D&D 3E/3.5 What are the "problem" spells in 3E?

[Celebrim]

"Oh i just aim it this direction and give it the max range. I want to hit as many people in a 5' path for 24d6 no save as I can."

I thought Meteor Swarm detonated on the first thing it struck in its path, or maybe I'm still thinking 1st edition here?

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I thought Meteor Swarm detonated on the first thing it struck in its path, or maybe I'm still thinking 1st edition here?

You're thinking fireball. Meteor Swarm does not have that limitation.

<Edit>Guess I need to add Meteor Swarm to the list....</Edit>

 

[Caliban]

"Oh i just aim it this direction and give it the max range. I want to hit as many people in a 5' path for 24d6 no save as I can."

I thought Meteor Swarm detonated on the first thing it struck in its path, or maybe I'm still thinking 1st edition here?

No, you are correct.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Of course, but those short moments are the ones that count, or not?

Maybe, sometimes the critical moment occurs while the caster is still buffing himself up. Sometimes it's after he's used up all his buffs. Sometimes luck and planning are on his side.

I have no personal problems with these spells, but just think, that they can cause problems in a party (i.e. making fighters feel underpowered and useless)!

That often has a lot more to do with circumstance and/or relative degree of powergaming among the players. Caster-only 'buffs' can make fighters look bad - if the casters /always/ seem to have time or advance notice to get thier buffs ready, and they never get dispelled, and they never find themselves at the start of a fight without a buff available, etc...

...

What it comes down to is that a caster who devotes the right spells to doing so, can match a fighter type in melee, for a time. He can't really brutally exceed the fighter's melee ability that way, though, only rival it, and he can't do it all the time. Casters, especially as they level, do gain a great deal of versatility, and such buff spells are part of that. But, they have to be played right, and given the right opportunities to take full advantage of that versatility, and there will be times, in a balanced campaign, when they can't.

 

[Thanee]

No, you are correct.

So, the Meteor Swarm explodes upon impact with the first creature struck, not when reaching the destination, as per the spell's description?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

What it comes down to is that a caster who devotes the right spells to doing so, can match a fighter type in melee, for a time. He can't really brutally exceed the fighter's melee ability that way, though, only rival it, and he can't do it all the time. Casters, especially as they level, do gain a great deal of versatility, and such buff spells are part of that. But, they have to be played right, and given the right opportunities to take full advantage of that versatility, and there will be times, in a balanced campaign, when they can't.

I absolutely agree with what you say, and just think it can cause problems, as the requirement (a balanced campaign), might not be so easy to achieve for everyone.

Besides, it's not really that much time needed to put up the buffs, that do not last all day long.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

My suggestions:

Haste: Should be 4th level as written. The +4 AC bonus puts it way over the top, giving a strong defensive bonus to an already superb offensive spell.

Poly Other: A decent offensive spell AND a decent utility spelled rolled into one. Rewrite to seperate this into two spells, IMO. For example, one version would turn the victim into a random diminuitive critter, making it undesirable to cast on friends.

Shield: It is reasonable in the hands of a mage, but it stacks too easily as a Cover bonus. Gets really out of hand when you can pile it onto real armor. IMHO this spell should give a +8 Armor bonus.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[DarkJester]

I think both heal and harm should be 7th or 8th level spells.

Others to add:
Simulacrum (Empower it......Ewww...)
Geas/Quest (No save, do what I want or die![Although slowly])
Timestop (This ends the fight....really..)

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Really? Anyone have any bad experiences with the Geas/Quest line of spells as a balancer?