Undeath To Death

[Quoth The Raven]

Per PnP rules, the spell should only be able to affect undeads with 9 or less HD. Right no, it has no cap.

[Doubtful]

I'm happy to be wrong, the sourcebooks may say otherwise, but SRD/Wiki says no such thing.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Undeath_to_Death

[Cornuto]

EDIT: NvM

[Quoth The Raven]

Duh, weird. I refer to the D20 srd

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/undeathToDeath.htm

which says that it works like Circle of Death

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/circleOfDeath.htm

which would mean it caps at 8 HD.

Which one's correct?

[Saulus]

Well, d20srd.org I'm a bit familiar with but the DnD Wiki cites as that being the specific 3.5e rule where d20srd does not.

I'm more inclined to believe the more detailed source.

[Cornuto]

From Wizard'ss 3.5 SRDs... http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

From # Divine Domains and Spells (38k RTF)

Undeath To Death
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 6, Clr 6, Repose 6
Components: V, S , M, D F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: Several undead creatures within a 50-ft.-radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Undeath to death snuffs out the animating forces of undead creatures, killing them instantly. The spell slays 1d4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level (maximum 20d4). Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first; among creatures with equal HD, those closest to the point of origin of the burst are affected first.
Material Component: worth at least 500 gp.

From # Spells (T-Z) (115k RTF)

Undeath to Death
Necromancy
Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M/DF
Area: Several undead creatures within a 40-ft.-radius burst
Saving Throw: Will negates
This spell functions like circle of death, except that it destroys undead creatures as noted above.
Material Component: The powder of a crushed diamond worth at least 500 gp.

Given the choice, I'd elect to use the non-useless (first) version.

[Zoberraz]

I'm not privy to what errata came out, but my 3.5 Player's Handbook refers to it working just like Circle of Death, but destroys undead creatures in the same fashion as Circle of Death kills the living. In Circle of Death, it's clearly stated that no creature of 9 HD or more can be affected.

In the endrun, this is more or less a design decision for the architects behind this persistent world. If they are comfortable with 11th-level clerics or wizards being able to destroy a maximum hit die of undead of 44 (up to 1 single undead that has up to 44HD) with only saving throws and spell resistance for their protection (which permits lucky flukes to lay down the mightiest of liches)...

Well, then, I'd rate that as very generous from the staff. After all, Undead are seldom on the side of player characters.

[Cornuto]

Liches have spell mantles.

[Fezzik]

.... and no lice!

[Machiavelli]

Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Making it a dicey proposition against anything with too many hit dice anyways.

Liches have spell mantles.

Shadow shield and death ward also give immunity to this spell.

[GodBeastX]

Given the choice personally, I wouldn't allow it to affect a greater hd than the caster's. That's just me. I don't mind a level 20 wizard destroying level 20 undead, but a level 10 doing it seems a bit OP, especially when they can gain full exp from this.

Considering the undead dungeons in and going in, seems like a speedy level technique for lowbies.

[Saulus]

Given the choice personally, I wouldn't allow it to affect a greater hd than the caster's. That's just me. I don't mind a level 20 wizard destroying level 20 undead, but a level 10 doing it seems a bit OP, especially when they can gain full exp from this.

Considering the undead dungeons in and going in, seems like a speedy level technique for lowbies.

I wouldn't be opposed to that, I think thats the only big fault is killing something higher level than you.