As the rule states, it is not clear if an appropriate spell can be higher than the Cleric’s level allows. I know it can be up to DM but I think if you are only allowed spells you can cast then it is a pretty weak feature. What do you all think?
“Divine Intervention
Beginning at 10th level, you can call on your deity to intervene on your behalf when your need is great.
Imploring your deity’s aid requires you to use your action. Describe the assistance you seek, and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your cleric level, your deity intervenes. The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any cleric spell or cleric domain spell would be appropriate.”
I read it as any cleric spell, regardless of whether or not you have it prepared or a spell slot of that level. Your deity surely has the ability to cast the spell. And even if it doesn't, it still basically grants you a chance at another spell slot of whatever your highest level is -- just word your prayer right so that it's obvious what spell you're going for. In and of itself it's not a spell, so it doesn't use up a spell slot if it doesn't work, and it can't be counterspelled, and I don't know if the successful response from your deity can be counterspelled. Praying for that gate spell or true resurrection can be pretty damn useful.
It is a very vague ability. I tried it for the first time when one of our characters had trouble and was teleported to a dangerous situation. I was playing my character really well. I told the DM I was going to use my turns to pray to my god to give our Rogue the knowledge he needed to escape. Since I had to roll each turn (action) as it described, I turned it into a begging for help and it took 8 turns, but it worked. (The DM was not exactly thrilled about my use of an ability.) The Rogue would have certainly died.
You don't keep rolling for Divine Intervention every turn. If you fail the first roll you have to wait till after a long rest to roll again. If you succeed you have to wait 7 days.
Divine intervention. Boy this goes back to first ed. I have mixed feelings about it. In general its an I WIN button. Obviously most DM's will start frothing and rabidly shut this down. So heres some scenario's. You ask for your Chosen divinities help and they smite your enemy / reverse death / part a sea / rain fire on a city / kill every first born child of a country.
Thats fine, but your DM can also decide that on a success your dieties appropriate response is dropping you a book with this on the cover.
Self Improvement
'Your deity only helps those who help themselves'
Or anything in between. Anything. Your DM has to decide what are the consequences of pushing so blatantly against the fulcrum of the mortal world. If they move like this what will this expenditure of power allow their Divine foes to do? In general I go with these guidelines - whats the minimum expenditure of energy required? How much have the other side been cheating like this lately? And last: Is this problem involving my enemies since time immemorial? (Pelor vs Undead, Cuthbert vs Iuz demons and humanoids etc) A distant last part is if people are watching and your going to intercede make it flashy enough to get your name spoken of reverently for years to come by those that witness it.
You don't keep rolling for Divine Intervention every turn. If you fail the first roll you have to wait till after a long rest to roll again. If you succeed you have to wait 7 days.
I forgot about this post...lol. I noticed that about the long rest about a week later. But our DM does not need to know. ;) Which in my opinion makes it a waste of an ability. Unless you can gain a 9th level spell, since that part of my question still has not been really been answered other than in an opinion, which by the way I agree with. It could be abused too easily, if not for the DM's discretion.
Clear, you shouldnt try to answer a vague and nebulous wording with a definitive answer. Its perfectly acceptable for it to be subjective. (thats why opinion /suggestion rather than, ahem commandment)
Something to consider though - if your Intervention takes care of the problem, by its very intercession the players will not necessarily earn experience - they outsourced the fight after all. If they were given a teeny bit of healing? Well that judgement call is what makes the game a game, not a story and its why the dm / narrator is there!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
As the rule states, it is not clear if an appropriate spell can be higher than the Cleric’s level allows. I know it can be up to DM but I think if you are only allowed spells you can cast then it is a pretty weak feature. What do you all think?
“Divine Intervention
Beginning at 10th level, you can call on your deity to intervene on your behalf when your need is great.
Imploring your deity’s aid requires you to use your action. Describe the assistance you seek, and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your cleric level, your deity intervenes. The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any cleric spell or cleric domain spell would be appropriate.”
I read it as any cleric spell, regardless of whether or not you have it prepared or a spell slot of that level. Your deity surely has the ability to cast the spell. And even if it doesn't, it still basically grants you a chance at another spell slot of whatever your highest level is -- just word your prayer right so that it's obvious what spell you're going for. In and of itself it's not a spell, so it doesn't use up a spell slot if it doesn't work, and it can't be counterspelled, and I don't know if the successful response from your deity can be counterspelled. Praying for that gate spell or true resurrection can be pretty damn useful.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
It is a very vague ability. I tried it for the first time when one of our characters had trouble and was teleported to a dangerous situation. I was playing my character really well. I told the DM I was going to use my turns to pray to my god to give our Rogue the knowledge he needed to escape. Since I had to roll each turn (action) as it described, I turned it into a begging for help and it took 8 turns, but it worked. (The DM was not exactly thrilled about my use of an ability.) The Rogue would have certainly died.
You don't keep rolling for Divine Intervention every turn. If you fail the first roll you have to wait till after a long rest to roll again. If you succeed you have to wait 7 days.
Divine intervention. Boy this goes back to first ed. I have mixed feelings about it. In general its an I WIN button. Obviously most DM's will start frothing and rabidly shut this down. So heres some scenario's. You ask for your Chosen divinities help and they smite your enemy / reverse death / part a sea / rain fire on a city / kill every first born child of a country.
Thats fine, but your DM can also decide that on a success your dieties appropriate response is dropping you a book with this on the cover.
Self Improvement
'Your deity only helps those who help themselves'
Or anything in between. Anything. Your DM has to decide what are the consequences of pushing so blatantly against the fulcrum of the mortal world. If they move like this what will this expenditure of power allow their Divine foes to do? In general I go with these guidelines - whats the minimum expenditure of energy required? How much have the other side been cheating like this lately? And last: Is this problem involving my enemies since time immemorial? (Pelor vs Undead, Cuthbert vs Iuz demons and humanoids etc) A distant last part is if people are watching and your going to intercede make it flashy enough to get your name spoken of reverently for years to come by those that witness it.
I forgot about this post...lol. I noticed that about the long rest about a week later. But our DM does not need to know. ;) Which in my opinion makes it a waste of an ability. Unless you can gain a 9th level spell, since that part of my question still has not been really been answered other than in an opinion, which by the way I agree with. It could be abused too easily, if not for the DM's discretion.
Clear, you shouldnt try to answer a vague and nebulous wording with a definitive answer. Its perfectly acceptable for it to be subjective. (thats why opinion /suggestion rather than, ahem commandment)
Something to consider though - if your Intervention takes care of the problem, by its very intercession the players will not necessarily earn experience - they outsourced the fight after all. If they were given a teeny bit of healing? Well that judgement call is what makes the game a game, not a story and its why the dm / narrator is there!