Proposed Solutions to "problem" Spells

[Cloudgatherer]

What about Mordenkainen's Disjunction?

Yeah, I've been working around that one for a bit. The longer I think about a problem, the better my solutions. I'll also need to find your thread about it, there were some good suggestions in there, IIRC.

I'll trade you. Review my write up on Creeping Doom and I'll write up Disjunction.

Originally posted by Thanee P.S. Once you add Magic of Faerûn to the list, the size of your document will increase exponentially!

There was a *really* good reason I say only PHB/SRD spells. Can you guess what it is? heh.

 

[Saeviomagy]

My vote is for:
Shrink item : vague, house rule
During size changes, what happens when the spell is obstructed in some way (ie - if someone shrink-item's my armour, what happens? Do I get crushed to death, or does the armour break, or does nothing happen? The same goes for when a shrunk item expands in a space too small for it).
What are the properties of a shrunken item? Does a shrunken item in non-felt form still get frozen in time? Can a shrunken item be damaged in it's shrunken form?
What happens when an item regains it's form while in mid-flight? Can I shrink a huge slab of iron and then fling it at someone, calling the command word mid-flight?
What constitutes an item? The example is a campfire - surely that's a group of loose logs? If I shrink a treasure chest, can I later open it up and take out each shrunk item from within it?

House rules: Shrinking items which are prevented from shrinking, or growing items which are prevented from expanding will cease expanding or shrinking.
A shrunken item is in stasis. Any attempt to destroy, dismantle or otherwise alter the shrunken item (ripping a felt representation, opening a treasure chest, animating a shrunken skeleton, enchanting a shrunken sword) restores it to normal size without any other immediate effect (so throwing a shrunken glass item at the floor simply restores it to normal, it doesn't smash it).
Shrunken items can only be restored to normal size while resting on a surface capable of supporting their full-size weight.
The spell will shrink an item, or a group of items up to the limits set out in the spell. Thus an entire campfire, or a pile of gold may be shrunk.
These changes to the spell allow the spell to be used for it's originally intended purpose (that of easily transporting non-magical goods) while disallowing many abusive tactics (specifically that of using an extremely large weapon shrunken to normal size, then expanding it to cause massive damage).

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Although it is not a summoned creature it is subject to abjurations as if it were a summoned creature.

I don't agree with this part. Animated Objects are weak, and this is a deliberate advantage (just like Astral Constructs are not subject to Magic Circle against Evil spells).

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I can see how shrink item might be abused. Throw a small rock at your enemy, say a command word, and now its a boulder....

After reading animate objects, at least in the SRD, it appears there are not any guidelines about how the "objects" attack, their AC, hit points, attack bonus, damage, and so on.

 

[Orco42]

After reading animate objects, at least in the SRD, it appears there are not any guidelines about how the "objects" attack, their AC, hit points, attack bonus, damage, and so on.

I think the stats are listed in the MM.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Ah, there it is. That's much clearer then, eh? I was going to look it up in the PHB, but hadn't gotten around to it.

 

[Elric]

I think there are a couple spells which also might deserve to be added to this list. Also, one possible solution to haste is to remove the AC bonus (I think I saw Piratecat mention that he was considering this).

Divine Power- the enhancement bonus to 18 Str seems to be a relic from 2e. It should probably be +4 enhancement bonus to Str. Also, this spell increases BaB without any drawbacks. As a result of this, it should be level 5.

Divine Favor- a little too effective. Should be +1 per 4 levels, round down, minimum +1 (max +4).

Greater Magic Weapon- the duration is too long. This spell can easily last all day. The duration should probably be halved.

Tenser's Transformation- should only give +1 base attack bonus per 4 caster levels. Also, BaB increases from this and divine power shouldn't stack. The HP bonus stacks with everything- a +2d4 enhancement to Con might be better (and decrease the Fort save bonus to +3 or so).

Forcecage and Wall of Force seem to make it too easy to trap people. I would probably allow (maybe hard) Reflex saves, and limit the shape that a Wall of Force can take to avoid some of the "bubble" problems. Otto's Irresistible Dance should probably get a very hard will save (maybe as if it was a 13th level spell or something). Enervation should also probably get a very hard Fort save (as an 8th or 9th level spell). This gives characters some chance to avoid these spells. The Power Word spells could probably be modified to provide varying degrees of saves based on your HP.

This looks like a great resource! My compliments, Cloudgatherer!

 

[hong]

Is it too late to add freedom of movement? The question of whether it helps you escape grapples and handcuffs comes up now and then.

My preferred fix is that it gives +20 to your Escape Artist checks, as well as negating any magic that hinders movement.

 

[hong]

6) Knock - a) trumps the rogue skill pick locks b) Able to pass unlimited Pick DCs

Fix: this spell will only open Arcane Locks, or mechanical locks with an Open Locks DC of 27 or less. (In general I'm going to say magic is incapable of the precision necessary for crafting or skills with a DC higher than 25 plus the spell level. A Knock spell Heightened to 9th level could open locks with a DC of 34 or less.)

Hey, we have a skill system in 3E now, let's use it. Instead of auto-success, I would let Knock let the spellcaster open locks with a successful Spellcraft check, at the regular Open Lock/Disable Device DC.

 

[Thanee]

Hey, we have a skill system in 3E now, let's use it. Instead of auto-success, I would let Knock let the spellcaster open locks with a successful Spellcraft check, at the regular Open Lock/Disable Device DC.

Nice idea. Could also work for Find Traps.

No, wait, it would not work for Find Traps... Clerics have no points for Spellcraft... *LOL*

BTW, Find Traps... Underpowered!

Solution: Grant a bonus equal to the caster level to Search checks to find traps for the duration.

Bye
Thane