I've got the D&D Spell Compendium- Any questions?

[JustKim]

With improved critical at 12th level you have a 30% chance to do 36d6 physical damage with a 2nd level spell. Fill your other slots with empowered, maximized and quickened versions of the spell because you will be hard pressed to find anything crazier.

 

[farscapesg1]

I noticed the spellbook archive from the WOTC website is one of the sources. Just out of curiosity, did they include my Thieving Arrow from those articles? I am assuming they did not since they never contacted me to reprint that spell. Then again, I'm not sure they even needed to contact me since it was a contest submission :\

 

[Omand]

Where did the Repose domain first appear? That sounds like something I could really use in my game, but I don't recall seeing it before.

Repose first appeared in Deities & DemiGods (3E), and was reprinted in Sandstorm (3.5). It might also have appeared in a FR or Eberron book, but as I do not keep up with those lines I can't say for sure.

I think it is a great domain, as it replaces the undead creation and bolstering spells of hte death domain with spells more appropriate for a neutral or good Death god. The domain power is the same, but that was OK by me.

Cheers

 

[Kobold Avenger]

With improved critical at 12th level you have a 30% chance to do 36d6 physical damage with a 2nd level spell. Fill your other slots with empowered, maximized and quickened versions of the spell because you will be hard pressed to find anything crazier.

If it's like Scorching Ray, you have to roll a Separate attack roll for Each one. Which makes it less than 30%, more like something like 2.7%, and don't forget there's a lot of things immune to criticals as well.

 

[Snapdragyn]

Quill blast is in there unmodified?

First spell I've ever pointed out to the DM for banning or nerfing.

 

[the Jester]

Where did the Repose domain first appear? That sounds like something I could really use in my game, but I don't recall seeing it before.

Oriental Adventures iirc.

 

[JustKim]

If it's like Scorching Ray, you have to roll a Separate attack roll for Each one. Which makes it less than 30%, more like something like 2.7%, and don't forget there's a lot of things immune to criticals as well.

I guess that's true, but it still has every advantage over scorching ray. It's physical damage, magical at that (And sometimes even cold iron), which fewer creatures are resistant to than fire damage. The unheard of threat range and multiplier is just the crazy, crazy icing on the cake. I would never allow the spell and I'd feel like some kind of criminal using it.

 

[jester47]

Well it gives druids somthing to fight with. I remember how in 3.0 there was a druid spell that was a version of entangle or web that was done with thorns and so did damage. It was very overpowered. However the reason it was made was because at the time the druid characters did not have a big whack em spell.

Aaron.

 

[BOZ]

are there any spell sheets for PCs?

 

[Moon-Lancer]

its also a wizard sorcerer spell too. now the advantages of the druid using spilnter bolt is that they are going to be in a forest more often (general world logic... but maybe not the party itself).

A druid has a higher base attack, so he is going to be more likely to conferm that critical. he is also more likely to hit a stardard ac in a high dex wildshape rather then a wizard or sorc. A wizard or sorc could metamagic the hell out of this spell... but they are going to have a really sucky time trying to hit a creatures full ac. even if they do crit they are likely not to conferm the cirt, and then its only as good as a sorcheing ray.

A druid could take improved crit at level 12. Thats when most druid take dragon wildshape. So a druid could choose to take improved crit, but... more likely they are going to take dragon wildshape. Now it would make a good level 15 or 18 feat but the spell is still only level 2 and thus negated by globe of invulnrability. so using a level 15 feat to have it negated by a level 4 spell is not the best thing to do in my opinion.

a Wizard/Sorcerer has to use thier level 18 feat to take improved critical. and again... same problem... they have to hit a actual ac.

Im not saying this spell isent awsome. I am just saying its balance is more staggard. Under most sercumstances, its weaker then scortching ray, in others its alot more power then scortching ray.



What i think might be over the top for this spell is the extra +4 damage in a forest as well as being 18-20 x3. I think the extra damage cirts with the spell as well.

at level 3, with a luck attack roll, this spell can do 54 points of damage, in a forest. Awsomely awsome, but most likely not to happen.

Now probably the best use of this spell is with a rogue and umd, but this wand wouldent be in dmg so the rogue would have to ask for it special, or someone in the party would have to craft it.

Lets just say that in my party...(i play a druid) the wizard wont take this spell (even though he has a +9 to ranged attacks) becuse scortching ray will do more damage and is much more relyable.

I might agree that splinter bolt could be a levell 3 spell, but probably no higher. Unlike quill blast that could be a level 9 spell and still be to low level for its power.

perhaps the writer was thinking this when he wrote spilinter bolt.

Ok... druid flavor socortching ray. Lets make it a ranged attack insted of touch attack. Now lets add a higher cirt range and multiplyer. lets have damage reduction apply as well.

In my head it balances, but under serton cercumstands i do see how this spell could be way over the top and broken. But its not broken out of the box... you have to work at makeing it broken.

sorry for mucking up this tread with an argument over just one out of many spells in this new book.