I play a spellfire wielder in a campaign. We're at 2nd level. It's a pain in the butt to recharge levels, I'm telling you. I have 20 con, with 15 spellfire levels stored. True, I could do 15d6 damage, but then, if I missed, I'm outta luck. I'm pretty much just going to use it as a compliment to my Clerical spellcasting until I get spellfire wielder, at which point I buy lots of wands of light and start using it a lot. It's not REALLY overpowered till 5th level fo Spellfire wielder where you get drain permanent item. Just buy 10-20 Quaal's Feather Token (I forgot which one it was, but the cheapest is 50 gp for 12 caster level) and drain em whenever you need more energy. And if you're using 3e, it's even easier, with dull grey ioun stones (25 gp, 12 caster level).
Spellfire--Is it too powerful?
- Thread starter candidus_cogitens
- Start date
Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
I recently let a Spellfire Wielder into my (3E) game, but I limited the feat by declaring that stored charges drain naturally at one charge per minute.
So if the BBEG targets him with a Chain Lightning, he can zap it straight back as Spellfire, or use it to heal himself... but if the party sorcerer has a dozen magic missiles left at the end of the day, he can't absorb them all and carry them around the next morning.
I may relax the restriction at higher levels, depending on how it goes in the mean time.
I found I couldn't argue with the player's contention that he could cast a touch spell, get his familiar to hold the charge, ready his absorb action, and have the familiar deliver the spell with him as the target, though. I wanted to, but I couldn't find a hole in the logic.
-Hyp.
So if the BBEG targets him with a Chain Lightning, he can zap it straight back as Spellfire, or use it to heal himself... but if the party sorcerer has a dozen magic missiles left at the end of the day, he can't absorb them all and carry them around the next morning.
I may relax the restriction at higher levels, depending on how it goes in the mean time.
I found I couldn't argue with the player's contention that he could cast a touch spell, get his familiar to hold the charge, ready his absorb action, and have the familiar deliver the spell with him as the target, though. I wanted to, but I couldn't find a hole in the logic.
-Hyp.
candidus_cogitens
Explorer
Thanks for the advice and comments everyone! I am astounded that everyone seems to have strong opinions about it, but there is no consensus. There doesn't seem to be any agreement about whether it is too powerful.
Let me just add one more thing to the conversation. One of the reasons I am interested in the feat is that I have a strong preference for feats that allow me to DO something that my character would not otherwise be able to do, as opposed to the myriad feats that simply give bonuses to certain rolls. I think the former category of feats add a lot more color to your character.
Let me just add one more thing to the conversation. One of the reasons I am interested in the feat is that I have a strong preference for feats that allow me to DO something that my character would not otherwise be able to do, as opposed to the myriad feats that simply give bonuses to certain rolls. I think the former category of feats add a lot more color to your character.
AeroDm
First Post
Spellfire is very very powerful at the low levels because it is based off on Constitution rather than some scaling mechanic. It is as strong at 1st level as it will be at 20th (assuming no Con raises).
However, it also has really great flavor. From what I know of Realms (the setting/story/grand reaching essence as opposed to Campaign Setting) Spellfire is an ability where people draw in magic and use it to further power themselves rather than just take the raw brunt of it. With that in mind, I think you could easily declare that only *hostile* magic may be absorbed. I really doubt that Spellfire was created to be "charged" up by friendly spells and then dropped as a bomb on some poor soul. Rather it is an instinctive power that a rare few have. Instead of dying, they somehow counter the magic. Instead of sittign there, they channel the energy back.
Using Spellfire this way would greatly reduce its power and retain the flavor it is suppose to have (imo).
However, it also has really great flavor. From what I know of Realms (the setting/story/grand reaching essence as opposed to Campaign Setting) Spellfire is an ability where people draw in magic and use it to further power themselves rather than just take the raw brunt of it. With that in mind, I think you could easily declare that only *hostile* magic may be absorbed. I really doubt that Spellfire was created to be "charged" up by friendly spells and then dropped as a bomb on some poor soul. Rather it is an instinctive power that a rare few have. Instead of dying, they somehow counter the magic. Instead of sittign there, they channel the energy back.
Using Spellfire this way would greatly reduce its power and retain the flavor it is suppose to have (imo).
Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
AeroDm said:
But how do you determine what is "hostile"?
If I have an Inspector Clouseau-style Spellfire Wielder, with a henchman who occasionally casts an attack spell at me out of nowhere - does that qualify as hostile? After all, if I don't defend myself, I could get hurt...?
-Hyp.
Henry
Autoexreginated
AeroDm said:
Actually, in the novel that Spellfire is introduced, Shandril Shessair's lover Narm Tamariath is trained as a wizard not only to further his skills, but also specifically so that he can charge up Shandril when she needs him to.
As a feat, it's not that bad, because
1) you have to charge up before use.
2) it's a readied action to intercept someone's spell.
3) it's a ranged attack roll, and spell resistance AND saving throws apply.
Its abilities are pretty spiffy, but it takes levels in a prestige class to really make it sing.
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AeroDm said:
Not completely true that it doesn't scale up. For one, con is likely to increase. For two, at first level you and your companions are unlikely to have many spells to charge up your spellfire wielder. Once you get to higher levels, it's far easier to charge up.
AND people don't seem to realize that spellfire needs lots of stats to work well. You need high con, high dex, and whatever other stats your normal class needs. It's worse than the monk's or the paladin's.
And do you have the title of that book, Henry? Sounds interesting.
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