Sick of Magic Missile

[Slobber Monster]

As a DM, this spell is really starting to bore the heck out of me. I don't think it's too good or anything, it's just the answer to way too many problems and not a very mechanically interesting one at that. Our group's Wizard and Sorcerer are 6th and 7th level, respectively, which is pretty much a sweet spot for the spell's effectiveness. The Sorcerer has it and both spent some money via the Wizard's Craft Wand feat to have CL 3 wands. So, as you can imagine, I've seen a seemingly unending torrent of magic missiles during combat lately.

I don't really have any problem with the spell's effectiveness, and I imagine the two could have allocated their resources towards something mechanically superior. What I do dislike is how very, very dull the spell is. I guess I find spells like "grease" to be more fun. It changes the tactical shape of the battlefield, requires application of the good save/bad save dynamic, and has some opportunities for creative application. Plus it tends to make people snicker, which is always good.

I'm aware of the counters for magic missile, but compared to other spell effects there just aren't that many - bascially just staying at long range, using a shield spell or brooch of shielding, spell resistance, and having a boat load of hp's. At least most other force effects require ranged touch attacks or saving throws - i.e. something which takes into account the skill of the caster and target. I use encounters which limit its effectiveness now and then, especially arcane casters who never leave home without a shield spell, but for plot and versimillitude reasons that's the exception. Otherwise it tends to just be move, choose target(s), roll damage, next player. Yawn.

Somewhere down the road if I ever start a new 3.5e campaign I think I'm either going to eliminate MM, or maybe rebalance it as a ranged touch attack spell.

 

[Crothian]

I think the problem is you have a wizard and a sorcerer in the group. So, you get tweo players doing it instead of one. I imagine a lot of tactics would get boring if mutiple characters kept doing the same thing over and over.

 

[shaylon]

I think it is a great spell! I prefer scorching ray when I can get it, because a ranged touch attack is usually pretty easy to get, even when you aren't rolling too hot.

I admit I use MM a lot, not too much, but a lot. I do make use of other spells. I once used Ghost Sound to make a noise to scare goblins towards our party. Some of the other players didn't look very happy but when the AoO's starting piling up for the fighters everyone was pretty happy.

I wouldn't change it but that's just me.

-Shay

 

[Slobber Monster]

True. I have a large group anyways, so there's bound to be some overlap somewhere. I still think I would be sick of it if it was just four players with the sorcerer. Eventually the damage output of MM dwindles enough relative to monster hp's that it won't be the favorite choice for them anymore, so I'm looking forward to that.

 

[DaveMage]

Otherwise it tends to just be move, choose target(s), roll damage, next player. Yawn.

Like a fighter with a sword?

I'm not seeing the problem. This is a bread & butter spell for a mage that averages a whopping 3.5 points of damage per hit. If it bores you that much as a DM, throw a golem at the party.

 

[Stormborn]

I understand your concern. I am always reluctant to have a PC get ahold of a wand of magic missile. You might want to consider replacing it with something like a 1d6/level max 5d6 ranged touch attack. The increased damage will offset the need for an attack. Still let it do force damage, but have players think of a "theme" - like tiny humming birds or glowing stones or something, that has no in game effect but increase the visual/roleplay impact. These themes, when used by NPC spellcasters, may betray connections to sorcerous bloodlines or magical cabals. In fact that alone could be added to your game now as a plot element. Just have a npc wizard start casting tiny glowing snakes that fly through the air and bite a PC and let the players ask about it, or make spellcraft checks as you see fit.

You might also consider feats that alter magic missle, changing the type of damage it does or adding other effects, like a Warlock's blast style. If they really insist on rellying heavilly on MM, suggest they play a Warlock instead.

 

[Henry]

...I don't think it's too good or anything, it's just the answer to way too many problems and not a very mechanically interesting one at that.

That's how you know it's too good. Haste was described as "the spell many players wrote on their sheets in ink," and that's pretty much magic missile's designation, too, after about 6th character level or so.

Monte Cook, in his Arcana Unearthed, even removed it (and some other spells) from the spell lists, replacing it with spells effective at first level, but decreasing in use further on.

As some suggestions:
--Make it a ranged touch attack
--make it fire damage instead of force damage
--replace it with the lesser acid ball, fire call, electricity ball, etc. spells from Complete Arcane / Tome and Blood.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

You could always change the description/flavour of the spell.

 

[Slobber Monster]

Like a fighter with a sword?

I'm not seeing the problem. This is a bread & butter spell for a mage that averages a whopping 3.5 points of damage per hit. If it bores you that much as a DM, throw a golem at the party.

This reply makes me feel like you didn't read any part of my post but the title.

I don't mind that it's effective, I care that it's dull. In my experience, from a mechanical standpoint at least, a fighter swinging has sword has a lot greater variety of options and considerations regarding the opponents capabilities and tactical position than does the magic missile slinger. At least the opponents qualities - armor, dex, class abilities, etc - figure into the AC, and the fighter is often maneuvering for cleaves, making charges, choosing power attack amounts, fighting defensively. There's just enough more variety there to keep it interesting for me when designing and running opponents.

A golem tends to trump all spells, so that's not really a magic missile specific solution, is it?


Edit - Just to be clear, while I do find Magic Missile to be lacking in flavor, my bigger beef is that it's mechanically dull.

 

[DaveMage]

That's how you know it's too good. Haste was described as "the spell many players wrote on their sheets in ink," and that's pretty much magic missile's designation, too, after about 6th character level or so.

I don't follow your logic here. Are you saying a 6th level mage would choose to cast 3 1d4+1 magic missiles over a 6d6 fireball? I think the utility of magic missile is there for a 6th level caster, but hardly something to be used as a primary spell.

Or are you saying that it's a great 1st-level spell for a 6th-level caster? In that case, I would argue that it's one of the few useful 1st-level spells for a 6th-level caster, but not too powerful.