Dragon Breath

[Patlin]

Which does it more resemble?

It looks a lot like the Complete Divine version, though I haven't sat down and compared them yet. There are a LOT of spells in spell compendium, and I just got it yesterday. Spent some time going over my Wizard's "I want list" for his spellbook, and was a very happy gamer!

I did notice some oddities generally in Spell Compendium. Ice Knife is now back on the Wizard spell list, as it was in 3.0 but NOT in Complete Arcane. Listening Lorecall, however, is no longer a Wizard spell, and I believe it's power was reduced besides. Unfortunate, IMO, as I had definitely intended to get Listening Lorecall at some point...

So...many...spells!

 

[frankthedm]

Just got spell compendium, which has a 4th level version of this spell. Since it clearly consulted both sources, I'd have to say the version there replaces the other two. It still has the [good] or [evil] descriptor, and lacks the sorceror cating bonus.

Direct damage on a non evocation spell, is questionable and transmutation is strong enough as it is.. Boosting sorcerers to compensate for thier class drawback in a multichoice spell is a mistake. I am glad they nixed part of that at least.

 

[Patlin]

Boosting sorcerers to compensate for thier class drawback in a multichoice spell is a mistake. I am glad they nixed part of that at least.

Eh, it wasn't really much of a boost anyway. They just added it in for flavor in order to support the whole "sorcerors have dragon ancestry" thing. They left it in on several other spells, such as Dragonskin, IIRC.

 

[kjenks]

Granting the caster a supernatural ability is nice. Dragon breath bypasses spell resistance.

A sorceror can use this one spell to get several different types of damage, overcoming a big limitation of the class.

With enough warning, a sorceror can cast this spell a few times, just before combat. Then he can use one type of dragon breath in one round, another type in the next round, and another, while waiting for the first type to become usable again.

The Draconomicon makes it clear that waiting 1d4 round for the next breath means that you can breath on two subsequent rounds if you roll a 1.

 

[frankthedm]

A sorceror can use this one spell to get several different types of damage, overcoming a big limitation of the class.

You call it a limitation, I call it a balancing factor.

 

[Scion]

if I remember correctly isnt one called, 'dragonbreath' while the other is 'dragon breath'?

I thought they were different spells which happened to have similar names.. one hand not knowing what the other hand is doing, not a replacement per se.

 

[Cabral]

With enough warning, a sorceror can cast this spell a few times, just before combat. Then he can use one type of dragon breath in one round, another type in the next round, and another, while waiting for the first type to become usable again.

I didn't think that this was possible. One casting replacing the other ... hmmm. I wouldn't allow it

 

[kjenks]

I didn't think that this was possible. One casting replacing the other ... hmmm. I wouldn't allow it

Thank you, Captain Arbitrary, for your profound insight.

Both spells grant a supernatural ability. Especially if you choose a different breath weapon for each casting, there's little reason why you can't cast the spell multiple times, granting a different supernatural ability each time. After all, sorcerers are good at that sort of multiple-casting thing.

 

[Cabral]

My interpretation is that you cast the spell once and it gives you dragonbreath.
You cast it again and it gives you different dragonbreath replacing the previous casting
Much like casting polymorph twice doesn't give you the abilities of both creatures. The second casting makes the first irrelevant.
The ruling is more based on the fact that the spell is already potent as it is, and I think allowing multiple castings to result in multiple breath weapons is just too good. Perhaps in play the use of so many spell slots would balance out, but I don't think so.

 

[Laman Stahros]

Direct damage on a non evocation spell, is questionable and transmutation is strong enough as it is.. Boosting sorcerers to compensate for thier class drawback in a multichoice spell is a mistake. I am glad they nixed part of that at least.

Dragon Breath in the Spell Compendium is an evocation spell that grants one of ten different breath weapons. Damage is 1d8/2 caster levels (max 10d8). Three of the breath weapons do not do damage, causing sleep, slow, or paralysis for 1d6 rounds instead.