Wish

[Jupp]

So you allow them to make changes for others but not for themself? Sounds a bit odd, IMHO.

Depends in what situation you are. For example there is a meeting between two people that could drastically change the future of the whole region, i.e. if one of the two arrives there he would be killed by a bomb, so you "wish" that something happens that might delay his arrival by , say, 3 hours. The death of that person would throw the country into war for the next 20 years. Granted, this is a very special situation but then a wish is not cast lightly and every day.

 

[Victim]

Feat: Yes, but it would require multiple wishes cast in succession, and I'd limit how many feats people can gain this way. Maybe 2 wishes for the first extra feat, and 3 for the second, and then no rnore extra feats.

Skill Bonus: Yes, at a +1 or +2 inherent bonus per wish.

Skill Ranks: Yes, but not over the normal maximum ranks.

 

[WizarDru]

Wish requires 10,000 gp of material components and a minimum of 5000 xp, so it doesn't get cast that often. Granted, at 18th level, that's not as damaging as earlier, but it's still not an inconsequential cost. Most games that I've played in find Wish used as a 'I need it NOW' spell..."if only I had Break Enchantment, victory would be ours....Wait, I'll use wish!"

Granting a feat permanently? 10,000 gp and 5000 xp is awfully cheap for an extra feat, IMHO, and exceeds the power of Wish. If I were to allow a permananent feat...it would probably be a 'wish slot', effectively limiting it to one permanent feat.

Gaining a bonus to a skill, I'd allow...but it would have to be a named bonus. A bonus to ranks would just be too messy to deal with, as far as keeping track of the math later on. I would also cap the bonus the same way that attribute bonuses are capped with wishes.

IME, wishes and miracles are maintained as weapons of last resort: one only uses them when he has no other options, and desperately needs something, and usually because he needs it NOW.

 

[Neo]

Y'know, I've never really understood the great joy some DMs (at least on message boards; I've never actually seen a level 17+ PC wizard in a game I've played in) seem to take in perverting Wishes. They're 9th-level spells with a heavy XP cost, and are typically cast by Wizards (because a Sorcerer would never learn Wish) with a 19+ Int score. Nitpicking Wish wording to find loopholes doesn't seem like it would be a fun thing to do...

This is a debate I have had with my players before, and after a number of unfortunate incidents they no longer take wishes for granted and are very careful about what they ask for and checking out who exactly is granting it.

For me it depends greatly on the source of the wish.. for example if a high level priest casts miracel, or a high level wizard casts wish..they pay the xp and they get more or less what they asked for with no perversion or literal interpretations of wordings or hidden consequences, they have paid the price and the get the benefit.

However if they are granted a wish by someone else (who is paying the price)..then their interpretation of what they want is moot it is the granters interpretation that counts and in such circumstances their may be twisting of intention or consequences or price to pay.

With regards to wishes and the like from items..again it depends very much on the origin, creator and itent of the item.. a wish granted from a luck blade made by a lawful good silver dragon and worshipper of Paladine is likely to work far differently than one used from a Ring of Wishes produced by the Pasha of the Efreets who for generations has wanted nothing more than to get a foothold in the prime material plane..

I guess what im saying is wishes shouldn't be straight forward unless the PC is powering it himself. Otherwise they are in reciept on some of the most powerful beneficial magic available and it is entirely reasonable that such a boon should come with complications and/or consequences.

There is an old saying "There is no such thing as something fopr nothing".

 

[Drew]

Y'know, I've never really understood the great joy some DMs (at least on message boards; I've never actually seen a level 17+ PC wizard in a game I've played in) seem to take in perverting Wishes. They're 9th-level spells with a heavy XP cost, and are typically cast by Wizards (because a Sorcerer would never learn Wish) with a 19+ Int score. Nitpicking Wish wording to find loopholes doesn't seem like it would be a fun thing to do...

I think it was always seen as the "balancing" factor of the potential power of wish. Screwing the player is a silly way to balance something (which is already, as you pointed out, a 9th level spell), but it does jibe with mythology (think Midas touch).

It would be neat to see a game mechanic reflecting this. Maybe an intelligence roll or caster level check to cast a wish with no ill effects. As it stands, as long as you stick with the example "things you can do" listed on the spell description, I have no desire to screw over the wisher.