Is it safe to allow a spellfire wielder?

[orangefruitbat]

I'm starting a new FR campaign with 5th level players. One of them wants to run a spellfire wielder. I've briefly looked over the rules in Magic of Faerun and it seems to me like spellfire wielders are unbalancing trouble. And yes, while I could always throw crazed zhents and dragon cultists at the spell-fire wielder, I don't want to balance a mechanical advantage with a roleplaying disadvantage.

Has anyone played or GMed a spellfire wielder before? Am I worrying for nothing?

 

[mmu1]

I don't think it's a good idea, unless you're prepared to make a campaign centering on that character, and everyone else in the party is ok with that.

In terms of game mechanics, it's not quite as abusive as it seems at first glance, but at lower levels definitely can give the character the ability to dish out much more magical damage then he should be able to...
And there's also the problem of spellcasters in the party "charging" the Spellfire wielder in their spare time - you can house rule it to make that impossible, but there's no good reason in-game why it shouldn't work.

 

[Seraphael]

Personally I think if you do allow spellfire you should insist that the player take the PrC. I believe that the feat is very overpowered compared to other feats and would never let a character take that alone. At least with the class they give up levels in some other class for their power, otherwise they gain a significant amount of power at the comparitively minor cost of a feat.

 

[Aaron L]

Yes, if you allow the feat, make them take the PrC as well, but if they do then it's fine. But also as has been said, make sure everyone is ok with that character being very important in the game.

 

[EricNoah]

We've had a spellfire channeller in our group for some time and he's never been a problem balance-wise. He's never been able to absorb an incoming spell (he's to impatient to stand around readying an action to absorb), so he usually keeps himself stocked with wands he can drain. He doesn't get off more than one or two impressive strikes with it per session. I have a house rule that says if you use more than a "safe" amount of spellfire in one attack there's a chance he'll go blind, be stunned, etc. He also found a custom treasure that taught him how to use spellfire as a defense as well as an offense.

 

[Gregor]

http://pub17.ezboard.com/fseankreynoldsboardsfrm2.showMessage?topicID=650.topic

Check out this thread on Sean K Reynold's board. He talks about the balance issue of the spellfire wielder.

Hope that helps a bit,

Cheers.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

In our "Powergamer´s Wet Dream" Campaign we have a Spellfire Wielder x / Cleric1 / Wizard y, and I can only say - he seems unbalanced.
If he decides to dish out all the accumaleted spell fire, he can really cripple an enemy, especially if he doesn`t have to much hitpoints to begin with...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[I'm A Banana]

I agree with everything Sean said about Spellfire, having DMed for a spellfire wielder before.

On it being first level: In order to power up to Uberblast levels, there's going to have to be a lot of friends willing to charge the spellfire wielder up to maximum potential, or even DECENT potential. At first level, having a 1d6 against one target is an iffy trade off for a charm person or a hold person or a magic missile or a cure light wound. And after that, congratulations, you're uselesss again -- meanwhile, your wizard friend is getting +2 to the DC's of every enchantment spell he casts, and your fighter friend is hitting nearly every enemy harder with her Power Attack, and the rogue of the party can twiddle her thumbs before anyone else gets a chance to go thanks to Improved Initiative in every encounter. And if it's at a higher level, Spellfire isn't any more impressive than fireball.

 

[Reika]

What's wrong with giving a roleplaying disadvantage to compensate for a mechanical advantage? If the player is decent, and is going for the spellfire for the roleplaying bits, I don't see why not. And the campaign doesn't have to solely focus on the spellfire wielder, a creative GM can always find ways to incorporate the backgrounds of the other chars.

And if there's no fleshed out backgrounds... make themup. *EGMG*

For the record, I did play a spellfire wielder. She never took the PrC, and used her power all of once. She did end up as the center of the campaign for a long while, but that was only because the other two players didn't really have (or want) their chars in the spotlight. In her viewpoint it was an unwanted gift, and was far more interested in combining her abilities as a cleric with her abilities as a bard (took the mystic wanderer PrC). Of course, the running gag was that all of these people were after her because of her looks/charisma, than her spellfire ability. Gotta love having a 20 charisma.

 

[Drakron]

"What's wrong with giving a roleplaying disadvantage to compensate for a mechanical advantage?"

The bladesinger kit show exactly what is wrong with that ...