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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ruleslawyer" data-source="post: 530094" data-attributes="member: 1757">My apologies in advance for the length of the following post.plavi, the following are spells with which I have encountered problems in game, along with my suggested fixes. Some general points to keep in mind, though:A) Spells from third-party supplements tend to be less well playtested and/or heavily errata'd than WotC spells. Likewise, splatbook spells tend to be less well playtested than core book spells. Always check these spells especially carefully before allowing them in your game.B) Always do a bit of your own hypothetical playtesting before allowing a new spell into your game. Some spells seem overpowered on paper, but aren't necessarily that bad when used.C) FR spells get a bad rap. There are a few that are overpowered, but the ratio is no worse than for other supplemental materials, and in many cases better.OK, so my list:1) Gate. Capable of summoning creatures of a CR far in excess of party level, allowing instantaneous planar transport, and creating the opportunity for the perfect assassination, as James said.  Nor, IMHO, do RP solutions provide a perfect fix, since they're both contrived and insufficient to defeat all of gate's abuses. My preferred suggestion is to rule that the creature summoned by the gate spell is completely free-willed and under no obligation to serve the caster. Yup, you read that right. A smart caster will gate in a being who's likely to assist him, or one that can be coerced into doing so. You may want to impose an xp cost instead of, or in addition to, this measure.2) Polymorph other. Even errata'd (see Tome & Blood), this spell is still too good, since it's both an insta-kill spell and tremendously powerful buffing spell. I'd either set arbitrary caps on natural AC and ability score bonuses possible from the spell, raise the spell level to 6th, or require a Will save every hour to avoid assuming the mental characteristics and personality of the assumed form, in grand old 1e/2e tradition.3) Haste. I don't like this spell's ability to outperform the Quicken Spell feat by allowing two spellcasting actions per round. I'd grant a bonus move (or MEA), rather than a partial action, from this spell, or bump it to 5th level.4) Harm. Actually, I think this spell is fine unless ways exist in the campaign to cast it from range (Reach Spell feat, hierophant (FR)'s divine reach ability). If these ways exist, stick a Will partial save on it; a successful save means that the target loses half its current hit points. This protects the giants, barbarians, and other high-hp creatures from instant annihilation.5) Blindsight (FR). IMHO, the spell should be 4th level, putting it just slightly behind true seeing, with far fewer capabilities and a longer duration.6) Kiss of the vampire (FR). Bump it to 6th level. Also keep in mind that the rules have been clarified to note that the spell does not grant any of the immunities or resistances of the undead type; the only characteristics of an undead creature that the caster gains are vulnerability to turning and cure spells (and of course sunlight), and the ability to be healed by inflict spells. 7) Geas/quest. A save is an easy way to balance this.8) Simulacrum. Ick. To be honest, I can't think of a way to balance this spell. Suggestions from the gallery?9) Divine power. Actually, this one isn't that bad power-wise, but I hate the idea of a spell that grants BAB. I exclude this one entirely IMC.10) Miasma (MotW). Gone, bye bye. I can't think of a good way to fix this one, and it's an insta-kill to anyone who doesn't have the ability to cast a silent dispel magic, unless you use the reinterpretation suggested by kreynolds (which is not a literal reading of the spell's effects by any means, IMHO).11) Telekinesis. The "thrown objects" problem. The house rule I use IMC is that the spell can throw no more than 1 weapon-like object per caster level. 12) Planar ally spells. These spells are capable of summoning allies far more powerful than the caster (using a 6th-level spell to summon a planetar or balor is pretty absurd, IMHO). I'd tie the spell's effects to CR, and cap lesser planar ally at CR 7, planar ally at CR 11, and greater planar ally at CR 15. IMX, shield, Mord's disjunction, shapechange, feeblemind, etc are all quite balanced. YMMV, however; I'd talk to your players about reserving the right to house-rule or ditch entirely certain spells if they prove a problem.</blockquote>

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