The Spell Paralysis: Lesser

[darthauthor]

The invocation from the Book of Magic
Page 203
the Spell Paralysis: Lesser at the cost of 5 P.P.E.

Can it be cast on someone's head?
Specifically, would it work on their mouth/tongue to keep them from shouting a warning or even casting a spell?

[ShadowLogan]

The text doesn't rule it out per say, the head is a limb so I would say yes you can cast it on a target's head. However, what the paralysis looks like for that limb I couldn't tell you off hand (I want to say I've seen them somewhere but can't recall where).

[darthauthor]

IF allowed, I believe it still means that can run, duck, dodge, hide, and fire a gun like anyone else.
I guess it would look like their neck was in a brace.
Their lungs would still work so even with their mouth closed air would exchange through their nose.
I'd also feel like it would not work on a cybernetic head.

I think it might only be good for preventing someone from using their mouth.
IF the spell is allow to be used on non-human beings it could be quite effective at preventing attacks:
A dragon's head that can't bite you, breath fire upon you or cast as spell (but could still use psionics, claw attacks, kick , tail, tackle, and fly away).

Likewise, keep a snake head from biting.
Stop a croc from biting down.

[Soldier of Od]

the head is a limb

I strongly disagree with your definition of limb.
I really don't want to get into one of those arguments where people get too hung up on specific words and quote endless dictionary definitions, etc., but I hope we can at least agree that calling the head as a limb is at the very least, not universal, and is open to question.

As the spell gives specific rules on how a hand, arm, or leg are affected by the spell, but does not give rules on how the head would be affected, I believe that the spell does not affect the head. I know the absence of such a rule doesn't prove that, but, given that this particular spell (unlike many others) goes to the trouble of explaining rules for the other body parts, and that the head (as evidenced by the original poster's question) is a complicated area that would not be immediately obvious how it would be affected by this spell, I believe the head cannot be affected.

[ShadowLogan]

While I agree there could be some wiggle room here with what the spell would consider to be a limb or not. There are "limbs" that are not considered per say in the text like: wing, tentacle, or (prehensile or not) tail. So, are those fair game for the spell or not, and if so, what would the paralysis look like?

Because if those limb locations are exempt like the head as you suggest that means there would be races that essentially would be immune to the spell like a Splugorth (WB2, okay not the best example), Vernulian (WB1o/WB30), Octoman (WB21), two intelligent snake races that come to mind that I can't recall their name (WB21 and one of the PW books), or Zebuloid (DB5 or 6 I forget which)? I know there are more than a few races with tails and/or wings, so they would seem to have a wider selection of "immune" locations.

[Soldier of Od]

Well, reading the spell very literally, I guess those limbs would be exempt. But I would personally rule that any limbs used for locomotion or manipulation counts. If a tentacle is used as an arm, it counts as an arm; if a tentacle is used as a leg, it counts as a leg. Keep it simple.

I would rule that a tail can't be paralysed, but a prehensile tail counts as an arm so could be?

I would count a wing as a leg, as both are used for locomotion and the penalties incurred would make sense.

If a creature has no legs and slides around on its belly (e.g. the vernulian), then it has no leg-like limbs to paralyse.