With each passing year, Wizards of the Coast's R&D Department gains a deeper understanding of the effects different game mechanics (class abilities, spells, and feats) have on Dungeons & Dragons game play. Sometimes these game mechanics do not have the effect that the design and development teams intended. However, in general, if a mechanic works as printed, we don't change it. From time to time, we identify a mechanic that creates too great an impact on the play experience or creates constraints for designing new mechanics, and we act to correct the problem.

Wizards' R&D Department has identified two spells that have too great an impact on the play experience and are creating design constraints for future game mechanics: divine favor and righteous might.

We have changed these spells in the following ways (changes noted in boldface type):

Divine Favor (Player's Handbook, page 224): Calling upon the strength and wisdom of a deity, you gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls for every three caster levels you have (at least +1, maximum +3). The bonus doesn't apply to spell damage.

Righteous Might (Player's Handbook, page 273): This spell causes you to grow, doubling your height and multiplying your weight by 8. This increase changes your size category to the next larger one, and you gain a +4 size bonus to Strength and a +2 size bonus to Constitution. You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your natural armor. You gain damage reduction 3/evil (if you normally channel positive energy) or damage reduction 3/good (if you normally channel negative energy). At 12th level, this damage reduction becomes 6/evil or 6/good, and at 15th level it becomes 9/evil or 9/good (the maximum).

We feel strongly that these changes will improve the overall play experience of the Dungeons & Dragons game, as well as help you better enjoy our products for years to come.

Jesse Decker
Development Manager
RPG/Miniatures R&D
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.