Magic missile too strong?

[3d6]

Why is 3d6 at first level right out? That's what the fighter does every round.

 

[Benimoto]

It's problematic comparing magic missile damage to that from a human fighter with a greatsword. Many have mentioned that there's no hit roll, no DR, no incorporeal chance. Also, often there's no real possibility of retaliation.

You're better off comparing it to a bow than a greatsword, and it there that you see magic missile become better in comparison. Magic missle does 1 point less damage than a regular bow per missile, and you get more missiles slightly faster than the archer gets more arrows. If the archer got a ghost touch bow that always hit and ignored incorporeal and DR at 1st level, that would be overpowered, no?

Magic Missile is so powerful because it's an automatic choice. You can nearly always do damage with it. It scales up to 9th level, when most other 1st level spells are forgotten or of otherwise limited utility. 17.5 damage at 9th level is nothing great, but from another perspective, it's 2 more damage than you do with a fireball against enemies that make their saving throw, and 17.5 more than you do against things immune to fire or with evasion.

 

[Deset Gled]

No matter how you crunch the numbers, an automatic hit with no chance of energy resistance or damage reduction will always have an advantage. Not necessarily a great advantage, and not necesarily in all (or even many) situations, but it is always valuable. Even a range touch attach against a giant redwood fails 5% of the time.

Magic Missle: When it absolutely, positively has to cause damage.

 

[3d6]

A 1st level archer could easily have Rapid Shot, which increases his damage per round substantially.

There's also a big difference between a wizard using magic missile twice per day and an archer using a bow every round. The wizard should deal more damage for those two rounds he's casting spells. That's pretty much the only way he meaningfully contributes. As it stands now, over 4 rounds, the archer probably has dealt more damage. Over 8 rounds I guarantee it.

 

[Crothian]

For me, it's about the game. And in 6 years of weekly D&D games Magic Missile has never been seen to be too powerful. Ya, it's a good spell. The auto hit is nice for a class that really can't hit that well. Incorporal creatures are rare especially at first level so that part doesn't bother me. And compairing it to a area effect spell is not a good comparison at all.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Why is 3d6 at first level right out? That's what the fighter does every round.

It's a ranged touch attack. Compare to an archer as Benimoto says.

Archer has to roll an attack roll against the enemy's full AC, not just touch. At first level the archer does around 1d8+1 damage.

The wizard's spell damage will attack the touch AC of the opponent and thus deal less damage, 1d6 damage. At 2nd level the wizard can attack two opponents and deal 1d6 to each or 2d6 to one vs. the archer's 1d8+1.

At third level the archer gets 2d8+2 damage (rapid shot so -2 attack) and the wizard goes up to 3 rays at 1d6 damage each. Things are keeping up with each other quite nicely.

Now the question becomes, since the wizard is giving up more resources than the archer, shouldn't he be doing more damage than the archer? Well, he is. He's rolling touch attacks so he hits more often, or more precisely, he's able to end the battle more quickly than the archer. If the wizard is ending the battle more quickly, then he doesn't need to do more damage to be equally as useful to a party.

EDIT: Oh yeah, 3d6 damage is out, because its practically an automatic kill at a range. Make it a melee attack that has to hit full AC and you're golden. I don't even see 1st level fighters and barbarians doing 3d6 melee damage per hit.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

The wizard should deal more damage for those two rounds he's casting spells. That's pretty much the only way he meaningfully contributes. As it stands now, over 4 rounds, the archer probably has dealt more damage. Over 8 rounds I guarantee it.

As stated above, the "issue" (if it can be called that) isn't the amount of damage. 1d4+1 isn't anything special, even at 1st level. 5d4 + 5 isn't that great at later levels. What MM has that other spells don't is longetivity.

The ability to have a guarenteed hit at 1st level is great, although sleep or mage armor may actually be a better bet at that level.

At 5th or 10th level the first level spell is still useful. High touch AC? Magic Missile. Evasion? Magic Missile. Incorporial? Lots and lots of Magic Missile.

At 20th level, a first level spell still gives a guarenteed hit*. That is something a 20th level fighter can't boast on a kobald (he might roll a 1 - even on a the rerolls - well, except for Weapon Supremecy from PHB2 - I guess he can boast it: after 18 levels - my point still stands). Magic Missile still has certain uses at high levels. A first level spell.

Magic Missile: when you absolutely, posatively have to kill that wraith in the room; accept no substitute.

Note that I don't think it's overpowered. The damage isn't that great. People who do think it's over powered (I'm not one of them) raise the issues described above.

*There is Shield, SR, Wall of Force, Brooch of Shielding, etc. But you know what I mean.

 

[Stalker0]

Magic Missile is strong, but I think ray of enfeeblement is better. Ah, greeting my BBEG barbarian adversary. I have brought Brutus my 1st level wizard follower...would you care to surrender now?

 

[Question]

While MM is a auto-hit, your chances to miss with a touch attack spell is absurdly low, unless you are using it against incorporeal, etc enemies, which isnt that often.

 

[Legildur]

While MM is a auto-hit, your chances to miss with a touch attack spell is absurdly low, unless you are using it against incorporeal, etc enemies, which isnt that often.

In an ideal situation I would agree with you. But with penalties for firing into melee, Dex not being a prime stat for Wizards/Sorcerors, and environmental issues like concealment, Magic Missile has a very secure place in the standard arsenal and I would NEVER not take it.