Geas/Lesser geas queries | EN World Tabletop RPG News & Reviews

July 2024 · 2 minute read
Thank you for your responses, they have enlightened me regarding DR and the nature of the spell effect. That much is clear.

I am still unsure about the incurable nature of the damage, though that would definitely be a stiffer penalty. Any character who reaches -1hp from this damage would be doomed to die (being unable to carry out the Quest while unconscious, and unable to benefit from healing), barring the chance that someone casts remove curse, wish, or miracle upon them.

Neither of the spell descriptions say that the listed remedies for the Geas are the only remedies for the penalties the spell causes when the target is prevented from carrying out the task. Maybe they should. Otherwise, if Bob comes under the effect of a Geas to kill his brother, what's to stop Bob's father from locking him in the family's estate, and treating the penalties with restoration or even simple cure spells (Assuming he has the resources to do so)? If that were the case, Lesser Geas would be more costly to combat, and for any creature with 7 or more HD, the average 9 damage from the Quest spell could easily be remedied, or mostly remedied with a night's rest.

I had a Geas/Quest cast on a player's character last session, before I really familiarized myself with the finer details of the spell, so these clarifications are quite helpful. Incurable damage seems to make sense, and can be read that way easily enough, though I think clarifications regarding restoration and other healing are in order for those spells.

Thank you again,
Percy

[EDIT] To BogusMagus: I see. Perhaps this is a conversion problem. Sickened in 3.5 simply states that the character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks, and nothing about the effects on healing, which makes a rather large difference. Thank you.

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