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What's the worst spell?
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<blockquote data-quote="Gadget" data-source="post: 7151860" data-attributes="member: 23716"><p>I would second @<em><strong><u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=68748" target="_blank">Gladius Legis</a></u></strong></em> on the list provided with the slight disagreement that <em>Blade Ward</em>--though niche-- has its uses. </p><p></p><p>In short there are two ways to measure a spell's effectiveness: how well it matches the fiction and lives up to the expectations in the description, and how well the mechanical implementation works along with the system mastery required to effectively use it. For example, few players, even newbies, would expect <em>Illusory Script</em> to be an dungeon pawning, knock-down-orcus type of spell. Mechanically, the spell largely delivers what it says on the tin, and is a somewhat niche utility spell that may come up in certain types of campaigns, but not one an erstwhile dungeon delver is likely to take to keep them and their companions alive while adventuring. As such, I don't really have a problem with it (save for maybe having the duration be longer for ancient treasure maps or some such story driven thing). </p><p></p><p>Spells like <em>Mordenkainen's Sword</em>, on the other hand, deliver quite a bit different experience: the high spell level, combined with concentration and action cost to use it, deliver quite poor results. </p><p></p><p>To add to the list, I think <em>Friends</em> has some serious design issues. <em>Barkskin</em> is rather poorly designed/explained. The Concentration requirement for <em>Flame Blade</em> & <em>Hunter's Mark</em> is a bit much, <em>Ray of Enfeeblement</em> is, well, feeble. <em>Bestow Curse</em> could probably stand to apply several conditions from the list offered rather than one and <em>Phantasmal Killer</em> is a poor man's <em>Fear</em> spell one level higher that requires two saves to start infliction not-that great damage for its level. The ninth level <em>Weird</em> is mere the mass version of the same, and even more not worth it at that level. <em>Crown of Madness</em> is, barring very niche circumstances, a one round spell masquerading as a multi-round spell with a lot of restrictions. <em>Contagion</em> is worded very differently from their 'explanation' on Sage Advice and could use a re-write. Higher level Necromancy spells probably need a condition on a failed save (exhaustion, reduce max hp, etc) to go with their low damage. </p><p></p><p>There are probably more that others would add to the list, and it is not possible to have a perfectly designed/balanced spell list (however one defines that), but these are some of the spells that stand out.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Gadget, post: 7151860, member: 23716"] I would second @[I][B][U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=68748"]Gladius Legis[/URL][/U][/B][/I] on the list provided with the slight disagreement that [I]Blade Ward[/I]--though niche-- has its uses. In short there are two ways to measure a spell's effectiveness: how well it matches the fiction and lives up to the expectations in the description, and how well the mechanical implementation works along with the system mastery required to effectively use it. For example, few players, even newbies, would expect [I]Illusory Script[/I] to be an dungeon pawning, knock-down-orcus type of spell. Mechanically, the spell largely delivers what it says on the tin, and is a somewhat niche utility spell that may come up in certain types of campaigns, but not one an erstwhile dungeon delver is likely to take to keep them and their companions alive while adventuring. As such, I don't really have a problem with it (save for maybe having the duration be longer for ancient treasure maps or some such story driven thing). Spells like [I]Mordenkainen's Sword[/I], on the other hand, deliver quite a bit different experience: the high spell level, combined with concentration and action cost to use it, deliver quite poor results. To add to the list, I think [I]Friends[/I] has some serious design issues. [I]Barkskin[/I] is rather poorly designed/explained. The Concentration requirement for [I]Flame Blade[/I] & [I]Hunter's Mark[/I] is a bit much, [I]Ray of Enfeeblement[/I] is, well, feeble. [I]Bestow Curse[/I] could probably stand to apply several conditions from the list offered rather than one and [I]Phantasmal Killer[/I] is a poor man's [I]Fear[/I] spell one level higher that requires two saves to start infliction not-that great damage for its level. The ninth level [I]Weird[/I] is mere the mass version of the same, and even more not worth it at that level. [I]Crown of Madness[/I] is, barring very niche circumstances, a one round spell masquerading as a multi-round spell with a lot of restrictions. [I]Contagion[/I] is worded very differently from their 'explanation' on Sage Advice and could use a re-write. Higher level Necromancy spells probably need a condition on a failed save (exhaustion, reduce max hp, etc) to go with their low damage. There are probably more that others would add to the list, and it is not possible to have a perfectly designed/balanced spell list (however one defines that), but these are some of the spells that stand out. [/QUOTE]
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