Going Through the Spells: Bless

Last year I went through all the first level cleric spells, focusing on the Old School Essentials system. Then I compare the OSE version against the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons version of the spell. And if that's not enough, I throw in a random third system spell comparison. 

So let's jump into the 2nd level spells. First one up is Bless.

Old School Essentials 

Duration: 6 turns

Range: 60'

May be used in one of two situations:

1. Battle: Allies within a 20' square area who are not yet in melee gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls and a +1 bonus to moral.

2. Ritual: Casting bless may also form part of rituals or purification or consecration, at the referee's discretion. 

Reversed: Blight

Incurs a -1 penalty to morale checks, attack and damage rolls of enemies within a 20' square area. A save vs. spells is allowed to resist the blight. 

Bless is a useful spell. Especially when you have a combat option, which is always a benefit, but it's that second option, the ritual component I really like. It's one of the few times where a spell's affect is not specifically determined by the text. This gives the GM and the players additional opportunities to utilize bless in game and in different ways. I don't recall using bless in that way in my game and this is one of the reasons I'm doing this series, even though I've been playing for over four decades, I'm always learning new things. 

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is the exclusion of those already in melee combat. Do you have to pay attention to get the bless? If so, aren't the archers drawing arrows and aiming, spellcasters prepping spells, thieves strategizing from the shadows? There is no reason the ground pounders up front shouldn't be blessed. 

The reverse, blight, is less exciting. Maybe because it's focused more on a combat aspect. I think I'd add 'defile' as an aspect. Where a rival cleric can contaminate or unsanctify a holy site. Any special properties the site may have held are now gone. I can see an evil cleric sticking the stinky pinky into a batch of holy water contaminating it.  

AD&D 

Duration: 6 melee rounds

Range: 6"

Area of Effect: 5" x 5"

Upon uttering the bless spell, the caster raises the morale of friendly creatures by +1. It also raises "to hit" rolls by +1. A blessing however, will affect only those not already engaged in melee combat. 

Reversed: Curse

Curses the enemies with a -1 to morale check and "to hit" rolls. The spellcaster determines the range of the spell (up to 6") and it affects all creatures within an 5" square centered on the point the spell was cast upon. 

There are many differences so I listed them.

• First big difference of note, the AD&D bless spell is a 1st level spell. This is huge. Because in AD&D you get bonus spells for high wisdom. And the fact clerics get spells starting at 1st level compared to OSE, at 2nd. This means access to this spell is wide open comparatively. 
• Absence of a bonus (or penalty) to damage rolls. I agree with the absence. I don't see a bless affecting the amount of damage done, but definitely the ability to hit an opponent.  
• The duration is significantly different. Melee rounds are 1 minute in AD&D. So the bless lasts 6 minutes. Faster than a one pump chump on prop night. OSE version lasts 6 turns. Huge difference. This blessing would need to be done in the heat of battle otherwise it'll quickly fade after the fight starts. (thank you to Possibly Adam Morton for the time correction)
• While maybe not a difference, but a distinction, is when casting reverse its called curse instead of blight, but acts the same relatively. In OSE the third level Remove Curse has a reverse called Curse. So imagine that's is the reason for the name difference. 
• Also, the reverse, Curse, hits friend of foe when cast. OSE notes that enemies suffer the penalty while in AD&D, everyone within the area of effect must make the save or suffer the penalties. 

I'm not a fan of the AD&D version of bless and probably one of the reasons I rarely used it myself back in the day. Seems an ineffectual spell with little upside compared to, in this case, other first level spells, like a cure light wounds, light, or even detect magic. Bless would be way down on my list. And it doesn't have that cool role-playing component, ritual, written in like the OSE version.

Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game

Duration: 1 minute/level

Range: 50' radius

Gives the caster and his or her allies a bonus of +1 on attack rolls, morale checks, and saving throws against magical fear. 

Reversed: Bane

If fills the caster's enemies with fear and doubt, causing each affected creature to suffer a -1 penalty on attack rolls. morale checks, and saving throws against magical fear.

Slightly different from the OSE version. I find it interesting that it gives a bonus specifically against magical fear, but not against a creature that produces a natural fear. I'd think it would work for both. And I'm inclined to take it a step further and say a bless would provide a +1 to all saves for the duration. 

I also like that it gives the front line fighters some love. They don't have to disengage to high five the cleric to get the bless. 

I prefer this duration compared to the others. I like that level is taken into consideration to extend the affect. And again, I'd like it seen taken a step further by maybe adding an additional level of  blessing. Say a 5th level cleric casts the bless, then the bonus (or penalty) would be at +2 (-2). I don't think this unbalances the game and keeps the bless spell more relevant at higher levels. 

So that's it from the murky sylvanlands of PA. I hope you are enjoying this series and if you have any input please comment. I do have the monitoring option on due to waves of spam. 

Thanks again. The spell coming up next...Find Traps! And you know what meme is going up with that spell without having to tell or show anyone. :)

Going Through the Spells: Light

I love the light spell. I really do. It's such a useful spell. Creative players find interesting ways to utilize the spell to their advantage. This is one of those cleric/magic-user spells. The only difference is the duration. Cleric get a solid 12 turns of light where a magic-user's duration is 6 turns + 1 turn per level. Okay. Not sure why the difference between the two, but that is the only difference. 

Old School Essentials Mechanics
Duration: 12 turns

Range: 120'

- Conjuring light in a 15' radius. It is sufficient for reading, but is not as bright as daylight. The spell may be cast on an object, in which the light moves with the object.

- Blinding a creature by casting it on the eyes. If the target fails a save vs. spell it is blind for the duration. The blind creature cannot attack. 

- Cancelling darkness, light cancels a darkness spell.

- Reverse: Darkness, creates a 15' radius of magical blackness. It prevents normal sight, but not infravision. It can be used to blind creatures or to dispel a light spell. 

So many options, and that isn't all of them. In my years of play I've seen a lot of fun options. I love the it is an offensive spell that can blind a single creature, eliminating it from combat. I've taken down a few big ass critters with a simple light spell in my day. And I don't find any ambiguity with the description. It does what it does.

AD&D Mechanics
Duration: 6 turns + 1 turn/level

Range: 12"

- This spell causes the excitement of molecules as as to make them brightly luminous. The light is equal to torch light in brightness, but the sphere is limited to 4" in diameter. It lasts for the duration indicated or the caster utters a word to extinguish the light. 
- The light spell is reversible, cause darkness in the same area and under the same conditions except the darkness duration only lasts half the duration light would last. 
- If cast upon a creature, the applicable magic resistance and saving throws must be made. Success indicates that the spell affects the area immediately behind the creature, rather than the creature itself. 
- In all other cases, the spell takes effect where the caster directs as long as he or she has a line of sight or unobstructed path for the spell; light can spring from air, rock, metal, wood, or almost any similar substance. 

I really don't remember the light spell being so complicated. Let's unpack this thing a little at a time. First off, in the stat descriptions of the spell is says a 2" radius globe. In the first paragraph reads it's limited to a 4" diameter sphere. This might be a simple misprint, and doesn't make much of a difference to the spell, but I found it odd. 

Why would darkness only have half the duration? 

This next section is vague. It's hinting about blinding a creature, but it doesn't state that it does. If the creature makes its saving throw...against what, to what end. I'm sure it's about blinding a creature, but odd that it's not stated. Some of the other details in the spell description are exacting. 

One of the bigger differences between the B/X and the AD&D spell is how the light works. In the B/X version it is cast on something. Making it a stationary spell. As the spell cannot move off the object it is cast on, but the object itself could be portable. I often cast it on a fighter's shield or on a small object that can be pocketed or covered to conceal the light.  

The AD&D version the cleric has a little ball of light pet. It moves where the cleric wills it. There is no indication how fast it moves, but it's an interesting distinction between the two spells.

This week I pulled Basic Fantasy Roleplaying game off the shelves. 

Basic Fantasy Mechanics
Duration: 6 turns + level turns

Range: 120'

- Creates light equal to torchlight which illuminates a 30' radius area and provides a dim light for an additional 20' around the targeted location or object.
- The reverse creates darkness an area as described above. Darkness blocks out Darkvision and mundane light sources.
- A light spell maybe cast to counter a darkness spell of equal or lower level caster. Do this causes both spells to instantly cease, restoring the existing ambient light. 
-Either version of the spell may be used to blind an opponent by casting in on the creatures ocular organs. The target is allowed a saving throw vs. death ray to avoid the effect, and if the save is made the spell does not take effect at all. A light or darkness spell cast to blind does not have a given area of effect, that is, no light or darkness is shed around the victim.

There are some very different things going on here.

Darkness blocks out Darkvision. Darkvision seems to have replaced infravision in Basic Fantasy. One sees in black and white in total darkness. While the B/X version of darkness doesn't block infravision, Basic Fantasy's darkness spell does.

I like the way Basic Fantasy resolves the use of light and darkness spells by canceling one another. Instead of which spell was cast last.

And lastly, there is an interesting twist to the spell if cast to blind a creature and the save is made, the spell doesn't work. No effect. I'm not sure if I like that version because I would still rule the spell went off, but not where the caster expected.

Favorite term of the night "ocular organs". Ever play a game with your friend where you just come up with rock band names. Yeah, ocular organs is my rock band name.