Toning Down Flaming Sphere

[Nytmare]

I have noticed, among a significant portion of the 4E players I know, that Flaming Sphere is seen as the only level one daily power for a wizard to take. Based entirely off the supposition that "if one option is reliably taken over any other, then it might be too good" what would you do to Flaming Sphere to make the other dailies more likely choices?

What if it lost the "standard action to make a 2nd attack" option, relegating it to a small movable wall that ony damaged creatures at the beginning of their turn?

 

[Omnifarious Grey]

I have noticed, among a significant portion of the 4E players I know, that Flaming Sphere is seen as the only level one daily power for a wizard to take. Based entirely off the supposition that "if one option is reliably taken over any other, then it might be too good" what would you do to Flaming Sphere to make the other dailies more likely choices?

What if it lost the "standard action to make a 2nd attack" option, relegating it to a small movable wall that ony damaged creatures at the beginning of their turn?

I understand how the sphere is such an issue. However, I have never played a wizard yet who has taken it. Most of the time my reasoning has been due to the chances it could hurt allies, even if some of the better scenarios. I always went sleep as my main daily, though I am glad they released Shadow Chasm. Now Chasm sees more play than the other choices for me. Though this partially comes to my decision of using control powers to be main.

 

[PeelSeel2]

Its fine the way it is. Make sleep better.

 

[Omnifarious Grey]

Its fine the way it is. Make sleep better.

Yes, I agree here. Though there is not much more you can do to make sleep better aside from lowing time for them to drop or upping save/to hit bonuses.

 

[Nytmare]

Its fine the way it is. Make sleep better.

What about the other first level dailies? Should they all be turned into at will versions of encounter powers?

Are there any other dailies that come close to doing approximately 2d6+1d4+(2*Int) every round to whoever you want?

 

[Omnifarious Grey]

What about the other first level dailies? Should they all be turned into at will versions of encounter powers?

Are there any other dailies that come close to doing approximately 2d6+1d4+(2*Int) every round to whoever you want?

To be fair, you don't necessarily have control over the d4+Int damage each round and can hurt your allies.

I dunno what they would do about the other powers but I don't think that Flaming Sphere is at the point were they need to buff other powers or debuff the sphere.

 

[Fede]

I'd say that if you want to change the power level of first level wizard daily spells, you need to buff up the other spells, not nerf the sphere.

 

[PeelSeel2]

I am trying to buff other powers. I let the wizard take a feat to bring his MM damage up to 2d6 Int, we have experimented with sleep going to unconscious right away (save ends). I do not like that solution to sleep either.

One thing we have got rid of is spell books. The extra daily and encounters is a choice on a need to have basis. Makes the wizard a little more flexible.

I generally see nothing wrong with making specific feats to allow more damage.

The thing that feels wimpy about the wizard is lack of damage. In character it is not very satisfying to 'control' the environment. It is necessary, but it is almost like you are playing a cleric in the older editions. You never do any real damage, you just support. whoopy.

 

[Psikus]

I have noticed, among a significant portion of the 4E players I know, that Flaming Sphere is seen as the only level one daily power for a wizard to take. Based entirely off the supposition that "if one option is reliably taken over any other, then it might be too good" what would you do to Flaming Sphere to make the other dailies more likely choices?

My issue with the sphere, as with other similar powers like the fighter's Rain of Steel, is that there is no point in dealing damage at the beginning of an enemy's turn. Sure, it's powerful, but excluding some corner cases, it's no different from doing it at the end of your own turn. And it suggests that the enemy should move away from the sphere, while in practice there is little benefit for him in doing so: The wizard will just move it again during his own turn.

My fix is simple: deal the damage at the end of each opponent's turn. This weakens the power, but also adds a controlling dimension to it. The sphere will have a visible impact on the battlefield as most enemies will choose to run away from it every turn.

I think this version of the power is still competitive with others of the same level. If you're concerned that it becomes too weak a power, you can tweak it to also deal damage to enemies that enter an square adjacent to it.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Yes, I agree here. Though there is not much more you can do to make sleep better aside from lowing time for them to drop or upping save/to hit bonuses.

You can make sleep better by automatically putting people to sleep, and making the result on the first save be slowing, second save ends.