Death aura WAI?

[Rawel_San]

I've never been watching the death aura spell to closely but having recently
started using it more for soloing on my drow palemaster I have come across some
strange things.

The description says the aura should do 2d4+1/caster level damage a tick. Now
with a lvl 20 wiz that's 20+2d4 damage at least. I have maximize and empower on at
all times so theory is I should be seeing numbers in the 40+ range at least ignoring
potency and crits.

Yet I ocassionaly get 6, 9 and even 5. Any idea how come? Am I missing something?

The other thing is it often works well and does 20+ and even the ocassional 50 even
though that seems way below where crits should be I'm not complaining.

Any idea what I am missing?
Thanks for any info,
Rawel

[Aashrym]

Take a look at the spell description and the meta's that affect it. ;)

The empower and maximize won't help. I'm not sure why you would see less than 2d4+20 with the Palemaster damage bonus or crits tho.

[Rawel_San]

good point. Didn't realize heighten effected it and max+emp didn't. Don't actually see
why not either, but even without those two I should never ever be seeing less then
22 on myself and 11 on monsters (assuming the save is for half not that they bother
to say so in the description). Assuming potency effects it (again don't see why it shouldn't)
I should be actually seeing more like 33+.

[FadeLurk]

I and a friend noticed the same thing, normaly we get mid 20s per tick 24 usualy and yes crits up to 50+ but from time to time every tick is sub 10 per tick usualy 6-7 range, but then it will go back to normal 24s

I have no idea why it does that I have not seen anything that would cause a drop in points per tick and yet there is it. Like I said its usualy for a short time then goes back to normal..

[EatSmart]

The radiant aura did something that sounds similar when activating clickies when it first came out, but i cant confirm as I dont have a PM. Pay attention to what you're doing with items etc when you next fiddle around with stuff, and see if the aura changes. (I'd expect you to get results in line with the spell if it was cast at the items' caster level when you clicky stuff)

[LupusVai]

One thing i noticed with it is that when you are swinging your weapons about (breaking stuff etc) it seems to only be at half effect or less.

[shadowsaun]

Something odd that Ive noticed is the crit #. Most times I crit heal for 40-55 but sometimes I crit (green bold big number) is actually LOWER like 12-18. I just lol and say thanks for the crit when my normal tick is 22-27.

So its like 22-77 tic
crit 55
tick
tick
crit 16

and yes, I sometimes only get 11's on the tick.

Its odd.

Didn't know heighten affected the aura. What benefit does that provide? Will it tick higher when caste at a higher level?

Still loving it even if a little odd sometimes.

[Alternative]

you used to make a will save against death aura and get halved numbers, not sure if it was fixed

[ddobard1]

The metamagic feat Heighten is to rise the level of the spell versus Undead who make a Spell Resistance check against positive energy.

[voodoogroves]

Seems to be working fine for me. You might want to check different gear set-ups, etc.

And by "working fine" I mean "still drains my mantle and silver flame amulet".

[gurgar78]

The metamagic feat Heighten is to rise the level of the spell versus Undead who make a Spell Resistance check against positive energy.

Que?

Living monsters roll a Fort save for half damage. It's a fourth level spell. Heighten gives it a +5 to the DC check (Raises it to a 9th level spell) at the cost of 25 mana (less with enhancements)

Heighten really isn't necessary because you primarily use it for the healing it does, not for the damage. Typically though, I can't be bothered to turn off heighten to cast it and then turn it back on, so I just cast heightened death auras as well.

[Fomori]

The metamagic feat Heighten is to rise the level of the spell versus Undead who make a Spell Resistance check against positive energy.
Uhhh.... Heighten has nothing to do with Spell Resistance, never has.

SR check is (Caster Level) + (Misc Mods) + d20 vs. (Target SR) <--- Heighten does not affect anything here
Save Check is (Target Save Mod) + d20 vs (Caster Stat Mod) + (Misc Mods) + (Spell Level) <---- Heighten affects this

Please know the difference before commenting.

[kernal42]

The metamagic feat Heighten is to rise the level of the spell versus Undead who make a Spell Resistance check against positive energy.

That's a special comment.

-Kernal

[ddobard1]

Right. What I mean was: enemy Undead make a Spell Resistance check against negative energy to heal.
Now I don't understand why this spell uses the metamagic feat Heighten, this spell hasn't saving throws.

[Torebro]

Death Aura is certainly not WAI.

It seems like it only does 2d4 +1 per TWO caster level (= 2d4 +10).

This will be changed by your Pale Master PrE (bonus to negative spells) and potency/etc.

On my lvl 20 Palemaster the death aura with Sup Nihilism does an average of about 33-34 Damage (lowest 28, highest 39), with an occansional Crit of 50+, sometimes 60+.

This can (and should not) be affected by switching gear/attacking. It may drop (my lowest was 4) and will go up after a few ticks. @shadowsaun: you probably had a crit on one of these reduced numbers.

You no longer make saves vs. death aura.

@ddobard: death aura has a save for halve damage (only living enemy targets have to do them), so it can be heightened (see the post of gurgar above).

Regards
Tore

[shadowsaun]

^ya I figured as much. I am quite the gear changer-up-er all hot-bared and stuff. SO I'm use to seeing some variation.
Its just funny. A bug I guess?

I'm still not sure about heightened. I don't even have it right now, should I get it?

Will it equal: more heal on ME
and also: a little more DPS from my necrotic spell like skills?

Sounds like a yes maybe?

[ddobard1]

The compendium doesn't mention any type of saving thrown!

[shadowsaun]

Ok found some stuff out last night


1. The amount of healing SEEMS to be affected by Con score. For example. I have a +6 con nec item that I take off to use the archivist nec to get SP back with sometimes. During my normal aura I get 22-27 per tic BUT when I switch it goes down to 5-7 and then when I switch back it stays until I switch my weapon sets (greater necro focus). Then it seems to reset. Odd I don't think this is WAI

2. Spell resistance. I did notice in SoS last night that my necro like spells did not pass SR sometimes. I got the blue shield. I imagine that heighten will bring the spell level up and pass SR.

So I guess heighten would help here.

[Fomori]

2. Spell resistance. I did notice in SoS last night that my necro like spells did not pass SR sometimes. I got the blue shield. I imagine that heighten will bring the spell level up and pass SR.
Spell Resistance does not use spell level, its uses CASTER level. Since heighten increases the spell level it does nothing for SR.

ie.
Hold Person cast by a 18 Wizard/2 Rogue
Spell level = 3
Spell level w/heighten = 9

Caster level = 18
Caster level w/heighten = 18

[Rawel_San]

It's been said already but I think it bears repeating SR is not DC.

The death aura is subject to both Spell resistance (which depends only on your
level, enhancements, feats and spell penetration item) and it also has
a fortitude save (which is effected by the spell level (i.e. heighten works)) .

The description doesn't mention if it's fortitude save for no
damage or for half but from when the aura was very bugged and you rolled a
save against your own aura I seem to remember it was a fort save for half.

Now to get back to the original question.

I've done some more testing and am now convinced the death aura is not working as
intended. Whenever I start attacking the healing drops to single digits right away. When
I stop attacking it goes back up to the usual 20-30 per tick non crit. Occasionally the
aura will just get cast as single digit healing right off the bat haven't figured out when
that is yet. I will be bug reporting it today if I get into the game but it would be great
if some more people could check if the attacking bug is general or if it's just me.

[shadowsaun]

I actually don't do much swinging at stuff so I haven't noticed that...

but could you also try switching your CON items and see if you get what I get?

The SR/DC questions are understood. Im happy with the way things work, but the oddities are annoying.

[Lucian_Navarro]

remove your Potency item and requip it. You will see the number go up again.

Also: If you swing a weapon the numbers drop until you stop swinging.

I have reported this bug.

[Rawel_San]

I actually don't do much swinging at stuff so I haven't noticed that...
<snip>


Right that's the thing I'm guessing most people haven't noticed it for exactly that reason.
I have done almost no swinging at stuff for a looong time. Lately I've started to work
on learning to solo some of the easier epics (Tide, Bob, Claw) and let's face it a lot of
stuff dies way easier to a dreamspitter then a firewall. I will check the con neckie
situation. And will also check out the potency equip item. I'm thinking swapping
between the staff of petitioner and dreamspitter might have something to do with it.
Thanks again for all the replies,
Rawel

[shadowsaun]

my swapping is a potency item to the deaths touch item.

and also from +6 con to +0 con

I think all these things, plus attacking, plus the buff issue and all

NOT WAI

Bugs!