Spellfire

[kreynolds]

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

Well, I've decided to make spellfire a mini-template instead of a feat, and assign an ECL to it. Shouldn't be a big deal at all if you only allow it to actually be used at about 4th to 5th level. At that level, spellfire doesn't really warrant an ECL mod higher than +1, and even if you don't use ECL, its not terribly more powerful than usual. Basically, spellfire has a huge impact on low level characters, standard impact on mid-level characters, and almost no impact at all on high level characters. Its an ability with diminishing returns.

 

[Darklone]

Thinking right now about it... was Spellfire affected by SR?

 

[kreynolds]

Thinking right now about it... was Spellfire affected by SR?

No.

 

[Darklone]

Now that's a nice way then to get rid of any guy who can't eat approx. 20d6 damage then ...

Anything besides evasion helps? It was half fire damage, right? Dang, I want me book back!

 

[kreynolds]

Anything besides evasion helps?

Barbarian-type DR (and magic immunity, of course ).

It was half fire damage, right?

Yup, so Fire Resistance or immunity helps too.

 

[Murrdox]

I recently introduced a spell-fire weilding NPC/Love interest in my campaign... my players are going to be rescuing her from the Cult of the Dragon... with a little help from the NPC herself after sneaking into the Cleric's tent at night and getting charged up.

Unfortunately for the players, I plan on having her killed... yes, I'm an evil DM.

 

[DonAdam]

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...

This is exactly the problem we ran into when I played a spellfire wielder. I even stuck to NPC classes to try to balance it.

Furthermore, we even limited the blasts to character level + Con mod dice of damage. Still too much.

At mid levels, it wouldn't be as much of a problem. However, you will always have the problem of the player trying to charge himself up, which to me doesn't have the right feel.

 

[kreynolds]

However, you will always have the problem of the player trying to charge himself up...

Why would you always have that problem?

 

[DonAdam]

There's no reason not to get your sorc friend to power you up by casting spells at you before you sit down to rest at night, especially if you have access to a rope trick.

Cue the "attack your players while sleeping" response. That only works so often before it becomes uber cheesy.

While this charging up isn't necessarily broken, I think it's just lame. Furthermore, it flies in the face of the whole flavor of being a spellfire wielder. You become reliant on magic, rather than the mage's bane.

 

[kreynolds]

There's no reason not to get your sorc friend to power you up by casting spells at you before you sit down to rest at night...

There's not? If I were the sorcerer, I might give him a couple of cantrip's, and maybe a first level spell or two, but that's it. You never know when you might need a few spells.

Cue the "attack your players while sleeping" response.

Nah. Used too often, and the DM is now the one metagaming.

While this charging up isn't necessarily broken, I think it's just lame.

So do I. I think its lame that I should be expected by a fellow party member to just give up all my spells to him at the end of the day. Just, as the spellcaster, I wouldn't do it.

Furthermore, it flies in the face of the whole flavor of being a spellfire wielder. You become reliant on magic, rather than the mage's bane.

Who's to say that someone, even a spellfire wielder, indeed wouldn't become reliant upon magic? It's all about how the character evolves. I've seen rangers that make really great hitmen, having nothing to do with the outdoors.