Spellfire

[Quidam]

I'm considering letting a character in my campaign be a Spellfire wielder, and I'm curious to hear from any other DMs/players that have experience with Spellfire in their games.

Is it overpowered? Had much trouble with misfires hurting friendly PC's? Got any weird stories associated with it?

What it comes down to is... Should I?

[edit: grammar grammar grammar...]

 

[hammymchamham]

I currently have a half-celestial druid who uses spellfire (Don't ask..... ok really, Don't ask). Its not TOO bad. He only has used it a couple times, and its saved the parties butt quite a few times.....
The main reason he has it is to assist with healing the party. He hasn't used it for that yet... so I must do better as a DM.

of course once the Cult of the Dragon figures out that a spellfire weilder has assulted a few of their members, the craps gonna hit the fan

Just remember that their are plently of people out their who would pay highly for the spellfire weilder. Its a great plot/charecter hook for adventures.

The spellfire has not overshadowed the other charecters. They've EACH done great things. If the druid hasn't used spellfire, it coulda been a flame strike or what not.

 

[aurin777]

It scares me to no end to let a player hold that much power. If I were to allow it, I think I would be the one dictating when and not when it could be used.
~~Brandon

 

[Bauglir]

I'm not familiar with spellfire - could someone give me a rough idea what it is/does? (hopefully without stepping on any licenses)

Edit: tidying formatting

 

[Pax]

Bauglir: it turns the characetr into (essentially) a walking Rod of Absorption.

However, the energy can only be spent in a very few ways.

One, as direct bolts of damage (half fire, half "raw arcane energy"), 1d6 damage per 1 spell-energy-level spent. A ranged touch attack sis required, and IIRC, a reflex save for half damage is allowed.

Two, to heal the spellfire wielder. IIRC, something like 1 or 2 HP per spell-energy-level.

Further, the spellfire wielder has to ready an action to actually absorb anincoming spell, and just like the Rod ... it's useless against area spells. The spell has to actually, physically target the spellfire wielder himself.

Your storage capacity, meanwhile, is equal to your constitution score (regardless of level).

...

There is a prestige class (Spellfire Channeler), which broadens the range of things you can do with Spellfire. But, well ... it's a prestige class, and does have a couple of otherwise-semi-useless requirements (some ranks in spellcraft, the Endurance feat, and so on).

 

[Bauglir]

thanks Pax

 

[Quidam]

It also allows the wielder to heal others with a touch, healing two points of damage per stored level expended.

One of the reasons I consider allowing it for this PC is that the player is about as far from a power-gamer as you can get. Her character is undergoing a bit of a revamping for various reasons and one of the things that's getting vamped (heh... he said vamped) is the fact that she has yet to use either of the feats she's chosen. So I'm thinking the spellfire feat is also being balanced by the fact that it will have been retroactively taken at 1st level, but not used until mid-5th. Kind of like those "latent" feats you can take in Wheel of Time.

I understand it's powerful (which is why I'm posting here) but can always just ramp up the challenges I dish out to the party. Having not seen or worked with it before, though, I'd still like reports from the field.

"This is Winklefeet, your gnome in the field, coming to you LIVE from the scene of the latest in a series of mysterious and violent occurances linked to that raw, arcane power- Spellfire!"

 

[Saeviomagy]

If you're ramping up challenges because one single party member is causing the party to trash normal challenges, then something is wrong with that character.

 

[Lord Ravinous]

I played one once when it first came out, the Spellfire feat by itself isn't too bad powerwise, but, the prestige class is a bit much, be wary of any Channeler that has items made that boost his/her Constitution and carries around a bag full of wands

The other people in my group didnt like it too much, but i did try to power-game every inch of the class, just to see it's limitations.

But in the hands of a responsible player, I don't think you'll have any problems.

 

[Darklone]

Worst experiences I know about with spellfire wielders is their overpowering damage output possibility at low levels and the possibility to be charged up by friendly party members...

Otherwise, it doesn't help you at all against fireballs