Suggestion: X/day Exorcism for Spirit Shaman

[Rhifox]

Reason: Spirit shamans in pnp get an Exorcism class ability that was not given to them in NWN2.

Exorcism (Su): Starting at 13th level, as a full-round action, a spirit shaman can force a possessing creature or spirit out of the body it inhabits (for example, a ghost with the malevolence ability). To exorcise a possessing creature, she makes a class level check (also adding her Charisma modifier, if any), against a DC of 10 + the possessing creature's HD + its Charisma modifier (if any). If her result equals or exceeds the DC, she succeeds in forcing the possessor from the body, with the normal results based on its method of possession. A spirit so exorcised cannot attempt to possess the same victim for 24 hours.

Now, we already have an Exorcism spell on BG, for clerics and paladins. On BG it functions essentially as a single-target, weaker Chastise Spirits, (1d6 damage per caster level against enemy spirits) with the additional RP fluff of allowing the character to banish possessing entities. The easiest thing, of course, would be to just give them this spell as an SLA.

However...

Mechanically, giving shaman Exorcism does not do anything. Chastise Spirits does more damage, and hits an AOE. And most shamans already RP being able to exorcise possessing spirits (and most DMs already allow them to, since it's core to the theme of the class). So, I have four suggestions:

Suggestion 1: Give shamans the Exorcise spell as an SLA, but let them use it more frequently than Chastise Spirits. Whether that's once per round, or on a short cooldown, or just as many times as Chastise but on a separate use, so if you have eg 5/day Chastise, and 5/day Exorcism, using one does not use charges from the other.

Suggestion 2: Give shamans the Exorcism spell as an SLA, but increase its damage for shamans (1d10 or 1d12 or something, so it's superior to Chastise against a single target). Have it use the same charges as Chastise/Weaken spirits.

Suggestion 3: Make shaman Exorcism a Dismissal effect instead (1/day or 3/day, I think). The reason for this is because, frankly, it's pretty disempowering when you see any random wizard/sorc, bard, or cleric just one shot elementals that would take you several uses of Chastise Spirits to bring down. Shamans already have very few things they can affect with their abilities, so seeing other casters being much more effective than you against one of them sucks (especially when you also see clerics arguing that incorporeal spirits should be changed to Undead so they can be affected by Turn Undead).

Suggestion 4: Give shamans a custom Exorcism SLA that is just a Will save-or-die, with similar DCs as Dismissal has, but only single target and only against enemy spirits (elementals, incorporeals, etc). This achieves a similar effect to giving SS Dismissal, but is a more conservative option.


Whichever suggestion, they should include fluff about being able to use it to force out possessing creatures/spirits.


Thank you for this consideration.

[chad878262]

Mechanically I have no major issue with any of the above or, frankly with just adding dismissal to the Spirit Shaman spell list. I do have a question though:

Is there a way to have a 'dismissal' that only works on the types of enemies that Exorcism would work on? To put another way, I am not sure if in PnP Spirit Shaman can exorcise/dismiss planar beings, or if it is just like ghosts etc. Are elementals supposed to be something Shaman's can banish?

My personal preference would be to give them dismissal either in the spell list or as a per/day or cooldown ability, but only to have it work on the enemy types it would work on by lore.

Does that make sense or am I overthinking it? busy day at work so I may be making it way more complicated than needs be.

[Rhifox]

Mechanically I have no major issue with any of the above or, frankly with just adding dismissal to the Spirit Shaman spell list. I do have a question though:

Is there a way to have a 'dismissal' that only works on the types of enemies that Exorcism would work on? To put another way, I am not sure if in PnP Spirit Shaman can exorcise/dismiss planar beings, or if it is just like ghosts etc. Are elementals supposed to be something Shaman's can banish?

Elementals are one of the things that are straight up spirits, yes. Elementals are one of the things shaman abilities are supposed to work on. As are fey and incorporeal creatures.

Other outsiders aren't, nor are animal companions. Familiars are in a weird place, as they are spirits in 5e, but I think they're just normal animals in 3e.

As for if it's possible to make a kind of dismissal that only works on spirit enemies (elementals, incorporeal things, fey), I'm not sure. Would need an actual coder to answer that. But I did include that option for my 4th suggestion, yeah.

I don't think putting in the spell list is good because that'd give it to druids. This is meant to add in one of shaman's missing class abilities, so I feel it should be a class feature, not a spell.


*Edit* Random thought: Are the quicklings in Cloakwood set to fey type? They should be, and so should be affected by spirit shaman abilities.

[chad878262]

Well I guess it is an assumption, but I don't see why a SLA couldn't be created that applies dismissal effect to specific creature types (incorporeal, elemental). That is probably the best option to be close as possible to the PnP equivalent.

[Rhifox]

Well the pnp equivalent doesn't have an effect at all on anything other than something that's outright possessing someone (and in that case, it works on ANYTHING, not just spirits. Exorcism, whether the spell or the shaman ability, works on any possessing creature, so they can banish possessing fiends, not just ghosts and such).

Adding a dismissal effect would be custom homebrew, reflecting the heavier physical combat focus of BG (just like cleric/paladin Exorcism on BG was also homebrewed to have a physical component, even though pnp one does not have that).

[ajcolt]

It has far more value as an RP ability then making a mechanical ability to replace it:

Exorcism (Su): Starting at 13th level, as a full-round action, a spirit shaman can force a possessing creature or spirit out of the body it inhabits (for example, a ghost with the malevolence ability). To exorcise a possessing creature, she makes a class level check (also adding her Charisma modifier, if any), against a DC of 10 + the possessing creature's HD + its Charisma modifier (if any). If her result equals or exceeds the DC, she succeeds in forcing the possessor from the body, with the normal results based on its method of possession. A spirit so exorcised cannot attempt to possess the same victim for 24 hours.

It would just need a neato VFX.

[Rhifox]

The RP ability is already RPed, with or without a specific in-game class feature for it.

But if you're going to take the time to add an ability, it really needs to have a general use besides that.

[MadSeer]

Although clerics should by all accounts be able to turn undead spirits (which they can, except for custom mobs that aren't assigned the proper types and sub types and for some reason it's a debate), Spirit Shamans should be top dog on the matter. Give 'em something.