Wizards - Too Powerful?

[GreyWanderer]

Gang:

Wizards are my favorite class. But I've often wondered if they are not too powerful. At upper levels, they can (litterally) do anything, far beyond the abilities of other classes. Even before that, limited wish makes them near unstopable - compared to others classes of the same level.

I've wondered if the game would be better served if straight wizards were relegated to NPC status - the kings advisor who gives the heroes the backing they need for the quest, the powerful arch villian scheming in his (almost) unasailble tower. Any other arcane spellcasting class would be open to PCs - sorcerers, magistars, (maybe even specialist wizards),etc.
But pure, unlimited wizards used by the DM only, forcing the PC's to use more flavorful varients.

Just a thought.

 

[Markn]

I think you'll see a lot of varied responses to this query. I, for one, however believe that wizards are by far the most powerful class but some of it is dictated by the DM's style. I have found that wizards (and to some extent druids) have gotten more and more power with the splatbooks while the other classes have only seen a slight power increase. I will grant that there are some builds of other classes that can get gross but they are few and far between. In fact, in my own campaign I have found that people are playing the fighter type classes less and less because they are so hindered in comparison to what some spell casters can do. In my next campaign I plan to limit spells to the PHB only although allow feats, PrC, etc from every book. Some people may disagree with this but my group believes that this is worth trying so that is exactly what we are going to do.

 

[Aeson]

Aren't they supposed to be powerful? I always thought the cleric was too powerful, combat prowess and spells. Some of their spells are insane but then again so are wizards.

Limiting some of the spells could help if you think they need it. What you should do is maybe find ways to increase the power of the other classes.

 

[Markn]

Aren't they supposed to be powerful? I always thought the cleric was too powerful, combat prowess and spells. Some of their spells are insane but then again so are wizards.

Limiting some of the spells could help if you think they need it. What you should do is maybe find ways to increase the power of the other classes.

That's the problem! Most of the other stuff for other classes doesn't seem to be as powerful. The PrC or builds if you will seem to fewer and farther between. I know others will disagree but a wizard/sorceror/warmage tends to have an answer for just about every situation. A fighter is pretty easy to stall or remove from combat thus limiting his bag of tricks.

As for clerics, I haven't found them too powerful at all. Druids on the other hand have some of the most INSANE spells I have ever seen, thankfully we don't have very many tree huggers in our group.

 

[Crothian]

Wizards are if they have the chance to prepare the right spells or can fill empty spell slots. Hopwever, a wizard can easily be caught in a situation he is not prepared for and will not do so well. Wizards also don't do well in a string of encounters that force them or they choose to burn spells. With the wrong spells or with few spells left wizards obviously become worse then clerics and Druids.

 

[Aeson]

Thats the way to handle it. Use their weaknesses. I don't mean be a jerk but from time to time don't let them rest. Use encounters where some of their spells won't work. Use fire giants because most wizards like fireball.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Eh. They're good on paper, and if they're in the hands of the right player. If you're just using a few encounters a day and the wizard always gets lots of prep time they'll definately shine. They're flexible, too, so they can handle a large amount of situations provided they have a reason to expect those situations to arise.

But, see, that's where you get them. They have an answer to just about everything if they prepare it. But they rarely have that answer two or three times. Almost never four. Sure, grapple them and they'll dimension door away, but if a monster grapples them again later that encounter (or day) how many of those DDs do they have? I'm just trying to convey a generality. Contingency is nice, but once its used, its gone is another example.

Another thing I've noticed about wizards is that they don't do as much per encounter that others do until they feel they are needed then they do some awesome stuff. Everyone remembers the awesome stuff but seems to forget that they only cast a few magic missiles, a shield, and a levitate the past three encounters.

Out of combat they don't have the social skills to compete with bards, clerics, rogues, or paladins. They can navigate around obsticles and help the party to do so, but that consumes more resources and a crafty DM can set these up so that the wizard is needed to circumvent these obsticles instead of being surprised when the PCs do get around them, thus using up more resources.

I've never really had any problem with wizards being too powerful. A prepared wizard is powerful, but not too powerful. This is with experience with wizard players at all level, even epic. But, then again, I run sorcerers dry of spells. Wizards obviously are not going to fare all that well under such conditions.

 

[devilbat]

I've found d20 wizards to be campaign killers. A well prepared, mid to high level wizard is IMO, the most powerful PC available to play.

In our group, we've increased the xp required to level up for wizards, fighters, psychic Warriors and certain Prestige classes. All of which, the group agrees, are tougher then the rest of the classes.

 

[Thanee]

@devilbat: Now that's something you won't hear often, that fighters are too powerful.

And clerics, druids and psions are not?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Aeson]

I'm not sure I've heard fighters being too powerful. I hear complaints they are at the bottom of the scale.