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<blockquote data-quote="Brother MacLaren" data-source="post: 1430351" data-attributes="member: 15999">Generally, that's not a very strong balancing factor.&nbsp; Area-of-effect spells have the advantage that you can hit many foes, but the disadvantage that you can't use them against foes in melee with your allies.&nbsp; Actually, it strengthens it.&nbsp; Critical hits that are &quot;20/x2&quot; increase the damage of any attack by 5%.&nbsp; However, touch attacks have at least a 5% miss rate (and often more like 30-40%).&nbsp; Mathematically, you are better off with attacks that don't need an attack roll.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not automatic, but very close.&nbsp; When you factor in Empower Spell (or add in a Quickened Magic Missile), it becomes much more lethal (a cleric or fighter can withstand even an empowered attack, and a wizard can have Shield up).&nbsp; Mechanically, many players and DMs (myself included) simply dislike spells where the subject has no chance at all to defend himself.&nbsp; No hit roll, no save.&nbsp; It's a poor mechanic, and they came close to fixing that on MM but then caved in to the sacred cow.&nbsp; There aren't many spells like that.&nbsp; And because rogues have poor HP but good touch ACs and good Reflex saves, I view spells that do HP damage and ignore touch AC and Reflex saves to be spells specifically designed to kill rogues.Area-of-effect spells that do d6/level should be Evocation.&nbsp; Opening that type of effect to other schools would make it a no-brainer to choose Evocation as a forbidden school for a specialist.&nbsp; Spell schools, illogical as it may sound, should not be assigned based on &quot;what principles of the universe make this spell work&quot; but &quot;what role does this spell play.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Brother MacLaren, post: 1430351, member: 15999"] Generally, that's not a very strong balancing factor. Area-of-effect spells have the advantage that you can hit many foes, but the disadvantage that you can't use them against foes in melee with your allies. Actually, it strengthens it. Critical hits that are "20/x2" increase the damage of any attack by 5%. However, touch attacks have at least a 5% miss rate (and often more like 30-40%). Mathematically, you are better off with attacks that don't need an attack roll. Not automatic, but very close. When you factor in Empower Spell (or add in a Quickened Magic Missile), it becomes much more lethal (a cleric or fighter can withstand even an empowered attack, and a wizard can have Shield up). Mechanically, many players and DMs (myself included) simply dislike spells where the subject has no chance at all to defend himself. No hit roll, no save. It's a poor mechanic, and they came close to fixing that on MM but then caved in to the sacred cow. There aren't many spells like that. And because rogues have poor HP but good touch ACs and good Reflex saves, I view spells that do HP damage and ignore touch AC and Reflex saves to be spells specifically designed to kill rogues. Area-of-effect spells that do d6/level should be Evocation. Opening that type of effect to other schools would make it a no-brainer to choose Evocation as a forbidden school for a specialist. Spell schools, illogical as it may sound, should not be assigned based on "what principles of the universe make this spell work" but "what role does this spell play." [/QUOTE]

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