Toning Down Flaming Sphere

[keterys]

So change Sleep to something like:
Hit: 1d8 + Int psychic and ongoing 10 psychic and slowed (save ends both)
Miss: Half damage, ongoing 5 psychic, and slowed (save ends both)
Special: Any creature reduced to 0 hp by this spell falls unconscious, instead of dying.

 

[Omnifarious Grey]

So change Sleep to something like:
Hit: 1d8 + Int psychic and ongoing 10 psychic and slowed (save ends both)
Miss: Half damage, ongoing 5 psychic, and slowed (save ends both)
Special: Any creature reduced to 0 hp by this spell falls unconscious, instead of dying.

I don't think this is necessarily a fix to sleep, but instead changes it to something else. The power itself is not meant for damage but instead to control outright. Though I don't know what else would be need, if anything is needed to change it at all.

 

[Garthanos]

I dont know hitpoints simulate energy and luck... suppressing effective hitpoints might be another way to do it, and I would like it to trash somebodies temporary hitpoints.

 

[Nifft]

I dont know hitpoints simulate energy and luck... suppressing effective hitpoints might be another way to do it, and I would like it to trash somebodies temporary hitpoints.

In a very real way, the old Wizard "big guns" were all about bypassing hit points. 4e has done a pretty good job of not letting anything bypass HP, so Sleep is a big anomaly.

I'm actually okay with Sleep just going away entirely.

Cheers, -- N

 

[FireLance]

In my view, sleep is just too swingy. Slow is too poor an effect, and unconscious is too good to get to after a single failed save. How does the following sound, balance-wise:

Hit: The target is dazed (save ends). First failed save: The target is stunned instead of dazed (save ends). Second failed save: The target is unconscious instead of stunned (save ends).
Miss: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn.​

 

[Stalker0]

IMHO Flaming Sphere is the correct power level for Wizard Daily powers. Wizards do need other options at 1st level, but not because Flaming Sphere is too good: rather because the other options are too weak.

Cheers, -- N

I agree with Nifft, this should be the default power level, and imo the default power level for daily powers in general.

Dailies that last the whole fight are simply better than ones that don't, unless the power is absolutely insanely godly.

 

[keterys]

If I were redesigning Flaming Sphere, I'd prefer if it were:

Flaming Sphere
Daily ✦ Arcane, Conjuration, Fire, Implement
Standard Action
Ranged 10
Target: One creature adjacent to the flaming sphere
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier fire damage.
Effect: You conjure a Medium flaming sphere in an unoccupied square within range, and the sphere attacks an adjacent creature. Any creature that ends its turn next to
the flaming sphere takes 1d6 + Intelligence modifier fire damage. As a move action, you can move the sphere up to 6 squares.
Sustain Minor: Make another attack with the flaming sphere.

Changelog: 2d6->1d6, 1d4->1d6, _end_ of turn for autodamage, attack as a sustain minor instead of minor + standard

Why? Because I think it makes it actually a control tool by making people move around (or take damage), I dislike autodamage with the inability to respond, and I dislike removing the option to use your other powers in favor of a more damaging standard action at-will attack.