New Spell: Reverse Alignment

[Cheiromancer]

Reverse engineered from the Helm of Opposite Alignment:

Helm of Opposite Alignment: This metal hat looks like a typical helmet. When placed upon the head, however, its curse immediately takes effect (Will DC 15 negates). On a failed save, the alignment of the wearer is radically altered to an alignment as different as possible from the former alignment—good to evil, chaotic to lawful, neutral to some extreme commitment (LE, LG, CE, or CG). Alteration in alignment is mental as well as moral, and the individual changed by the magic thoroughly enjoys his new outlook. A character who succeeds on his save can continue to wear the helmet without suffering the effect of the curse, but if he takes it off and later puts it on again, another save is required. The curse only works once; that is, a character whose alignment has been changed cannot change it again by donning the helmet a second time.

Only a wish or a miracle can restore former alignment, and the affected individual does not make any attempt to return to the former alignment. (In fact, he views the prospect with horror and avoids it in any way possible.) If a character of a class with an alignment requirement is affected, an atonement spell is needed as well if the curse is to be obliterated. When a helm of opposite alignment has functioned once, it loses its magical properties.

Strong transmutation; CL 12th; Create Wondrous Item, creator must be 12th level; Price 4,000 gp;Weight 3 lb.

The helm is a single use, use-activated item, cast at caster level 12. The base price of such a thing is given by spell level x caster level x 50 gp. Spell level 6 would work out to 3600 gp, which is in the right ball park. (Maybe add 10% for the fact that it is not discharged by a successful save? That would be 3960- how much does a masterwork helmet cost?) It'll be a transmutation spell, despite the fact that it affects the character's mental capacity. But baleful polymorph has a chance to affect a character's mind, too, so that's ok.

The save DC seems low. A caster needs to have a spellcasting stat of 16 to cast a 6th level spell, which is a bonus of +3. So the save DC should be 10 + 6 (spell level) + 3 (ability mod) = 19. Instead it is 4 lower. Well- the victim's alignment is changed by 4 steps- maybe each step reduces the DC by 1? Reducing the DC by 4 is the same as providing a +4 bonus to saves, of course.

Any spellcaster can make this item, provided they are 12th level. So make it a cleric, druid and sorcerer/wizard spell. Maybe bard 4 or 5... hmm. Not sure about that. Range... it shouldn't be too easy to change the target's alignment. So make it touch. Duration: it can't be dispelled, so instantaneous.

Should the effect be to reverse the alignment, or change it to the alignment desired by the caster, or maybe make the target adopt the caster's alignment? To keep it faithful to the item, I'm making it reverse the alignment. A more flexible version would need to change the bonus to the save depending on how different the target alignment is- +1 for each step of difference.

I think that's it. So here it is!

Reverse Alignment
Transmutation
Level: Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes

On a failed save, the alignment of the wearer is radically altered to an alignment as different as possible from the former alignment—good to evil, chaotic to lawful, neutral to some extreme commitment (LE, LG, CE, or CG). Alteration in alignment is mental as well as moral, and the individual changed by the magic thoroughly enjoys his new outlook. This spell works only once on a given target; that is, a character whose alignment has been changed cannot have it changed a second time with this spell.

Only a wish or a miracle can restore former alignment, and the affected individual does not make any attempt to return to the former alignment. (In fact, he views the prospect with horror and avoids it in any way possible.) If a character of a class with an alignment requirement is affected, an atonement spell is needed to restore class abilities to that character.

Because such a radical change is profoundly unnatural, targets receive a +4 to their will saves to resist reverse alignment.

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edit: cleaned up formatting

 

[Stalker0]

4k for that!! WOOOOTTTTCCC!!!!!!

I think there's already such a spell in BOVD, anyone rememeber?

 

[der_kluge]

4kgp does seem extraordinarily cheap for such a thing. Crazy.

I would not allow that spell in my game. 1 failed will save, and the BBEG in your game just became one of the party's close allies. Too powerful.

 

[Cheiromancer]

4k for that!! WOOOOTTTTCCC!!!!!!

I think there's already such a spell in BOVD, anyone remember?

Good memory. The spell is morality undone, and it turns a character evil while keeping the chaotic/neutral/lawful component of her alignment unchanged. Cleric 5/Bard 5. It has a range of close, but only lasts 10 minutes/level. It's a mind-affecting enchantment, not a transmutation.

As far as messing up paladins and good clerics, the two spells are about equally effective. The big advantage of reverse alignment is that it is instantaneous and almost impossible to remove; a smaller advantage is that it affects creatures immune to mind-affecting spells (like undead). The disadvantages are that reverse alignment is one spell level higher, the save is at +4, and it only has a range of touch. Is that enough?

Compare bestow greater curse, a transmutation found in the BoVD (p. 85). It can only be removed by a wish, miracle or a significant quest (see BoVD, p 28). Bard 6, Cleric 7 and Wizard 8. It can give a -8 to all rolls, or reduce a single ability score to 1, or give -6 penalties to two scores (min 1)- pretty scary stuff. Also touch delivered, and will negates. A lot more flexible, and without the save penalty, but higher level.

Compared to bestow greater curse, it seems like reverse alignment is about right. With regard to die-kluge's point, I wonder if it would be more disruptive to a campaign than dominate person?

I wonder, though, about the "curse only works once" clause- does that mean that a creature whose alignment was changed and then restored is thereafter immune to it?

I don't think I would allow creatures to be immunized to the spell- that seems meta-gamey and clunky. In game, I would say that the character's "underlying" alignment is unchanged, and this is what the spell (or helm) acts on. Multiple applications still reverse the underlying alignment (not the expressed alignment), and so don't appear to have any effect.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Why would they become an ally?

The PCs have probably been attacking them, fighting their minions, etc; so the baddie (now a goodie) won't like them regardless.

Why can't the spell be used more than once?

Since it is irreversable, I'd increase the component cost and make it 9th level.

Geoff.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Why would they become an ally?

The PCs have probably been attacking them, fighting their minions, etc; so the baddie (now a goodie) won't like them regardless.

Good point. An evil caster probably wouldn't cast it on a good opponent, because the self-imposed limitations on a good being's conduct are (from evil's point of view) a weakness no BBEG would want to remove. And, anyway, making one's enemy evil is unlikely to make them friendly to you.

Conversely, a good caster might regard the spell as violating a creature's right to choose its nature; it might also undermine the justification for punishing a creature for its crimes (if now good, can it be punished for what it did when it was evil)? For this reason good casters are not as likely to use this spell as one might think. Casters who use charm and domination effects are less likely to regard this aspect of the spell as problematic.

But even if a caster used this spell on, say, a demon, I doubt there would be an immediate change in an evil creature's reaction to the heroes. If it was hostile before, it would still be hostile. A reversed demon will now be kind, just, self-controlled, honorable, etc- but it will take a while for it to become aware of these new feelings and motivations, and to act on them. In the middle of a combat there will be little indication that the spell worked. Though little things might show through at once- the demon might chivalrously allow an opponent to pick up a fumbled weapon, for instance.

And even if the caster can justify reversing an opponent's alignment, the (now-good) creature might think this is decidedly underhanded, and react with anger towards the caster. Good qualities like loyalty and altruism would apply to its (evil) allies- it would take some time before the converted demon recognizes that it cannot function in its previous environment.

Why can't the spell be used more than once?

Since it is irreversable, I'd increase the component cost and make it 9th level.

Geoff.

The magic item it is based on can only function once.

I think that, considering its lack of flexibility and the bonus to the save, it is balanced with bestow greater curse. It is weaker than BGC, and is lower level- that seems fair. But maybe that means that BGC (which is also irreversable) is over-powered. I don't know.

 

[Anabstercorian]

I think this would be balanced only if it could be undone as any other curse, I.E., through Remove Curse or Remove Enchantment.

 

[reiella]

Kinda reminds me of Sanctify the Wicked from BoED.

9th level sanctified spell (ie, difficult to learn), necromancy, restricted to evil targets, will negates, sr applies.

Requires a 10,000 gp Focus item, and the sacrifice of one character level. Turns the victim good. They become trapped in the Focus item and are forced to adopt the alignment of the caster (after one year).

Needless to say, I dislike that spell.

More onto the spell itself, I'd simply make it a specific type of curse than an individual spell (fits the context of how its adopted).