Spellfire... Too powerful?

[rushlight]

I am starting a new game soon, and one of my players wants to be a spellfire wielder. This is a FR game, so they are around.

The question is: Is the "Spellfire Wielder" feat too powerful? I think that it gives you way more than the usual feats. I am considering adding 1 ECL to the feat as a method of balance. The other option I have considered is to break the feat into multiple feats, like one for storing, one for using the energy stored to heal and a third for using the energy stored to attack.

Opinions? What would you other DMs do? Would any other players choose to use Spellfire under these conditions (or similar ones)?

 

[Crothian]

It is very powerful. That's why it's the only feat that specifically says you need DM permision. It's more powerful at the lower level.ssI think the best fix is to limit the amount that can be used in a round to one or 2 die per level

 

[perivas]

It mostly depends on the player. If the player is going to have the others throw spells at him at the end of every night, then it's too powerful to be allowed. But, if the player is going to be secretive about its use and only try to absorb enemy spells, then it's almost useless. Overall, it allows for abuse too readily or else is too weak in a normal context.

All this comes from personal experience as a player with the feat but only trying to use it secretly. Overall, I would rather have picked something else instead of that useless feat.

 

[rushlight]

I'm sure this player will try "filling himself up" as it were. I did tell him that he wouldn't be able to absorb his OWN spells, assuming I allow the feat.

A third option I just thought of is a roll (perhaps Spellcraft, or a Save of some sort) when absorbing a spell. A DC of 10 + twice the spell level would do.... Fail the roll, fail the absorb....

 

[Victim]

Absorbing spells isn't a major problem. Because it takes a readied action and only works on targeted spells, it's difficult to use in combat. It also prevents a caster without haste or quicken from absorbing his own spells.

The main problem is that a 1st level character can potentially launch a 20d6 attack. That's kind of sick.

There should be some kind of cap on the effect per level. It shouldn't be too harsh, because otherwise the feat isn't very good. But it should keep people from throwing enough damage to obliterate boss monsters in one shot.

Spellfire isn't as big a deal at higher levels. Unless the character takes the prestige class, he's still limited to pretty much the same effect as at lower levels, and the save DC doesn't scale.

 

[Thanee]

Use it as is, but tell the player, that you will enforce a level-dependant cap on spellfire levels he can use offensively per turn, if it turns out to be too powerful. Just give it a try, so you can see yourself and judge yourself, but make sure, the player will know, that it is a test phase!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Xastalask]

One of the things I am working with on a player that wants spellfire is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable at low levels.

His character knows he has spellfire but not exactly how it works. He will only have access to a small portion of the spellfire abilities but as he advances in levels he will have more available to him. simulating the fact he is getting used to it and exploring the possibilities of spellfire and hence learning more control and finesse with it.

whatcha think?

 

[mikebr99]

The easiest way to counter players with Spellfire is to let the enemies know that the guy has it. Everyone will be on their tail, all the time...

I don't think that rest of the party will be to happy once the secret is out that one of their members is a Spellfire wielder.

Every group/organization in the Forgotten Realms wants to get their hands on Spellfire,for good or evil. And unless the character was raised by wolves, then it must have slipped out when he was a kid... and he was probably run out of the village for it.

News like that gets around. There are Zhents (& Harpers) in almost every village...

 

[Loric]

As someone who played using the feat, it is simply to easy to abuse. I played a dwarven mage with toad familiar. Maxed out the con etc etc...it was one of those games....Anyhow, after seeing how things worked we simply pooled our resources and bought several wands. I had the cleric use the wands while absorbed the spell levels. It got fairly ugly real quick...The point however was made.

 

[kreynolds]

The easiest way to counter players with Spellfire is to let the enemies know that the guy has it. Everyone will be on their tail, all the time...

I don't think that rest of the party will be to happy once the secret is out that one of their members is a Spellfire wielder.

Every group/organization in the Forgotten Realms wants to get their hands on Spellfire,for good or evil. And unless the character was raised by wolves, then it must have slipped out when he was a kid... and he was probably run out of the village for it.

News like that gets around. There are Zhents (& Harpers) in almost every village...

Don't forget about the Red Wizards of Thay. They'd absolutely LOVE to get their hands on a spellfire wielder! And they aren't exactly a "small" organization either.

I have a spellfire wielder in one of my games. I don't have a problem at all with the massive amounts of damage he can deal out, nor do I have a problem with him healing himself or others. Being a spellfire wielder is dangerous indeed, with many evil groups hunting you down like a mangy dog. Your life will never slow down, it will never get easier, and you will never experience the peace and serenity that many retired adventurers and commoners get to have. Half the world will love you and beg you for your strength and aid. While the other half of the world will want to study you, experiment on you, or worse, simply kill you. It's bad enough that all of the organizations in Lords of Darkness, and then some, will want a piece of you, but the worst part is that even some of the "good" ones, such as the harpers, won't have anything to do with you.

There is the balance, ladies and gentlemen. It's all about the roleplay and the type of game. A game should be designed around a spellfire wielder. Otherwise, it just doesn't work.