But these aren't 'bugs' - they're features of the game that you don't like. I think they're fine and make the game more enjoyable.
Well I'll say I think they lamified a lot of the spells for the same reason 4 e made changes...simplification. Spells like fireball were much cooler when they filled a volume none of this concrete area of effect crap. They unmagiked my magic.
As for me balance wise the problem really wasn't the spells but charged items. A wand of knock was lame. Now in my games it was not an issue since no one played item creators, and the only time I saw a wand of knock was when i was playing and I made a rogue/wizard character with the rogue/wizard prestige class that came out early on in 3e.
A wizard casting knock once a day is not a big deal, a wizard popping every door is.
It is also why arguments that say a wizard has to pick between combat effectiveness and utility fail - a savy wizard player can easily do both.
This is also why I've seen wizards usually cause more problems than sorcerers.
I think a lot of it is also "expertise" I guess you would call it with the system.
For example, I know many players that don't touch the item creation feats since they believe they will lag behind the party forever and it would just get worse.
Of course, this didn't take into account the fact that actually being a level behind made you actually gain xp faster thus actually catching up (and at certain times, even leapfrgging) to the others.
Fair enough. Given the general trend in the move from AD&D to 3E, of increasing play control and reducing GM control over such crucial aspects of character build as spell access and magic items, I can't easily envisage a version of 3E that downplays item creation.I do not disagree with that point, I just think that the bigger flaw is the item creation feats especially the charged items ones.
I disagree that the spells moving to 3E caused an imbalance. Many spells were much more powerful in 2E.
Hold person was an area-effect, for example.
Power words had an easier time since hps were lower.
Most damage spells were more effective since hps in general were lower.
I guess it is opinion, but, I prefer games that don't "feature" elements that make another character redundant. Knock is a perfect example. Mage hand is a zero level spell and makes trap detection much, much faster and easier. Heck, Unseen Servant makes trap detection and removal pretty much a given.
Wand of Unseen Servant and you've just removed the need for a trap finder.
Wand of Knock.
Arcane Eye.
There, no more need of the rogue.
As in "not terribly uncommon house rules", the likes of which have been argued about around here (the ever-present low magic wars) for the past several years?I can't easily envisage a version of 3E that downplays item creation.