Disappointment with high-level spells?

[DaveMage]

Sorcerer with 8th & 9th level spells is vicious.

Time Stop, Dimensional Lock (especially combines with Forcecage), Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Imprisonment, Disjunction, Meteor Swarm, Etherealness, Shapechange.

No boring stuff there - at least for my PC.

I don't like druids, so I've never played one, but other spellcasters rock.

 

[Numion]

Didn't they change that in 3.5e so it became a paltry +2d6 damage?

Oh? I'm a 3.0 grognard .. damn nerf *grumble*

 

[Voadam]

My wizard loved foresight.

"the spell gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself"

Perfect for dealing with Tomb of Horrors type traps.
Wizard with foresight "I check out the mirror."
DM "The spell warns you not to make direct contact with the mirror, look at it directly, or cast divinations with the mirror in the area of effect."

Do you have access to more spells than the PH? Might be some better stuff in Spell Compendium, Relics and Rituals I & II, Complete Book of Eldritch Might, Wilds, Wildscape, Quintessential Druid, etc.

 

[Plane Sailing]

My wizard loved foresight.

"the spell gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself"

Perfect for dealing with Tomb of Horrors type traps.
Wizard with foresight "I check out the mirror."
DM "The spell warns you not to make direct contact with the mirror, look at it directly, or cast divinations with the mirror in the area of effect."

Shouldn't it be something like

Perfect for dealing with Tomb of Horrows type traps.
Wizard casts spell
DM "The spell warns you not to got into the Tomb of Horrors"

:0

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I don't think that 9th level spells were scaled up in the same way that hit points where, but were ported over fairly close to their original versions and power levels. I want to see more powerful things as well - for example, there's no way a necromancer can really create an army of undead - the HD limits are just too low. There are also too many spells that are "like spell X, just a little bit better" - or perhaps too few that are not unique and different.

 

[Piratecat]

We've seen this too. We have a diviner in the party; you know how many high level divinations there are? Pretty much diddly, as it turns out. And our clerics generally fill up most of their 7th lvl spell slots with 6th lvl spells, because the cleric 6th lvl spells are usually so much more useful.

I'd love to see more innovative high level spells.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Foresight is good ... but you have to know when to cast it, which somewhat misses the point.

I think you're the first person to say that foresight doesnt suck, let alone is good. How on earth is a +2 to AC and reflex saves at all worth a 9th level slot?

The spell should actually provide some insight into the future. IE, you get told enemies actions beforehand or something.

Storm of Vengeance is pretty useless as well. It takes a full round to cast, the first round it deals d6 damage, then it lets you hit up to 6 targets for 10d6 (reflex half). Energy drain also strikes me as a bit weak compared to a metamagiced Enervation.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Do you have access to more spells than the PH? Might be some better stuff in Spell Compendium, Relics and Rituals I & II, Complete Book of Eldritch Might, Wilds, Wildscape, Quintessential Druid, etc.

Yup. The campaign allows Spell Compendium and PHB2.

Summon Elemental Monolith is pretty good, but again, it's just "more of the same, except tougher," as opposed to really doing anything new.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Storm of Vengeance is pretty useless as well. It takes a full round to cast, the first round it deals d6 damage, then it lets you hit up to 6 targets for 10d6 (reflex half). Energy drain also strikes me as a bit weak compared to a metamagiced Enervation.

Oh, yes. I was so disappointed with that spell when I reread it and reminded myself what it was. 9th level?! That's not even a good 7th-level spell.

 

[Wolfwood2]

Oh, yes. I was so disappointed with that spell when I reread it and reminded myself what it was. 9th level?! That's not even a good 7th-level spell.

Storm of Vengance is one of those spells that could really rock the house when used in the right situation, but only when used in the right situation. (The right situation being when ambushing a large enemy group outdoors from a distance. Note that the entire back 6 rounds of the spell are devoted to letting your PC group run up to be ready to bushwhack the opponents from close range once the fog lifts.)

A lot of a druid's 9th level spells are like that. Very situation-dependent. I think the idea is that you already have enough blast spells at that point, so instead they want you able to do some really freaky and off-the wall stuff that you have to think a little to make use of. (Looking at Antipathy and Sympathy here.)

Elemental Swarm is great for a prep combat spell. It has a different feel from mere Summon Nature's Ally because the elementals stick around so long. You can summon them up before a major assualt and keep them with you the whole time. (Add some Mass Bull's Strength and/or Mass Cat's Grace spells for good measure.)