Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Cleon]

That's reasonable for the ability score, but I don't quite understand what you mean by increasing the CL. CL doesn't affect spell DCs, which are 10+spell level+ability modifier. So do you really mean CL, which modifies things like range, duration, etc? I'm not sure if I'd cost that at 3EP; 2 might be more like it. I'd have to think; I guess it is like getting a few different metamagic feats at once.

Yes, I know caster level doesn't affect spell DCs in 3E D&D. The point is that when the original says this empowerment increases "Spell Magnitude" I suspect Mr Heard did not mean spell level, as in "fireball is a 3rd-level spell", because that makes hardly any difference to a spell's effectiveness in BECMI (or AD&D), where the saving throws are mostly fixed and most of the variability of a spell depends on the caster level.

There are a few cases - like 1st edition AD&D Daemons or a handful of spells like globe of invulnerability - were casting fireball as a 5th-level spell instead of 3rd-level would make a difference in AD&D/BECMI, but in most situations increasing CL is a lot more significant.

 

[freyar]

So what is it you want to change in 3.X terms? Actual CL?

 

[Cleon]

So what is it you want to change in 3.X terms? Actual CL?

Yes. i.e.: +1 caster level per X empowerment points, maximum +5 CL.

 

[freyar]

That's fine, but 3EP seems like too much. How about 2EP for +1 CL for 3 rounds?

 

[Cleon]

That's fine, but 3EP seems like too much. How about 2EP for +1 CL for 3 rounds?

Are you sure about that? Just going by damage that seems generous. Increasing a fireball one caster level gives +1d6 damage to the entire area of effect, which the attack enhancement only give +1 damage to a single attack.

I'd be OK making it +2 EP per +1 if the empowerment only affected range, duration, and spell penetration. Having it increase the spell's CL-based damage/effectiveness seems too cheap at that price.

 

[freyar]

Hmmm. That's true. A lot of spells don't increase damage so much with CL, but we should gear it toward the ones that do. 3EPs would probably work. Do you want it to be the "1st spell cast within 3 rounds" or bump the cost and make it all spells within X rounds?

 

[Cleon]

Hmmm. That's true. A lot of spells don't increase damage so much with CL, but we should gear it toward the ones that do. 3EPs would probably work. Do you want it to be the "1st spell cast within 3 rounds" or bump the cost and make it all spells within X rounds?

I'd rather have it so this empowerment only affected range, duration, and spell penetration.

If we allow damage as well, it means there's little point allowing the Empower Damage to work on spells, since increasing the CL-based damage will almost always be better.

 

[freyar]

Well, we could increase the cost or only allow an increase of one CL. That way, the damage empowerment is a low-cost alternative. Plus, you can empower the damage of some spells that don't have a CL-dependent damage.

 

[Cleon]

Well, we could increase the cost or only allow an increase of one CL. That way, the damage empowerment is a low-cost alternative. Plus, you can empower the damage of some spells that don't have a CL-dependent damage.

Why don't we write up a proposal so there's something more solid for us to argue over?

 

[freyar]

Seems like we never wrote up the ability score booster, either.

• Caster Level: The goatling gains a +1 enhancement bonus to the caster level of the next spell it casts for every 3 empowerment points it expends (maximum caster level bonus +5). If the goatling does not cast a spell within three rounds, the empowerment point is wasted.
• Ability: The goatling gains a +2 enhancement bonus to a single ability score for every 5 empowerment points it expends (maximum bonus +10 to each ability score). This empowerment lasts for three rounds.

I'm not sure if CL can get an enhancement bonus, and I've left the EP cost negotiable.