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<blockquote data-quote="MrMyth" data-source="post: 4525115" data-attributes="member: 61155">Also, one thing I realized: I think some of your issue is the smoothing of the power curve over the course of the game. Yes, the spell is called &quot;Cloudkill&quot; - this doesn't mean it needs to instantly kill everything it touches, even as a 19th level spell. &nbsp;Damage, in general, doesn't scale as exponentially as it used to. It goes up both through powers being stronger and through other minor numbers going up (bonuses from feats, stats, equipment, etc.) Compared to the hundred or thousand-plus damage spells of 3.5, sure, it seems weak. But having damage scale in such a fashion made for a lot of problematic situations. &nbsp;As long as it is an effective spell in the scope of the game, it doesn't need to do 'all the damage' in order to feel epic in scope. An effect that blankets so much of the field, in 4E, is a pretty impressive effect. &nbsp;Compare how other classes effects scale: Fighter Level 5 Daily: Dazing Blow&nbsp;-Reliable, Str vs AC, 3[W]+Str and Immobilized (save ends)&nbsp;Fighter Level 19 Daily: Reaving Strike&nbsp;-Reliable, Str vs AC, 5[W]+Str and Push 1 Square. &nbsp;The ability gains 2[W], and has an effect that most would consider weaker. That doesn't make it useless - it just means the power curve is a much more linear progression, and as long as the power is decent in relation to its place in the game, that is all that matters. &nbsp;Thus far, I can't imagine Cloudkill not being a useful tool. I haven't played any 19th level Wizards myself, so I can't give any input from experience, which will be the real test - but it certainly looks like it will be effective in many encounters at that level. That is really all it needs to do.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="MrMyth, post: 4525115, member: 61155"] Also, one thing I realized: I think some of your issue is the smoothing of the power curve over the course of the game. Yes, the spell is called "Cloudkill" - this doesn't mean it needs to instantly kill everything it touches, even as a 19th level spell. Damage, in general, doesn't scale as exponentially as it used to. It goes up both through powers being stronger and through other minor numbers going up (bonuses from feats, stats, equipment, etc.) Compared to the hundred or thousand-plus damage spells of 3.5, sure, it seems weak. But having damage scale in such a fashion made for a lot of problematic situations. As long as it is an effective spell in the scope of the game, it doesn't need to do 'all the damage' in order to feel epic in scope. An effect that blankets so much of the field, in 4E, is a pretty impressive effect. Compare how other classes effects scale: Fighter Level 5 Daily: Dazing Blow -Reliable, Str vs AC, 3[W]+Str and Immobilized (save ends) Fighter Level 19 Daily: Reaving Strike -Reliable, Str vs AC, 5[W]+Str and Push 1 Square. The ability gains 2[W], and has an effect that most would consider weaker. That doesn't make it useless - it just means the power curve is a much more linear progression, and as long as the power is decent in relation to its place in the game, that is all that matters. Thus far, I can't imagine Cloudkill not being a useful tool. I haven't played any 19th level Wizards myself, so I can't give any input from experience, which will be the real test - but it certainly looks like it will be effective in many encounters at that level. That is really all it needs to do. [/QUOTE]

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