Ruin Delver's Fortune

[Scharlata]

Hi, fellow immediate spell casters!

What do you think - in comparison to the plain vanilla cleric's healing abilities - about the spell Ruin Delver's Fortune [from Spell Compendium] for a sorcerer? Is is balanced that an 11th level sorcerer with a Cha of 18 gets 6+1 plus [undercasted] 4 times the opportunity to cast this spell and give him (as immediate action) 22 points of temporary hit points? That would be on average 11 times 22 temp/immediate = 242 hp per day?


Thanx for your input.

 

[Stalker0]

I love this spell personally, finally something for bards and sorcs!!

The thing is with spells that can be used multiple ways is...your going to want to use them multiple ways. Sure you can get a ton of temp hitpoints, but that bonus to saves is pretty nice too, and you'll often cast it a few times to do that as well. Also at that level you can only have the 22 temp at a time, and creatures are hitting hard enough at that level I still wouldn't want a sorc in the middle of combat.

 

[Nifft]

It's a "nice to have" rather than a "must take now". Seriously, that's a high level spell slot there. If you're using those slots exclusively for temporary hit points, you're either making very poor tactical decisions, or you're so totally outclassed that none of your attack spells would have done anything useful.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Plane Sailing]

How does it compare with False Life?

My sorcerers regularly take false life, because by 11th level (per your example) you can give yourself 11-20 temp hp that last for an hour. Empower it as a 4th level spell and it becomes 16-30 temp hp. The 11th level caster could cast this a bucket load of times, replacing the spell each time it is getting worn down too much.

It is a bit like 'proactive healing' in a way.

 

[Caliban]

Combined with empowered false life, you can absorb one or two big hits. (I've used this combo to "tank" for a couple of rounds or to absorb AoO's so other people can get away.)

THe spell doesnt' just give temporary hit points. It can also give you poison immunity (and a big bonus on Fort saves), Evasion (and a big bonus on reflex saves), and immunity to fear (and a big bonus on Will saves).

But while incredibly versatile (and kinda fun for the sorcerer), it does represent a significant resource drain. That's an extra 4th level spell you are burning, usually in addition to whatever other spells you are casting. It only protects the caster, it doesn't usually have an effect on the battlefield conditions or help the rest of the party.

But quite often a lower level spell could do the same thing more efficiently, provided you have time to cast it. For example, a mirror image spell could let you absorb several hits with a single casting.


It's a question of instant versatility (with a relatively high resource cost) versus slow efficiency (with a relatively low resource cost).

 

[Victim]

It seemed more useful for the save increasing effects to me.

A caster can easily start a fight with Temp HP from False Life, thus rendering the initial RDF rather inefficient. Other 4th level spells could provide similar defensive benefits without the need to burn a 4th level slot every hit. Stoneskin could knock off 10 per hit (admittedly less than 22 per hit) up to 110 for a single slot and some money. Greater Mirror Image is another immediate action cast and is very effective at preventing damage. Preventing 22 damage per cast isn't all that great for a defensive spell, even one cast reflexively.

 

[Geoff Watson]

RDF has a really short duration; the sorceror might not get hit that round so the temporary hit points wear off before they are used.

Geoff.

 

[Caliban]

RDF has a really short duration; the sorceror might not get hit that round so the temporary hit points wear off before they are used.

Geoff.

It's an immediate action casting time. You usually cast it just before the attack or spell lands.

 

[Scharlata]

It's an immediate action casting time. You usually cast it just before the attack or spell lands.

That's quite right and the reason behind my (hidden) objection to that spell.

Thank you all for your input and kind regards.