Underpowered Spells

Cheiromancer

Adventurer
What spells are notably weak for their level?

For clerics, Find Traps is very underpowered. It should be an orison instead of a 2nd level spell.

On the wizard side of things, I think Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer is also pretty worthless.

Do you agree? What spells do you think are underpowered?
 

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Foresight gets my vote. A 9th level spell that gives you a +2 to Reflex saves and AC. Give me a break: the 4th level Divine Agility gives you rogue Reflex saves, Spring Attack and 18 Dex.

Other than that, there are a fair few.
The lowdown (one from each level):

1st:
Detect Undead (ooh, look- a skeleton!). Sure, you can use it to detect vampires, liches and the like, but it's a pale shadow on Detect Evil.

2nd:
Tasha's: Rather sad as the only Enchantment available; compared to Glitterdust or the clerical Hold Person, it's pretty weak.

3rd:
None: all of them have their uses, even the infamous Gust of Wind (which can get rid of cloud spells).

4th:
Shout: A puny amount of damage as a 4th level spell, and the deafness is no big deal either (compared to e.g. Confusion or even 2nd level Glitterdust).

5th:
False Vision: Probably coming high in the 'least known spell' category, it's fairly puny. The 1min/level duration means that unless you know that the evil wizard will scry on you at 10:30am, you can't really use it at all.

6th:
Analyse Dweomer: Of course it's useful, but should it really be at higher level than teleport, raise dead and permanency?

7th:
Insanity: Please name me *one* instance where you wouldn't be better serviced with Feeblemind, Hold Monster or Dominate Person...

8th:
Iron Body: Have you ever seen it used? Me neither.

9th:
The infamous Foresight, the world's most underpowered spell for its level.TM
 

Um maybe its that some of the spells are too powerful for their level perhaps:)

Magic Missile and Fireball being the two most common culprits - an automatic hit for d4 at first level please!

any spells that mimic skills or other classes abilities (like Find Traps) should be banned!
 

Tonguez said:
any spells that mimic skills or other classes abilities (like Find Traps) should be banned!
I totally agree.

It seems you have a problem with the "mage-as-substitute-for-everyone" phenomenon that D&D has had for far too long, as I do.

And I also agree about Gust of Wind - that's the first that came to my mind, since my wife's Fan Dancer character would like Wind Fans, but they 'cost' so much more than their worth, it is problematic to convince DM's to give them to her.
 

"quote:
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Originally posted by Tonguez
any spells that mimic skills or other classes abilities (like Find Traps) should be banned!
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I totally agree."


Which is why i dont think clerics should have attack (damaging) spells.

joe b.
 


Hmmm... Foresight requires a little DM help, but it doesn't seem that bad to me, unless you let the +2 AC and Reflex bonus actually be the only effect of the spell.

It negates sneak attacks due to being flat-footed, and you always know what would be the best to do to avoid any danger. Doesn't sound completely bad to me.

Cast Foresight and wander through a dungeon filled with traps... you'll always know where to place your feet without endangering yourself, for example.

Bye
Thanee
 

Thanee...

I understand your point, not a useless spell at all. Now compare it to True Resurrection, Wish, Miracle, Mordenkainen's Disjunction, Gate, Time Stop...see why it gets the vote for most underpowered 9th level spell now?

Cedric
 


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