Why no love for Stoneskin?

[pawsplay]

The cost is too high to cast it all the time. Therefore, the sorcerer should use scrolls, or plan on picking it up at a later time. It's mainly a "power up to fight the boss" kind of spell, as other spells are much better for taking on near-CR opponents.

 

[DragonLancer]

While I generally agree that Stoneskin is a bit too expensive for what it does, especially for a Sorcerer (where giving up a spell known is an expense), I'd have to wonder about this. Unless the Sorcerer only casts Stoneskin on himself, it'd seem rather stupid to make him pay for every casting of it. If I'm the group's fighter, or, perhaps even more likely, the group's melee-oriented rogue, I'd be forking the 250 GP over for any significant fight, rather than say, "Cast Stoneskin on me - don't worry, you'll still make a bit of a profit in treasure!" That, or make it a group expense - if the Sorcerer casts one Stoneskin per encounter, then the group gets a net of 2,350 gold, or 587.5 GP/person (compared to the 2,600 and 650 above0. Just the way I prefer to handle it, but I think it really lowers the perceived cost of Stoneskin

Maybe thats why we see it in a different light, because my players do keep a party funds for such things.

 

[Nail]

Maybe thats why we see it in a different light, because my players do keep a party funds for such things.

As a player, I (politely!) request that my group have a "Party Fund" for things like this: curing, restoration, food, etc.

Having a party fund is great....but hardly the norm, and hardly a good way to balance a spell!

For a Sor, there are far better spells out there. Throw Stoneskin onto a scroll or into a wand and be done with it.

 

[Nail]

It's a great way to end up with a terrible sorcerer.

QFT.

...and who wants a terrible superhero, anyway?


Err, don't answer that.

 

[Patlin]

250gp adds up pretty damn quick. 3 uses of Stoneskin or 1 Wand of CLW? 8 uses of Stoneskin or that shiney +1 Ring of Deflection?

It's worse than that. 3 uses of stoneskin or a wand of CLW and 3 uses of polymorph (or enervation, or whatever you prefer.)

Enervation and Polymorph are perfectly good spells. Why should I pay money to cast stoneskin when I could use the spell slot for another spell I like just as much for free?

Also, as a sorceror, if I run out of diamond dust do I just eat the wasted spell known slot, or would I rather have a spell that's less dependent on my ability to shop? I'm an old timer I guess, but Stoneskin doesn't pass the A4 test. And if you know what that means, you're an old timer too!

 

[Drowbane]

It's worse than that. 3 uses of stoneskin or a wand of CLW and 3 uses of polymorph (or enervation, or whatever you prefer.)

Enervation and Polymorph are perfectly good spells. Why should I pay money to cast stoneskin when I could use the spell slot for another spell I like just as much for free?

Exactly!