Kor
First Post
I am running a Pathfinder campaign and I like how Paizo has nerfed a lot of the over-powered spells. In similar fashion, I am thinking of nerf'ing the confusion spell.
I am quite certain that this spell is far too powerful and needs some nerf’ing. When I played my Beguiler in 3.5e, I loved this spell. I constantly wrecked the DM’s plans with this spell, especially considering the save DC against my spells was insanely high.
Of course the tables have turned now, and now that DM has a bard player in my Pathfinder campaign, and yes, the confusion spell is now constantly wrecking what should be difficult encounters.
The spell itself affects a 15’ radius burst area, so it has the potential to effect 24 targets and remove them from the battle for many rounds. That already makes it a potent spell, but so does the sole save versus a continuing mind affect against the target’s nature.
Additionally, the “any confused character who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn” clause even makes this spell more powerful. Instead of rolling confusing next turn (and possibly rolling “acts normally”, it attacks its attacker – which is probably fair if the attacker is an adjacent melee attacker. When the attacker is a ranged character (or a flying wizard) then this basically removes the target from battle. I don’t believe the confused character has the presence of mind to avoid attacks of opportunity, so they will run past the other PC’s, drawing the AoO’s while trying to get at the ranged attacker.
Here are the changes that I think should be made to balance this spell:
#1. Whenever the affected target of a confused spell rolls a result which is against its normal behaviour, it may attempt another Will saving throw to end the confusion effect.
#2. Any confused character who is attacked in melee by an adjacent adversary, automatically attacks the adjacent attackers on its next turn.
Do these changes seem balanced for this 4th level Wizard/Sorcerer (3rd level Bard) spell?
I am quite certain that this spell is far too powerful and needs some nerf’ing. When I played my Beguiler in 3.5e, I loved this spell. I constantly wrecked the DM’s plans with this spell, especially considering the save DC against my spells was insanely high.
Of course the tables have turned now, and now that DM has a bard player in my Pathfinder campaign, and yes, the confusion spell is now constantly wrecking what should be difficult encounters.
The spell itself affects a 15’ radius burst area, so it has the potential to effect 24 targets and remove them from the battle for many rounds. That already makes it a potent spell, but so does the sole save versus a continuing mind affect against the target’s nature.
Additionally, the “any confused character who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn” clause even makes this spell more powerful. Instead of rolling confusing next turn (and possibly rolling “acts normally”, it attacks its attacker – which is probably fair if the attacker is an adjacent melee attacker. When the attacker is a ranged character (or a flying wizard) then this basically removes the target from battle. I don’t believe the confused character has the presence of mind to avoid attacks of opportunity, so they will run past the other PC’s, drawing the AoO’s while trying to get at the ranged attacker.
Here are the changes that I think should be made to balance this spell:
#1. Whenever the affected target of a confused spell rolls a result which is against its normal behaviour, it may attempt another Will saving throw to end the confusion effect.
#2. Any confused character who is attacked in melee by an adjacent adversary, automatically attacks the adjacent attackers on its next turn.
Do these changes seem balanced for this 4th level Wizard/Sorcerer (3rd level Bard) spell?
