Arcane Dart - Opinions?

[Geron Raveneye]

Hmmm, this is the kind of pondering that can come out of productive rules discussions, yep.

I was thinking on giving Magic Missile a duration of 10 minutes/level, allow one missile/round as a ranged touch attack causing 1d4+1 points of damage. Would tie up a spell slot, though, and not last TOO long. But could be used to gauge what kind of effect on gameplay such an attack option would have for the wizard/sorcerer.

Edit: Ilium...I hope you don't mind me stealing that Magebolt! It would fit so damn nicely into Glantri City!

 

[DaveMage]

I wonder what the effect on gameplay would be if magic missile (no metamagic feats applied) were simply an 'at will' power. Since it would cap out at 5d4+5 (average total damage 17.5/round) at 9th level, that doesn't seem too bad.

1st/2nd level average total damage/round = 3.5
3rd/4th level average total damage/round = 7
5th/6th level average total damage/round = 10.5
7th/8th level average total damage/round = 14
9+ level average total damage/round = 17.5

 

[Ilium]

Edit: Ilium...I hope you don't mind me stealing that Magebolt! It would fit so damn nicely into Glantri City!

Steal away! I'm kind of annoyed that I don't have an arcane caster PC in my current group, so nobody is using the blasted thing!

 

[Pyrex]

I wonder what the effect on gameplay would be if magic missile (no metamagic feats applied) were simply an 'at will' power. Since it would cap out at 5d4+5 (average total damage 17.5/round) at 9th level, that doesn't seem too bad.

Before 5th level that's a large power boost for your wizards.

After 5th level, it saves your wizard from carrying around a wand.

I'd bill them a feat (or swap their familiar) for it, but it won't hurt your game any.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

I wonder what the effect on gameplay would be if magic missile (no metamagic feats applied) were simply an 'at will' power. Since it would cap out at 5d4+5 (average total damage 17.5/round) at 9th level, that doesn't seem too bad.

1st/2nd level average total damage/round = 3.5
3rd/4th level average total damage/round = 7
5th/6th level average total damage/round = 10.5
7th/8th level average total damage/round = 14
9+ level average total damage/round = 17.5

Yeah, but the "auto-hit everything" capacity might be a bit much..and you'd NEVER have an unarmed wizard, even if you managed to get every other PC away from his weapons (imprisoned PCs scenario, for example, or a prominent costume ball). Don't try to think in combat terms alone, that's too limiting.

 

[DaveMage]

Yeah, but the "auto-hit everything" capacity might be a bit much..and you'd NEVER have an unarmed wizard, even if you managed to get every other PC away from his weapons (imprisoned PCs scenario, for example, or a prominent costume ball). Don't try to think in combat terms alone, that's too limiting.

That's a good point.

So if I do implement it, every prison would have "manacles of anti-magic" to prevent the use of the power.

I kinda like it, though. It allows for mages to be feared/distrusted a bit more by non-mage types.

Swapping the familiar for it is a good idea too.

Hmmm...more to ponder....

 

[Pyrex]

That's a good point.

So if I do implement it, every prison would have "manacles of anti-magic" to prevent the use of the power.

Prisons *already* require that.

What if you get a lucky shot and knock out a mage with a full load of prepped spells? How do you imprison him?

What about a Sorcerer with Eschew Materials, Still Spell & Silent Spell?

Giving mages Magic Missile at will really doesn't change the situation.

 

[DaveMage]

True.