nerfed sleep spell

[totoro]

I like that 3.5e changed the sleep spell. I don't like what they changed it to, but it does make you think about what it should be. I think it should scale with level. So, I suggest:

1d4HD of creatures / level of caster (5d4 max). You may affect any creature with 1HD / caster level (5 max) or less. I think the area should be extended back to 15' or maybe even 20', too.

That makes the spell a little worse than the nerfed spell for effecting high HD creatures (until 4th level caster), but makes it very good for taking out loads of low HD monsters (or 1st level guards). Also, you can empower or maximize the spell for some really big numbers of low level creatures falling asleep.

I wanted to end the spell's effectiveness at 5HD because that is when cause fear stops working well. Also, there is something about 5HD that says to me 1st level spells shouldn't work very well anymore.

 

[Technik4]

With the new casting time I think Sleep would work better as a 0-level spell. It would still need some changes to go down to 0-level, but I think it fits there better than 1st level where it has so many things going against it (long casting time, can't affect high-level opponents, weird method of affecting foes). Compare it to MM or even the new damage spells like burning hands, shocking grasp and I think 1st level spells do fine against enemies >5 HD in general.

Technik

 

[totoro]

I added some new effects that make this spell pretty cool, IMO. It still doesn't work very well in the heat of battle, but if a rogue scouts out some guards and calls the spellcaster forward to cast sleep, you have a lot of options. Even against tougher encounters, you can nullify their low level guards.

Sleep
Area: One or more living creatures within a 20-ft.-radius burst
Duration: 1 min./level or 1 round/level (see text)
Saving Throw: Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

A sleep spell causes a magical slumber to come upon 1d4 Hit Dice of creatures per caster level (5d4 HD max). Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first. Unconscious creatures are targetted after all conscious creatures that may be effected have been targetted.

Among creatures with equal HD, those who are closest to the spell’s point of origin are affected first. Hit Dice that are not sufficient to affect a creature are wasted. Only creatures with HD equal to or less than the caster level (5 HD max) are affected by the spell. If a creature makes its will save, it still becomes drowsy for 1 round per caster level. Drowsy creatures have a -5 penalty to spot and listen checks and suffer a -2 save against subsequently cast sleep spells.

Sleeping creatures are helpless. Slapping or wounding awakens an affected creature, but normal noise does not. Awakening a creature is a standard action (an application of the aid another action).

Sleep does not target constructs or undead creatures.
Material Component: A pinch of fine sand, rose petals, or a live cricket.

 

[totoro]

With the new casting time I think Sleep would work better as a 0-level spell. It would still need some changes to go down to 0-level, but I think it fits there better than 1st level where it has so many things going against it (long casting time, can't affect high-level opponents, weird method of affecting foes). Compare it to MM or even the new damage spells like burning hands, shocking grasp and I think 1st level spells do fine against enemies >5 HD in general.

Technik

Taking the damage spells one at a time:

Shocking Grasp: At 6th level, you can do as much damage as a 6th level fighter (5d6 damage is roughly the amount of damage you can expect a 6th level fighter to do with a greatsword--2d6+6(STR)+2(specialization)+2(magic weapon). The wizard gets +3 if the target is metal, but the BAB of a 6th level fighter is 3 better than that of a 6th level wizard. And the fighter will be able to take the counterstrike better. So, I don't think Shocking Grasp is all that great for a wizard, unless you start taking other spells and effects into account. Of course, you do have other spells you can use when you are not competing with the fighter in dealing damage, but on the round you use shocking grasp, you are only equalling, not exceeding, the fighter in damage.

Burning Hands is only slightly better at 6th level. You can do 5d4 damage to multiple opponents, but they all get saves for half damage (reflex saves, so they might even take no damage). The fighter can probably do twice as much damage to a single opponent, so burning hands is better if you can get 3 targets to politely line up for their scorching. Relatively rare. Not a bad spell, but at 6th level, it is already starting to pale in comparison to the fighter.

Magic Missile is one of the better first level spells for damage dealing because it continues to grow in damage. However, at 6th level, you are doing an average of 10.5 damage with the spell. Fighters do twice that (or, if you assume the fighters miss half the time, the same amount of damage). Again, you are using one of your valuable spells to equal, but not exceed, the damage dealing of the fighter.

In short, all of the wizard's first level damage spells allow them to compete with the fighter for damage from 1st (actually, they are quite a bit weaker at 1st and 2nd level) to 6th levels. Then, they start to be relatively insignificant. I'm not saying a 9th level wizard can't be a big help when throwing his 5 magic missiles, but if you compare that to what the fighter can do, it is at best equal, probably a little less, and in any case only a one shot deal.

What the fighter cannot do very well is silence a couple of guards before they can make noise (a rogue might be able to take out one with relative confidence, but two is pushing it). Sleep can help you there and continues to help with large numbers of low level guards no matter what level you reach (well, at least the spell as I wrote it does; the nerfed one only gets 4HD). In any case, it has been reduced in effectiveness once combat has begun, but is still not on par with a Cantrip.