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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7329307" data-attributes="member: 12731">Perhaps I haven't offered my analysis of PWK in this particular thread, but spells aren't just for adventurers - they're there for monsters and NPCs too.Correct, Power Word Kill is not impressive for a hero, since you only get it at 17th level. A hundred hit points simply isn't much there. At 17th level, monsters will routinely be CR 20. Everyone has LOADS of hit points, even the mooks! Instead of spending your only level 9 spell perhaps the party fighter can simply attack the monster and do a hundred damage?(The spell is slightly better in games without feats since they roughly double the fighters' damage output. Still, not very impressive to spend your round to do the job your fighter could do in two)But for an enemy BBEG it's a great spell!As an NPC, you don't have to wait until CR 17 to get the spell. Archmages get it already at CR 12. And at CR 12, you routinely face heroes still in their single digit levels! Chances are excellent that they don't have 100 hp, especially if you can have your brute bodyguard soften them up first.And each hit point of hero is much more dangerous than most points of monster. That is, heroes with class levels are some of the most dangerous creatures out there, but that danger doesn’t express itself through a "big bag of hp".All in all, PWK is a great way to slay a hero spellcaster without fear of failure and gain great bang for the buck.Therefore it has a place in the spell lists, even if it appears anemic to player characters! [emoji3] Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app</blockquote>

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