Is "Shield" too powerful?

[doctorhook]

Shield (Wizard Utility 2; Encounter; as an immediate interrupt, gain +4 to AC and Reflex until the end of your next turn) is a really good utility spell.

My party has two wizards, and both prepare Shield every day. To be sure, Expeditious Retreat is good (Daily; shift twice your speed as a move action), and Jump is kinda cool, especially after the recent errata, while Feather Fall is a little difficult to compare to the others. Since they're Wizards, both learned two utilities at 2nd level, and both selected Shield as one of their choices. As I said, since then, neither has ever chosen to prepare a utility other than Shield. If I was to make and play a Wizard character, (instead of DM), I'd probably choose Shield and Expeditious Retreat as my level 2 utilities.

It used to be said that "If an ability is too good to be without, it's probably too good." Is that the case here? What are everyone else's experiences with Shield? Should I, as a DM, try to make more Fortitude and Will attacks against my party's Wizards in order to illustrate Shield's vulnerability?

In short, is Shield too powerful?

 

[Zaran]

No, people get it because wizards don't have much AC. It's a good CYA power.

 

[s-dub]

It has the most obvious uses and is very likely to be useful every encounter. Fewer people will pick the less obvious powers (such as ex. retreat) even if they are as useful.

In terms of power, shield is arguably no better than expeditious retreat. Sure, shield helps to block AC/reflex attacks, but it's no guarantee. The target can still smack at the wizard next turn as well. Ex. retreat doesn't provoke OA's and the wizard still has a standard and a minor action to attack, plus he's now 2 move actions away and hopefully in a safe spot.

 

[Old Gumphrey]

I dunno. It's a great spell for sure, but it's not the end-all. Ever since my wizard got his Arcane Gyrocopter he's prepared Feather Fall daily, just in case.

 

[Dooks Dizzo]

It's not too powerful by any means and at higher level after a Wizard has gotten better armor and some gear it will drop off in utility.

Considering how bad a Wizards armor class blows, they certainly need something. It's not like 3rd where they just got a +4 all the time from mage armor.

My brother just picked up hide armor for his mage giving him a badass 17 AC.

 

[Stalker0]

Wizard's with a crappy AC? Hardly...one feat (leather armor proficiency) and they are right with everyone else for their AC, and they have a great reflex defense.

I think shield is the best of the 2nd level utilities mainly because its an encounter power. Ex. Retreat is a fun power, but what would I rather have, something I may use 4 or 5 times in a day or something I will only use once?

Jump and Feather fall I consider too situational to be a good utility power...however, if they were combined into one power then it might be worth my time. ITs just like in 3rd edition...most wizards didn't waste their precious spell slots on feather fall, they used scrolls of it. In 4e the same holds true, very situational powers are worthless as standalone powers.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I think shield is the best of the 2nd level utilities mainly because its an encounter power. Ex. Retreat is a fun power, but what would I rather have, something I may use 4 or 5 times in a day or something I will only use once?

I have to agree. Shield isn't terribly strong, and it doesn't always help. However, the benefit of being able to use it every round makes it far more attractive than ER or FF. Jump is kind of neat, and I may swap it for Shield simply because it'll be highly useful outside of combat. That's why FF is so worthless, in my opinion - being a daily power just kills its utility, especially since it is so situational. If FF were an encounter power it would be a little more useful.

 

[Nifft]

No, people get it because wizards don't have much AC.

Mine does! Same AC as the Fighter, and he'll have the best AC in the party by 11th level.

Wizard's with a crappy AC? Hardly...one feat (leather armor proficiency) and they are right with everyone else for their AC, and they have a great reflex defense.

I think shield is the best of the 2nd level utilities mainly because its an encounter power.

Agree, and agree. I prep Shield every day, even if I don't end up using it every encounter. There's just something awesome about being able to tell the DM: "Actually, no."

Of course, my Wizard is a bit non-standard. After our Paladin of Kord saved his butt one too many times, he put a point into Strength and took Hide proficiency. Now he's got a 21 AC (same as the Fighter who uses a heavy shield), and can have a 25 AC for a round thanks to Shield (plus, add in Staff of Defense, and he's able to say "actually, no" twice per encounter).

His good AC allows him to make good use of Thunderwave, since he's not afraid of getting into melee range.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Ahglock]

Echoing the encounter power aspect of it being the real selling point.

FF seems totally weak sauce mainly due to it being a daily, heck I don't think it would be overpowered at level 2 as an at will. As a daily it just sucks.

 

[KarinsDad]

What are everyone else's experiences with Shield? Should I, as a DM, try to make more Fortitude and Will attacks against my party's Wizards in order to illustrate Shield's vulnerability?

In short, is Shield too powerful?

It's not too powerful. It is useful.

It is less useful in campaigns where combat does not occur on a daily basis.

From my experience, it hardly ever works. It blocks a successful attack about one time in three (unless the DM somehow lets the player know how effective the NPC attack is and also the roll on the D20).

So one combat day in three, it helps. Even at this limited utility level, it is more helpful than Feather Fall. But, Expeditious Retreat could be helpful one combat day in one with a good player.