Protection from Evil, the spell, doesn’t cause any discomfort when used on evil creatures. But we’re not just talking about the spell. We’re talking about a magic item that gives the effect of that spell, and there’s no such magic item in any of the books. It is therefore homebrew, and thus can have any rules that the creator of the item (i.e., Rich Burlew) says that it does. In particular, it’s possible that he’s taking a precedent from several other good-aligned magic items, such as holy weapons, and ruling that an evil creature using it suffers from a negative level for as long as he continues to use it. This does indeed cause a significant mechanical penalty, but it’s one that’s quite worthwhile for someone in Belkar’s situation (low Will save and fighting something that’s known to have an at-will Dominate ability).
But the “effect” is literally Protection from Evil. The gnome explicitly states that it’s “just a simple Protection from Evil spell” enchanted into the amulet. Capitalized so we know she’s speaking directly of the spell and not a general effect that protects you from evil. There’s no reason to think that it would act any differently than having it cast on you. The general effect of it isn’t “holy” in any way. Evil clerics can cast it on themselves if so inclined.
Yes, I know, we can make up anything we want (well, Burlew can). There’s no Protection from Evil amulet in the official books so wearing one in the Stickworld can make you burn or make you glow purple or turn you into a dinosaur because, why not? Who says it can’t? Still, it doesn’t really make sense.
So ordinarily you can cast a Protection Against Evil spell on an evil creature, and a Protection Against Good spell on a good creature I guess. Didn’t know that. Yes, yes, you need the properly aligned cleric. ISTM that “Preventing bodily contact from evil creatures” (like yourself) might prove a little uncomfortable depending upon the target’s alignment. I perceive room for DM interpretation.
I suppose Belkar could avoid untoward home brewed side effects with Owl’s wisdom (though that gag has been done). But then his combat abilities might take a hit.
No, actually, they can’t. Protection from Evil is a [good] spell, which means that evil clerics cannot cast it. It also means that casting it is fundamentally a moral act, and channels (and increases) the inherent power of Goodness in the multiverse.
My mistake, I had seen something saying otherwise but it turns out that it was for the Pathfinder rules. I know in old AD&D you could, although the DM would likely require you to justify how it’s furthering the aims of your deity.
Regardless, from what I read, an evil arcane caster could learn the spells and use it, and evil characters can have it cast upon them to no ill effect. While an evil divine caster may not, it even sounded as though they could use a charged item with the effect (wand, etc). Point being that nothing about the spell implies the effects we saw beyond authors fiat.
Measure for Measure, I figured that some discomfort was reasonable but the panel of extra “fire” and making him stumble goes beyond that.
Anyway, it is what it is whether I’m satisfied or not. It’s not as though I’ll be fuming about this three strips from now 
No ill statistical effect. If you really need to justify it, think about the +2 deflection bonus it gives vs. evil creatures. It’s perfectly reasonable for the fluff text for your campaign to be that this deflection bonus is due to a constant pushing away of evil flesh (or held items, since those are treated like body parts by most spells 
). I’d imagine that an evil halfling encased in a field that constantly pushes his flesh away would have the mother of all sinus headaches, even if it weren’t enough to cause statistical penalties.
Yeah, I’m speaking specifically of Belkar stumbling in panel #9 with extra spell effects/pseudo-fire stuff coming off of him. Stumbling so a wolf can eat you would be a statistical penalty (-movement rate in this instance, perhaps -AC as well).
Only summoned creatures are actively repelled by a Protection from Evil. While under its effect the person “wearing” it gets a bonus to their AC but I wouldn’t assume that’s because the enemy in question is being repulsed. If anything, if I wanted to simulate that I’d give evil creatures a penalty on their hit rolls rather than giving the host a bonus to defend. By its current effects, I’d consider the AC bonus to reflect them being better able to take an evil punch than an inability of an evil dude to punch them.
This is an amusing story about the unintended consequences of a character falling from a great height. Contains the phrase “Johann the Meteor”.
Ah, nifty tricks with Reverse Gravity. IIRC White Dwarf magazine suggested this creative use of it (1980s, 1st Edition AD&D):
The party enters a chamber which is floored entirely with iron. The ceiling is also iron. Both were made using Wall of Iron spells and the ceiling is held in place with porcelain brackets. The bad guy casts Reverse Gravity.
[ul]
[li]The party all fall upwards and hit the ceiling, taking 2d6 damage each.[/li][li]The iron floor (which is a false floor resting on bare earth or rock) also falls up and hits them, doing… whatever damage a half-ton iron slab does under such circumstances.[/li][li]The iron floor falls back as the Reverse Gravity expires.[/li][li]The party fall back to the floor, taking 2d6 damage each.[/li][li]The iron ceiling, its porcelain brackets shattered by the impact, falls on them, doing the same damage as the floor did.[/li][li]Whatever is left of the party is sandwiched between two walls of iron.[/li][/ul]
Elapsed time: two seconds. Nowhere near enough to cast a spell or activate a magic item.
I can imagine Roy saying, “Uh, could you repeat that last part?”
I vote “Nay”
Fair point.
Except that it’s a deflection bonus, which suggests pretty heavily that repulsion is at work.
Once again Mr Burlew confounds expectations.
Oh well, it’s probably for the best.
Could be. Point remains though that the rules give no indication that casting PfE on an evil being causes it to suffer any ill effects. If you’re going to say “You feel uncomfortable” that’s one thing. Making it easier for dire wolves to eat you (or just chew you up and spit you out a window) is quite another.
Heck, there’s not even any indication that an elemental, for example, would suffer ill effects from being the target of a PfE and those are unquestionably directly repelled by the spell.
Do WHAT to WHAT!? :eek:
Fanwanking it, maybe Belkar failed an athletics check compared to the wolf, and the GM described the failure as due to a twinge from the amulet.
Only summoned elementals would be repelled. That’s a different aspect of the spell, though. The deflection bonus to AC vs. evil critters is different from the can’t-be-touched-at-all by summoned critters.
Even so, if Burlew described a summoned elemental as itchy or whatever when targeted with a PvE, I’d be fine with that.
If something if going to make some “Skin trying to escape” sensation and possible stat/roll penalty, you’re not going to convince me that it’s the mild AC bonus effect and not the “Can’t touch AT ALL” effect 
I assume any standard elemental you’re likely to encounter on the Prime Material Plane was summoned but, yeah, summoned only.