Disappointment with high-level spells?

[Crothian]

My biggest problem is it seems most spells are combat spells. There really needs to be some core spells that don't blow things up or cause damage and death.

 

[Mouseferatu]

That is because the game designers did a good job of making them balanced. If any of them were jumping off the page, that would be a clear sign that they were too good.

Hmm... I don't necessarily agree with that. I think it's possible to design spells that are interesting enough to scream "Me! Me! Take me!" without necessarily being overpowered. I just think 8th and 9th-level spells have fewer of those than many of the levels below.

Shapechange is pretty cool, though. Can't argue that. It's still just "more of the same, but better," though.

 

[Crothian]

That is because the game designers did a good job of making them balanced. If any of them were jumping off the page, that would be a clear sign that they were too good.

Boring doesn't mean balanced just like interesting and creative don't hav to mean unbalanced.,

 

[Vanye]

Transmute Rock to Lava, Tsunami, Greater Whirlwind, and Nature's Avatar sound promising. though Whirlwind is admittedly more of the same.

Nature's Avatar is misleading. It gives massive bonuses to your animal companion (Like +10 to Str, Dex, and Con, and a bonus to natural armor, iirc). It's not as cool as it sounds.

 

[Corsair]

Hmm... I don't necessarily agree with that. I think it's possible to design spells that are interesting enough to scream "Me! Me! Take me!" without necessarily being overpowered. I just think 8th and 9th-level spells have fewer of those than many of the levels below.

Let us know when your next book of new and interesting spells is coming out Mr. Designer.

Though for the most part I agree. Some non-combatty spells would be good too.

 

[NexH]

My biggest problem is it seems most spells are combat spells. There really needs to be some core spells that don't blow things up or cause damage and death.

This is worth repeating.

 

[Thanee]

And then many spells with non-combat potential are turned into pure combat spells by cutting down their duration to an eye blink.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Wolfwood2]

My biggest problem is it seems most spells are combat spells. There really needs to be some core spells that don't blow things up or cause damage and death.

Let's look at the druid 9th level spell list in comparison with that.

Antipathy. - Many possible non-combat uses.

Mass Cure Critical Wounds - Healing spell.

Elemental Swarm. - Can be used for combat, but given how long the elementals hang around you can use them for pretty much any task that needs a powerful but unskilled work-force. I mean, you want to build a hill? A swarm or two of earth elementals ought to be able to get right on that.

Foresight - Some possible non-combat uses, but admittedly oriented towards dtecting 'danger'.

Regenerate - Not much use in a hitpoint combat system, but great as a powerful boon that you can grant to NPCs who have lost limbs through DM fiat and such.

Shambler - Summons creatures that are mostly good as guards, but you can also have them 'perform a specific mission'.

Shapechange. - Uses too numerous to count.

Storm of Vengeance. - Combat only spell.

Summon Natures Ally IX. - Mostly a combat spell due to duration, though I suppose a pixie with a memory loss arrow could be used as a very specific punishment.

Sympathy. - Many possible non-combat uses, though I don't see why it needed such an expensive material component.

So 9th level druid spells are actually pretty good at not being pure combat related. 8th level druid spells arne't so great for that, but then 7th level spells have a lot of neat non-combat ones again.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Hmm... I don't necessarily agree with that. I think it's possible to design spells that are interesting enough to scream "Me! Me! Take me!" without necessarily being overpowered. I just think 8th and 9th-level spells have fewer of those than many of the levels below.

Shapechange is pretty cool, though. Can't argue that. It's still just "more of the same, but better," though.

I agree with that, at least for the Druid. The Wizard definitely has some neat choices at high levels. What would be cool for the Druid is something interesting and flavourful, plus oozing with power to indicate its status at the highest tier of spells, though not necessarily overpowering compared to other ninth level spells. Like something like this could be cool:

Nature's Regression
Transmutation
Druid 9
Components V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Long
Area: 1 mile radius
Duration: 1 hour / level
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

All humanoids within the radius of Nature's Regression who fail their save are overcome with primal energy, regressing backwards and transforming into animals, their Intelligence dropping to 2. Their type changes to Animal for the duration of the spell, and so they can be affected as normal by spells and abilities that work on animals. Civilised lands within the range of the spell are reclaimed by the magic into pristine wilderness, and objects transform into simple gifts of nature (for instance, a gaudy crown might become a wreath of beautiful flowers, and a dagger might become a leaf). Unattended nonmagical objects do not receive a saving throw, while attended or magical objects receive saves with the owner's bonus or the item's bonus if magical, whichever is better.

Material Component: A drop of nature's primal tears

(Alternately, decrease the casting time and the radius for a combat-ready version)

 

[Gold Roger]

My biggest problem is it seems most spells are combat spells. There really needs to be some core spells that don't blow things up or cause damage and death.

It's made worse by the fact that the blow up spells generally tend feel mandatory to spellcasters.

I remember when I made an utility caster. Lots of tactical spells and two or three evocation spells on scrolls. Guess whitch spells where better .

I think this harkens back well to what Monte recently said, but has been floating around before:

Let's make the booring but somewhat mandatory effects like those of most attack spells into an auto ability and leave the area of spells to those interesting you need them not the whole day effects.