Favor of Ilmater

Faiths & Avatars Version

This spell has two possible forms. In the first form, favor of Ilmater banishes pain and nausea so that the spell recipient, who may be the caster, cannot be stunned or debilitated by amputations, torture, and severe injuries. Those injuries still deal damage, and death may occur from loss of blood, strangulation, and the like, but dignity and composure can be maintained, shock avoided, and clear, calm thought retained in the face of such horrid occurrences. The spell allows its recipient to die nobly, to stay conscious and calm to pass on vital information, to remain alert and aware as an observer even if dying, and so on. The spell banishes feeblemindedness, shock, delirium, and charm effects, frees the recipient being from hypnotic effects, maze spells, and confusion, and revives him or her from dazed conditions and faints. Pain and physical symptoms will return if their causes are still present when the spell expires, but the helpful effects of favor of Ilmater on the recipient's mind are permanent—for instance, a broken charm is gone forever.

In the second form of favor of Ilmater, the caster may choose to take on all of the hit point damage suffered by another creature, instantly transferring their own current hit points to the injured being by means of the spell. This switch is permanent until the caster uses normal methods to heal the damage. Beings who receive more hit points than they normally possess in this trade lose the excess. This transfer may be done from a distance so long as the spell range is not exceeded, and neither the priest nor the recipient being need make system shock survival rolls unless the transfer of hit points brings the priest to death and does not bring the injured being up to above zero hit points. In this case, both individuals must make a system shock roll. Failing this roll brings death. Individuals who succeed at the roll are placed in a coma; they are not dead but are unable to heal without magical aid.

Note that diseases, parasitic infestations, drunkenness, and other conditions cannot be taken on by the caster by means of the second use of a favor of Ilmater spell; only purely physical damage can be transferred. Ilmater regards the taking on of the pain of others in this way to be a very holy act, and encourages his clergy to make such use of this spell whenever a real (not frivolous) need is present.

Priest's Spell Compendium Version

This spell has two possible forms. The caster chooses which form is cast at the instant of casting.

Banish Pain: This form banishes pain and nausea so that the recipient, who can be the caster, cannot be stunned or debilitated by amputations, torture, and severe injuries. Those injuries still deal damage – and death may occur from loss of blood, strangulation, and the like – but dignity and composure can be maintained, shock avoided, and clear, calm thought retained in the face of adversity. The recipient can die nobly, stay conscious and calm to pass on vital information, remain alert and aware as an observer even if dying, and so on. The spell also banishes feeblemindedness, delirium, and charm effects; frees the recipient from hypnotic effects, maze spells, and confusion; and revives that individual from dazed conditions and faints. The spell lasts 1 turn per caster level; pain and physical symptoms return if their causes are present when the spell expires. The helpful effects on the recipient's mind are permanent – for example, a broken charm is gone forever.

Transfer Damage: The caster touches a living creature, instantly restoring its hit points and suffering its damage. This can be done from a distance, so long as the spell range is not exceeded. The transfer restores the creature to full hit points if possible. If not, the caster is drained to 0 hit points and the creature is restored to that extent. The caster cannot limit the number of hit points transferred.

Neither the creature nor the caster must make a system shock check unless the caster was brought to 0 hit points while failing to bring the creature above 0 hit points. In this case, both individuals must make a system shock roll. Failure brings death, success puts that individual into a coma – not dead, but unable to heal without magical aid. Otherwise, the damage to the caster can be healed by the usual methods.

Only physical damage can be transferred. The caster cannot take on other conditions – disease, parasitic infestation, drunkenness, and the like – with this spell. Ilmater regards the “taking on” of the pain of others as a holy act, and encourages his clergy to use this form of the spell whenever a real (not frivolous) need is present.

Notes: Granted by Ilmater, the One Who Endures, of the Forgotten Realms setting.