Spellcasting Prodigy - Whats the beef?

[Gez]

What kind of a comparison is that?!?

A valid one. Saying that feat is too good because, as they say, "every spellcasters want it" is like saying that power attack is too good because every warriors want it.

I am not saying that it is a must have, but in general i see no feat that i would rather have at 1st. [/B]

I only play spellcasters (I'm magoaddict) and each time I found feats I wanted rather than this one.



Oh, and I know +1 DC is always handy, but I'm rather the kind of guy who prefer saveless spells anyway... Area spells, auto-hit spells à la Magic Missile, RTA spells à la Melf's Acid Arrows, and, best of the best, personal boosting spells like Righteous Might without save nor resistance ! That's the way to go.

It's easiest for the DM to give Iron Will and Luck of the Heroes to the NPC you're trying to charm than to have SCP and Spell Focus: Enchantment, for example.

 

[Garmorn]

SCP is not a good feat to take. A +1 to DC is barely equal to spell focus and greater spell focus because of the limited number of attack spells that need high saves. A +1 v.s. a plus to on spells that have had the repeat feat used on them is almost insinificant as now the enemy must make two saves against the same spell.

For the extra spell, I would rather take Extra Spell as then I get to control where that spell slot goes. Or I can just buy/make a pearl of power, or ring of spell storing, or a wand, staff, or wonderous item. Addtional spell are easy to get at the book weath levels. (Which should be used to judge everything).

For a first level human wizard I prefer Point Blank shot and Precice shot so that my ray and energy spells hit more often. Then there is Weapon Focus with Rays or with Energy Spells. Arcane Spell casters need all the help they can get to hit. For touch spell I like Weapon Finesse (Touch Spells).

So why choose a +1 DC and maybe one extra spell at higher levels.

 

[Geoff Watson]

A valid one. Saying that feat is too good because, as they say, "every spellcasters want it" is like saying that power attack is too good because every warriors want it.

But Power Attack is crap. Most warriors don't get it. Those that do get it mainly so they can get Cleave.

Spellcasting Prodigy is extremely popular. Only one spellcaster IMC hasn't got it, since the FRCS came out.
The +1 DC to all schools is about as good as Spell Focus, plus you get extra spells.

Geoff.

 

[Celtavian]

Re

This a concept feat. It is a very good feat, but no moreso than many others. I wouldn't let my players take it just for fun. They must have a concept as to why they are a prodigy.

 

[Gez]

But Power Attack is crap. Most warriors don't get it. Those that do get it mainly so they can get Cleave.

Spellcasting Prodigy is extremely popular. Only one spellcaster IMC hasn't got it, since the FRCS came out.
The +1 DC to all schools is about as good as Spell Focus, plus you get extra spells.

Geoff.

Different groups, different experiences, I'll say. The only SCP-haver I've seen was a gold-elf minimaxed character... Who got through several harsh health problems because of his lack of hit point...

 

[Roland Delacroix]

But Power Attack is crap. Most warriors don't get it. Those that do get it mainly so they can get Cleave.

Spellcasting Prodigy is extremely popular. Only one spellcaster IMC hasn't got it, since the FRCS came out.
The +1 DC to all schools is about as good as Spell Focus, plus you get extra spells.

Geoff.

:jaw drops:

WHAT the HECK are you talking about?! All three warrior types have taken PA in my current campaign, and every warrior type has taken it in other campaigns as well. Its a great feat! With a decent STR warriors will always hit, why not turn that into damage? The paladin in my game lays (un?) holy WASTE with Power Attack! Cleave is ok when it happens but, gah!, +5 damage on EVERYONE this round! HAHAHA!! Power Attack R0><0R!!

 

[Simon Magalis]

Feats are better to help define a character, not ecause of what they can do.

Very good point here. First of all, its an FR feat meant for FR campaigns, so since NPCs, other PCs, etc get access to the same feats, it all balances out. Second, most of the FR feats are either regional or must be taken at 1st level, so it stands to reason that with these restrictions some of them are a bit more powerful than normal feats (though, from our discussion it is debatable whether this one is). If you work a feat like this into your character background and you care more about the character than the feats, then it plays fine. If your players just grab the feats that make them the -most- powerful, then -that- may be the problem, not the feat itself (depending on your style of play of course). In my campaign, combat is about a third of the game, so it is rare to see characters taking one combat related feat after another.

 

[Simon Magalis]

. All serious fighter types take Weapon Focus and Cleave and probably (eventually) Weapon Specialization, too. Are they all broken? In fact, I think Weapon Focus is probably one of the most popular feats in 3rd Edition. Seems everyone and their grandmother has the freakin' thing. And we've all seen the 'interesting' situations you can create with Cleave/Great Cleave, especially when you toss AoO's in the mix.

.

And what about -Power Attack-? How is that for a pushy feat. I guess if you a are a melee guy and you don't take PA, you can just take Toughness over and over. hehe

 

[Hikaru]

Better ++

SCP is not a good feat to take. A +1 to DC is barely equal to spell focus and greater spell focus because of the limited number of attack spells that need high saves. A +1 v.s. a plus to on spells that have had the repeat feat used on them is almost insinificant as now the enemy must make two saves against the same spell.

For the extra spell, I would rather take Extra Spell as then I get to control where that spell slot goes. Or I can just buy/make a pearl of power, or ring of spell storing, or a wand, staff, or wonderous item. Addtional spell are easy to get at the book weath levels. (Which should be used to judge everything).

So why choose a +1 DC and maybe one extra spell at higher levels.

With the Extra Spell feat, you get one more spell, and it doesn't get better. With SCP, as your Int goes up, you get a higher level spell. So it is already better, without even the +1 to DC, which is also better than Spell Focus.

Sweet feat, SCP.

 

[Oni]

Extra slot is good in its own right because it is not limited in the number of times it can be taken. And if your playing a Sorcerer, Spellcasting Prodigy has nothing on Extra Spell.