Old revisions thread (ignore)

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Scry is officially confirmed dead, replaced by a (TBA) mechanic based on the level/difficulty of the target:

The idea of tying a spell to a skill was an intriguing one, but it just wasn't integrated well into the system.

Scrying will work much more like other spells now--the tougher the target, the harder the scrying.

Andy Collins
Senior Designer
Wizards of the Coast Roleplaying R&D

 

[Jhyrryl]

Spell Focus

Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus at +2 aren't really broke. What broke was when WotC removed the Spell Focus effect from Wizard school specialization to give spellcasters something useful to do with feat mechanics. What's broke is that people specialize in Divination and give up Necromancy (to get an extra spell slot at each spell level while giving up little in return) and then take Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus in Evocation. If Spell Focus had a prerequisite like "Specialization in the chosen school", this kind of change would be unneeded.

But then, of course, it wouldn't be useful to clerics, sorcs, et cetera. Admittedly though, the effect in earlier additions was only a +1 effect that could not generally be increased, so I'm not upset with the change. It simply looks like another case where WotC's design philophy for 3rd edition sometime fell into the "bigger is better" category, and now they are correcting that mistake.

 

[Al'Kelhar]

Re: Spell Focus

What's broke is that people specialize in Divination and give up Necromancy (to get an extra spell slot at each spell level while giving up little in return) and then take Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus in Evocation. If Spell Focus had a prerequisite like "Specialization in the chosen school", this kind of change would be unneeded.

Which is why I house-ruled that a specialist wizard could not take Spell Focus in a school other than their specialist school until they had taken it in their specialist school.

Giving up Illusion is a better choice for munchkins than giving up Necromancy (I just lurve the no-save enervation). You lose Invisibility and Improved Invisibility, but will generally have access to magic items which grant the power.

Cheers, Al'kelhar

 

[Dimwhit]

Which is why I house-ruled that a specialist wizard could not take Spell Focus in a school other than their specialist school until they had taken it in their specialist school.

I like that. My 5th level Wizard is an Evocation specialist with Abjuration and Enchantment his prohibitied school. He has spell focus and greater spell focus in evocation, and spell focus in Necromancy. Of course, if I have to move to the 3.5 rules, I want to take one or two of those back. I would never have taken all those focus feats if the benefit was only +1/+2. Just a waste. I could find better feats.

 

[youspoonybard]

No one has mentioned the Druid Changes:

Barkskin better, animal growth no longer doubling HD. Buff spells on list.

Animal companions gain some familiar characteristics, like Emphatic Link and Share Spell.

"The druid was a bit of a tweener class, not really able to replace either a cleric or a wizard in a traditional party. Rather than push it back into the cleric's niche, we strengthened the class's ability to deal out direct damage, while retaining its traditional support features.

I think the 3.5 druid could just about replace the sorcerer or wizard (if the cleric packed a few dispel magics or other spells that you typically rely on arcane casters for, and maybe if the rogue or bard had UMD and a couple wands), or could just about replace the cleric (if you had other characters, such as a paladin, ranger, or bard, with healing capabilities or some extra wands). In some situations, she might even be able to serve as a front-line fighter.

As for specific changes, I can't really go into too many details. I think players of druids will be pretty happy with the changes, though.
Andy Collins
Senior Designer
Wizards of the Coast Roleplaying R&D"

 

[AdvntrGuy]

Also add Devotion (+4 to Will saves against Enchantment effects) as a Animal Companion SQ, Dungeon 100 pg 28.

 

[Tarril Wolfeye]

Scry is officially confirmed dead, replaced by a (TBA) mechanic based on the level/difficulty of the target.

This will probably look like this (from Urban Arcana):

...
Saving Throw: Will Negates; Spell Resistance: Yes
...
Knowledge of Subject Will Save Modifier
None* +10
Secondhand.. +5
Firsthand.. +0
Familiar.. -5
...
Connection Will Save Modifier
Likeness or picture -2
Possession or garment -4
Body part,... -10
...

There's nothing about noticing the sensor in Urban Arcana though.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Instead of doubling movement, expeditious retreat, boots of striding and springing, and similar movement enhancing devices now provide:

Bonuses.

Andy Collins
Senior Designer
Wizards of the Coast Roleplaying R&D

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I really hope that the wizard is still better than the druid at dealing direct damage. Druids were already halfway to the sor/wiz slot in 3e. If they are even close to as effective at blasting, given their d8 HD, animal companions, better BAB, better saves, better weapons, wild shape, more skills, immunities, and the ability to cast spells in armor, there wouldn't be much reason to play a wizard at all.

No one has mentioned the Druid Changes:

Barkskin better, animal growth no longer doubling HD. Buff spells on list.

Animal companions gain some familiar characteristics, like Emphatic Link and Share Spell.

"The druid was a bit of a tweener class, not really able to replace either a cleric or a wizard in a traditional party. Rather than push it back into the cleric's niche, we strengthened the class's ability to deal out direct damage, while retaining its traditional support features.

I think the 3.5 druid could just about replace the sorcerer or wizard (if the cleric packed a few dispel magics or other spells that you typically rely on arcane casters for, and maybe if the rogue or bard had UMD and a couple wands), or could just about replace the cleric (if you had other characters, such as a paladin, ranger, or bard, with healing capabilities or some extra wands). In some situations, she might even be able to serve as a front-line fighter.

As for specific changes, I can't really go into too many details. I think players of druids will be pretty happy with the changes, though.
Andy Collins
Senior Designer
Wizards of the Coast Roleplaying R&D"

 

[Fenes 2]

If they "fix" the druid the same way the "fixed" the ranger I got another banned class IMC. No big loss though - PCs that prefer to hang out in the wilderness are not really suited for my campaigns anyway.