, occasionally 3rd. That's why I'm suggesting (or at least though I suggested? ) make it Cleric 3, which seems the right niche for it.

[Noctis Vigil]

Hmm. I think I'm going to leave it as Crl4 for now, as it's a pretty good spell, and 4th level spells are less likely to be spammed. I'd like to see how well this works in gameplay before lowering it; anybody got a game going who thinks they could talk a GM into letting them try it?