Please rate Spell Specialization

[smetzger]

Spell Specialization [General]
REQ: Weapon Focus (ray or energy missle spells), spell caster lever 4th+

Your damage-dealing spells that make a ranged touch attack gain a +2 damage modifier. The damage bonus only applies if the target is within 30 feet, because only at that range can you strike precisely enough to hit more effectively. You can gain this feat twice: once for ray spells and once for energy missile spells. Its effects do not stack. Tome and Blood, pg 42.

 

[gfunk]

I gave it a 2.

Like shurikens, I would guess that you can't add this +2 on every single missile if you split them up (a la energy orb or flame arrow spells).

But even if you could, there are far more efficient ways to damage individual targets.

Also, a lot of ranged touch spells don't really deal damage (e.g. Enervation, Energy Drain).

 

[Ravellion]

It is nice for multiclass Wizard Rogues who constantly use the same spell to damage their opponents anyway. Still, of "limited use" even for them.

 

[Celebrim]

I gave it a '2' because I'm not sure how it works.

Anything that is going to improve the DC of saves versus your spell is going to be far more useful than a minor bump in damage.

About the only use for it I can imagine is a Sorcerer that relied heavily on Magic Missile. If the feat gives a +2 bonus to damage to each missile (5d4+15), the spell is a '2', just because someone can get a fairly good use out of it. If the feat just gives you +2 damage on the whole spell (5d4+7), the feat rates a '1' because anyone can do better than that.

 

[Storm Raven]

About the only use for it I can imagine is a Sorcerer that relied heavily on Magic Missile.

For a socerer using Magic Missile, the feat has no effect. The feat only applies to spells that require a ranged touch attack, and Magic Missile does not.

Ray spells, on the other hand, would work with this feat.

 

[Gaiden]

This feat is for the select few who choose to use ray spells - a.k.a - arcane tricksters and the like. For them, it is a good feat to take. For all others it is going to be suboptimal. Perhaps a sorcerer type character could be made that might make use of this feat.

I gave it a 3

 

[Shard O'Glase]

even for people who focus on ray spells it is a suboptimol choice. +2 to damage for spells just sucsk. Weapon spec gets the bang out of +2 because your swinging the sword/shooting the bow multiple times every round of every fight. This feat just blows I gave it a 1.

 

[Gaiden]

Actually, I am inclined to agree with you, Shard, now that haste has been nerfed.

However, with multiple low level spells (using twin spell, repeat spell, quicken spell, haste, all on ray of frost for example), the benefit stacks nicely almost as well as does specialization for a fighter.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

As Shard said, this feat is pretty much worthless.

1. It functions only for a very limited and suboptimal range of spells: rays and ranged touch attacks that deal damage. The good ranged touch attack spells (disintegrate, enervation, etc. either don't deal damage or deal so much damage that +2 is irrelevant (Otiluke's Freezing Sphere)). This feat does make certain low level spells (lesser orbs, orbs, acid arrow) more competitive with magic missile but point blank shot does a better job of it. About the only real use I can see for it is a druid using Produce Flame with rapid shot, etc.

2. Unlike fighters who get multiple attacks turning weapon specialization into +4 (cleave) to +16 (supreme TWF) to +XXX (Supreme Cleave and Whirlwind Attack) damage, wizards are only likely to get this damage once per round.

3. For rogue/wizards who use such spells to deal sneak attack damage, the sneak attack damage is what is significant not the spell's damage; +2 is not a really significant contribution when you're dealing +4d6 sneak attack.

 

[Ravellion]

I just want to know who gave it the 8...