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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Falling Icicle" data-source="post: 6168406" data-attributes="member: 17077">Back in AD&D, blasting spells like fireball were very powerful, and were just as useful overall as save-or-suck and control effects. This was because the hit points of both characters and monsters were kept tightly in check. Only warriors could get more than +2 hp/level from a high Constitution score, and that bonus ended after 10th level. Likewise, characters didn't roll their hit dice after 10th level, either, they got a small bonus like +1-3 hit points per level instead. Monsters had much lower hp as well, so doing an average of 35 damage with a 10th+ level fireball was actually pretty impressive.Then 3rd edition came out, and greatly increased the hp of both characters and monsters, while leaving the damage of offensive spells exactly the same as it had been before. This made blasting far less useful than it was before.Now, in Next, it's even worse. While I fully approve of spells not scaling with caster level, we still have a situation now where fireball does only 6d6 damage at level 3, and yet creatures have just as many hit points in Next as they did in 3rd edition. Fireball can do up to 12d6, but that's using a 9th level spell slot! Spell damage has been greatly reduced across the board. I don't mind this, but they need to do something about monster hit points, or blasting is going to be even more useless than it was in 3rd edition.And don't tell me that wizards shouldn't do good damage, especially area effect damage. Going back to the earliest days of the game they were "glass cannons." There are few wizard spells that are as iconic as fireball and lightning bolt. People expect mages to be good artillery. Even setting the game's traditions, popular culture, and all that aside, it's important for game balance. Playing an evoker shouldn't be a trap choice!I'm not suggesting that they boost spell damage. I think the overall damage potential of the various classes right now are fine. A few specific spells need adjustment, of course, but for the most part, I like how the spells work. What need to be fixed are hit points. Hit point bloat is going to be a big problem for the game if it's not reigned in, not just for wizards, but for everyone.</blockquote>

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