Empower Spell

[Demmero]

Quick question for the EN World gurus:

A 10th-level cleric casts an empowered Cure Moderate Wounds spell.
A regular Cure Moderate Wounds spell would heal 2d8+10 points of damage.
For simplicity's sake, let's assume that both d8 rolls are 5s (5+5+10 = 20 points healed).

The Empower Spell feat description says: "All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half."

To me, the variable effect in a Cure Moderate Wounds spell is the 2d8 part; the +10 part is constant for a 10th-level caster. Thus, my first impulse is to multiply only the 2d8 variable by 1.5 (resulting in 5+5=10; x 1.5=15; +10=25 points healed).

Yet later in the feat description, the example of an empowered Magic Missile says to "roll 1d4+1 and multiply the result by 1-1/2 for each missile." The constant +1 damage of each missile is added in before multiplying by 1.5. This makes me think that the formula I should be using is: 5+5=10; +10=20; x 1.5=30 points healed.

So...which is the correct amount of healing for this empowered Cure Moderate Wounds spell--25 or 30?

 

[Stalker0]

Since the magic missile example is given, that's what you should use. So it would be (2d8+10)x1.5

 

[Hypersmurf]

The Empower Spell feat description says: "All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half."

To me, the variable effect in a Cure Moderate Wounds spell is the 2d8 part; the +10 part is constant for a 10th-level caster.

The variable numeric effect of a Cure Moderate Wounds spell is "The number of hit points cured".

The range isn't variable; the number of targets isn't variable; the number of hit points cured is variable.

How is it variable? It varies between 12 and 26 (for a 10th level caster). That variable number (12-26) is multiplied by 1.5.

-Hyp.

 

[green slime]

An Empowered Spell requires a spell slot two levels higher.

A Cure Critical Wounds spell cast by a 10th level caster cures 4d8+10 or 14 to 42 hp.

Why wouldn't an Empowered Cure Moderate Wounds cure (2d8+10)*1.5 or 18 to 39 hp?

I think you really should go for the Maximised Cure Light Wounds and heal a massive 13 hp.

 

[calypso15]

I think you really should go for the Maximised Cure Light Wounds and heal a massive 13 hp.

To be fair... Maximize is better when you're rolling a lot of dice and adding little to it. Empower is better when you're rolling few dice and adding a lot to it. I'm sure you could make a purdy graph showing the crossover point, but I'm too lazy.

Calypso

 

[Demmero]

Thanks for the replies and examples, all. Looking at things in hindsight, it makes sense that you'd get more than 5 extra paltry hps for giving up a spell slot 2 levels higher.

 

[kjenks]

Empower Spell + Cure Moderate Wounds is a level 4 spell slot that cures about 28 HP.

CCW cures 4d8 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +20), or about 28 HP for your 10th level caster.

Sounds about right to me.

Tip: Have your 10th level caster prepare Empower Spell + Insignia of Healing (from Races of Destiny); it's like Empower Spell + Mass Cure Light Wounds in a level 5 slot, and if you need to damage undead, you can spontaneously convert it to MCLW.