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<blockquote data-quote="Benjamin Olson" data-source="post: 7939040" data-attributes="member: 6988941">Heat Metal is a really good choice against that particular enemy, but situationally overpowered and overpowered are two different beasts. It really depends a lot on encounter design. The fact that I've usually only seen it used against Bandit #3 or whatever is probably why I completely forgot the disadvantage part.And still, if a 9th level spellcaster who can also make three +11 to hit melee attacks and is designed with having undead minions in mind can't break a Bard's concentration because of disadvantage, or can't just generally continue to be a major threat with an average of roughly -4 to his attacks he was a clutz to begin with. If he didn't have the sense to bring friends, save his hellfire orb and Destructive Waves until the spellcasters started in with the concentration spells, and can't manage to land a Hold Person or a Banishment on them, then he is just a loser who deserves to lose.But once again: encounter design. If the party is frequently up against solo enemies who can't get rid of the metal in contact with them and have no non-attack roll or ability check based ways to mess you up it does become crazy powerful for a level 2 spell and might deserve nerfing. I think the biggest problem is simply that it works in such an unusual way vs. other spells that it becomes a potential need-to-take-into-special-account spell, and DM's don't need more of those. I'd say that is a fair reason for general nerfing if the average DM frequently gears towards the sort of encounters where it is OP.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Benjamin Olson, post: 7939040, member: 6988941"] Heat Metal is a [I]really[/I] good choice against [I]that[/I] particular enemy, but situationally overpowered and overpowered are two different beasts. It really depends a lot on encounter design. The fact that I've usually only seen it used against Bandit #3 or whatever is probably why I completely forgot the disadvantage part. And still, if a 9th level spellcaster who can also make three +11 to hit melee attacks and is designed with having undead minions in mind can't break a Bard's concentration because of disadvantage, or can't just generally continue to be a major threat with an average of roughly -4 to his attacks he was a clutz to begin with. If he didn't have the sense to bring friends, save his hellfire orb and Destructive Waves until the spellcasters started in with the concentration spells, and can't manage to land a Hold Person or a Banishment on them, then he is just a loser who deserves to lose. But once again: encounter design. If the party is frequently up against solo enemies who can't get rid of the metal in contact with them and have no non-attack roll or ability check based ways to mess you up it does become crazy powerful for a level 2 spell and might deserve nerfing. I think the biggest problem is simply that it works in such an unusual way vs. other spells that it becomes a potential need-to-take-into-special-account spell, and DM's don't need more of those. I'd say that is a fair reason for general nerfing if the average DM frequently gears towards the sort of encounters where it is OP. [/QUOTE]

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