The Harm spell is the reverse of Heal and causes massive damage instead of healing.
Description[]
| “ | This spell is the reverse of Heal. Instead of healing the creature touched, it causes damage. On a successful touch from the priest, the spell reduces the target to 1 Hit Point. The next attack that the priest makes will inflict this effect; however, the priest only has 2 rounds to make the attack before the spell fizzles. If the priest misses the target creature, the spell is wasted. There is no Saving Throw. | ” |
Gameplay[]
- After casting, Harm replaces the main hand weapon. It acts as a weapon the caster is proficient in and which receives a +2 bonus to hit, but receives no bonuses from Strength. It is considered a magical weapon with +6 enchantment, this means:
- The enemy has to be hit against their Armor Class to apply the effect. To maximize the chances of success, the caster should have a good THAC0. It is therefore best used by a multi- or dual-classed caster. Multi-classed Fighter / Druids, Fighter / Clerics, Cleric / Rangers and Fighter / Mage / Clerics can achieve a 100% hit rate by using the Critical Strike High-level class ability in combination with this spell. Additionally, an active Time Stop or Time Trap will also give 100% hit rate.
- It can theoretically hit any monster, since none is innately immune to +6 weapons.
- It is blocked by Protection from Magical Weapons, but not Absolute Immunity.
- Because it creates a weapon, it can target enemies that are improved invisible and have lost their "normal" invisibility (aka can be targeted by weapon attacks, but not by single-target spells). It can of course not target enemies that are fully invisible, unless the invisibility is otherwise negated (e.g. True Sight).
- The attack can be fooled by Mirror Image (unless negated by True Seeing etc.).
- Not blocked by Death Ward or Negative Plane Protection. Bypasses Stoneskin / Iron Skins. Not affected by Protection From Magic Energy.
- The Harm effect can be blocked by Magic resistance or Protection from Magical Weapons, and the long casting time means the caster could be interrupted before the spell finishes.
- Can be blocked by effects that protect against level 6 spells, mostly Spell protections. For example, Shield of the Archons, Spell Deflection, Spell Trap (also recharges a level 6 spell when being hit) and Spell Turning (will also reflect the Harm and hurt the original attacker) all work.
- Blocked by Spell Immunity: Necromancy.
- After the spell is cast and before it is applied, the created weapon can be dispelled.
- The Harm weapon's on-hit side effect, which is the real threat posed by this spell, is of the Offensive damage type — blockable by the Cloak of Mirroring.
Mod content[]
This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
Regarding the Harm spell, the Sword Coast Stratagems mod will do the following:
Modify the Harm spell so it does damage rather than reducing target to 1 hp (BG2,BGT)
The Harm spell reduces its target to 1 hp in 2nd edition D&D; in 3rd edition, it does a large amount of damage instead. This component modifies Harm to work more like the 3rd edition spell: it inflicts 150 hp damage, with no saving throw, on a successful touch attack, to a minimum of 1 hp. The rationale for this is that Harm (especially combined with Critical Strike) is otherwise an almost-instant way of eliminating even foes with hundreds of hit points. Harm remains lethal in this component, but is not quite so overwhelming.
The Spell Revisions mod makes changes to Harm, spell description below:
Harm
Level: 6
School: Necromancy
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 turn
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Spell half
This spell is the reverse of Heal. Instead of healing the creature touched, it causes damage. On a successful touch from the priest, the spell inflicts 90 points of damage upon the target. Harm cannot reduce the target’s hit points to less than 1. The spell expires once the priest makes a successful melee attack or after 1 turn has passed. The priest gains a +4 bonus to hit the target. Magic resistance does not affect this spell.
If both SCS and SR are installed, the SR version will be the one implemented.
Mod gallery[]
External links[]
- Harm on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.