Touch of Idiocy.. Typo?


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I guess I should read up on it, but is a stat "penalty" effectively the same as a "drain". Since they are only suffering "penalties" is this only in reguards to say skills/saves while they still have the high stat just suffering penalties or is it the same as a "drain" where they can't cast? That I believe is something new as I don't recall there being a "negative stat penalty" in 3.0.


My monk/sorc will like this :)
 


I think it is critically important whether this is a "penalty" or "damage that goes away fairly quickly" (I'd bet that it's a penalty). Two penalties from the same source don't stack, but damage you can rack up all day long. If it IS damage then multiple castings of this spell could really hamstring the casters.
 


it is a penalty with a duration of 10 min per level and it requires a touch attack to use.

Based on this, wizard has to be close enough to the other wizard to touch and the effect can be dispelled. And each character could only be effected once at a time. Sounds fine to me.

because any wizard worth their salt has scrolls and a wand of dispel magic from as early as they can get it.

DC
 


Just one more thing regarding this spell: It may well be the final deciding factor that pushes me toward converting to 3.5. Because I frankly can't resist (and would be shocked if anybody could) the notion of having my BBEG say:

"Well, Do-Gooders, I see that you have defeated my Goblins with Small Longspears and my 30' long Eel (with Bull's Strength, but only for 3 minutes, and a square base). You probably think you are pretty smart. But I believe I detect...A TOUCH OF IDIOCY!!!11!" *casts Touch of Idiocy*
 

Since they supposedly use the "Standard Array" PCs and core races for playtesting the game, a 14th level caster should realistically have at most 15 (starting) + 3 (level boosts) + 4 (item) = 22 in the relevant score.

A maximized version of this spell will take away all his 7th level spell slots and 4th, 5th and 6th level bonus spells. A lucky shot with an Empowered version can make him completely irrelevant.

Both will also lower his Will save leaving him more vulnerable to being attacked by other spells.

Besides, why are we talking about 14th level casters? At lower levels, this thing has the potential to completely take caster out of a fight, with all of a touch attack.

Also, weren't a bunch of spells just nerfed "Because after all, they're only 1st/2nd level"? This thing will seriously hamper a caster of any level.
 


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