Potion of Clarity changes

[ArcaneSpringboard]

I just noticed that the Potion of Clarity has been updated (yes I know it was February, but I didn't realize it until this week). If you didn't know...it no longer requires a Healing Surge, but instead requires a Daily Magic item power use when you drink the potion, and you can only re-roll an Encounter or Daily attack power of the level of the potion or lower.


Got into a discussion with my players, who claimed that it was 'useless' now, due to the fact that you have to expend a Daily Magic Item power use when you drink the potion.

I argued that it was completely in line with other magic item Daily Powers and it was way overused before (as in...constantly...just about every miss was "Potion of Clarity...reroll).

Now, I'm not DMing right now, and the current DM has ruled that he'll only require a Daily Power use if the re-roll was on a Daily Attack Power. I made the comment that there will be no disincentive to not spam Potions of Clarity for use with Encounter Powers.

Am I right here?

 

[mneme]

Hmm. The fact that it requires a minor action (and IMEX, minor actions are in short supply early in an encounter) does limit its use to some degree.

That said -- high level builds that tend to hold onto low level encounter/daily powers might very well drop 50gp in every fight every time they had a minor action to spare -- just to make sure those powers had an extra chance not to miss. (I could see doing this with an retribution avenger if it didn't cost a daily slot, actually -- as they tend to have minor actions to spare in some rounds, and be very bursty in others--and while they don't miss, when they do, rerolls are amazing)

 

[Shin Okada]

Shouldn't a PC need TWO minor actions? One to take a potion into one's hand from his backpack (or some other strage) and then another to drink a potion.

But potion does not occupy an item slot. So it can be an advantage.

Anyway, I too think one re-roll is about right as a magic item's daily power.

 

[Journeymanmage]

Shouldn't a PC need TWO minor actions? One to take a potion into one's hand from his backpack (or some other strage) and then another to drink a potion.

...

yes, 2 minor actions:
- retrieve / stow an item
- drink a potion

or take quick draw feat: retrieve + drink: 1 minor

 

[fba827]

(I would have prefered that they changed the name to Elixir of Clarity since all elixirs count as daily magic items, and potions use a surge... but i realize that would have caused other problems in 'tracking' the item updates, etc... anyway, that fact aside)...

the item isn't "useless" just not what they are used to. the same happens to all sorts of powers and feats.

it pretty much comes down to either a) change tactics or b) ask the DM not to use that particular errata for the duration of this particular campaign already in progress , or c) the DM can offer a one-time equal trade in value on any remaining potions of this type 'in stock' to allow an immediate wipe (or wait until the end of the current story arc if you want a more graceful time to make the change). But all in all, I think a one-time DM offer for equal trade in is a fair way... they don't lose the money / components they invested, and the DM gives them a chance to drop it if they don't think it is still valuable or keep it if they do.


If I (as a player) were ever so dependent on a particular magic item as the crux of my tactics, I'd -want- to change cause that would seem repetitive after a while. So my bias says "I don't really care if tactics change" But having said that, if it's causing strife and 'end of the world, these pcs don't work any more' type reactions then it may be a small matter to simply ignore that errata for the remaining duration on the life of those PCs.