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

[Cloudgatherer]

Expeditious Retreat is a good one with respect to "non-normal" movement.

IIRC, Wall of Force should have a reflex save to avoid. Is this in the errata? If it is, I don't need to list it, but if not, should be on the list. I'm positive Skip said it should have one, just like the other entrapping spells.

Identify and Analyze Dweomer are both pretty clear in what they are and what they do. I'm not saying they shouldn't be changed, but each of those spells would require a major revision.

Res maybe isn't needed, but it is not unclear.

 

[Taren Seeker]

Add Shadow Walk to the list. It's not necessarily broken, but it's missing a crucial piece of info. I've gotten into more than 1 arguement on whether it only works for one walk (one entry and exit to the border shadow plane) or if you can bounce back and forth for the whole duration. Considering the 1 hr/lvl duration, if you can bounce back and forth, I would call it broken

 

[Vanye]

Identify and Analyze Dweomer are both pretty clear in what they are and what they do. I'm not saying they shouldn't be changed, but each of those spells would require a major revision.

Not really. Here's the change I did for Identify in my campaign:

Identify

Divination
Level: Brd 1, Magic 2, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Targets: Up to 1 touched object per level
Duration: 1 round per level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The spell determines the single most basic function of each magic item, including how to activate that function (if appropriate), and how many charges are left (if any). For example, a +2 vorpal sword, a +2 dancing sword, and a +2 sword would all register as "+2 to attack and damage rolls."

If a magic item has multiple different functions that are equally basic, identify determines the lowest-level function. If these functions are also of equal level, the DM decides randomly which is identified. A second touch on an item reveals whether there are additional powers, though it will not reveal what those powers are.

Arcane Material Components: Pearl worth at least 100 gp value.


Analyze Dweomer should be dropped down to 4th level, maybe 5th max.

 

[Al]

Identify -- Let's take the bard's ONLY useful ability and make it a first level mage spell. I don't have a problem with the spell, if you have a campaign where no one wants to play a bard.

Well, the 8 hours casting, 100gp material component and fact that it only identifying the lowest property can be drawbacks.

My vote:

It's not a problem spell per se, but it's simply laughably weak: False Vision.

So...as a 5th level spell (yep, up there with Dominate, Feeblemind, Teleport and Raise Dead)...you can distort someone's scrying, with a duration of 1min/level. Which means, by 20th level, you have a 20 minute window of opportunity to hope that the evil wizard scries on you at that *precise* moment in time.

If that weren't weak enough, you have to concentrate to create the figment. And even more amusingly, it's static. Which means that it's utterly useless if you're travelling.

And who could forget the material component: 250gp a pop. In other words, for 24 hour protection, at a caster level of 20, you'd spend 18,000gp per day. At 9th level (minimum caster level) you need to spend more than your total wealth (DMG standard) for one day's protection.

Even if I could cast it at will, I probably wouldn't bother most of the time.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Shadow Walk is on the list under "translocation" spells. I agree, the wording is a little muddled. It even says you can use it to travel to other planes, but there aren't any good rules for doing so. Manual of the Planes explains it well enough, but not everyone has access to that.

I'm in agreement that there should be "better" versions of Identify and AD. I'll list them as commonly house ruled.

False Vision is probably a spell no one has ever used in 3rd Edition. I'll list it and see if anyone has *ever* used it well. Seems it should only be 4th level (as Scry) due to its limited usefulness.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Surprised no one has mentioned gate.

 

[Plane Sailing]

For uselessness, the 4th level "false wall" probably beats most contenders.

definitely not a sorcerer spell!

 

[Taren Seeker]

False Vision is probably a spell no one has ever used in 3rd Edition. I'll list it and see if anyone has *ever* used it well. Seems it should only be 4th level (as Scry) due to its limited usefulness.

OK, False vision pretty much sucks, but I can think of one good use:

It would be a nice contingiency. Someone scrys you, the spell fires and you can create a nice little misleading vision. Especially if the scrier is going to try a teleport. Oops

In campaigns where you're sure you're going to be scried by the evil archmage, this could be handy. Conversely, if I was a big bad and I knew a high level party was gunning for me (Defenders of Daybreak anyone?) I'd consider having this one prepped.

The static limitation is no big deal since scrying doesn't state that the sensor moves. By literal interpretation once you cast scry you can only see what's in the immediate area of the creature you specified until he walks out of range. Considering how ruinous scrying (especially Greater Scrying) can be, I think it's a good limitation.

It would definitely be better as 4th though.

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

No spell has given me more of a headache than the simple 1st level cleric spell command. What can it really do? Can it force some one to jump off a ledge? Can it force someone to jump into a pit? I have tried both and my players just won't go for it. If a player stand on the edge of a pit and an evil cleric casts command and says "JUMP!!" should the character jump into the pit (if he fails his save). I say yes my players say no, they say that the character would jump in place. The way the spell is written I cant tell who is right.

So my problem with the spell is that if used how it was intended, to make people do things that could potentially harm them, it is too powerful for a 1st level spell. I have banned it from my game because none of us can decide how it should be used.

Dirge

 

[Cloudgatherer]

So a Contingency False Vision might be useful, but by the time one can cast Contingency, aren't there much better spells to hide from scrying?

Surprised no one has mentioned gate.

I think Gate is another DM interpretation spell. As a travel spell, it is clearly written (IMO). As a calling spell, I think there should be some text in there about its potential consequences. How many times do you think a deity will let you pull a Solar away from its duties before an avatar comes and pays you a visit? That line of thought isn't in the spell description, but I think it should be. That's just my personal opinion, if others feel similarly I'll add it to the list, but so far no one has suggested it and given the usual reasons.