Dragon article -- Class Acts: Wizards

[Ahglock]

You mean the attack spells do damage?

Both the Hound and Wall spells are utility, and both have solid application outside of combat. I see no problem with attacks doing damage.

As for generic, that sounds a bit redundant. Attack spells do damage and sometimes add a condition. The list of conditions is finite. They become less generic when you look at utility spells, as they should.

Well, I'd like it if there were more attack spells that did not do damage. IOW instead of damage with a debuff on the side, just a pure debuff, or a pure control effect. There are a couple like sleep, but yes virtually all combat spells being X damage, y side effect is a tad boring to me.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

On the whole Attack vs. Utility Spell front, my personal view/house rule is that if it makes sense for damage and side-effect to be separate then they can be used separately in a situation.

So, something that does damage but through its visual appearance causes a fear effect. I would dictate that if wished it can just cause the fear effect.

 

[keterys]

Alarm was different from Obscuring Mist which was different from Mount which was different from Enlarge Person.

The only spell on that list that's not in 4E (or a close fascimile, anyhow) is Enlarge Person...

4E has removed your ability to prepare no attack spells, it's true - you don't have to use them, but you automatically learn some combat spells.

Y'know, like how magic missile, shocking grasp, burning hands, scorching ray, acid arrow, fireball, lightning bolt, etc all did damage in previous editions.

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

The new powers are nice, but as others have pointed out earlier, they come across as slightly boring and/or generic.

I'm waiting for the rituals.

Edit: Illusory Wall is cool.

 

[parcival42]

Illusory Wall

I had a few questions about Illusory Wall. It says that when an enemy moves adjacent to the wall you make an Int. vs. Will attack against the target: if you hit he thinks the wall is real, and a miss means he sees through it. So...

Is the attack you make considered an Immediate Interrupt? If the attack failed would the target get to continue its movement through the wall if it chose too?

If the attack hits it states that the creature can try again on later turns. What exactly does this mean? If the creature starts its turn adjacent to the wall or moves to be adjacent to the wall again do you make further attack rolls against it until you miss and the creature can finally see and move through?

Help, anyone?

 

[Warbringer]

The spells rock... true controller spells: some damage, area effect (for the most part) decent range...slowing, immobilizing, penalties...damn good control

 

[Rechan]

I'm pleased over all. Yes, many the powers do seem a bit generic. But how many new ideas do you expect out of a list of combat spells? "Use your enemies to determine flanking" I think that's a first. And an encounter power that lasts for the encounter (IE illusory wall) is pretty new.

After looking at the "Enemies Within", I am convinced this is one of the power-type tricks a Bard will have. In Races and Classes, we're told the bard is the master of confusing the enemies, using illusions, etc etc.

 

[Cryptos]

I'm really happy with these, as well. I wish they could have spared an extra two pages or so to add them to the PHB, but at least we have them now.

It may not be the greatest Daily, but Phantom Chasm made me smile an evil little grin. As a daily, too bad it's not Burst 2 within 10 rather than 1 within 20.

This is the one feature I was waiting for this month. And now I have a reason to make a human wizard / performer (extra feats to get all the needed skills through skill training and multiclass for slight of hand (thievery) and deception (bluff), next feat for stealth)... an illusionist in arcane power as well as trade, always putting on a show from the busiest tavern to the dankest dungeon, Eisenheim the Illusionist style.

 

[Rechan]

Also, Metus gave me a great idea. I have really enjoyed reskinning monsters, but reskinning spells never occurred to me (Outside of adapting the warlock spells' description from one pact to the other).

Although I don't know if a DM would let me get away wtih swapping Cold out for Psychic, as fewer things seem to resist that. But the effects, the effect reskinning is a neat idea.

 

[Ravingdork]

I had a few questions about Illusory Wall. It says that when an enemy moves adjacent to the wall you make an Int. vs. Will attack against the target: if you hit he thinks the wall is real, and a miss means he sees through it. So...

Is the attack you make considered an Immediate Interrupt? If the attack failed would the target get to continue its movement through the wall if it chose too?

If the attack hits it states that the creature can try again on later turns. What exactly does this mean? If the creature starts its turn adjacent to the wall or moves to be adjacent to the wall again do you make further attack rolls against it until you miss and the creature can finally see and move through?

Help, anyone?

Heh. No more or less vague than most of the other powers in the Player's Handbook.