Overpowered/Underpowered Spells?
- Thread starter Dark Dragon
- Start date
Otterscrubber
First Post
Pretty much every splatbook for 3.0 has broken spells. So many are broken or unbalanced that IMC we don't even allow non core books. One that stands out for me though was Ghostform from Tome & Blood. I don't have the book in front of me but it basically made the caster incorporeal, with all the benefits and none of the drawbacks. 50% chance to be immune to even magical effects, totally immune to non-magical attacks/effects but still able to 100% affect the material world with your spells. Also allows you to fly and go through walls as well. Nice utility spell by way broken if you ask me.
Gate is very broken if you allow the caster to summon things up to twice their HD, what was the logic behind that? Minimum caster level is 17 for this spell so that's 34HD. That's a bit over the top. Yet if you are summoning multiple weaker things the total can only be equal to your HD. 3 wimpy things does not equal one super uber thing by a long shot. I can't beleive it was never erratted like Shapechange to only be equal to your HD.
Cone of Cold does kinda stink. Cones in general kinda stink as the caster needs to be at the front of the fight to use it without affecting teammates. How often does that happen? My sorcerer does not like the front lines, does yours?
Mind Blank does seem broken. Lasts all day and gives total immunity to an entire school of magic, to 2 schools of magic depending on how you interpret it. Definitely at least to 1 and 1/2 schools of magic though
I hate to say that though as my sorcerer uses it a lot. Hope my DM isn't reading this....
Geas? No Save, 6th level spell you are now my monkey boy. Give an order like travel around the world and off they go. Done deal. You can defeat any monster if you can get past their SR. At 11th level. Wow.
Miracle. Where do I start. It's like wish, but you don't have to pay 5K xp unless you REALLY go overboard with what you want. Why do arcane casters have to pay 5k xp for any use of it, while clerics get it for free basically?
Gate is very broken if you allow the caster to summon things up to twice their HD, what was the logic behind that? Minimum caster level is 17 for this spell so that's 34HD. That's a bit over the top. Yet if you are summoning multiple weaker things the total can only be equal to your HD. 3 wimpy things does not equal one super uber thing by a long shot. I can't beleive it was never erratted like Shapechange to only be equal to your HD.
Cone of Cold does kinda stink. Cones in general kinda stink as the caster needs to be at the front of the fight to use it without affecting teammates. How often does that happen? My sorcerer does not like the front lines, does yours?
Mind Blank does seem broken. Lasts all day and gives total immunity to an entire school of magic, to 2 schools of magic depending on how you interpret it. Definitely at least to 1 and 1/2 schools of magic though
I hate to say that though as my sorcerer uses it a lot. Hope my DM isn't reading this....Geas? No Save, 6th level spell you are now my monkey boy. Give an order like travel around the world and off they go. Done deal. You can defeat any monster if you can get past their SR. At 11th level. Wow.
Miracle. Where do I start. It's like wish, but you don't have to pay 5K xp unless you REALLY go overboard with what you want. Why do arcane casters have to pay 5k xp for any use of it, while clerics get it for free basically?
ForceUser
Explorer
Entangle is on my list. It's too powerful for a 1st-level spell. When you're using it to great effect verses a band of hill giants, harassing and delaying them in such a way that your group can deal with the giants one or two at a time, that's a problem. A CR 7 monster shouldn't have much difficulty dealing with a 1st-level spell.
If I were to redesign entangle, I'd make it a DC 15 Str check to escape, and I'd make it a 20-ft. radius instead of a 40-ft one. DC 20 is too high. Alternately, I'd leave the spell as-is but make it 2nd level.
If I were to redesign entangle, I'd make it a DC 15 Str check to escape, and I'd make it a 20-ft. radius instead of a 40-ft one. DC 20 is too high. Alternately, I'd leave the spell as-is but make it 2nd level.
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italianranma
First Post
I can't believe that Tasha's Hidious Laughter isn't on this list: It either needs a 1d4 round duration like it did in 3.0, or the target needs a will save every round, just like hold person. My PCs have been using this on everything they come across, and much prefer it to Hold Person. With Hold person, my villian can escape the next round if he's lucky, with THL he laughs his ass off for 7 rounds while the fighters power attack him to death.
iwatt
First Post
Overpowered:
- Hunter's Mercy , specially when coupled to a Deepwood Sniper
- Ray of Enfeeblement. even with the cap, it just demolishes large creatures.
Underpowered:
Cat's Grace, BS, .... (too short, change to 10/Lev at least)
On the overpowered front I was going to add Eneravtion, but then I noticed someone who said...using negative energy is evil. Your DM must enforce this.
- Hunter's Mercy , specially when coupled to a Deepwood Sniper
- Ray of Enfeeblement. even with the cap, it just demolishes large creatures.
Underpowered:
Cat's Grace, BS, .... (too short, change to 10/Lev at least)
On the overpowered front I was going to add Eneravtion, but then I noticed someone who said...using negative energy is evil. Your DM must enforce this.
iwatt said:
You sure about that? Does it say that somewhere? Evil is not in the spell descriptor.
I can easily imagine chaotic good characters using enervation to achieve good purposes and goals. However, if it specifically says somewhere in a core book that negative energy is inherently evil, I will defer.
Brown Jenkin
First Post
Underpowered:
Repel wood: A 6th Level spell that went from a useful area effect spell to a line spell that only works in the most limited of places. I have yet to see any reason to take it instead of any other 6th level spell.
Repel wood: A 6th Level spell that went from a useful area effect spell to a line spell that only works in the most limited of places. I have yet to see any reason to take it instead of any other 6th level spell.
Herpes Cineplex
First Post
I still think Feeblemind is overpowered and scary for a 5th level spell; if it could be dispelled or removed by anything short of a Heal or Limited Wish, or if it had a finite duration, it wouldn't be so bad.
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but it doesn't, so it is
ryan
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but it doesn't, so it is
ryan
