Spell changes

Changes to Spell Foci

Spell Foci have been changed and augmented greatly on Arelith, and often alter or expand the potential of spellcasting classes. Changes to Spell Foci are listed under Feat Changes.

Spell Components System

Spell components are used in casting Arcane Spells of Levels 7-9 and the Console Commands gained through Epic Spell Focuses in magic schools. One charge of a component pouch is consumed when casting a Level 7 Spell, two for a Level 8 Spell, three for a Level 9 Spell, and five for the Console Commands. If a character lacks sufficient components, then the spell will fail, but it won't consume any charges. However, if the spell component pouch reaches 0 charges, like any other item, it will be destroyed.

Note that the spell level doesn't equate the slot it occupies. For example an extended Mass Haste (level 7 slot, level 6 spell) would not consume charges off the spell components pouch.

Spell components can be created through Alchemy and Art crafting, and the spell components pouch, can be made through Tailoring.

Changes to Summoning Spells

Summoning of Elementals

Findable as loot around Arelith are four "elemental books", called "Book of Fire", "Book of Water", "Book of Air" and "Book of Earth". In addition to being usable to summon a very weak elemental once per day, if you have one of these in your inventory when you cast a Summon Creature spell that summons a Greater, Huge or Elder Elemental, you will only ever get one of the same type as the book(s) you own. So with a Book of Fire, you have a 100% chance of a Fire Elemental, with a Book of Fire and a Book of Earth, you have a 50% chance of a Fire Elemental and a 50% chance of an Earth Elemental, and so on.

This does not work for the Druid spell Elemental Swarm: you still get four different elementals.

Dragon Knight, Gate and Planar Binding

Epic Dragon Knight will summon a silver dragon for good characters, a prismatic dragon for neutral characters, or a red dragon for evil characters. A character with Pale Master levels will always summon a Dracolich.

These spells will now summon different creatures of different alignments, regardless the alignment of the caster:

Gate may summon a Deva, a White Slaad or a Balor.

Planar Binding line of spells will summon any of the three respective creatures (for the level 6 variant, this is a Succubus, a Green Slad, or a Hound Archon)

Summon Creature in the Underdark

Summon Creature I-VI provide different summoned allies when cast in the Underdark. The elementals summoned by Summon Creature VII-IX do not change.

Summon Creature I = Rat
Summon Creature II = Dire rat
Summon Creature III = Worg
Summon Creature IV = Dire Spider
Summon Creature V = Grey render
Summon Creature VI = Hell hound

Note that this is dependent on the character's location, not place of origin. A Kobold casting Summon Creature III on the Surface would summon a Dire Wolf, an Elf casting it in the Underdark would summon a Worg.

Necromancy changes

Necromancy summoning has been completely overhauled to work unlike any other summoning in the game.

Undead summoning spells no longer summon a specific creature tied to that spell, instead, all of these spells will summon creatures of power directly tied to a secondary undead caster level, henceforth UCL.

The UCL is either your full cleric levels, or your added total of wizard, sorcerer and pale master levels.
Once taking the feat Mummy Dust, all undead will be tier 4, not just those summoned by Mummy Dust. By itself, Mummy Dust does not summon any special creature, but will act exactly like any other undead summoning spell.
The minions must be summoned from different spells; casting Animate Twice twice won't net you a second minion.

This means, to achieve three undead you would have to cast Animate Dead, Create Undead and Mummy Dust, for example.

There are three streams of undead: Zombie, ghoul and wraith. Zombie is the default.

PCs can do a "ritual" in a very specific location in the Underdark to change stream.

The spells and abilities for summoning undeads are:

Animate Undead, Create Undead, Create Greater Undead, Summon Undead (Palemaster), Create Undead (Blackguard), Mummy Dust (epic spell).

Undead Tier	UCL/feat requirement	Zombie Stream	Ghoul Stream	Wraith Stream (Not available)
1	0	Zombie	Ghoul	Specter
2	11	Skeleton	Ghast	Wraith
3	16	Mummy	Wight	Banshee
4	Mummy Dust	Mummy Lord	Vampire	Lich

Spell Focus	Maximum undead companions
Necromancy Focus/ No focus	1
Greater Necromancy Focus	2
Epic Necromancy Focus	3

Changes to Groups of spells

Death Armor, Elemental Shield and Acid Sheath do not stack; the last spell cast overrides the others.

The spells Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Weapon, Holy Sword, Flame Weapon, Darkfire, and Keen weapon can not be stacked; the last spell cast overrides the other. Furthermore, these spells will not work on any weapon which has any magical properties at all (including weapons other than Bronze which have been created by crafting). Note that Bless Weapon, Blackstaff and Blade Thirst may all be stacked with one another and any one of the above spells, and will work on any enchanted and/or crafted weapon, provided they fit the corresponding type (slashing, staff).

Darkfire and Flame weapon are capped so that the Caster Level cannot count as anything higher than 10.

Darkfire and Flame Weapon last turns/level. Greater Magic Weapon last hours/3 levels.

Bigby's Interposing Hand, Bigby's Forceful Hand, Bigby's Grasping Hand and Bigby's Crushing Hand all have a Reflex Save. Note that Bigby's Clenched Fist does not have a Reflex Save, since already has a Fortitude Save.

All of the Planar Binding spells last 1 turn/caster level.

Invisibility, Improved Invisibility and Invisibility Sphere last rounds/level. The Concealment element of Improved Invisibility remains unchanged.

Dismissal and Banishment block all summoning spells in the area where they were cast, for 30 and 60 seconds, respectively.

All spells casted from the Shadow Conjuration line will be considered illusion and use illusion focus for calculating the DC.

All shades summoned from the Shadow Conjuration line now gain bonuses if the caster is focused in illusion: +1 AB, +1 AC, and +12 hit points per focus.

Persistent area spells

All persistent area spells, such as Cloud of Bewilderment and Stinking Cloud, do not stack with themselves. When the same spell is casted it will be replaced and refreshed. However:

Different area spells may be stacked.
Same spell by different caster stacks.
The same spell may be casted away from 50% of the center of the AoE radius, allowing a section where they can overlap, and hit twice.
Blade Barrier and Wall of Fire are not affected by these changes.

Changes to Individual Spells

Acid Fog: Has no spell resistance check. Applies a 75% movement speed penalty with no save and -2 to AB and damage rolls for all creatures within the area of effect.

Awaken: Awaken grants +1 deflection AC / 3 levels in addition to the standard effects.

Black Blade of Disaster: Slightly rebalanced and empowered. Has permanent haste.

Blackstaff: Works on Magic Staffs and Dire Maces in addition to Quarterstaffs.

Blade Thirst: Duration increased to 1 Turn / Level. Enhancement Bonus has been changed to 2 + 1 / 5 levels beyond the 11th (i.e. +2 at level 11, +3 at level 16, +4 at level 21, +5 at level 26). Additionally, the enchanted weapon gains an equivalent amount of Vampiric Regeneration. Can be applied to magic/enchanted weapons.

Bless: Lasts rounds/level. For Healers it lasts turns/level.

Call Lightning: Damage dice are upgraded from d6s to d10s when the spell is cast outside during rain or thunder.

Cloudkill: Has no spell resistance check. Deals 1d4+1 CON damage per round to all creatures in the area of effect (fortitude save for half)

Continual Flame: Lasts 24 hours.

Darkness: Is no longer considered a hostile spell. NPC companions will no longer attack the caster.

Daze: Works against any creature with hit dice less than or equal to the caster's class level.

Dominate Person: Duration changed to 2 TURNS + 1 TURN / 3 caster levels. Additionally effects orcs, monstrous humanoid, goblinoid, and reptilian humanoids.

Entangle (and Vine Mine: Entangle): Has no spell resistance check.

Epic Spell: Dragon Knight: Has a random duration (30-70 turns). Good characters summon a silver dragon, neutral characters summon a prismatic dragon, and evil characters summon a red dragon. Characters with Pale Master levels summon a dracolich, regardless of alignment.

Find Traps: Does not disable traps, just reveals them.

Flesh to Stone: Duration changed to 1 Turn/2 Caster Levels.

Freedom of movement: Doesn't protect from movement speed reduction effects, Slow and Web spells.

Grease: Has no spell resistance check.

Greater Dispelling: Caster Level bonus cap has been increased, allowing a bonus of 20 before applying bonuses from Abjuration Spell Foci.

Greater Magic Fang: Continues to scale past level 14. (+6 6/+6 at 17, +7 7/+7 at 20...)

Greater Sanctuary: Lasts Rounds/4 levels and it has a cooldown timer of 240 seconds.

Greater Restoration: Has 240 seconds of cooldown timer before it can be casted again.

Harm: Deals 10 points of damage per caster level.

Heal: Heals 100 + 5*CL. Capped at 200 at level 20.

Healing Circle: Level cap removed. Also, when casted it creates a stationary zone below the caster that heals all creatures within the area of effect each round for a period of three rounds, for a total of up to 3 * (1d8 + Caster Level) additional healing to all creatures that remain within the area of effect.

Incendiary Cloud: Damage increased to 4d6 + 1d6 per 2 levels (reflex save for half damage), and creatures within the area of effect are blinded (no save)

Isaac's Greater Missile Storm: Cannot strike one target with more than ten missiles. This limits it to only producing ten missiles if only one viable target is present upon casting.

Knock: Cannot open Doors, only Containers.

Magic Circle Against Alignment: Grants +4 Deflection and +10 will against spells, against the chosen alignment.

Mass Heal: Heals 150 + 5*CL. Capped at 300 at level 30.

Mind Fog: All creatures in the area of effect take a 2d6 will save penalty (will save for half) and are dazed for 1 round (will save negates).

Monstrous Regeneration: Lasts for 1 turn / level. Does not stack with Regenerate and/or itself.

Mordenkainen's Disjunction: Caster Level bonus is capped at 20, before applying bonuses from Abjuration Spell Foci.

Mordenkainen's Sword: Duration increased to Turns/level.

Phantasmal Killer: Phantasmal Killer fears a target for 1 round / level on a failed will save. A target that fails their fortitude save still dies.

Protection from Alignment: Gives a +5 Saving Throw Bonus vs Mind Affecting Spells and Spell Like Abilities, rather than full immunity.

Regenerate: Lasts for 1 turn / level and heals 4 + 1 / 6 levels each round. Does not stack with Monstrous Regeneration and/or itself.

Shadow Conjuration: Mage Armor: Does not stack with normal mage armor or itself.

Shield: Protects against Isaac's Lesser Missile Storm if you have Spell Focus: Abjuration, and against both missile storms if you have Greater or Epic Spell Focus: Abjuration.

Sleep: Works against any creatures with hit dice less than or equal to the caster's class level, and affects (caster level + 1d4) hit dice worth of creatures. Empower Spell increases affected hit dice by 50%.

Stinking Cloud: Has no spell resistance check.

Time Stop: Only affects the area in which it is cast. Also has a cooldown timer 240 seconds (independent of resting).

True Seeing: Last rounds/level.

Vine Mine: Camouflage: Grants Hide in Plain Sight to all allies while they remain within the area of effect.

Wall of Fire: Damage increased to 2d6 + 1 per caster level, with no saving throw. Deals double damage to undead.

Web: Has no spell resistance check.

Weird: Weird fears targets for 1 round / level on a failed will save. Targets that fail their fortitude saves still die.

The changes to spells are organized by class in this article.

Bugs Affecting Spells

Please Note: These bugs are either inherent to NWN, or in some other way a long-standing & chronic problem. Incidental or minor bugs should not be mentioned here.

Charm and Mass Charm makes the target hostile to you, thus defeating its own purpose but serving as a daze instead.

Invisibility sphere, Magic Circle vs Alignment, Dirge etc (spells working in circle around caster and following him) are affected by lag. The effects can often be lost on transitioning, and can even fail to apply when standing still.

Balagarn's Iron Horn is from Enchantment School, in spite of being listed as Transmutation. It can not be scribed or used by those with forbidden Enchantment School.

Spontaneous casters (Sorcerers and Bards) who transition whilst shapechanged can continue to lose spells each time they transition.

Hostile NPCs may keep chasing and attacking PCs even after entering invisibility, stealthing, or even both.

True Strike reports as increasing +20 points of AB in the character sheet, but this information may be false since it counts toward the +20 bonus AB cap. The real attack value still appears in the combat log when performing an attack.