Is this too powerful?

[IndyPendant]

The general consensus seems to be that Spell Focus, and Greater, are too weak as written in the 3.5e PHB with a +1 to DC checks of one school for each feat--but too powerful as written in 3.0e PHB, with a +2 to DC checks of one school for each feat. This is an assessment I agree with, and at the risk of beating a very very dead horse, I have two alternatives to provide:

1) Suggested by one of my players: have Spell Focus give a +1 to DC checks for one school, until level 10 where it provides a +2. Greater Spell Focus would have a character level prerequesite of 5, and provide an additional +1 to DC checks until 15th level, where it also increases to +2.

The idea being that the bonuses to DC checks are more important at the lower levels than at the higher. I'm not sure I agree with this reasoning, but was willing to try it. However, I may have come up with an alternate idea that I would like to pass by you for examination:

2) Eliminate the individual schools. So Spell Focus would give a +1 DC to *all* spells, not just those of one particular school, cast by that character. Greater Spell Focus would give a +2.

What do you think? And why? I'm honestly seeking opinions here, because I haven't quite been able to make up my mind on this...

 

[Daniel A. Walls]

Why not just get rid of Greater Spell Focus.

 

[Quez The Lame]

We set Spell Focus at +1 bonus and Greater Spell Focus at +2, for a total of +3.

 

[Darklone]

We set Spell Focus at +1 bonus and Greater Spell Focus at +2, for a total of +3.

Me too.

 

[Li Shenron]

Another thing came to my mind now for the first time. I had no problems with 3.0 GSF, but probably because none of the players/DM in my group are particularly powerplayers. We didn't consider the old +4 GSF a way to get over the top DCs for higher spells, but instead as a mean for not-so-high-Int Wizards (or whatever) to have decent DCs, and to have useful DCs even for lower-level spells.

What about a house rule that would increase SF to +2 and maybe even GSF to +4 only for lower-level spells?

I can't think of something simple now... But for example SF could give +1 as normal, plus another +1 to all spells up to (e.g.) 2 levels less of the highest you can cast.

 

[Centaur]

On other posts about this issue, someone mentioned that they use (And I have now adopted) that each of the two feats grant a +1 DC and +1 to efective Caster level for spells of that school.

 

[Spatzimaus]

On other posts about this issue, someone mentioned that they use (And I have now adopted) that each of the two feats grant a +1 DC and +1 to efective Caster level for spells of that school.

I do that, except IMC they also give +1 to any attack rolls (touch spells or rays). That way, pretty much every spell benefits; the caster level boost gives you SR and dispel checks, and the saving throw/attack roll boost cover all the attack spells. So far, there haven't been any problems; they're still popular, and it means that people actually take the less common ones like Spell Focus(Divination) now.
But, we said that Spell Focus requires caster level 5, and Greater Spell Focus requires caster level 10. Just a style thing.

 

[haiiro]

We set Spell Focus at +1 bonus and Greater Spell Focus at +2, for a total of +3.

I hadn't thought of that, and it sounds like a good idea. I might give it a try if it comes up in my game. Thanks.

 

[AeroDm]

Another thing came to my mind now for the first time. I had no problems with 3.0 GSF, but probably because none of the players/DM in my group are particularly powerplayers. We didn't consider the old +4 GSF a way to get over the top DCs for higher spells, but instead as a mean for not-so-high-Int Wizards (or whatever) to have decent DCs, and to have useful DCs even for lower-level spells.

What about a house rule that would increase SF to +2 and maybe even GSF to +4 only for lower-level spells?

I can't think of something simple now... But for example SF could give +1 as normal, plus another +1 to all spells up to (e.g.) 2 levels less of the highest you can cast.

You could always allow it to grant the bonus to spells of a level equal to or lower than your intelligence bonus. This should keep it low while still progressively raising as you increase in levels. It would be better at the low levels when your natural int bonus is high in comparison to the spells you are casting, and then slowly become less powerful when DCs are already high. Not sure how that works in the end, but it is simple enough.

 

[Staffan]

I never had a problem with Spell Focus itself, it was just that Greater Spell Focus broke things. If I was running a D&D campaign (right now I'm focusing more on AU, where spell schools are rather irrelevant) I'd use the 3.0 Spell Focus and just drop Greater Spell Focus into dev/null.