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Ok so it immobilizes whatever limb it touches, what about the head?

Tough call... maybe paralyzes the speech centers/throat hearing and eyes causing the victim to suffer from blindness deafness and inability to speak? Or maybe just flat out total paralysis considering the body's system of balance is in the ears?

JuliusCreed wrote:Tough call... maybe paralyzes the speech centers/throat hearing and eyes causing the victim to suffer from blindness deafness and inability to speak? Or maybe just flat out total paralysis considering the body's system of balance is in the ears?

I would go with the no speech, deaf, blind and add in a severe case of vertigo. Total paralysis is too powerful an effect for the level and direction of the spell. All of this is Opinion however as there are no specific rules that I can recall for the scenario described by the OP.

Limb Paralysis is too powerful an effect for the level and duration of the spell.

I'd just inhibit speech, and perhaps loss of neck control (Head flops around, can't really look where they're going), can't eat / drink for the duration (not that's going to be a big deal).

but that isn't the mechanic of the spell

KillWatch wrote:but that isn't the mechanic of the spell

Well if you want to get technical, the Head is not a limb, it does nothing.

There are 3 ways to look at this:

• The head is not technically a limb, therefore the spell has no affect;
• The head becomes paralyzed, affecting the muscles in the face and neck, the speech, sight, hearing, taste, and smell organs. The brain and central nervous system are wholly unaffected;
• The head becomes paralyzed, with the brain and central nervous system being affected. This essentially paralyzes the entire person.

I am of the belief that points 1 and 3 above are stupid, and the spell should work as per point 2. Why?

• The head, while not technically a limb per se, should still be able to be affected by the spell. To say that you cannot affect the head is idiocy, and opens up the door to all kinds of things (ie, the sternum isn't a limb, or you affected my arm but my hands aren't a limb, etc.).
• To affect the brain and central nervous system is to kill someone outright, and that is not the point of the spell. If you paralyze the brain, you stop all thought and processing of anything going on in the body. All electrical signals stop, and the portions of the brain that control, respiration, digestion, function of all internal organs and monitoring of heartrate stop. You have effectively killed someone.

I like option 2, in that the head can be paralyzed, but it only affects the muscles and sensory organs, leaving the brain and central nervous system intact. Besides, there are plenty of other ways to kill someone. Do we really need one more?

Abub wrote:Also... is their any attack roll needed here? They should get some penalty because the head is a "small and difficult target to hit". If its a save only spell then maybe grant a saving throw bonus?

I am against this. Why? Doing this opens up a PC to say "Well, my arm is a small and difficult target to hit too" and they'd whine about wanting the bonus. No bonuses = no whining.

Abub wrote:

Severus Snape wrote:

Abub wrote:Also... is their any attack roll needed here? They should get some penalty because the head is a "small and difficult target to hit". If its a save only spell then maybe grant a saving throw bonus?

I am against this. Why? Doing this opens up a PC to say "Well, my arm is a small and difficult target to hit too" and they'd whine about wanting the bonus. No bonuses = no whining.

Well, an arm or leg are longer so I would say that is incorrect. Also people would tend to defend themselves against a touch attach by putting their arms up... people generally protect their head while placing their arms and legs in the way of danger to protect themselves.

But you would still be aiming for a target that is small and difficult to hit. I'm just trying to help alleviate the players saying that if you apply the penalty to the head, then they should get the penalty to hit the arms or legs. And to further that fact, players will say "The head may be stationary, but I'm moving my arms and legs, so the penalty should apply". As a player myself, this is exactly what I'd say.

According to the book, it paralyzes what it touches, but not the internal organs, so this line of questioning was for naught. You can touch the head, it won't affect the brain but the eye lids will drop and close.