Mordenkainen's Disjunction: Should it be changed?

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'd rather be disjunctified then Drained myself. Nothing in the game bugs me more then level drain, nothing!

There is no equivalent to Restoration.

 

[Nightfall]

Obviously as a rat bastard DM, I would use it. However I'd prefer it to save it for the all important "last battle" or as I run SL campaigns, with a Great Wyrm Slacerian Dragon. Breath Weapon boys. You know I like em.

 

[Angcuru]

I think it's cool that it dispels all effects in the area, since that applies to both PCs and Baddies, save for the caster. I'm ok with this part.

Permanently draining items of their magical power is a bit much, but only in the cases of artifacts and intelligent items. I think that they should have spell resistance against this, or at least be temporarily deactivated, not have their magic stripped. But...the effect applies to party members as well, so I can hardly ever see it being used.

In any case, Mordenkaiden doen't live in the Forgotten Realms, so the spell doesn't exist IMC.

 

[bloodymage]

Sheesh! I read through part of the thread and even though the vast majority of voters would keep the spell as is, I can't beleive the number of mamby-pamby GMs out there! You won't use it? You won't use or allow other spells because they hurt the players too badly? Gimme a break! The world is a dangerous and lethal place! Go play the RPG, "Care Bears" or sumpin'!

 

[Limper]

Besides the game is far from dependant on magic items.

Have you been playing the same game as the rest of us? I really have no idea where you are getting this impression... are you still playing 2e? That was the last time I was aware you could do well with out magical items past level 3.

 

[ShadowX]

Have you been playing the same game as the rest of us? I really have no idea where you are getting this impression... are you still playing 2e? That was the last time I was aware you could do well with out magical items past level 3.

Actually I think 2e was more equipment dependent than 3e, at least with my limited knowledge of it. Anyways I hate this spell. The fact that it screws the most equipment heavy characters (warriors) with its will save is the worst part. Casters are more likely to save and even if they do they are the least affected by it, they still have all their spells to play with.

 

[Marshall]

Anyways I hate this spell. The fact that it screws the most equipment heavy characters (warriors) with its will save is the worst part. Casters are more likely to save and even if they do they are the least affected by it, they still have all their spells to play with.

Exactly.

On top of that, theres no counter to undo the damage and the damage could easily be in the millions(or billions if you're epic) of GP. Heck even the worst death spells are easily countered by a 25kgp spell. Nope, its wayyy OTT.

Honestly, the only way I can see anyone saying this is even close to balanced is if youre either a screw-the-players GM or are sooo far Monty Haul that you can replace all the PC's equipment by the end of the adventure. IE You basically suck as a GM.

The spell should be a Mass Targetted GDM with an option to single target A ONE 1 Magic Item for a Will save vs. Destruction.

Thats just a powerful 9th level spell. Not some uber-godlike-better-than-any-epic-spell-can-ever-be creation.

 

[Umbran]

The fact that it screws the most equipment heavy characters (warriors) with its will save is the worst part. Casters are more likely to save and even if they do they are the least affected by it, they still have all their spells to play with.

Hrm. I'm not really sure that the casters are any less invested in their equipment. Unless you intend to say that the casters tend to carry around a lot of stuff they don't often use. Sure, the caster doesnt care about a weapon or armor gets trashed, but losing that Headband of Intellect or Periapt of Wisdom and the spells that go with them is gonna sting.

Seems to me that if the party is up against something that can throw 9th level spells, they'd better be acting as a team. Exactly who's getting more hurt is then far less relevant than the fact that they are all in trouble. If they intend to survive, they'll have to cooperate.

In any case, nobody ever said that all possibe spells need to be equally dangerous to all character types. If Disjunction hurts warriors more, is that so bad when certainly Fireball hurts spellcasters more?

 

[gfunk]

IMO, the effects of Disjunction should be able to be reversed by Wish. It says as much in Wish's spell description -- being able to reverse on specific event.

IMC, I would allow it for 5000 XP.

 

[Celtavian]

re

I don't think the spell should be removed. I think the automatic dispell effect is needed and great. It is the 30 foot radius burst permanent magic item destruction that makes the spell overpowered and nearly unuseable. I picked option 3. It should be like dispell magic.

1. Area effect: Destroys all active magical spells.
2. Single target effect: Destroys all active magic spells and may destroy magic items.

The current version of the spell is a pure player killer. The reality is the villains will use it because they aren't going to collect your treasure, and the players will not because they want to collect the villains treasure. I feel the spell is poorly designed because it detracts from the enjoyment of the game in two ways:

1. It may destroy magic items the character has taken a long time to accumulate.

2. It eliminates all previous buffing as well as magic items, which leaves one side with their pants down, hell they no longer even have their clothes on, and they usually get destroyed.

I don't know about most DM's here, but when I used this spell, it was followed by a barrage of other spells that pretty much left the party nearly dead. I still remember when two of the fighter types in my group were fighting without magic armor. That wasn't pretty. They were shredded. The 30 foot radius burst is too much for all the spell does.