Should I allow the Spell Compendium in my campaign?

[wolfpunk]

We use the Spell Compendium in our games and we haven't come across a single spell that has caused a problem. Our group tends to have maximized characters and we face optimized opponents so it is always fun to have something work like it is supposed to because that so rarely happens.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Our game has largely allowed whatever spells we wanted to bring in. We're an oddly-balanced party, however, with mostly clerics, and some non-optimal choices ... most of the blasting from levels 3-14 was done by a full-class Cleric ... so having additional cleric spells with some bang kept us moving.

Even with a wide open boat, I would say about 2/3 of the spells my cleric casts are Core spells (Enlarge Person, Righteous Might, Divine Power, Stoneskin, Divine Favor, etc).

And we get challenged. We use two spells, Close Wounds and Delay Death, quite often. Both are Immediate action spells, one does a small amount of healing and the other keeps characters from dying from HP loss for a short period of time. Without those spells our 3 character deaths in Age of Worms would be more like 7 deaths. And we're okay with that ... we like the story, and it's more disruptive to the story to have to write in a new PC. Somebody out-but-not-dead for the cost of a 4th level slot is perfectly fine with all of us (seems like we have to use that one every combat anymore).

Spell Compendium also solved a D&D problem ... the Buff'n'Port, with the Anticipate Teleportation spells. We take that one daily and, after attempting to buff and port, found that the enemy also was using it (almost got killed for that hubris) ... leading to a nice little cold war.

Our Force-specialized cohort utilizes a lot of non-core spells, to maximize his Forceiness. (We didn't have a wizard at all, so I broke him as much as possible, really, to off-set the two-level drop). Many of those are from Races of the Dragon, though (he's a kobold).

In my own games in the future I would probably allow Spell Compendium in, with the option to take out anything I didn't like in play.

--fje

 

[pogre]

I'm on the very conservative end of the spectrum and have PCs research any spell from the compendium to bring it into the game. I stay mostly core, so my approach might be far too limiting for your players.

 

[Winterthorn]

The Spell Compendium, along with the Magic Item Compendium, are favourite books of mine as a DM. The SC offers loads of great spells and you shouldn't be too worried - but a word to the wise: it is easier to give than to take away. Better to be a bit cautious and stingy, than to say "sure, help yourselves" and face rules chaos and weird game effects thrust upon you. I recommend reviewing the Spell Compendium and consider clearly how you want to implement access to the new material while guarding the integrity of your campaign - only you know your group and your game well enough to make a reasonable assessment as to the degree of new material, i.e. spells in this case, and the manner it is awarded to your players. Good luck!

 

[Nepenthe]

One house rule I've heard of that seems quite fair is to allow a player to swap out an existing PHB spell for a SC spell. For instance, a Cleric might chose to drop Deathwatch off his spell list and take Healthful Rest instead.

That sounds like a good one to me, as well.

 

[Greylock]

The Spell Compendium, in my opinion as a player and not a DM, is best used as a way to add flavor or themed spells for a particular character. No player should ever be allowed to pick and choose from it without input from the DM, or use it entirely as desired. But it is an awesome book for rounding out a themed character, or one a little out of the ordinary.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

I'm on the very conservative end of the spectrum and have PCs research any spell from the compendium to bring it into the game. I stay mostly core, so my approach might be far too limiting for your players.

This is a fine idea! Yoinked for my next campaign!

 

[Harmon]

Say no until you have a chance to look it over.

Allowing a few of the spells in might be okay, but read them first.

Our GM allows Core spells, and spells that fit the character (clerics and druids and such) while Wizards can pick spells, but only with GM okay.

I suggest a spell by spell, read them carefully and then when you get the book you can decide how much more gets in.

Good luck.

 

[Arkhandus]

Well heck, if you're allowing Forgotten Realms books in the game and it's an FR campaign, then it's already broken, so the Spell Compendium's not going to make it any more broken. Just add some different flavors of broken. I'm pretty sure there's little or nothing in the Spell Compendium that could possibly be any more powerful or abusive than what's already in the FRCS, Magic of Faerun, and all that other FR stuff. So go ahead and allow it. As long as you're not including some classes like Frenzied Berserkers or Ur-Priests you probably can't break the Realms any more than they already break themselves.

Seriously, I'm not meaning any disrespect to FR-lovers (I don't mind playing FR either once in a while), but the power level of the Forgotten Realms is already kicked up several notches from the Core Rules/Greyhawk. Can't be anything more potentially-problematic in the Spell Compendium than what's already available in the FRCS and its supplements, so if you're handling that stuff fine, the SC can't hurt. It'll just add some new tactics to spellcasters' arsenals.

 

[rowport]

I'm running my group of 8 6th level characters through the Cormyr adventure in FR. The campaign is Core Only with the exception of the FR books, PH2, DM2, and the Warlock class. We are having a blast!

Recently, my players asked if I would allow the Spell Compendium in the rules set. I have not had a chance to look through the book, so I wanted to get the community's take on it. Are the spells on par with the my above "Core" or are they too powerful?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions,
Thyrkill

I am going to swim against the thread stream here, and say let SC in, and do not worry about the power level. If you were playing true Core only, that might be a problem, but given the power level already found in Forgotten Realms material, it will just not matter.

That said, I agree with Steel Wind that you should consider using some SC spells for your NPCs as well. That way, if a particular spell is more powerful than the norm, it will be self-balancing as the players have to deal with it just as the GM does. (Sound Lance, I am looking at you, you lovely overpowered thing.)