Sick of Magic Missile

[StupidSmurf]

But...but.... if we somehow did away with the Magic Missile spell, how would we then be able to attack the darkness?????

 

[ForceUser]

I only have one problem with magic missile--it makes other, more interesting 1st-level attack spells undesirable by comparison. Personally, I think burning hands and shocking grasp are both neater spells than magic missile, if only because I've seen magic missile 5,937,891 times in play, while I've seen burning hands and shocking grasp in play a grand total of, like, twice each.

It's time to sacrifice the sacred cow.

My next game, magic missile is a 2nd-level spell. I think unerring accuracy and long range balances nicely against the greater damage of scorching ray.

 

[Quasqueton]

There is a wizard 6 and a sorcerer 7 in my current group. In recent battles, the sorcerer has been just hitting everything with magic missile every round. The wizard uses a variety of spells.

The irony of the situation, though, is that because the group never discusses tactics, never compares spells prepared, and never really communicates in battle, the wizard's special-strategy spells end up "wasted". So the sorcerer's direct damage ends up being the only spells with tangible effects on the battle.

For instance, in the last battle, against a big respawning undead creature, the wizard kept hitting it with chill touch through a spectral hand. This would send the monster running away on its next action, but either it was chopped/blasted down before its turn came around, or its movement would draw AoOs that dropped it. It then respawned to start the fight all over again. So the magic missile blasting was just keeping the fight going longer (by helping kill it just to have it respawn). The chill touch was a better spell in this situation, because it would keep the monster away for several rounds, so the party could just move past it.

A few game sessions back, the party encountered a mirror room where "mirror constructs" stepped out to attack. One of the "tricks" of the constructs were that they reflected ray spells (and magic missile) back on the caster. The sorcerer zapped one with a magic missile once, and realized the problem. As a blaster mage, she was basically stymied from adding anything to the fight.

There was another fight even further back where the wizard and sorcerer both had shield spells up, and the enemy mage also had a shield up. There was a flurry of magic missiles thrown about in the first few rounds of battle, all to no effect. It was kind of funny.

Quasqueton

 

[Slobber Monster]

I think you nailed it there ForceUser, though I do see Shocking Grasp from time to time delivered via a familiar.

Next time I'll probably go with the Arcane Bolt spell someone posted above as a replacement for MM.

 

[Shadowslayer]

Ok how's this? You take your Arcane Bolt, and you allow the Mage to take Cleave with that spell. If he hits, the spell ricochets and hits someone else and so on. Do it so it can perform a Bull Rush..give a minus to hit but if it does then it blows the victim back a spot or 2. Maybe rule that you can use it to disarm.

I dunno. Just spitballing here.

 

[Numion]

The irony of the situation, though, is that because the group never discusses tactics, never compares spells prepared, and never really communicates in battle, the wizard's special-strategy spells end up "wasted". So the sorcerer's direct damage ends up being the only spells with tangible effects on the battle.

I know the feeling. Our group took a long time to realize that the delay action is pretty nice option vs. charging first if you've got initiative. Give the mage a little room to blast away before the general melee.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Here's my take on magic missile. It's slightly less powerful (because force effects are arguably overpowered), and is flavored for a kobold sorcerer or wizard:

Wikanby's Dragon Bolt
Evocation [Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: Up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 yards apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A bolt of magical energy is spit from the caster's mouth, and strikes its target, dealing 1d4+1 points of a energy damage.

The bolt is shaped like a miniature chromatic dragon of a random type, and the type determines the form of energy damage inflicted. The bolt strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat or has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature cannot be singled out. Inanimate objects are not damaged by the spell.

The type of dragon bolt fired is determined randomly for each bolt released:

D4 Color Energy
1 Black Acid
2 White Cold
3 Blue Electricity
4 Red Fire

For every two caster levels beyond 1st, you gain an additional bolt -- two at 3rd level, three at 4th, four at 7th, and the maximum of five bolts at 9th level or higher. The color and type of each bolt is randomly determined. If you shoot multiple bolts, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single bolt can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you determine the type of bolt, check for spell resistance or roll damage.

Focus: A small statuette of a chromatic dragon (any type).

 

[diaglo]

Yeah, and it was like, one bolt per six levels, wasn't it? My memory is a little fuzzy, but I remember something different about the number of missiles, too.

close again but not quite right.

2 missiles every 5 lvls were added upto infinity

so that made it 3 missiles at 6th, 5 at 11th, 7 at 16th.. etc...

 

[Evilhalfling]

Just don't allow the force missle mage PrC.

The 6/2 sorcerer/FMM in my game used nothing else for his entire run. The rest of the party was not highly optimized so there were several fights where he did 75% of the damage to the opponents with only magic missle. He had fireball as a backup, and his only other offensive spell. He was the youngest player and the others didn't seem to mind letting him have most of the glory in combat. His contribution to diplomatic or Roleplaying situations was to cast Eagles Splendor on others and hang back.

He left the group after last week, and I have to rebalance encounters to account for his absense.

 

[Vartan]

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.

Bad move, IMO. MM is the basic "bolt of magic stuff" spell that all wizards can fall back on as a simple attack: as someone said, a fighter's long sword (with limited usage). By the time your PC group can really break the spell they should be ready for magic resistance anyway.