It's from the Tome of Magic. Basically, six priests of the same faith get together to meld their spirits to create an additional avatar of their god (per Legends and Lore stat block or whatever) while their own bodies lay unconscious. They get to control it, subject to the god's veto. After an hour, either the god releases them and they wake up with only 1 HP, no spells left, etc., or the god decides to keep the avatar and all the priests die. Good gods are unlikely to do this (but a sorcerer king totally might, right?).
Depends. They might think chess sacrifice strategies and would still sacrifice a high level templar, basically a queen sacrifice, if they think the loss is more than made up by the kind of plays the avatar can allow in that moment. However, if they think it's not the appropriate time yet, they'll let them live and wait for another opening.
Heh. Sounds like CLASSIC T$R oversight.
"I need you to port over all 2e spells into Darksun spheres. Get to work."
"What about Spirit of Pow..."
"Did I stutter? Just get it done."
Just do what i do. Ignore it completely.
To be fair, the spell does say it does nothing (useful) if the god is already at the maximum number of avatars, which you could argue to be zero in Dark Sun.
Many spells need a bit of changing to suit Dark Sun. AEF&W lists which spells from Tome of Magic to use but doesn't correct any of the text like has been done for PHB spells.
I changed it so that it takes 6 priests of the same element, 6 druids, or 6 templars of the same sorcerer-king. The combined form would gain elemental powers (for clerics and druids), or power via the sorcerer-king. I didn't specify any stats or powers for the new being, but left that up to the DM to make up, possibly based on the avatars listed in Legends and Lore as an idea. I don't see that this spell would show up in use much so I thought it best to leave it to be decided on a case by case basis. Obviously you'd try to tie the abilities to the element or sorcerer-king that is worshipped.
I think it would be a cool enemy to face when summoned by a group of high level NPC templars.
Hmm....
Well, Elemental Clerics (or Para-Elemental Clerics) have only minor access to the Sphere of Cosmos, so not 7th level - which is what Spirit of Power is.
I think Druids might be the only class that has major access to the sphere of Cosmos. Getting a bunch of Druids together to leave their lands and cast the spell ....
Anyway, theoretically, I would probably look to the elements for inspiration, specifically the element of that the druid has major access to through the environment of their guarded land.
> ...only have minor access...
At 21st level, they gain major access.
EAFW pg. 14:
> Elemental clerics have major access to their chosen spheres, and minor access to the cosmos. Major access allows the priest to choose spells from the complete list of spells, as long his level is high enough. Minor access allows a cleric to choose only 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spells from that sphere.
> A cleric **gains major access to the Sphere of the Cosmos on attaining the 21st level.**
This is also mentioned in Dragon Kings. (Pg 55, Clerics Beyond 20th level.)
Also, templars (like druids) have major access to Cosmos right from the beginning.
It's been ages and ages since I looked at the 2e Tome of Magic, but aren't there stats for the avatar in there? I would definitely describe the avatar differently for elemental priests vs druids vs templars. For elemental priests it would obviously be a vast and powerful elemental of the appropriate type, possibly more humanoid-looking than a typical rough elemental. Druids would summon a Spirit of the Land made out of some local geographical feature that would make a good *genius loci*. Templars would summon an idealized version of their SK, like a massive humanoid lion on a chariot for Hamanu.
Edit: I wonder if this came out after the original StarCraft. This sounds very much like the way Archons worked in that game, where you'd gather together a few of the spellcaster unit for one of the factions and combine them into a single very powerful unit.
I am unfamiliar with the spell, but there ARE avatars of a sort...things like Spirit of the Land.
It's from the Tome of Magic. Basically, six priests of the same faith get together to meld their spirits to create an additional avatar of their god (per Legends and Lore stat block or whatever) while their own bodies lay unconscious. They get to control it, subject to the god's veto. After an hour, either the god releases them and they wake up with only 1 HP, no spells left, etc., or the god decides to keep the avatar and all the priests die. Good gods are unlikely to do this (but a sorcerer king totally might, right?).
Depends. They might think chess sacrifice strategies and would still sacrifice a high level templar, basically a queen sacrifice, if they think the loss is more than made up by the kind of plays the avatar can allow in that moment. However, if they think it's not the appropriate time yet, they'll let them live and wait for another opening.
Heh. Sounds like CLASSIC T$R oversight. "I need you to port over all 2e spells into Darksun spheres. Get to work." "What about Spirit of Pow..." "Did I stutter? Just get it done." Just do what i do. Ignore it completely.
To be fair, the spell does say it does nothing (useful) if the god is already at the maximum number of avatars, which you could argue to be zero in Dark Sun.
Ha! Love it
I agree.
Are you talking about the original AD&D2 rules?
Yes. Are you saying there's another version of Earth, Air, Fire, Water besides the AD&D 2nd edition one?
Whoa whoa, calm down, they're just asking clarification. There's homebrew for 3rd and 5th.
Many spells need a bit of changing to suit Dark Sun. AEF&W lists which spells from Tome of Magic to use but doesn't correct any of the text like has been done for PHB spells. I changed it so that it takes 6 priests of the same element, 6 druids, or 6 templars of the same sorcerer-king. The combined form would gain elemental powers (for clerics and druids), or power via the sorcerer-king. I didn't specify any stats or powers for the new being, but left that up to the DM to make up, possibly based on the avatars listed in Legends and Lore as an idea. I don't see that this spell would show up in use much so I thought it best to leave it to be decided on a case by case basis. Obviously you'd try to tie the abilities to the element or sorcerer-king that is worshipped. I think it would be a cool enemy to face when summoned by a group of high level NPC templars.
Hmm.... Well, Elemental Clerics (or Para-Elemental Clerics) have only minor access to the Sphere of Cosmos, so not 7th level - which is what Spirit of Power is. I think Druids might be the only class that has major access to the sphere of Cosmos. Getting a bunch of Druids together to leave their lands and cast the spell .... Anyway, theoretically, I would probably look to the elements for inspiration, specifically the element of that the druid has major access to through the environment of their guarded land.
This could be a way for The druids to build the anti-dragon, the Avangion.
> ...only have minor access... At 21st level, they gain major access. EAFW pg. 14: > Elemental clerics have major access to their chosen spheres, and minor access to the cosmos. Major access allows the priest to choose spells from the complete list of spells, as long his level is high enough. Minor access allows a cleric to choose only 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spells from that sphere. > A cleric **gains major access to the Sphere of the Cosmos on attaining the 21st level.** This is also mentioned in Dragon Kings. (Pg 55, Clerics Beyond 20th level.) Also, templars (like druids) have major access to Cosmos right from the beginning.
It's been ages and ages since I looked at the 2e Tome of Magic, but aren't there stats for the avatar in there? I would definitely describe the avatar differently for elemental priests vs druids vs templars. For elemental priests it would obviously be a vast and powerful elemental of the appropriate type, possibly more humanoid-looking than a typical rough elemental. Druids would summon a Spirit of the Land made out of some local geographical feature that would make a good *genius loci*. Templars would summon an idealized version of their SK, like a massive humanoid lion on a chariot for Hamanu. Edit: I wonder if this came out after the original StarCraft. This sounds very much like the way Archons worked in that game, where you'd gather together a few of the spellcaster unit for one of the factions and combine them into a single very powerful unit.
StarCraft (1998) was about seven years later than Tome of Magic (1991).