Ray of Enfeeblement any good?

[wolfen]

It actually uses ray of enfeeblement as an example of a spell that does not stack in the PHB 3.5. Is in the section before the actual spell listing. Forgot the page, but it sure would have been nice of WoTC to put in the spell description that it does not stack.

They don't make the books friendly for people trying to learn 3+e. I don't have the 3.5 books.

They should raise the spell levels and allow stacking for ability-mod spells. You still gotta (a) get close (b) succeed at a ranged touch attack and (c) get a decent roll on the d6. Either that or have a stackable 3rd lvl Greater Ray of Enfeeblement.

Not that my opinion is bound to be terribly influential on 4e.



wolfen

 

[Pbartender]

Is that a pesky Paladin in full plate and a greatsword flying around on his special Griffon mount wearing plate barding?

Not for long... One good Ray of Enfeeblement, and suddenly the Griffon is exceeding his max carry load. Here's hoping the Paladin has a Ring of Feather Fall.

If you like Ray of Enfeeblement, check out the new Shocking Grasp... 1d6 electricity per level (max 5d6), and you still get a +3 to hit metal targets.

 

[Darkness]

They should raise the spell levels and allow stacking for ability-mod spells. You still gotta (a) get close (b) succeed at a ranged touch attack and (c) get a decent roll on the d6. Either that or have a stackable 3rd lvl Greater Ray of Enfeeblement.

Higher-level stuff? Let's see:

An Empowered ray of enfeeblement counts as a 3rd-level spell and does 1.5x(1d6+5), or 9-16 points, of Str penalty.

A 3rd-level spell new to 3.5, ray of exhaustion, exhausts the target. Being exhausted means -6 Str, -6 Dex and moving at 1/2 speed. 'course, it allows a Fortitude save - but a successful save means only that you're just fatigued (-2 Str, -2 Dex, can't charge or run) rather than exhausted.

And then there's enervation at 4th level. 1d4 negative levels (even though they are never permanent), no save, is quite nasty IMO. Plus, the negative levels from multiple enervations stack, of course.

 

[Sanackranib]

I was always partial to the level 3 shadow touch spell 1d6 +1 per 2 mage levels max 1d6+6 and creatures killed by the STR loss rise as shadows 1d4+1 rounds later under the casters control.
my next necromancer will use that as his primary attack/animate
spell!! thwe last one was just starting to when he was Godsmacked by the DM

 

[Darkness]

Shadow touch? In which book is that one again...?

 

[Sejs]

Step One: Ray of Enfeeblement target into low-numbers strength score.

Step Two: Summon Undead to get a Shadow and have 'em tickle the target into an early grave.

 

[Darkness]

Step One: Ray of Enfeeblement target into low-numbers strength score.

Step Two: Summon Undead to get a Shadow and have 'em tickle the target into an early grave.

Ah, but is a penalty to Str the same as having a low Strength score?

That is, if you have Str 7 and -7 to Str, does that count as 0 Str for the purposes of being slain by a shadow?

Somehow, I don't imagine it does.

 

[Bauglir]

Besides, in a (fairly old now, and I don't have search functionality) thread we established that someone who has is under the influence of a 'ray of enfeeblement' is immune to any attack which would drain their strength lower than 1.

The subject’s Strength score cannot drop below 1.

It seems this hasn't been changed in 3.5 either.

 

[reapersaurus]

Compare Ray of Enfeeblement to Bestow Curse.

The Ray seems quite overpowered. No save 1st level spell that drops 8 STR (-4 to hit AND damage) vs a WILL save (permanent till dispelled) 4th level spell that has to choose between -6 to a stat OR -4 to attacks only (and other stuff)....

 

[Darklone]

The 50% chance to lose your action is much nastier IMHO if you use Bestow Curse.