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Is stoneskin underpowered?
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7420720" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>Since PCs nearly always sport magic weapons, the spell is completely useless for NPCs and monsters - it is simply ignored by player attacks (except for the rather fringe scenario the heroes face an enemy wizard capable of casting 4th level spells before they gain their first magic weapon).</p><p></p><p>Since very few mook monsters gain magic attacks, it is a moderately useful spell from a PC Fighter's point of view. But that still assumes someone else (the PC Wizard) is concentrating on the spell for him. And there's simply too many better uses for Concentration, again except very corner cases.</p><p></p><p>So. What can we do to make this attractive (but not crazy OP) for the two (very different) use cases?</p><p></p><p>For NPCs: the spell absolutely must resist magical B/P/S attacks.</p><p></p><p>For PCs: I suggest one of two alternatives. </p><p></p><p>1) Lower the spell level (and get rid of the per-use cost), and I guess the spell is fine, if still not very exciting. </p><p>2) Or get rid of concentration - it is after all still a level 4 slot we're talking about here. This probably means the duration should be lowered: with Concentration, "1 hour" sounds generous, but obviously it will never last that long before concentration is broken, so that duration basically means "you can pre-cast it, and not waste your first combat action", which is decent enough. Without concentration, the spell is better off made to last just a few or even one combat, so the spell slot becomes the true cost.</p><p></p><p>With all of this in mind, I give you:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Stoneskin</strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>2nd-level abjuration</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Casting Time:</strong> 1 action</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Range:</strong> Touch</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Components:</strong> V, S, M (a diamond worth 100gp, not consumed by the spell)</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Duration:</strong> Concentration, up to 1 hour</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">This spell turns the flesh of a willing creature you touch as hard as stone. Until the spell ends, the target has resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Stoneskin, Greater</strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><em>4th-level abjuration</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Casting Time:</strong> 1 action</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Range:</strong> Touch</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Components:</strong> V, S, M (diamond dust worth 100gp, which the spell consumes)</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Duration:</strong> 10 minutes</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">This spell turns the flesh of a willing creature you touch as hard as magically reinforced stone. Until the spell ends, the target has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly player characters have a real option for their buff, since regular Stoneskin is now much more reasonable in cost. This also allows low-level monsters a window of opportunity to use it before every PC gets a magic sword.</p><p></p><p>Once off the low levels, Greater Stoneskin remains a viable spell. Against mooks, it's the same. Against the BBEG it now presents a real opportunity to create a "tank". The Wizard can now empty himself to buff the entire party, and no longer needs to abstain from Fly (say) on the party fighter(s).</p><p></p><p>Monster casters can now use the spell against heroes. Unless the DM feels especially devious, monsters still can't spam the spell, because there's no reason they have endless diamond dust.</p><p></p><p>This should nicely make the spell see some use. It's still level 4, so no Wizard can cast more than three Greater Stoneskin (unless using up higher-level slots, which is fine, since now the cost starts to skyrocket... remember you gain nothing from upcasting this particular spell).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 7420720, member: 12731"] Since PCs nearly always sport magic weapons, the spell is completely useless for NPCs and monsters - it is simply ignored by player attacks (except for the rather fringe scenario the heroes face an enemy wizard capable of casting 4th level spells before they gain their first magic weapon). Since very few mook monsters gain magic attacks, it is a moderately useful spell from a PC Fighter's point of view. But that still assumes someone else (the PC Wizard) is concentrating on the spell for him. And there's simply too many better uses for Concentration, again except very corner cases. So. What can we do to make this attractive (but not crazy OP) for the two (very different) use cases? For NPCs: the spell absolutely must resist magical B/P/S attacks. For PCs: I suggest one of two alternatives. 1) Lower the spell level (and get rid of the per-use cost), and I guess the spell is fine, if still not very exciting. 2) Or get rid of concentration - it is after all still a level 4 slot we're talking about here. This probably means the duration should be lowered: with Concentration, "1 hour" sounds generous, but obviously it will never last that long before concentration is broken, so that duration basically means "you can pre-cast it, and not waste your first combat action", which is decent enough. Without concentration, the spell is better off made to last just a few or even one combat, so the spell slot becomes the true cost. With all of this in mind, I give you: [INDENT][B]Stoneskin[/B] [I]2nd-level abjuration[/I] [B]Casting Time:[/B] 1 action [B]Range:[/B] Touch [B]Components:[/B] V, S, M (a diamond worth 100gp, not consumed by the spell) [B]Duration:[/B] Concentration, up to 1 hour This spell turns the flesh of a willing creature you touch as hard as stone. Until the spell ends, the target has resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.[/INDENT] [INDENT][B]Stoneskin, Greater[/B] [I]4th-level abjuration[/I] [B]Casting Time:[/B] 1 action [B]Range:[/B] Touch [B]Components:[/B] V, S, M (diamond dust worth 100gp, which the spell consumes) [B]Duration:[/B] 10 minutes This spell turns the flesh of a willing creature you touch as hard as magically reinforced stone. Until the spell ends, the target has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.[/INDENT] Suddenly player characters have a real option for their buff, since regular Stoneskin is now much more reasonable in cost. This also allows low-level monsters a window of opportunity to use it before every PC gets a magic sword. Once off the low levels, Greater Stoneskin remains a viable spell. Against mooks, it's the same. Against the BBEG it now presents a real opportunity to create a "tank". The Wizard can now empty himself to buff the entire party, and no longer needs to abstain from Fly (say) on the party fighter(s). Monster casters can now use the spell against heroes. Unless the DM feels especially devious, monsters still can't spam the spell, because there's no reason they have endless diamond dust. This should nicely make the spell see some use. It's still level 4, so no Wizard can cast more than three Greater Stoneskin (unless using up higher-level slots, which is fine, since now the cost starts to skyrocket... remember you gain nothing from upcasting this particular spell). [/QUOTE]
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