Holy Aura

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• Level: 8
• School: Abjuration
• Class: Cleric
• Casting Time: Action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a reliquary worth 1,000+ GP)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

For the duration, you emit an aura in a 30-foot Emanation. While in the aura, creatures of your choice have Advantage on all saving throws, and other creatures have Disadvantage on attack rolls against them. In addition, when a Fiend or an Undead hits an affected creature with a melee attack roll, the attacker must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or have the Blinded condition until the end of its next turn.

Tactical Usage

Party-Wide Protection: Holy Aura transforms the entire party into a defensive powerhouse, providing advantage on all saving throws within the 30-foot emanation. Position yourself centrally to maximize coverage while maintaining safe distance from primary threats.

Anti-Undead/Fiend Specialization: The spell specifically counters fiend and undead melee attacks with blindness effects, making it exceptionally valuable in campaigns featuring these creature types prominently. Plan usage around known enemy compositions.

High-Level Defensive Capstone: As an 8th-level spell, Holy Aura represents one of the most powerful defensive spells available. Reserve for climactic encounters, major boss fights, or situations where party survival is critically threatened.

Spell Combinations

Concentration Layer Protection: The advantage on all saves includes Constitution saves for concentration, making Holy Aura excellent for protecting other casters' concentration spells. Layer with other party buffs for comprehensive enhancement.

Bless and Guidance Stacking: While Holy Aura provides advantage on saves, other spells can enhance attack rolls and ability checks. Coordinate with party members to create comprehensive bonus coverage across all roll types.

Mass Cure Wounds Synergy: Combine defensive aura with healing spells to create a fortress-like party formation. The emanation provides ongoing protection while healing spells address accumulated damage.

Material Component Details

Reliquary Economics: The 1,000+ GP reliquary represents a substantial investment, similar to Heroes Feast in cost. Consider this a major resource expenditure requiring careful timing and strategic justification.

Sacred Object Significance: The reliquary contains holy relics or blessed materials that channel divine power. The component's sacred nature reinforces the spell's connection to divine protection and celestial intervention.

Component Consumption: Like other high-value components, the reliquary is consumed during casting, making each use a permanent resource loss. Plan component acquisition and replacement during downtime periods.

Creator Notes

Encounter Scaling: Holy Aura can dramatically reduce encounter difficulty by providing advantage on saves against major effects. Consider legendary actions, lair actions, or environmental hazards to maintain challenge.

Campaign Theme Integration: The spell works best in campaigns with significant undead or fiend presence. In campaigns focused on other creature types, the specialized anti-evil features provide less value.

NPC Applications: Powerful clerical NPCs might cast Holy Aura for important ceremonies, major battles, or when protecting sacred locations. This creates memorable moments of divine intervention and support.

Environmental Interactions

Emanation Mechanics: The 30-foot emanation moves with you, creating a mobile zone of protection. Consider positioning and movement to maintain party coverage while avoiding enemy area effects.

Sacred Space Creation: The aura creates a sanctified area that provides tangible benefits against evil creatures. This can influence roleplaying opportunities and social interactions with good-aligned beings.

Duration Pressure: The 1-minute concentration duration requires careful management. Position defensively and consider Counterspell protection to maintain the aura through critical encounter phases.

Common Rulings & Clarifications

Creature Selection: You choose which creatures within the aura benefit from the protection, allowing selective application. This prevents accidentally protecting enemies while ensuring all allies receive benefits.

Melee Attack Specification: The blindness effect only triggers on melee attacks from fiends and undead, not ranged attacks or spells. Position accordingly to maximize the defensive benefit against appropriate threats.

Advantage Scope: The advantage applies to ALL saving throws, including death saves, ability saves, and spell saves. This comprehensive protection makes the spell incredibly valuable for party survival.

Alternative Applications

Sanctuary Creation: Use Holy Aura to create temporary safe zones during extended encounters or when the party needs time to regroup. The comprehensive protection makes retreat and recovery more viable.

Ritual Protection: Cast before important ceremonies, negotiations with evil entities, or when entering obviously cursed or corrupted areas. The advance preparation prevents surprise effects from taking hold.

Divine Demonstration: The visible aura of divine power can serve diplomatic or intimidation purposes when dealing with creatures that recognize and respect divine authority.

Related Spells

Protection from Evil and Good: Lower-level alternative providing similar but less comprehensive protection to individual targets. Use for specific threats while saving Holy Aura for major encounters.

Circle of Power: Provides advantage on saves against spells specifically, with longer duration but more limited scope. Compare based on expected threat types and encounter duration.

Bless: Much lower-level spell providing more limited bonuses but affecting attack rolls and some saves. Layer with Holy Aura for comprehensive enhancement rather than replacing it.

Scaling Analysis

High Levels Only (15+): Holy Aura becomes available at high levels where 8th-level spell slots are precious resources. The comprehensive protection justifies the slot cost in major encounters.

Campaign Climax Utility: Most valuable during campaign climaxes, major story beats, or encounters with legendary creatures where party survival is paramount and resources are less concerning.

Resource Competition: At high levels, competes with other 8th-level spells like Dominate Monster, Feeblemind, or Power Word Stun. Choose based on encounter needs and party composition.

Narrative Flavor

Divine Radiance: Golden-white light emanates from your position, creating a warm aura that surrounds your allies with visible divine protection. The light carries hints of celestial music and the scent of sacred incense.

Sacred Presence: The aura creates a palpable sense of holiness and protection. Allies feel strengthened and blessed while evil creatures experience discomfort and find their attacks less effective against the divine barrier.

Reliquary Transformation: The consumed reliquary dissolves into motes of divine light that expand into the protective aura. Sacred symbols and celestial script briefly flicker in the air before settling into the sustained emanation of holy power.