Minor Change: Magic Missile

[WhatGravitas]

Quick question:

Magic missile is currently not that good - the best thing about it is the long range, but the higher damage pales in comparison with the damage of Cloud of Knives or the pure stopping power of the ray of frost.

So, to make it a bit better, what about allowing it to ignore cover (though not total cover)?

That would be a nice nod to the automatic hit it had before and puts it firmly into the sniping niche.

Too good? Ignore concealment instead?

Cheers, LT.

 

[hvg3akaek]

I still want it back to "auto hit". But how to scale the damage so it is fair... just the old d4+1? (a lot less than the 2d4+4 most wizards would deal)

 

[FireLance]

Magic missile can be used as a basic attack, but I will admit that it isn't a particularly big deal at the moment.

If you want to retain the "always hits" flavor, one way is to structure it similar to the fighter's reaping strike power:

Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2d6 + Intelligence modifier at 21st level.
Miss: Half Intelligence modifier damage. If you wield a wand as an implement, you deal damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

 

[amnuxoll]

I figure you usually have a 50% chance of missing so cut the damage in half (1d4 + 1/2 your Int modifier). The guarantee of always hitting means that this power is a little better (especially when you need a particular minion to be dead) but, as you said, magic missile is not as uber as the other powers anyway so it's probably balanced.

 

[keterys]

In a way, I'm kinda surprised that they didn't go the Reaping Strike route with magic missile. It's not particularly weak, at any rate. I'm guessing it could do just Int / 2 damage on a miss, similar to a 1h reaping strike.

 

[FabioMilitoPagliara]

Magic missile can be used as a basic attack, but I will admit that it isn't a particularly big deal at the moment.

If you want to retain the "always hits" flavor, one way is to structure it similar to the fighter's reaping strike power:

Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2d6 + Intelligence modifier at 21st level.
Miss: Half Intelligence modifier damage. If you wield a wand as an implement, you deal damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

this could be a good basis for another at-will spell

to justify the hit on miss I would see it more like an exploding missile

maybe I would shorten the range?

 

[keterys]

FireLance's solution is pretty good, though you can probably do 2d4 fine too honestly. Good job working Wand spec into it

 

[Aloïsius]

this could be a good basis for another at-will spell

to justify the hit on miss I would see it more like an exploding missile

maybe I would shorten the range?

I don't think so, the range 20 is what makes MM a good spell.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I think it should have kept the multi missle feel so at epic you fire 2 2D4+ int mod missles instead of 1 aat 4D4+int mod.

 

[Tellerve]

Ooohh, I like Firelance's suggestion as well. Very cool.

Tellerve