The History and Origins of Gkidden Black Magic

Black magic, also known as dark magic or black arts, refers to the use of supernatural powers for malicious purposes. It is often associated with the occult and is believed to involve the invocation of evil forces to cause harm or manipulate others. One form of black magic is known as curses or hexes, which are intended to bring misfortune or harm to a specific person or group. These curses are believed to be cast through rituals involving the use of objects or incantations. It is believed that the curse will take effect once it is cast, leading to various negative outcomes such as illness, bad luck, or even death. Another aspect of black magic is the summoning and control of spirits or demons to achieve one's desires.

To successfully do magic, you need concentration. That can already be difficult in normal situations. Now imagine they are tired, exhausted or drugged. Even if that is the case, natural instincts can seriously decrease the ability to concentrate. In a fight body is set in a fight or flight response. In a real battle, with someone trying to kill or maim you, it'll be hard for nearly all people to stay calm and concentrate.

You don t need the flesh or bone or organ to come from a still living person, you can simply use that which has been harvested beforehand though needless to say the matter still needs to be somewhat alive, which is where elemental magic and healing magic can work together in order to freeze or keep cold biomatter for later healing use. That is, there must be a way for the recipient to break the spell, and that method must be included in the casting, so the recipient will know what it is.

Another aspect of black magic is the summoning and control of spirits or demons to achieve one's desires. This involves performing rituals or spells to invoke these supernatural entities and then commanding them to carry out specific tasks. The practitioner of black magic may seek to gain wealth, power, or revenge through these means.

D&D 3E/3.5 3.5e Magical Offenders - Most Overpowered Spells & Fixes

I was curious about what players & DMs using 3.5e consider the most overpowered spells or spell combinations and about any recommended, houseruled fixes. I've just begun a campaign in a low magic setting and I am concerned about game balance in the face of strong divine and arcane casters. I am, granted, already considering fixes for abilities and spells like Polymorph X and Raise Dead-style magic is extremely limited in the game context, so for me, those aren't terrible issues. I think addressing them in addition to other sundry ZOMG magic in 3.5e could be useful for me and other inexperienced DMs in general, though.

Empirate

First Post

Here's a repost from an older thread concerning the same question:

Spells that need fixing (for their level, and for diverse reasons) in my book include, in alphabetical order:

Alter Self [fix: remove the natural armor clause]

Astral Projection [fix: spell ends if the recipient leaves the Astral Plane by any means; OR doesn't make copies of worn and carried items]

Black Tentacles [fix: allow a Reflex save to leave the area un-grappled]

Comprehend Languages [fix: gives a set bonus of +10 to Decipher Script skills instead of auto-deciphering]

Divine Power [fix: remove the ability to cast spells while under the effect of Divine Power]

Enlarge Person [fix: reduce duration to 1 rd/CL, and move to 3rd level]

Entangle [fix: reduce radius to 10'; OR move to 3rd level]

Freedom of Movement [fix: move to 6th level]

Gate [fix: delete the clause "In the case of a single creature, you can control it if its HD do not exceed twice your caster level."]

Glitterdust [fix: "Spell Resistance: Yes (blinding only)"]

Knock [fix: adds a set +10 bonus to Open Lock checks]

Mage's/Mordenkainen's Disjunction [fix: does not permanently destroy magic items, but does suppress them for CL rounds]

Magic Circle vs. Evil/etc. [fix: see Protection from Evil, and move to 5th level]

Mind Blank [fix: reduce duration to 10 min/CL]

Mirror Image [fix: move to 3rd level]

Planar Binding line [fix: don't set a HD cap, set a CR cap instead; or use Summon Monster-like tables for call-able creatures]

Protection from Evil/etc. [fix: only protects from possession and mind control originating from creatures of the warded-against alignment, and move to 3rd level]

Polymorph [fix: only allow polymorph subschool spells. Sure, this has been said by WotC, but many groups still allow Polymorph all the same]

Polymorph any Object [fix: there is no fix. This spell must go]

Resist Energy [fix: do not increase the energy resistance at higher CLs]

Shapechange [fix: remove the ability to use the spell-like and supernatural abilities of a creature you shapechange into, and introduce a clause stating that you cannot use any natural spellcasting the creature you shapechange into might have (such as a Planetar's Cleric spellcasting)]

Wall of Stone/Iron [fix: these spells need a duration other than instantaneous, I'm open to suggestions]

What do you think?

Also, here's the link to that thread. It was quite good, and rather long, so you may find lots of good stuff in there.

green slime

First Post

My problems with spellcasting are legion.

1) Battlefield mobility is too cheap, basically given away, for extended durations. From +30 Speed, to levitation and Flight.

2) Investing in Skills is pointless.

3) I have no problems with spells that go "bang."

Normal physical challenges (heat, cold, starvation, submarine environment) should remain a challenge for longer, and not trivialised after 3rd level. Currently, it is digital: on/off.

Spells granting access to skills or increasing skills, should be capped to grant a total skill level less than what could be achieved by a character of that level.

But this calls for greater reassessment than what you are probably considering sane.

RedTonic

First Post

My problems with spellcasting are legion.

But this calls for greater reassessment than what you are probably considering sane.

No one recently has accused me of sanity. I'm all ears--pretty much everything is, for me, open season.

Greenfield

Adventurer

If I had to pick, the 1st "broken" spell that comes to mind is Entangle.

Broken combinations? Transmute Rock to Mud, followed by Dispel Magic. Anyone who can't fly or teleport is pretty much hosed.

There have been lots of tries on Polymorph over the years. 1st Ed actually had some nice points on Polymorph Other, which they sadly dropped in 3rd. The idea that the target slowly lost themselves to the new form was a good one. In 3.0 the only difference between Polymorph Self and Polymorph Other was the duration, so once you had a caster of sufficient level in the party there was no reason not to have everyone spend their adventuring time as Fire Giants.

If you made that a bad thing, though, a potential career ender, that abuse stopped right away.

To fix Polymorph in general, I'd produce a specific list of creatures you could turn into, based on caster level. That way we're not eliminating a bit of classic high fantasy schtick form the game, while placing some curbs on its use.

Polymorph Other, or Baleful Polymorph as its now called, should be treated like a curse. That is, there must be a way for the recipient to break the spell, and that method must be included in the casting, so the recipient will know what it is. The frog needs a fair mad to kiss him? The troll lady needs to win the faith of an honest man? All classic stuff, and should be allowed within the spell. I'd also make the casting time something like a full minute, at least. It should be a ritual type thing, rather than battle magic, more the plot device than anything else.

Entangle [fix: reduce radius to 10'; OR move to 3rd level]

In many cultures, black magic is considered a taboo and is often associated with witchcraft or sorcery. People who practice black magic are often feared and ostracized, as their actions are believed to have harmful consequences for others. There have been historical cases of witch trials and persecutions due to the fear and superstition surrounding black magic. However, it is important to note that the concept of black magic is largely based on belief and folklore, and its existence has not been proven scientifically. Many skeptics argue that any perceived effects of black magic can be attributed to psychological factors or mere coincidence. In summary, black magic is a form of supernatural practice associated with the use of evil forces to cause harm or manipulate others. It is often viewed as taboo in many cultures and is based on belief rather than scientific evidence..

Reviews for "Gkidden Black Magic Rituals: What You Need to Know"

1. Sarah - 2/5 stars

I found "Hidden Black Magic" to be quite disappointing. The plot seemed promising, but it quickly became convoluted and confusing. The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult to connect with any of them. Additionally, the writing style was rather lackluster, with clichéd dialogue and predictable twists. Overall, I was left unimpressed and wouldn't recommend this book to others.

2. Chris - 1/5 stars

Unfortunately, "Hidden Black Magic" did not live up to my expectations. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself skimming through pages just to get to the next interesting part. The world-building was lacking, leaving many unanswered questions about the magic system and the overall setting. Furthermore, the story lacked originality and felt like a rehash of other fantasy novels I have read. I was left feeling bored and unsatisfied with the reading experience.

3. Emma - 2/5 stars

I had high hopes for "Hidden Black Magic," but it fell short in several aspects. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked complexity, making it difficult to care about their fates. The romance subplot felt forced and unnatural, detracting from the main storyline. Additionally, the plot seemed to drag on unnecessarily, with repetitive scenes and predictable outcomes. Overall, I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the story and would not recommend it to fellow fantasy enthusiasts.

4. Mark - 2.5/5 stars

"Hidden Black Magic" had an interesting premise, but it failed to deliver on its potential. The world-building felt incomplete, leaving many gaps in the story that were never addressed. The writing style was average at best, with awkward sentence structure and lackluster descriptions. While there were a few exciting moments, they were overshadowed by the overall lack of depth and coherence. I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with my reading experience.

How to Safely Practice Gkidden Black Magic