Looking for Spellfire Houserule

[The_Universe]

I try to run a very role-play centered campaign, with character power levels a side consideration. Generally, what that means is that I try to keep things relatively low powered, and I use the above statement as a justification. However, one of my players has out-role-played the GM (me), and has managed to get access to the spellfire feat.

In 3.0, Spellfire was ridiculously powerful. I don't want to prevent him from taking it, but I also don't want him to overpower the rest of the game. Does anybody have any houseules out there making Spellfire slightly less powerful?

THANKS!

 

[kreynolds]

I estimate the Spellfire feat to be roughly worth a Level Adjustment of +3 or +4 (+3.5 to be exact). However, if you want to tone it down, I suggest the following changes to Spellfire...

1) Maximum number of spellfire energy levels you can store is equal to half your Constitution.

2) Maximum amount of spellfire energy levels you can use in any given descrtive blast or use of healing is equal to half your hit die (i.e. a 10HD creature can unleash a blast no greater than 5d6).

I think those changes bring it down to a +2.5. If you also institute this change...

3) Change the following text from this...

"If her Constitution decreases so that her number of stored spellfire levels is greater than her current Constitution, the excess levels discharge at a random creature in range as destructive spellfire (see below)."

...to this...

"If her Constitution decreases so that her number of stored spellfire levels is greater than her current Constitution, the excess levels discharge at a random creature in range as destructive spellfire (see below). The spellfire wielder also automatically takes an amount of damage equal to half of the damage inflicted by the blast."

...I think you can safely drop the Level Adjustment to +1.5, rounded down to +1, or rounded up +2 if want to play it safe.

 

[rhammer2]

Spellfire is usefull but it is NOT worth a LA. If you don't like the ability, just don't use it.


The Universe,
The Spellfire Feat can only be taken at 1st level by a starting character. So is your player starting a new character?

House Rules I Use:
I limit the discharge to levels equal to the character's level. Since it must be delivered by a touch attack roll, kill the save. Leave the absorption as a ready action, even though the Rod of Absorption is now a free action to use.

I estimate the Spellfire feat to be roughly worth a Level Adjustment of +3 or +4 (+3.5 to be exact). However, if you want to tone it down, I suggest the following changes to Spellfire...

1) Maximum number of spellfire energy levels you can store is equal to half your Constitution.

2) Maximum amount of spellfire energy levels you can use in any given descrtive blast or use of healing is equal to half your hit die (i.e. a 10HD creature can unleash a blast no greater than 5d6).

I think those changes bring it down to a +2.5. If you also institute this change...

3) Change the following text from this...

"If her Constitution decreases so that her number of stored spellfire levels is greater than her current Constitution, the excess levels discharge at a random creature in range as destructive spellfire (see below)."

...to this...

"If her Constitution decreases so that her number of stored spellfire levels is greater than her current Constitution, the excess levels discharge at a random creature in range as destructive spellfire (see below). The spellfire wielder also automatically takes an amount of damage equal to half of the damage inflicted by the blast."

...I think you can safely drop the Level Adjustment to +1.5, rounded down to +1, or rounded up +2 if want to play it safe.

 

[Impeesa]

Have you seen it in use before? I haven't, but I've heard from people who have that it's really nothing special. It's possible that many of the people who advocate special considerations or limitations are confusing it with the 2E version.

--Impeesa--

 

[Vlos]

I currently am starting to play a character who has this feat/ability.

Read the Rules from Magic of Faerun. It is not as powerful as one might think. You have to have a redied action to absorbe spells with spell fire. It is not automatic!

Thus unless the player is holding his action all the time it is not that useful. Now as a weapon, if he has spells levels stored it is usefull. But to recharge is the hard part, unless he has one of the other PCs charge him at night. This is what a GM needs to watch out for abuse. Now with the PrC class he can store even more spells and drain items, but still to acquire stored energy is hard.

At best case the player will have anywhere from a 10d6 fireball to a 20d6 fireball, unless they are a fighter type, that they can use once a day (if full discharge). At low levels this is obviously a big advantage, but a high level or epic level it gets less dramatic.

 

[Sir Brennen]

Over at www.seankreynolds.com, Sean himself responded to a post recently explaining why the Spellfire ability is balanced. He's a pretty math intensive guy, and the designer of the ability, so I'd tend to take his word for it.

It sounds like what's deceptive about the ability is that it's more powerful at low levels, but evens out and even perhaps becomes a bit underpowered at higher levels.

 

[kreynolds]

Spellfire is usefull but it is NOT worth a LA. If you don't like the ability, just don't use it.

I agree, to a point. I think at low levels, say at 1st, it is clearly worth a level adjustment. There's no way it can be argued that a 1st-level character armed with a special rod of absorption with the ability to blast absorbed spells back at people doesn't deserve an adjustment of some kind...unless, of course, _everyone_ in the game, including NPCs and Monsters, start with one.

At high level, say about 13th and up, it really isn't worth a level adjustment. At that point, it's just worth as much as any other feat.

If you don't like the ability, just don't use it.

Oh, I do indeed like the feat/ability, but that's irrelevant, because that has nothing at all to do with why I give it a level adjustment.

It sounds like what's deceptive about the ability is that it's more powerful at low levels, but evens out and even perhaps becomes a bit underpowered at higher levels.

Precisely. I slowly remove the level adjustment behind the scenes as a game progresses.

 

[Vlos]

Sir Brennen, I was looking for that post on his message boards and couldn't find it. Do you recall where it was?

Thanks

Also as from a balance point of view I thought it had to be readied as a Standard action to absorbe spells, not as a free action (which is what the rules state). That does seem too powerful, which is why I am looking for clarification.

 

[Sir Brennen]

Sir Brennen, I was looking for that post on his message boards and couldn't find it. Do you recall where it was?

Here ya go:

Spellfire... do you let your players use it? How?

Also as from a balance point of view I thought it had to be readied as a Standard action to absorbe spells, not as a free action (which is what the rules state). That does seem too powerful, which is why I am looking for clarification.

It is a readied action... meaning a character's gotta potientially waste a round doing nothing, hoping they'll get attacked with the right kind of spell. Really, unless there are other spellcaster's in the party "pumping up" the spellfire weilder, the DM has control over how much they'll be able to charge up.

 

[Wikidogre]

Cult of the Dragon

Threats lots of them
Adds more of a Roleplaying aspect to your side