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As far as the counting as a ranged basic atk, I have yet to use that ability. I'm not even sure I can think of a time when I get a freeranged basic atk. Maybe another class power gives this, but it would seem to go to the front line fighters. I wonder changing this part to make it a basic atk, both melee and ranged would beef up the spell a bit.
They're mostly in the Warlord class, though I bet there's an exploit or two that another class has. One example is Brash Assault, an At-Will Warlord ability (in Martial Power) that allows an ally to make "a basic attack" against the target if they're within 5 squares if the target chooses to attack the warlord as a free action (trying to keep it vague).
It doesn't come up often, unless you're in the right group. If you're in a group with a Bravura Warlord with that exploit, it is VERY nice to have a powerful ranged basic attack like (the original) Magic Missile.
That is a cool at-will power, now I just need to find a warlord. I'm not sure if the math would be in favor of magic missile over a ranger's basic atk, maybe without quarry?
What about adding damage types instead of force? It seems that this makes it a bit more powerful, but since force seems to hit everything just as well, it would be best against creatures that take extra damage from say, fire or cold. Allow the wizard to choose a type every 3,4,5 levels to swap out instead of force. If anything it would give flavor.
The ranger's basic attack has longer range and does .5 damage more base (1 at epic). It's generally easier for the ranger to acquire bonuses to damage (weapon focus, armbands, etc) than the wizard and at epic infinitely easier for the ranger to acquire a better crit range.
Also often easier for the ranger to have better critical dice.
That is a cool at-will power, now I just need to find a warlord. I'm not sure if the math would be in favor of magic missile over a ranger's basic atk, maybe without quarry?
What about adding damage types instead of force? It seems that this makes it a bit more powerful, but since force seems to hit everything just as well, it would be best against creatures that take extra damage from say, fire or cold. Allow the wizard to choose a type every 3,4,5 levels to swap out instead of force. If anything it would give flavor.
It would allow even more flavors which I do find attractive.. though honestly, force in itself does allow quite a bit of flavorful wiggle room, wind bashing, water smashing, earth, conjured metal, or wood, raw tk (crushing), it can be things in the environment already animating to your will, or conjured stuff such a wonderful thing is force.;-) ,
when attacks are conjured things... spectral seeming versions of anything that might hurl smash attack or ones that just crumble to dust or light after doing there things. liberal brain twists and your enemies own projectiles are flying back at him... Of Course it's Not a Magic Missle, pfah! - Wizards Community
With magic missile you dont need ammo... or anything is ammo... the magic sword I tried stealing from my enemies grip... didnt work but the backlash was painful I am sure.
I want disarming spells just so my wizard can sometimes claim his successfull mm is a failed attempt at one ;-). That is another reason to have a reaping strike style mm...a miss aka a weakend failure can be interesting.
Last edited by Garthanos; 10th July 2009 at 11:41 PM..
It always HITS, but it doesn't always do damage, so it's not a minion wipe. Instead of it trying to hit the target, it hits (always), it attacks the target's Fort. If the target can shrug off the pain, it deals no damage.
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One of the wierd attractions I have for the spell is that as generic damage the spell is so nicely skinnable ;-).
On way to improve magic missile would be to introduce "skinning" feats for it, making it do slightly different and slightly more powerful things at the cost of a feat. Of course, then it wouldn't be so inherently skinnable any more - you could only reskin it to versions covered by these feats.
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On way to improve magic missile would be to introduce "skinning" feats for it, making it do slightly different and slightly more powerful things at the cost of a feat. Of course, then it wouldn't be so inherently skinnable any more - you could only reskin it to versions covered by these feats.
Meta magics, that kind of thing? could still add highly skinnable features
for instance say the meta magic allowed a slowing effect which save ends.
Making a slow spell which was was crystals growing up around the targets feet or is that vines growing up around there feet and squeezing or... am I increasing there weight/personal gravity or am I painfully constricting there joints in an arthritic fashion or expanding spacial distances when they try to move.(just a tweaking of the same magic which creates a bag of holding really).
I guess I really could use the above as sleep spell skins ;-).
Some of those descriptions I would really like to be alternate defense targeted attacks instead of just what they were packaged with for instances.
Occasionally special effects which are mutable sometimes just mean keywords not yet defined ;-),
On way to improve magic missile would be to introduce "skinning" feats for it, making it do slightly different and slightly more powerful things at the cost of a feat. Of course, then it wouldn't be so inherently skinnable any more - you could only reskin it to versions covered by these feats.
I'm a big fan of allowing feats to customize and adjust at will powers, it allows more customization and adds more longevity to the same at will powers.
A lot of other elemental damage has been getting better of late, cold and lightning have feats let them do new things, psychic damage gets psychic lock. It would be cool if force damage got more feats that made it sexier.
Silly question: why not just give Wizards Magic Missile as a Class Feature, rather than making it take an At-Will slot? It's iconic, has no effect other than damage, and counts as a Ranged Basic Attack. To me, Magic Missile is the arcane equivalent to swinging a sword: a simple burst of energy that's one of the first offensive options a Wizard learns. It doesn't punish the Controller for choosing an At-Will that doesn't control, but at the same time keeps around a spell that's ubiquitous in the DnD legacy.
Nobody even considered to respond to this? It's worked out well in our group so far.
Nobody even considered to respond to this? It's worked out well in our group so far.
I look for excuses to give every class another free at-will honest.. but
what is the reasoning/excuse here?
I am pretty sure Sleep was the spell of preference way back when ...
that I recall, when you can only do something once a day it had to
count big... really big.
At one point I actually tinkered with a version of the wizard that got to choose whether to get magic missile or mage hand as an at-will, with magic missile being a minor action 1 damage and mage hand minor action slide 1 (both 1/round) and it being a distinctive feature of being a wizard...
But, eventually I decided my ideas are just a little too far afield, even if it does still upset me that wizards don't have controller class features (like strikers, defenders, leaders, do).
Adding an extra at-will to wizards is good, but I'd rather it was one that actually had a control aspect, any control aspect, and magic missile really doesn't do that for me.
At one point I actually tinkered with a version of the wizard that got to choose whether to get magic missile or mage hand as an at-will, with magic missile being a minor action 1 damage and mage hand minor action slide 1 (both 1/round) and it being a distinctive feature of being a wizard... .
That mage hand ... minor to slide 1 is very cool really, movie wizards feel written all over it. range limit? .. I would be tempted to ignore the mini magic missile option entirely but then my brain started reskinning it and it sounds viable.... then I thought
Hey! your trick could be done sneaky by boosting cantrips to do as much as 1 pt of damage or slide and opponent 1 square if within 5 squares. This way no choice is made both options creep in under the hood. ... of course then there are details that have to be improvised on this attack which defense does it target can it have a damage type...which depends on how you describe it?
So, the plan was for the minor move/damage to be their unique controller feature... one really really good against minions and the other really good at moving the party and enemies to better spots for your zones and area attacks
I understood that... my idea was more like
Wizard class feature : Fundamental Mastery
"If you master the basics the possibilities are endless"
Your mastery of lesser magics not only allow you to weave them amidst everything you do (minor action) but gives them more impact than those of other wizards insert greater form for each cantrip.... At level one pick one lesser magic.. at level 11 pick another and at level 21 you have mastery of all cantrips.... shrug.
ghost sound can be made to deafen and decrease defenses by 1.
light can give a single opponent -1 on attack rolls
mage hand can be made to slide and opponent
prestidigitation can deliver a 1 hp attack.
Ah, I see. Or just do it all with mage hand. Either it's punching or pushing
I'm sure Bigby would be proud.
heh, right.... to use the full set... clap them upside the ears to deafen and distract...it doesnt have to be a sound effect either
That brings back the concept of the founding wizards theme's for well paragon paths or in this case wizard class feature choices and feats which target spells of there archetypes.
Is it just me, or is this how power creep happens? It's range 20, ammoless, attacks reflex, and does comparable damage to a longsword. What more do you want in an at will? Sure the ranger deals a little more damage with a bit longer range (with optimal builds), but he also attacks AC. MM allows the wizard to sit at the back of the party and just pick people off without exposing himself. It's plenty powerful if you play it right, and if that's not how you like to play your character then you have a wide variety of other at-will powers to choose from. The most valuable thing about MM is that it allows you to take out oposition back-line artilery without moving in close enough to be vulnurable to their front line flankers and soldiers. Wizards who move within viable melee range are dead wizards.
Or, it's lower range, lower damage, and doesn't get a proficiency bonus, compared to a longbow?
All that magic missile does is get 'close enough' to a longbow that a wizard can safely go 'Hey, I don't completely suck against a single target' when down to at-wills.
At-wills should do _something_ a basic attack does not. Forced movement, a status effect, damage, some interesting mechanic, anything at all.
Have we already talked about feats that would boost powers. I know that your wasting a feat and maybe MM just needs boosting anyway, but a feat that allows you to bump up one of your spells, or apply something to a few spells. I'm thinking more like the thief one that raises damage dice from opportunity atks.
Another idea is to have the spell get better like the cleric's healing word, so that a 6th level you can add X and 10th you get Y or Z. Maybe it would create more specilized or focused wizards.
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