Cleansing is the new improved Death?

[Skarg]

The new version of the Cleansing spell seems to be the new very effective way to kill someone you really want dead, if you have 20 ST available per hex size of the victim, IQ 17, and can hit them with a Thrown spell. Unlike the Death spell, it doesn't matter what their ST is. Unlike Open Tunnel, they don't get any kind of saving through.

IQ 17 is also the point where you can increase the mana your staff can hold to 2 x IQ (which does take 200 XP per point, but still) so it doesn't necessarily require an apprentice to cast Aid on you.

Personally, I think that's interesting but I feel like it should have some sort of drawback for use as a death spell, other than just a 20 ST cost, such as a saving throw or other creative way that it can be avoided or is hard to pull off.

Opinions?

[Shadekeep]

The rules seems a bit contradictory, possibly due to updating, as in the first paragraph it only talks about eradicating minute forms of life, then it the next it states it works across the board. That could use some clarification one way or the other, though I expect the latter will prevail.

Personally I'm just going to nerf it my campaign setting to the former limitation, just like I nerf Open Tunnel to only work on inorganic matter. If players want a one-spell kill, they have to take a risk with the Death spell.

[hcobb]

Easy way to handle it is that it does one die of damage to every living thing in each hex. Since few microorganisms have even one hit point...

[Shadekeep]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Easy way to handle it is that it does one die of damage to every living thing in each hex. Since few microorganisms have even one hit point...

I like that compromise, makes sense within the context of the spell too.

[Steve Jackson]

I like Henry's amandment, and have made it so.