Well that didn't take long, wizard has been shelved.

[MarauderX]

My experience with a wizard has been decisive in battle thus far. By 6th level the choice and use of spells is still critical when facing a foes, as the unknown is the biggest limiter.

 

[Cadfan]

To you, and to DracoSuave, I say the same thing: your point is valid, but the overarching moral of my little tale was that the Wizard must choose between two (often) mutually-exclusive options:

1. Use an attack that hits the monster's weakest defense, or

2. Use an attack that adds an appropriate status effect.

This is a problem that the weapon-based classes do not share. The fighter never has to sacrifice his weapon proficiency bonus in order to stun, knock prone or push a creature.

That isn't necessarily a benefit for the fighter. Inability to attack defenses other than AC isn't an advantage.

I grant that the decision is sometimes agonizing, but at least there's a choice.

 

[Stalker0]

So sad. It appears that sometimes the best attack, tactically, is the one with the least chance of hitting.

But I still can't wait to play a Wizard.

I'm sure the fighter enjoys fighting those hobgoblin soldiers with their 22 AC, and the strikers the endless armies of minions that completely negate their bonus damage.

Every class has something they are good at, and no one is good at everything.

 

[Rechan]

I'm sure the fighter enjoys fighting those hobgoblin soldiers with their 22 AC

And if he picked up something to help with this problem (Reaping Strike or Sure Strike), he missed out on Cleave or Tide of Iron, the nicer of the at-wills.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

That isn't necessarily a benefit for the fighter. Inability to attack defenses other than AC isn't an advantage.

Sure, but the ability to attack other defenses is usually offered as an even-up equalizer to the weapons-based classes' access to weapon proficiency bonuses to-hit.

My point is that the proficiency bonuses have no downside, whereas targetting a low defense may mean using a less effective power.

For anything other than a pure damage-oriented War Wizard, the essence of the Wizard class is to lay status effects on the enemy, and preferably more than just one. And not just *any* status effect: it does little good in most cases to slow or immobilize Artillery or Brutes who have reached the front line.

But the Wizard and the other non-weapon-oriented class builds are likely to find that the perfect status effect for the situation is highly risky because it attacks the target's best defense. High reward, but high risk.

Truthfully, we're talking about relatively small differences here. If the Wizard has a 40% chance of hitting one defense and a 50% chance against another, the result will usually be the same.

Anyway, I think that's about all there is to say for my side of this discussion, without going into one of those spreadsheet-based defenses that pit every class and power against every monster, cross-referenced with the Book of Kells and the writings of Nostradamus.

 

[Cadfan]

The ability to attack a defense is the compensation for not getting the weapon proficiency. The ability to choose which defense you target is bonus.

 

[That One Guy]

Enworld ate my post.

Summary. I like Rechan's poem. Fire Shroud. Eladrin or Tiefling.

Apologies for briefness, simply agitated by long post being eaten.

 

[SSquirrel]

We already agreed to add 1/2 level to damage and rolling a 50% retention on Dailies that miss.

We just say that if your power doesn't have a Miss: line then missing does not waste the power.

 

[Mad Hamish]

We just say that if your power doesn't have a Miss: line then missing does not waste the power.

So you're effectively giving almost every power the Reliable keyword for free.
_And_ in many cases making the Miss effect a drawback.

That's a pretty big change and probably bumps up almost every class compared to fighters.

 

[DracoSuave]

So you're effectively giving almost every power the Reliable keyword for free.
_And_ in many cases making the Miss effect a drawback.

That's a pretty big change and probably bumps up almost every class compared to fighters.

Or worse, takes a steaming pile on the Fighter's -other- schtick and says 'Your advantage is now everyone else's' for no discernable reason.

Not to mention makes Dailies with Effect: style abilities rather powerful and repeatable.

But then, not many Dailies lack a Miss: or Effect: line.