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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mortaneus" data-source="post: 700685" data-attributes="member: 485">The difficulty with spell power is that you can get +6!!! from it.  It's not a matter of making up for it. With a +6, combined with spell focus (which they have 2 of), plus greater spell focus, and spell penetration/greater spell penetration, the archmage can be setting DCs that baddies of anywhere near their CR can not possibly make, and who can blow right past any SR with barely any effort.As for not taking all three levels of it, why wouldn't you?  Take a look at the powers the archmage can get.Arcane Reach- Pathetic.  Most of the best arcane spells are ranged anyway.  For a divine caster, it's a different story entirely.  For an arcane caster, though, it's not worth getting.Arcane Fire- Not worth a 9th level slot.   You can do up to 14d6 of damage max.  Sure, it's nice to be able to fling your 1st level spells as 6d6 ranged attacks, but at that point, the wizard is better off cutting loose with their high end spells.Mastery of Counterspelling- Not worth it.  You get to stand there and wait for your enemy to do something, when you could be actually contributing to the fight.Mastery of Elements- WORTH IT.  Run into something with energy resistance?  Just switch.Mastery of Shaping- By far their best ability.  Anyone who's ever played a boomer mage in a party with fighters that like to charge to melee round 1, can appreciate the value of this.  Combined with Mord's Disjunction and other such spells, it's just horrifying.  Leave a hole in the center of your antimagic shell to stand in?  Or for the party members too?Spell Power +1/+2/+3- Yuck.  Nothing more needs be said.Spell-Like Ability- For one slot, it would be worth it.  Not for two.  Get a pearl of power.</blockquote>

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