What Do you think of the revised Archmage?

[Shard O'Glase]

Because a +1 bonus to all save DCs is always useful, and it's just a fifth-level slot. It seems like a perfectly worthwhile ability to me. Granted, I wouldn't be opposed if they used the +2 version instead (that is, there remained only one Spell Power high arcana, but it cost a 7th level slot for a +2 bonus to DCs), but you can't have everything.

Altogether, I'm very pleased with the revised version. It looks like most of the power and versatility of the archmage is still there, without the potentially abusive ability to get up to a +6 bonus to save DCs. Along with the new flurry of blows, this might be one of the few very smart changes in the new edition.

you don't get a + to DC its a + to caster level.

And with the nerfed spell focus feats the feat reqs make this a crappy class to qualify for.

 

[spunky_mutters]

It's mechanically fine AFAIACT. The only lingering issue is: what makes an Archmage special? What, in game, would distinguish a high level mage from an archmage?

His theme music.

 

[jonesy]

You left out my choice:

It was fine before but I still like the change, and oh god that picture of the archmage looks awful.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

well its better than the lore master picture in 3e.

 

[Chun-tzu]

I said it's fine, but what I really mean is that it's fine, but they went too far in their revisions. The problems were:
a) Spell Power stacks. It would have been easy enough to name it an enhancement bonus and prevent any stacking, both with the different levels of Spell Power and with Spell Power from other classes.
b) Spell Power stacks with Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration. But they already nerfed the Spell Focus feats.

Instead, they nerfed it on all these fronts:
a) reduce Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus
b) change Spell Power to a caster level increase
c) remove Spell Focus +2 and +3

Any two of the three would have probably been enough to balance it.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Over on his board, Andy Collins seems to hint that you can take Spell Power multiple times...

 

[dagger]

Im not usually very pick or critical of art but I really don't like that pic either.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Over on his board, Andy Collins seems to hint that you can take Spell Power multiple times...

Reference?

 

[taliesin52]

It would've been fine if they had left all 3 spell powers and just not let it stack. Even if you could take spell power multiple times (and you really really dug having higher caster levels and not higher DC's) I'm not sure if scrapping multiple 5th lvl. slots would be worth it.

As for miscellaneous abilities, I can think of several "neat" ones they could've added. Detect Magic and Read Magic at will. Two cantrips, yes, but the king of mages should know what magic looks like without wasting a 0th lvl spell slot. Also allowing the Acm to use spellcraft instead of identify to get the specifics of a magic item say at a difficulty of 15+caster level for the item. There's three abilities that are hardly game breaking that would make the class more worth it. As it is I'm not sure if I'd want it as a wizard for more than mastery of shaping and prehaps spell like ability.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I think making Spell Power enhancement bonuses (giving out only +3 DC) would still be over the top. That's +5 DC with the 3.5 Greater Spell Focus - up to a 25% increase in Spell Power.

That, my friend, is BROKEN.

WotC has already learned it's lesson with save DCs, and I'm happy to see they are not making that mistake again.