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Message: <blockquote data-quote="tigycho" data-source="post: 2019902" data-attributes="member: 26604">My Wizard PC is thinking of researching some spells in some upcoming campaign downtime (a story arc is ending next session).  I'd very much like it if the Hive Mind could tell me if they are too powerful, too weak, or give some other advice.He has made very good use of magic missile of the years, but is worried that its usefulness will wane is he faces greater and greater challenges.  Being a conservative type, he figures he just needs to research some enhanced versions of it.  Metagame, I know that there are plenty of other spells out there for him which would work fine, but Magic Missile has sort of become his signature spell.So, I compared my proposed spells to each of the following 'iconic' damage spells:  magic missile, melf's acid arrow, fireball and cone of cold.Comparing the resulting minimum, avg and maximum damage of my proposed spells, I think I'm pretty much in line with spell level guidelines....The first spell is Enhanced Magic Missile.  It is exactly like Magic Missile except that the damage goes from 1d4+1 to 1d6, the maximum number of missiles is nine, instead of five, and you start with one missile at 3rd level, instead of two missiles.  Also, the targets can now be up to 60 feet apart, instead of the regular 15.I compared this to Melf's Acid Arrow, which, also allows no saving throw, and does better average damage to the target for caster levels 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, and 18. Enhanced Magic Missile Evocation [Force] Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Targets: Up to nine creatures, no two of which can be more than 60 ft. apart Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes A missile of magical energy darts forth from your fingertip and strikes its target, dealing 1d6 points of force damage. The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat or has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can’t be singled out. Inanimate objects are not damaged by the spell. For every two caster levels beyond 3rd, you gain an additional missile—two at 5th level, three at 7th, four at 9th, five at 11th, etc, up to the maximum of nine missiles at 19th level or higher. If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage. ...The Second spell is Superior Magic Missile.  It is exactly like Magic Missile except that the damage goes from 1d4+1 to 1d8, the maximum number of missiles is ten, instead of five, and you start with five missiles at 5th level, instead of three missiles.  Also, there is no longer any restriction beyond range to how far apart the targets can be.I compared this to Fireball, which, although it allows saving throws, is an area effect (multiple targets at full possible damage), and which, even though it does less damage to each target for most caster levels, does that damage to up to 44 five-foot swuares worth of them... which is really quite massive. Superior Magic Missile Evocation [Force] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Targets: Up to ten creatures Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes Five missiles of magical energy dart forth from your fingertip and strike its targets, each dealing 1d8 points of force damage. The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat or has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can’t be singled out. Inanimate objects are not damaged by the spell. For every two caster levels beyond 5th, you gain an additional missile—six at 7thlevel, seven at 9th, eight at 11th, nine at 13th, and the maximum of ten missiles at 15th level or higher. If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage. <edited to change the targetting information:  Enhanced has 60 foot, Superior has no restriction><edited to change damage of Superior Magic Missile to a d8></blockquote>

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