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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 2783820" data-attributes="member: 2020">I'm doing a mental comparison of a 5th level wizard with Shocking Grasp versus a 5th level fighter - using 2nd Edition rules - against the same scene in 3rd edition.  In 2nd Edition, the wizard would simply miss.  A 2nd Edition Wizard had a BAB + 0 at 5th level, while that fighter would have amassed an Armor Class bonus of + 10 or more.  After missing, the Shocking Grasp would fizzle and be lost.  The fighter wouldn't run:  the figher would stay right there and attack.  BAB + 5, the wizard has little or no Armor Class bonus, and if the fighter hits the wizard cannot get off a spell of any sort, period!  (Translation:  one very dead wizard.)  In 3rd Edition, the wizard has initiative (which is well for her, since the fighter is right in her face: she took the Improved Initiative Feat!) and strikes with a touch attack against the heavily armed and armored fighter, using Shocking Grasp.  She hits and inflicts 5d6, rolling 18 points of damage.  18 points doesn't kill the fighter, but it convinces him to run.  (He sees her allies in the distance approaching, or he wants the protection of his allies, or he is a coward, perhaps.)  The fighter moves his Double Move of 40 feet (20 feet x 2.)    Next round, the wizard - realizing she cannot reach him with a move of 30 - open fires with Magic Missile on him.  He takes 3d4 + 3 points of damage:  it comes to 10 points of damage.  He now has 28 hit points against him, out of his 42 points (he has a 16 constitution.)  He's got a problem.  He can charge, and attack once.  If that does not kill her, she'll hit him with Shocking Grasp (or a 2nd level spell that's even better) and kill him.  He can fire arrows at her, if he has his bow out and strung.  He can throw one weapon at her (any number, if he has Quick Draw, but he didn't take that feat.)  But will his arrows or thrown weapons kill her, before she launches another distance strike next round?  One thing he cannot do is keep running.  He will remain within spell range long enough for her to kill him twice over.</blockquote>

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