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Priest sphere?

islandkingislandking Member Posts: 426
in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
Not sure I understand its definition, what's the difference between school and sphere, it seems that only priest spells have spheres, so they have any practical uses in game? Thanks in advance :)

Comments

  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited September 2017
    Spheres are specifically a 2nd D&D edition feature, being replaced by Domains in 3rd. They boil down to tailoring a cleric's spell list to their deity.

    The main difference is Spheres are for clerics, Schools are for mages.
  • KamigoroshiKamigoroshi Member Posts: 5,870
    edited September 2017
    Magic schools are basically fields of research which Mages study. An Necromancer for example would need to know how the human body functions in order to channel negative energy for raising an undead corpse.

    Spheres on the other hand are the spheres of influence a deity possesses through their portfolios. For instance, Kossuth cannot grant his Clerics water-based spells because he has no access to them.
  • islandkingislandking Member Posts: 426
    @Kamigoroshi
    What's portfolio of a deity, is it the same as avatar?
  • islandkingislandking Member Posts: 426
    @Fardragon
    But priest spells still have schools...
  • AstroBryGuyAstroBryGuy Member Posts: 3,437
    islandking said:

    @Kamigoroshi
    What's portfolio of a deity, is it the same as avatar?

    A deity's portfolio is a list of things/ideas that he/she has influence over. For example, Bhaal's portfolio includes death, murder, and assassins. A deity's portfolio would determine the spheres available to their priests.

    http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Portfolio

    An avatar is the physical manifestation of a deity on the Prime Material Plane.
    islandking said:

    @Fardragon
    But priest spells still have schools...

    Schools for priest spells are largely irrelevant, except when considering saving throw bonuses or immunity to a particular school.
  • islandkingislandking Member Posts: 426
    @AstroBryGuy
    Interesting, will read through the article.

    For the practical use, can necromancer > cleric dualclassers instill further -2 ST penalty when casting Finger of Death from both his priest and wizard book? On the other hand, when a Finger of Death from enemy priest is cast against him, does he receive the +2 bonus when making ST against the spell?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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  • islandkingislandking Member Posts: 426
    @subtledoctor
    Thanks, and I assume that apply to all priest spells, including Shaman specifics, hope I'm right, then sp mage > cleric dual does have some edges :p
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    islandking said:

    @Fardragon
    But priest spells still have schools...

    Spells have always had schools, since 1st edition. But it was simply a way to classify spells - little more than fluff text. All clerics cast from the same list of spells, and all Magic Users cast from the same list of spells. 2nd edition introduced the mage ability to specialise in particular schools of magic, and clerical spheres, which meant that clerics of a fire god could cast fire spells, but not water spells.

    In effect mages where using pre-existing fluff text to become more defined. But for cleric spells, the fluff text remained fluff text.
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    islandking said:

    @AstroBryGuy
    Interesting, will read through the article.

    For the practical use, can necromancer > cleric dualclassers instill further -2 ST penalty when casting Finger of Death from both his priest and wizard book? On the other hand, when a Finger of Death from enemy priest is cast against him, does he receive the +2 bonus when making ST against the spell?

    It should, but it depends: are you playing PnP second edition, or a CRPG? I don't think that particular wrinke is implemented in BGEE, and spheres certainly aren't.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited September 2017
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited September 2017
    The specialty school saving throw penalties do apply to priest spells in BGEE and BG2EE.
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