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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Al" data-source="post: 1037386" data-attributes="member: 2486">Spell Focus, on its own, was never a problem.  GSF, Archmagi, Red Wizards and other DC-boosters were.Spell Focus could easily be matched by Iron Will, Great Fort or Lightning Reflexes- or, indeed, outstripped.  Iron Will protects against nearly all enchantments, illusions, divinations and some transmutations, abjurations, conjurations and necromantic spells.  I can't remember any evocations with a Will save off hand.  If the caster can have SF, then the target can have a save booster.  Especially given the notion of 'conspicuous' saves, then a sensible character would put a feat into bolstering their worst save.  In the long run, a fighter with Iron Will is probably going to be better off than a fighter with Greater Weapon Specialisation.In any case, is the emphasis too much on offense over defense?  Not really.  Will saves can be broken using Dispel Magic, Break Enchantment or, at high level, circumvented totally using Mind Blank.  A top-level party is well advised to Mind Blank their fighter and rogue, lest they face a former ally under a Dominate.  Only Fort saves of the true save-or-die variety were unpleasant, and there were a myriad of spells and items to defuse this.  Reflex saves were hardly ever complained abouts, but hit point boosters are common, and a Mass Heal more than mends anything that a Meteor Swarm can hurl at you.What of the DCs outstripping the saves?  Only in the cases of GSF or PrCs.  Ability scores may have been higher, but save-boosters were easy to find than DC-boosters.  Consider that a Cloak of Resistance +5 costs 25,000gp to the Headband of Intellect +6's 36,000, and the save boosts past the DC.  Moreover, other than the stat-boosting items, there are no core DC boosting items.  Luckstones and Pale Green Ioun Stones can further bolster saves, for little more than the cost of upgrading your +4 Vorpal weapon to a +5.  No, the problem was poor strategic decisions by the 'victims'.  DnD is a game where defense ought be consider as much an issue as offense.  Just as a 20th level fighter with an AC of 12 is inexcusable, so is one with a Will save of +6.  After all, what's the use of being able to dish out 200+ points of damage per round with your MegaDoom Sword and 30 Strength when you're instantly turned on the party?  Far better to buff your Will save to +15 and settle for a mere 180 points per round.</blockquote>

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