spell damage 1d8/level question

[Xarlen]

Fredericko's Totally Terrifying Flaming Sphere of Complete Destruction - Evocation

That's Fredericko's Totally Terrifying Flaming Sphere of Complete Destruction Excellante` - Evocation to you, Pal.

 

[James McMurray]

Of course, tat's assuming you even want to bother with trying to counterspell. I personally have preferred to ready an attack spell to hit the caster with. You aren't guaranteed to disrupt his spell, but you've got just as good a chance as you do with counterspelling (assuming you don't take the Improved Counterspelling feat from FRCS). Heck, even with the feat you're better off trying to hurt the guy. You could manage to kill him with your attack spell.

 

[kreynolds]

Of course, tat's assuming you even want to bother with trying to counterspell

If you have Reactive Counterspell, it's fun as hell, and really easy. Someone throws a spell at you? No problem. You can counterspell it without even needing to ready an action. It's not a particularly powerful offensive feat, but it's a nice defensive feat, especially if you're hasted.

 

[James McMurray]

Again, an option only in those campaigns where the FRCS is available. That leaves out quite a few of them.

 

[kreynolds]

Again, an option only in those campaigns where the FRCS is available. That leaves out quite a few of them.

Then you can blame the problem on the DM, not the rules. The two feats, Improved Counterspell and Reactive Counterspell are both very solid and very balanced feats. Not allowing them simply because the setting has been banned is shortsighted and no one else's fault but the banner, meaning the banner of the feats from the banned campaign setting has no right nor reason to complain about how they think the counterspelling rules suck or are unimpressive and need to be fixed. The fix is there. The banner simply needs to allow the fix. Nobody said the banner had to accept the whole campaign setting to allow a couple of feats.

It's like complaining about how your friend just ran over your foot with his car a couple weeks ago, and now you're standing right next to his car, yet again, with your foot right behind the wheel. What's the fix? Moving your foot. So, the fix is there. If you don't take it, it's your own fault. No room for complaints.

 

[James McMurray]

I never said that counterspelling needed to be fixed. I just said that there are better alternatives. Actually, I'm the DM that banned FR books from my campaign. Not because I feel they are all unbalanced, but because I don't want to have to buy those books. By saying no to the entire setting I can avoid having to make calls on feats and spells, and thus lower the risk of something slipping past.

 

[kreynolds]

I never said that counterspelling needed to be fixed

Oh, I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to get the idea that I was directing that at you. I wasn't. It was just a general statement of my logic.

I just said that there are better alternatives.

I agree. There are better alternatives in other books.

Actually, I'm the DM that banned FR books from my campaign. Not because I feel they are all unbalanced, but because I don't want to have to buy those books. By saying no to the entire setting I can avoid having to make calls on feats and spells, and thus lower the risk of something slipping past.

Ironically, it just so happens that the "better alternative" is in a book that you don't want to buy, which is rather unfortunate for you. I do recommend that you pick it up, at least for the NPCs, plot points, player hooks, maps, and regional info. Maybe you'll get lucky and find it on sale or something. All in all, it's a slick book.

 

[James McMurray]

Well, if I see it on sale I probaly will pick it up. I have borrowed it from a friend and skimmed thorugh it. There was some interesting stuff, as well as some over-powered stuff. I just don't have the rtime to shuffle through it to find the gold.

Adventring in Greyhawk means that I have all the regional information I need, all the NPCs I need (prefer to make my own anyway) and all the plot points and player hooks I can handle. Plus, what good are FR maps to a non-FR DM?

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Back on topic =)

I think it would be a 4th or 5th level spell, it does 1d8 damage per caster level, but no cap, and I'm not sure if it checks vs. SR (I'm assuming so though since that was left out), although it does require a range attack. Perhaps a 10d8 damage cap?

 

[James McMurray]

Generally the cap will depend on what level it is placed at. However, with no cap, it is a 9th level spell. I hadn't noticed no cap was listed.