Major wizard upgrade

[Felon]

OK, darn it, where was this spell when I had a thread about banning Dragon content at the table?

 

[keterys]

Now now, let's be honest - this spell could just as easily have appeared in Arcane Power as in Dragon.

 

[Destil]

it's enemies only too! I mean, that makes sense with the kicker, but as written this is an Int damage power, not 1d6+Int.

Resychic. Two words - Psychic Lock.

This would be a decent power if it weren't psychic. I agree, the fear keyword and untyped damage and I'd actually like it. Reliable (will, no damage type), but a lot less feat support.

I'm getting really annoyed with how good fort defense is and how bad will is on average. I find almost every fight I run with WotC monsters I have to drop the Fort of at least one just to get it below AC. If we based damage on how defense are in the real world Thunderwave would do 1d8, Scorching Burst would be 1d6 and this would be 1d4 (with no kicker or hitting allies too).

Now now, let's be honest - this spell could just as easily have appeared in Arcane Power as in Dragon.

I disagree, the stuff in arcane power is actually pretty balanced. Once you get past the 'OMG, impassible terrain' of Storm Pillar you notice it's an abysmal damage dealer and near useless for anywhere things aren't contained. They at least had the sense to make the psychic stuff single target.

While they have some issues, the splatbooks have been overall fairly well balanced. Dragon's all over the place, though. And anything GOOD in dragon gets cleaned up and put into a splatbook.

 

[Nifft]

This would be a decent power if it weren't psychic. I agree, the fear keyword and untyped damage and I'd actually like it. Reliable (will, no damage type), but a lot less feat support.

Yep yep.

I'm getting really annoyed with how good fort defense is and how bad will is on average.

MM2 allegedly fixes that.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Destil]

MM2 allegedly fixes that.
Cheers, -- N

Yeah, I pull monsters from the Adventure Tools and retool 'em most game (to fix expertise bugs, if nothing else), and I think the problem is well beyond MM1. MM2 is a bit better about it, but by no means fantastic, and every offical source (adventure) out there seems to fall into the same hole.

 

[Tallifer]

I can only see Scorching Burst as necessary if your dungeon master announces, "And next stop, the Trollhaunt Warrens."

 

[keterys]

I disagree, the stuff in arcane power is actually pretty balanced.

I'll match that bet and raise you a level 1 invoker stunned (save ends) power and a feat for dragonborn that adds +3 attack with an energy.

A small percentage of everything WotC releases is bad. In every product. Including Dragon. Including splatbooks.

 

[KarinsDad]

I'll match that bet and raise you a level 1 invoker stunned (save ends) power and a feat for dragonborn that adds +3 attack with an energy.

A small percentage of everything WotC releases is bad. In every product. Including Dragon. Including splatbooks.

Agreed.

Dragon Magazine, on average though, is worse. I don't think they have as many reviewers and editors looking over Dragon Magazine as they do splat books.


Note: The Invoker stun power is a) a Daily, b) vs. Fort, c) dazes the caster, and d) a blast with no range. So the (dazed) foes that are missed might get to attack/charge a dazed Invoker with combat advantage (likely since it would rarely be used in a group with allies, hence, there would often be a free 3 square or less length path to the Invoker).

About on par overall with Sleep (pros: does damage and stuns right away; cons: less range, less chance to hit, inconveniences the caster, can harm allies if in blast). Very nice, but not unbalanced overall. Trying to find situations where one could target multiple foes with it and not harm allies would be problematic at best.

 

[keterys]

Very nice, but not unbalanced overall. Trying to find situations where one could target multiple foes with it and not harm allies would be problematic at best.

Have you actually played or run with it in the game? It's a bigger deal than you'd think.

Especially when people start doing ridiculous things like Salve of Power and Secret of Creation along with it.

 

[Nifft]

Yeah, I pull monsters from the Adventure Tools and retool 'em most game (to fix expertise bugs, if nothing else), and I think the problem is well beyond MM1. MM2 is a bit better about it, but by no means fantastic, and every offical source (adventure) out there seems to fall into the same hole.

IMHO the module sources are worse than the MM1 in terms of monster design. I'd avoid them entirely. Luckily in the Compendium you can filter by source.

Cheers, -- N