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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 6856816" data-attributes="member: 12731">Yep. It sure is a spellcasting hero killing spell first and foremost. Few bags of less than a hundred hit points are more dangerous than spellcasting heroes, so it's an excellent target for the spell. Contrast how player characters have much less use out of the spell. Any foe worth spending a level nine slot (!) on WILL have more (so much more) hit points than a hundred, especially since Player Characters doesn't get it &quot;in the early teens&quot;, but typically at level 17.And at that level, when you do have brought the BBEG to under a hundred hit points, why waste a level nine slot just to kill him off, when the party can just deal a hundred points of damage. Just about the only foe in the entire MM worth casting Power Word Kill on, would be the glass cannon that is the Archmage. (Possibly a Lich you've caught unawares)That doesn't even discuss the tremendous opportunity cost, since each Power Word Kill is one less Meteor Storm (ouch) or Wish (double ouch).The truth is that for a hero, PWK is worth about a seventh level slot. About the only reason to keep it a level nine spell (except tradition) is to keep it out of the hands of 13th-level spellcaster monsters! There are more spells like PWK - spells that get low ratings in charop guides, but probably should keep their level anyway.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 6856816, member: 12731"] Yep. It sure is a spellcasting hero killing spell first and foremost. Few bags of less than a hundred hit points are more dangerous than spellcasting heroes, so it's an excellent target for the spell. Contrast how player characters have much less use out of the spell. Any foe worth spending a level nine slot (!) on WILL have more (so much more) hit points than a hundred, especially since Player Characters doesn't get it "in the early teens", but typically at level 17. And at that level, when you do have brought the BBEG to under a hundred hit points, why waste a level nine slot just to kill him off, when the party can just deal a hundred points of damage. Just about the only foe in the entire MM worth casting Power Word Kill on, would be the glass cannon that is the Archmage. (Possibly a Lich you've caught unawares) That doesn't even discuss the tremendous opportunity cost, since each Power Word Kill is one less Meteor Storm (ouch) or Wish (double ouch). The truth is that for a hero, PWK is worth about a seventh level slot. About the only reason to keep it a level nine spell (except tradition) is to keep it out of the hands of 13th-level spellcaster monsters! There are more spells like PWK - spells that get low ratings in charop guides, but probably should keep their level anyway. [/QUOTE]

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