Questions about Contagion

Quote from MyDudeicus >>

The spell is so poorly written I don't think there is not only a divide in what happens if you make the save but also in what happens when you fail it. Mainly I'd never read the spell to cause 11d8 damage each time you fail the save. I think it is only one hit of 11d8 damage and the rest of the saves are purely to determine if it lasts 7 days or ends. And if you are reading it as 11d8 per failed save why does the damage stop after you fail 3, is it now 11d8 a round for 7 days. Even for 3 rounds it so far outpaces any other single target damage spell that does not require concentration that  i can not think that is the intent. 

What irritates me is the 2014 version was a lot cooler. And we knew how it worked, a model they could have kept. Like just make it a touch attack that does 11d8 and poisons them. Then you get the whole 3 saves to see if the poison lasts for 7 days mechanic. so basically.

Your touch inflicts disease. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target takes 11d8 necrotic damage and is poisoned. Also, choose one ability when you cast the spell. While Poisoned, the target has Disadvantage on saving throws made with the chosen ability.

At the end of each of the poisoned target’s turns, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target succeeds on three of these saves, it is no longer poisoned, and the spell ends. If the target fails three of these saves, they remain poisoned for 7 days and Whenever the Poisoned target receives an effect that would end the Poisoned condition, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the Poisoned condition doesn’t end on it.

 

Oh and as a total aside this should be a warlock spell, curse of sickness screams warlock louder than a Metallica concert blares music. 

See, I agree that the intent was probably to only apply the damage once (on the failed initial save). I don't agree that that's obviously how it's written, however. I'd put that around 50/50. Additionally, it would not apply damage every turn once 3 failures happen, even with that interpretation, because it is applied on a failed save. The spell very clearly tells you to make saving throws "until you have 3 successes or failures". In other words, you don't continue to force the condition that triggers the damage once the 3 (of either type) have been met.

As a note, the way you wrote the spell means a Lesser Restoration renders it ineffective if done while the target is still making saves. I'm not sure if that was intended or not. I'm still quite partial to my rendition of it back on page... 1, I think?

I remember this spell being debated in at least three threads, in case it's useful for Natrel or anyone else:

- What happens on a succesful save against Contagion?
- How does Contagion work?
- Contagion spell under 2024 rules

I agree with AntonSirius's ruling and understanding. This is just my own opinion from one of the threads:

Quote from Tarod_ >>

Quote from nicclnucnaxi >>

[...] So my question is: Does nothing happen at all if you succeed the initial saving throw, or is the second part still taking place?

 The way I read it:

• The target succeeds on a first Constitution saving throw: end of story.
• The target fails that first Constitution saving throw: Necrotic damage, Poisoned condition, Disadvantage on saving throws made with the chosen ability, and the target must repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns until it gets three successes or failures.