Spell Compendium: What are the "broken" spells?

[Remathilis]

So, what are the most egregiously broken spells in Spell Compendium?

Bear in mind: I don't allow Divine Metamagic OR Persistent Spell. Similarly, Spells that require elaborate builds to become broken should be equally easy to reign in.

I'm looking for what spells are soooo good that they should be crossed out in black permanent marker.

Thanks.

 

[Darklone]

Low level? Belker claws. But there was a rather similar thread not long ago,...

 

[Ahnehnois]

But there was a rather similar thread not long ago,...

Can anyone link to that thread? I just picked up SC so I'd like to see it.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Wraithstrike is an immediate stand-out. Swift action spell, low level (2), and lets you full attack as touch attacks.

At least Emerald Razor maneuver (Tome of Battle) and Find the Gap (also Spell Compendium, and ironically higher level and only available ot the "partial casting" classes) can only be used for one attack. Or one attack per round, in the case of FtG.

 

[Remathilis]

Can anyone link to that thread? I just picked up SC so I'd like to see it.

Seconded!

 

[NewJeffCT]

Seconded!

Thirded!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

While not "broken" in the sense usually found on this board, be careful for spells that have incomplete info.

There are a few that are actually unusable because vital mechanical info is simply absent- you'll need to track down their original versions.

There are also some that have oddball stats. One I remember in particular was Whirling Blade- its AoE is entirely unique, so its a DM call as to whether it can be affected by Sculpt Spell...or Split Ray, for that matter (wish I had thought of that back then).

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-3r...1-whirling-blade-area-effect-just-effect.html

 

[starwed]

I'm only familiar with the clerical spells, really. Here's a few of the more powerful ones I've noticed:

The Conviction (1st/3rd) spells are so good at high levels there's never a reason to not have them active. (A first level spell that gives you +6 luck on all saves for a couple hours? ) It contrasts ridiculously with the Resistance line of spells.

Some of the planar exchange spells seem a bit powerful. Also, the mechanic itself is a bit weird.

Close Wounds (2nd) and Delay Death (4th) (both immediate actions) profoundly change how lethal the game is, but I'd say that's a good thing.

Sound Lance (4th) might be a tad powerful for an offensive divine spell, but it is single target.

Radiant Assault (7th) has a pretty powerful secondary effect. (15d6 untyped damage and dazes 1d6 rounds on a failed will save... daze prevents all actions and effects almost everything in the game.) Reducing the daze to 1 round is probably a good fix.

 

[amethal]

There's that spell that removes half the target's hit points, without a save. (I seem to remember there is a save against secondary damage, so Mettle can foil it.) Night's Caress, maybe?

EDIT Actually it was Avasculate - thanks StreamoftheSky and Eldritch Lord; and there's also a Mass Avasculate? (gulp)

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Conviction is pretty good. Not sure if it's broken, but it's very nice.

Planar Exchange is kind of wierd. Haven't tried using it or seen it used once yet, though, so hard to judge. I do know that in the current game I'm in/running, it's a 34 point buy gestalt, so a quick glance at all the forms makes me think "that thing wouldn't survive too long in one of OUR fights..."

Close Wounds is one of the best spells ever put in a splatbook, I would never dream of banning it. Delay Death is almost silly, but I think you still need the Diehard feat if it's cast on you to make much use of it as your hp goes into the negatives, and IME not a single PC has ever taken that feat.

Sound lance isn't broken, though it is a divine spell, and thus a pretty good spell due to divine casters' lack of powerful evocation magic. They did gain a bunch of blasty spells in SpC, though, so it seems pretty clear to me the deigners intended to expand their arsenal a bit.

I don't think Radiant Assault is too powerful. It's basically Fireball with a level-appropriate dice cap and untyped damage. Direct damage is weak, I think Polar Ray and DB Fireball taught the designers that there needs to be an extra oomph for high level direct damage spells to be worth it, versus empowering/maximizing lower level ones. The 1d6 dazed rounds on a failed save is mostly what makes the spell worth learning. Maybe reduce it to d4 or d3 if you want, but not down to 1. Just my opinion.

There's that spell that removes half the target's hit points, without a save. (I seem to remember there is a save against secondary damage, so Mettle can foil it.) Night's Caress, maybe?

I think you're talking about the Necromancy spells, both are high level. One is Avasculate, the other is Avascular Mass, iirc. Not sure if they're boken or not, but they are very strong, a good reason to not pick Necromancy as a banned school.
And I think the save is against being dazed or stunned for a round.