poor rational for "updating" Magic Missile?

[Klaus]

This is even more true than it was before, though. The new version is decent damage at heroic but pretty terrible at anything above (and of course doesn't have any controller effects).

Couple it with Master's Wand of Magic Missile (every target hit by your magic missile is pushed one square) and you have a very decent Controller ability.

 

[The Human Target]

The original 4E magic missile was well liked by me and my group. Great range and good damage. It is in my mind a main at-will for war wizards.

The new version I don't see being taken by anyone.

 

[jbear]

I'm not sure where I stand on the change.

If I was making a wizard, I wouldn't have chosen MM, not even if I was human and could choose three: Thunder Wave, Winged Horde take the first two without a doubt for me... and MM just doesn't cut it for the third.

As an automatic damage dealer, does it become interesting to me... as a third for my wizard... maybe. If I'm blinded or the target has superior cover etc etc an auto hit is handy.

Is it how I would have changed the power to make it more attractive and 'old school'... umm, I don't think so. What about just 3 attacks that do 1d4 damage. If all three hit add Int Dmg. If all three miss do INT damge. Feats could allow to choose seperate targets for the attack. I'm no expert. If that is overpowered then 2 attacks, a third at lvl 21?

 

[Camelot]

Mechanics aside, I do agree that the beach mages' reason for the change is not a good one. As one who has never played "classical" D&D, I don't mind either version. But if they want to give that classical element to those who've been playing longer, they should come out with a new power in a new book (like Essentials). Changing an old power that had no problems with it* is not cool, because the original 4e version had become a classic to 4e players like me.

*If Magic Missile had problems with it, then they should have told us that they changed it for mechanical purposes, with the classical element as a bonus. I'm not commenting on it's problems or lack thereof.

 

[bagger245]

So Grognards are going to start playing 4e now that MM is back to how it was?

 

[keterys]

Magic Missile is horribly unpopular as an at-will... the new version is probably as popular for people currently playing as people who liked the old version, even if they'll often be different people. So if it gains _any_ grognards it probably is a net positive.

 

[Runestar]

I dunno - the new magic missile seems designed to fill in a specific niche, if you are a player who doesn't mind trading damage for accuracy. I wonder if this may be a sign of things to come. Wotc contemplating auto-hit powers, and magic missile is simply them testing the waters?

 

[Oldtimer]

So Grognards are going to start playing 4e now that MM is back to how it was?

Real grognards liked it the way it was - which was similar to the MM in OD&D.

 

[Oldtimer]

Couple it with Master's Wand of Magic Missile (every target hit by your magic missile is pushed one square) and you have a very decent Controller ability.

Strictly speaking, the new MM doesn't "Hit" anything, it just damages it. So by RAW Master's Wand of Magic Missile doesn't work any more. Additional errata?

 

[Aulirophile]

The Wand was also errata'd in the same batch of errata. Still works. Staff of Missile Mastery still had extra damage on a Magic Missile crit, which doesn't work, and the errata team twittered that they failed to edit it properly. Somehow that doesn't reassure me.