Is The Web Spell Broken?

[S'mon]

S'ok.

 

[KarinsDad]

You agree that webs (and wax) burn, right?

You agree that webs (and wax) melt, right?

To me, they do both.


Unlike a lit Web spell which is more destructive (it can kill some first level characters) than trying to light your gas barbecue when the electronic starter is not working properly. After 30 seconds of gas at full throttle, it suddenly kicks in and lights up your face.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

In regards to the "simple" solutions previous posters have offered, most monsters don't carry tindertwigs (obviously, many creature types can't use them even if they did), which don't even burn you out quickly enough to matter, and if you take a look through just about any monster book, you'll see how few have ranks in Escape Artist. Considering that general defenses such as SR or good saving throws aren't much help, it's frustrating that specific defenses just aren't there. Indeed, the spell that's most useful in defeating these spells, freedom of movement, is of a significantly higher level than the spells themselves. It's like the designers really didn't want to give you much to do about it.

Tough cookies. That is a matter of purposeful design.

Most monsters of CR n are significantly more potent in melee than any by the book NPC Fighter of level n will ever be. The difference is that a middling or higher level NPC level Fighter will often (or should) have tactics for dealing with low level magic.

 

[Telas]

Most monsters of CR n are significantly more potent in melee than any by the book NPC Fighter of level n will ever be. The difference is that a middling or higher level NPC level Fighter will often (or should) have tactics for dealing with low level magic.

To add an in-game rationale: Most monsters either haven't experienced a Web spell, or they've come up with the means to deal with them.

Or (says Darwin) they're already dead.

Telas

 

[Al'Kelhar]

House Rule territory
I house rule web in two ways to render it slightly less overpowering for a 2nd level spell. First, I give Large and larger creatures a bonus to their Strength checks to break through it, equivalent to their grapple bonus (I do the same for entangle with the added proviso that Huge or larger creatures are simply too large to be affected by the spell). Second, to bump up the power of the spider climb spell, it now comes with the added bonus that creatures subject to it gain a +4 bonus to their Reflex saving throw to avoid the web spell. If they fail their save, they have a +4 bonus to Escape Artist checks to escape the web. If they make their save or have broken loose they are not entangled and can move through the spell's area at normal speed. They can also enter the area of a web spell willingly without becoming entangled (essentially, they can move throughout the web as if they were a spider). Thus, one 2nd level spell effevtively counters another 2nd level spell.

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Plane Sailing]

I do like that spider climb idea!

 

[ARandomGod]

Clever DM does not place all the creatures within the area of one web.

Also note. While web is flammable, it provides cover/total cover to people within it. AFAIK the text does not say that entire web vaporizes with one cast of fireball. All it say is "Any fire -- a torch, burning oil, a flaming sword, and so forth -- can set the webs alight and burn away 5 square feet in 1 round." So someone on the other side of web may not be harmed by fireball I guess.

In my experience, Glitterdust is more like "THE 2nd level spell to have".

It provides cover. While this is somthing I "know", this is something that, in combination with fireball, I haven't played. A fireball can't target the center of the web, it would hit webbing and go off after entering a couple of squares. ...

Glitterdust really is pretty good. But web... in the right situations web is the very, very best.

I once saw a situation wherein the entire party of sixth level characters encountered a couple of very nassty opponents with a feat aura. Everyone but the mage ran, the mage cast web, and then proceeded to take out what otherwise would have been a very challenging encounter for the entire party.

 

[ARandomGod]

It provides cover. While this is somthing I "know", this is something that, in combination with fireball, I haven't played. A fireball can't target the center of the web, it would hit webbing and go off after entering a couple of squares. ...

Or *would* it get to go all the way to the center where total cover first starts?

 

[ARandomGod]

ah, that is an interesting word. I thought it meant not flammable, because in=not. Sorry.

It IS a funny word. And a dangerous one too. You're not the only one to make that mistake. Now imagine if you'd made it while smoking next to several 55 gallon barrels of "inflammable" material.

 

[Telas]

Really wanna make Web nasty? Cast a Spider Swarm on top of it.

Telas