What level should Magic Missile be?

[Quidam]

The recent thread on whether magic missile is overpowered made me curious as to how folks would rate the power of the spell. I'm in the 'overpowered for its level' camp and, while I don't think it's equal to a 4th level spell, I'd say it belongs somewhere in the 2nd level. Though, personally, I'm not a big fan of the no-save no-roll aspect of it in general.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I could see MM as a passable 2nd level spell if it were improved, such as the damage cap upped and the ability to damage objects.

But no Wizard of mine would bother to prep this spell at 2nd level without some boosting unless I knew I was going up against a host of incorporeal beings. I can see why a Sorceror might, however, as having a few spells with a lot of reliability is very helpful to the Sorceror.

From my POV, damage dealing that is not an AoE spell that catchs at least 3 targets is a pretty subpoptimal way to go. I would rather spend my precious action controlling the battle space rather than cast a spell that is every bit as good as a Fireball that hits one person and the target makes its save -- that sounds a lot like sucking on purpose to me.

As a 1st level spell being so unimpressive is okay. As a 2nd level spell? Nah. I am prepping Invisibility, Bull's Strength, Glitterdust, or Web, thank you very much.

If we are fighting a The Party vs. One Dude, then I am probably better off with Grease or Ray of Enfeeblement.

 

[airwalkrr]

Yea, MM belongs at 1st. It is a powerful 1st level spell, but I doubt many people would prepare it at 2nd level except super combat heavy characters.

 

[Glyfair]

The recent thread on whether magic missile is overpowered made me curious as to how folks would rate the power of the spell. I'm in the 'overpowered for its level' camp and, while I don't think it's equal to a 4th level spell, I'd say it belongs somewhere in the 2nd level. Though, personally, I'm not a big fan of the no-save no-roll aspect of it in general.

I would personally consider tweaking appropriate. I think it's perfect for the no-save, no-roll aspect, it's balanced with that. However, the other bits (such as it's being a force effect and all that entails) are what I would remove.

 

[ThirdWizard]

It's in a weird place. Unchanged, I'd leave it at 1st level, just on the high point of what a 1st level spell should be, that is, given the options. It's what I do in my game, anyway, because I'm not one to mess with sacred cows, lest my Players gasp in horror and burn my effigy in email form.

I think a decent option would be to either give it an attack roll or make it energy based and leave it at 1st or up its damage and make it 2nd, though. But, then I have to worry about the whole effigy thing.

 

[frankthedm]

I would personally consider tweaking appropriate. I think it's perfect for the no-save, no-roll aspect, it's balanced with that. However, the other bits (such as it's being a force effect and all that entails) are what I would remove.

Thats a good idea. I slid the ignores incoporeal miss chance to "Disrupt undead" to give that spell a bone.

Give the spell a component. I use "An arrowhead that had struck the creature it was aimed at" Cheap and flavorful.

After that, if one still feels the spell is too potent at the first circle, cap the missles at 3 or four rather than 5.

 

[Nifft]

IMHO, MM is balanced up through 5th level (where all other 1st level spells hit their damage cap). When shocking grasp is doing 5d6 Electrical damage, and magic missile is doing 3d4+3 Force damage, they're both valid choices.

It's only at 7th & 9th level that magic missile gets to be too strong -- when you have the choice (at or after 9th level) to deal 5d6 Electrical via a touch attack or 5d4+5 Force via an unerring ranged effect, what does the sane wizard choose?

-- N

 

[marshaldwm]

No choice for a perfectly reasonable 1st level spell, which is what I think it is.

 

[3d6]

At the end of the day, magic missile deals only 5d4+5 points of damage. It can't compete with 2nd level spells like tasha's hideous laughter or glitterdust, and most of the time it can't compete with scorching ray. In my opinion, the only reason it looks so attractive at 1st level is because there are so few good combat spells at 1st level. Has anyone here even seen a wizard or sorcerer cast burning hands or shocking grasp?

 

[irdeggman]

No choice for a perfectly reasonable 1st level spell, which is what I think it is.

Quoted for truth.