Official responses to 1 min/level Buff spells

[Hikaru]

Re: Re: Official responses to 1 min/level Buff spells

My current theory: 3.5 Edition is basically all of Andy Collins' personal house rules.

Alas, no. Or UMD would be on the Sorcerer's skills list.

 

[Vurt]

Re: Re: Re: Official responses to 1 min/level Buff spells

Alas, no. Or UMD would be on the Sorcerer's skills list.

OK, I've seen this written several times now, and either I'm extremely dense, or I'm just missing something; likely both. But why, exactly, do sorcerer's need, or should they have, Use Magic Device?

Vurt

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I think Andy's reasoning regarding 1 hr/lvl buffing spells is very solid. Any spell that the PCs are using "all the time" is crowding out class abilities.

I do think that 1 min/lvl is too short. They become very weak spells relative to other short duration spells. If the PCs don't have very obvious clues that a big fight is coming, spellcasters are almost never going to get more than one buff spell off before they are in the middle of it.

I think the buff spells should be 10 min/lvl.

I can agree with this. While I never had problems with overbufed groups, if it was a fairly wide spread problem fine kick down the duration. Dispels may be more common in my games or whatever than the norm. But down to 1 min/level is just too short, on a number crunching side they just make really weak 2nd level spells.

10/minutes a level I would of been fine with. You get rid of the all day problem that some had, but don't weaken to a 1st levels spells power.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Official responses to 1 min/level Buff spells

OK, I've seen this written several times now, and either I'm extremely dense, or I'm just missing something; likely both. But why, exactly, do sorcerer's need, or should they have, Use Magic Device?

Vurt

should on a balance level I'm not going to go into, should thematically I will. UMD isn't about being a master of arcane or divine knowledge, its about gimicking things too work. The sorcerer class is basically based upon a person who has the natural ability to gimick things to work. Thematically UMD fits the sorceror better than it fits any class in the game including the ones who actually have the skill.

 

[Darklone]

Don't agree. The bard as magic trickster is THE class for UMD. The rogue... well, they had to give them something.

 

[Destil]

The ultra short duration makes them a bit weak vs. smoe of the more interesting buffs and effects. At 1 min/level I'd expect a +6 to my stats, not +4. Then I'd be happy with it. As is I think 10/level at +4 is worthwhile.

 

[Soldarin]

Any word on Greater Magic Weapon and Magic Vestment (much worse must-have boost spells if you ask me, especially when combined with Prayer Bead of Kharma)?

 

[Bauglir]

GMW:

Known: 1hr/level duration

Rumoured: +1/4 levels instead of +1/3 levels


Dunno about MV

 

[sithramir]

hmm

Tell me if i'm wrong in this but doesn't a targetted dispel hit all magic items also suppressing them (if they fail save)? So in essence your items can still be suppresed whether its an item or not. I guess it would keep you protected from an area dispel but a lot of times an area dispel isn't that great anyways. I just dont' see how giving more options by limiting spells works. I agree that now your hurt UNLESS you buy those stat boosters.

what about worlds where magic isn't high or perhaps just isn't typically "i buy this item in the store" and you have to find it? Then you most likely aren't going to find the right stat booster you need from a monster/villain and unless you make it you are forced to use those spells still. Now you have to memorize those spells and use them only for combat.

I thought since you still had to sacrifice a lot of other spells being used to have those going all day from casting them all from your slots that it was balanced.

 

[SimonMoon5]

Any spell that the PCs are using "all the time" is crowding out class abilities.

Heh.

Spells *are* class abilities.