Broken spells?: entangle and briar web (DotF)

[Red Baron]

Anyone else have any fixes (or even any problems) with these spells??

 

[Crothian]

No, the Druid uses them to great effect. What do you think is a problem with them?

 

[milo]

I don't know about briar web, but entagle is an ok spell because it is limited to places with vegetaion growing. It is useless in most dungeons, compare it to web. Web is a level 2 arcane spell, entagle level 1 divine spell. Web is in my opinion alot better than entagle. If you could post briar web I could give you my opinion on it.

 

[Red Baron]

I suppose perhaps I'm just doing too much outdoor stuff with my group -- these spells are the bane of most anything they've encountered so far. Wickedly effective.

Briar web is a 2nd-level spell, essentially the same as entangle except that if a creature fails it also takes 1d4 points of damage + 1 point per caster level -- each round that it tries to move.

The 4th- (no, now 5th-)level halfling druid in my game (funnily enough, he's called Milo) has dominated everything they've encountered using these spells. I've been thinking of reducing their areas of effect or something, maybe by as much as half.

Any thoughts? Thing is, knowing how effective these spells are, I'd *never* in good conscience be able to use them against the party. Seems to me like a pretty good reason to tone them down, wouldn't you say?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Any thoughts? Thing is, knowing how effective these spells are, I'd *never* in good conscience be able to use them against the party. Seems to me like a pretty good reason to tone them down, wouldn't you say?

Actually, I'd suggest just the opposite - throw a druid at your group with this spell (among others). If the players complain, nerf away; otherwise, keep it as is.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The 4th- (no, now 5th-)level halfling druid in my game (funnily enough, he's called Milo) has dominated everything they've encountered using these spells.

And today's lesson, kids?

Don't mess with a Druid in the wilderness. You wanna kill a Druid? You send him photographs of bunnies being tortured, and give him a map to your house, in the middle of a square mile of asphalt.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Actually, I'd suggest just the opposite - throw a druid at your group with this spell (among others).

"It's balanced, 'cos the DM can do it too"?

-Hyp.

 

[Victim]

No, it seemed like he wanted to use player griping to determine if they're overpowered.

On of the things to consider about entangle is that its huge area has a down side. Given that visibility is more limited in the wilderness, encounters can occur at ranges that hit everyone with the spell. When our group gets jumped by something stupid in the woods, we're usually at less than 30 ft. A druid would have to be careful to avoid catching his allies. Also, moron fighters that win initiative and then charge tend to weaken area attacks.

 

[Crothian]

Briar web is good, but all they have to do is move out of it. That's not to diffficult.

 

[CRGreathouse]

"It's balanced, 'cos the DM can do it too"?

Actually, since I'm fairly sure the players will survice, I thought I'd let *them*decide if it's balanced.