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

[Remathilis]

Oriental Adventures iirc.

Nope! That was the "grave" domain: an oriental version of the death domain. Similar concept though...

Repose was in D&DG, Players Guide to Faerun, Faiths and Pantheons, and Sandstorm (anywhere Orsis appeared after FRCS).

Oh yeah, is OGL too: http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/divineMinionsDomainsSpells.htm

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Nope! That was the "grave" domain: an oriental version of the death domain. Similar concept though...

Repose was in D&DG, Players Guide to Faerun, Faiths and Pantheons, and Sandstorm (anywhere Orsis appeared after FRCS).

Oh yeah, is OGL too: http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/divineMinionsDomainsSpells.htm

Excellent! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I guess I've read it before, just didn't remember it, as I have several of those books.

 

[maggot]

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.

"Every advantage" except the scorching ray is a touch attack. As most foes have a significant difference between touch and regular AC, the scorching ray will hit a lot more.

 

[Staffan]

Back in 2nd Edition, they produced the most powerful spells you could imagine (most of you would call them broken or munchkin, in today's terminology.)

My favorite example of a broken 2e spell is from City of Splendors: Gemidan's paralytic missile, a 2nd level wizard spell that paralyzes the victim for one round/level. Of course, it does have a save. The broken thing is that a successful save only halves the duration - so you'll probably still be paralyzed for a few rounds, which should be enough for some opponent coming around and slitting your throat.

 

[the Jester]

Nope! That was the "grave" domain: an oriental version of the death domain. Similar concept though...

Repose was in D&DG, Players Guide to Faerun, Faiths and Pantheons, and Sandstorm (anywhere Orsis appeared after FRCS).

Ahh, my bad. I have Sandstorrm and DDG, but my OA is out on loan (to a non-gamer who really wants to get in on a game!).

 

[farscapesg1]

My favorite example of a broken 2e spell is from City of Splendors: Gemidan's paralytic missile, a 2nd level wizard spell that paralyzes the victim for one round/level. Of course, it does have a save. The broken thing is that a successful save only halves the duration - so you'll probably still be paralyzed for a few rounds, which should be enough for some opponent coming around and slitting your throat.

Bah, try Chromatic Orb Nothing beats a 1st level spell that can eventually cause death on a failed saving throw

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Gemidan's Paralytic Missile was the most powerful 2nd level spell I ever encountered.
It was a nice substitute for Power Word Stun. A 3rd level wizard could Autokill just about anything with it that did not have Spell Resistance.
Chromatic Orb, at least, required you get to 12th level before it became an Autokill spell ...

36d6 damage from a 2nd level spell, at 12th level? THAT'S new and different.
There are more spells like this in this new Spell Compendium?

And they said 3.5 nerfed magic. LOL ...

 

[wingsandsword]

Bah, try Chromatic Orb Nothing beats a 1st level spell that can eventually cause death on a failed saving throw

There was a reason that every 2e game I ever played in, that was the pretty much mandatory choice for a Wizard, especially for a long-term game. Of course, next was Magic Missile, a no-save auto-hit damage-dealing spell with good range that scaled up as you level? MM is very powerful, and it stays as-is by tradition.

I just picked up a copy of the Compendium at my FLGS, and I must say I'm impressed. For somebody who isn't an avid collector who gets every single book, it's a genuine treat (with the domains being icing on the cake). I'm quite happy with my purchase.

 

[Laman Stahros]

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).

First off, Splinterbolt in the Spell Compendium is a 2nd level druid spell, only. No wizards will be using it.

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.

Nothing to say here, except about no wizards can cast it.

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.

There is no extra damage in a forest.

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.

At 11th level, a druid could fire off 3 bolts for 4d6 (crit 18-20/x2) piercing damage each, rolling against full AC for each bolt, with DR applying unless it is DR #/magic or piercing. I don't see what the problem is. Now, if you have a player who can get 3 crits in one round, then there is a problem (with the player's dice ).

 

[Psion]

Where does it say that it is subjected to DR?

It's a standard rule regarding spells. But one that most authors don't take into account when balancing spells.

I house rule that all physical damage incurred by spells is treated as "magic" as well as any alignment descriptors the spell has, and is affected by DR appropriately. Coupled with the intention of boosting spells that this significantly weakens (but I have yet to see one.)