Power Word: Blind/Kill/Stun as a Swift action

[tmaaas]

First, definitions from the EPH:

[Page 59]

They have added new action types:

Swift - Basically a free action but you only get one per round. Quickened powers are Swift Actions, as are some normal powers (Burst is the example). Powers that are manifest as Swift Actions are not subject to attacks of oppurtunity.

Immediate - Free action that you can use even when it's not your turn! Using an immediate action counts as your swift action for the turn. The Prowess power has a manifest time of 1 immediate action (the power lets you take an AoO on someone even if you have already taken you alloted number of AoO's for the round).

I think the Swift action would work great with the Power Word spells. Hence, instead of taking 1 Standard action to cast, they'd take 1 Swift action.

And now for an open question to all: what modifications do you think the spells would need to keep them balanced?

 

[UltimaGabe]

In other words, you want to make it possible for 17th-level Wizards to kill everyone around them when it isn't even their turn?

First off, why? Are they not powerful enough as it is?

Second, Power Word: Kill is a 9th level spell already, and well worth it in power. Going back to the last question, why do you want to make a 9th-level spell more powerful?

Basically, there's no way to make them Swift Actions and keep them balanced. They're just too powerful for it. Even quicken spell doesn't turn things into Swift Actions- you can't use Quickened Spells when it isn't your turn- so making anything of 6th level or higher into a Swift Action is out of the question.

Once again, WHY?!

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, Gabe, I also think it's a bad idea to keep the power words as is and make them swift, but you did get the terminology a bit confused. A swift action is the same thing as a quickened spell's free action. He doesn't want them to be 'immediate' actions, just 'swift.'

Now, as to balancing them, Quicken spell adds +4 levels to a spell, so to make Power Words 'swift,' you'd want to find something 4 levels lower, and make the spell like that.

Note: These are not balanced for epic play. At epic levels, a PC shouldn't be vulnerable to 8th level spells.

Power Word Blind is a little weak for its level, I think. Blindness with a save is just a 2nd level spell, but it has longer range. I'd let a swift Power Word Blind spell blind a creature with no save for 1d4+1 rounds, close range. Only creatures with 200 hp or more get a save to resist.

Power Word Stun is nastier, but compare it to hold monster. I'd say a swift Power Word Stun would stun a creature with no save for 1 round, close range. Creatures with 150 or more hp get a save.

Power Word Kill is one of the types of spells I hate. I loath instant kill effects. I'd rather it just deal damage, since that cuts down on the everything-or-nothing factor. A swift Power Word Kill would deal 10d6 points of nonlethal damage, with no save, close range. If a creature is knocked unconscious by this damage, the damage instead becomes real. Creatures with 100 or more hit points receive a save for half damage.

 

[Kalanyr]

All Swift actions aren't immediate. All immediate actions ARE swift.

He's proposing that they become automatically quickened (effectively) rather than reactive.

With one exception I'm realy not sure if it makes a lot of difference, the nature of the power word spells probably mean if it works a follow up isn't needed (since the target is now in the land of the almost combat incapable) and if it does work another use of the Power Word won't do anything more (since HP are unlikely to decrease while no one else can take any actions).

The potential for imbalance I can see comes being able to lett of a disintegrate and then finishing up with a Power Word: Kill, on the other hand , if a creature will fail its save against disintegrate, (in order to take more than 17.5 damage on average), you are probably better of nailing it for the 34d6+ (119 avg damage) (since by the time thats an option you have to be 17th+ level) than you are with nailing it with PW:K, which with its HP limit and the fact it does no damage if it fails kind of pales in comparison.

(Well thats the rambling of Kal the Eternally Sleep Deprived.)

 

[Kalanyr]

To reply to Wickett, with that kind of swift PW:K, I'm better off with a Silent, Stilled, Quickened Scorching Ray, which is pretty much always superior barring energy resistance or immunity to fire, and it does REAL damage. (Remember that even if you fail a save, for half damage anything capable of doing 20d6 is still always at least 10d6 barring special goodies.)

 

[Kalanyr]

This is in a seperate message because its a different topic, the idea that epic PCs shouldn't be vulnerable to 8th level spells is not a good one IMO. Because that means the only spells a PC magic user can use then is 9th level spells (which are liable to fall under the same belief) or epic spells which to be effective as anything except buffs need to be minmaxed to the heights of insanity and beyond and doing this neary always costs a caster Gold and Experience, you shouldn't hav to drop levels everytime you use the only thing your class can do.