D&D 3E/3.5 What are the "problem" spells in 3E?

[Ridley's Cohort]

Thanks for the compliment.

I try to look at spells when they've been mentioned a couple times. I'll look at Gust of Wind, but I don't think I've seen much on Illusory Wall before.

I concur that you put together a nice looking document. Good organization.

Gust of Wind is definitely underpowered. The combination of small AoE and short duration make it difficult to conceive of any use outside of an exceptionally predicatable dungeon crawl. Should be a 2nd level spell as written. To be a 3rd level spell it should be a cone or extended in duration, or both.


Sleet Storm (3rd level). Vague & Underpowered.

The effect of "blocks all sight" is confusing when compared to weather effect descriptions and fog spells. The standard movement penalty for sleet or snow is 1/2 movement (DMG p.87). The standard penalty for blinded is 1/2 movement. Is the normal net effect for being within the spell 1/2 or 1/4? The spell description lists 1/2, but does that mean "blocks all sight" is actually a concealment effect? If so, how much concealment at 5'?

Regardless, the effect looks weak when compared to either Web or Stinking Cloud. The SS AoE is slightly larger than SC, but a 40' radius is actually quite clumsy indoors. Not sure if I would call that an advantage.

 

[Lurker]

Enervation! Empower it twice, extend it once and what do we get?

A 9th level spell like Energy Drain but without a save...

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Enervation! Empower it twice, extend it once and what do we get?

A 9th level spell like Energy Drain but without a save...

IIRC, Energy Drain does not have a save either when struck by the ray. The Fortitude saves are to remove the negative levels after a period of time after being affected.

Enervation has no save, but the negative levels automatically go away after 24 hours.

Unfortunately, the SRD doesn't explain these very well, but the PHB explains them better.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I concur that you put together a nice looking document. Good organization.

Thanks!

Sleet Storm (3rd level). Vague & Underpowered.

The effect of "blocks all sight" is confusing when compared to weather effect descriptions and fog spells. The standard movement penalty for sleet or snow is 1/2 movement (DMG p.87). The standard penalty for blinded is 1/2 movement. Is the normal net effect for being within the spell 1/2 or 1/4? The spell description lists 1/2, but does that mean "blocks all sight" is actually a concealment effect? If so, how much concealment at 5'?

Regardless, the effect looks weak when compared to either Web or Stinking Cloud. The SS AoE is slightly larger than SC, but a 40' radius is actually quite clumsy indoors. Not sure if I would call that an advantage.

I agree the spell is vague, but not sure it is underpowered. The best spell I could compare it to is darkness. Each blocks vision (apparently), but Sleet Storm has a couple added benefits. Not sure why it would be a 4th level spell for Druids...if anything, wouldn't nature spells be easier if not as easy for druids to cast as clerics?

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Moved the document here. I was going to put it in the first post, but it seems I can't "edit add" an attachment. Oh well.

Enjoy! Feedback is wanted!

 

[Cheiromancer]

I've downloaded all the versions of your document.

I like it a lot- it isa good resource for a DM beginning a campaign to sit down and work his way through.

If you have any future versions, you might want to put something about how (or if) simulacrum interacts with the empower metamagic feat.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I've downloaded all the versions of your document.

I like it a lot- it isa good resource for a DM beginning a campaign to sit down and work his way through.

If you have any future versions, you might want to put something about how (or if) simulacrum interacts with the empower metamagic feat.

Thanks for the compliment!

You are correct, I should address that problem with simulacrum. We see a lot of questions about how to adjucate simulacrum, so I addressed those.

Maybe I should start up a thread called "Possible Solutions to 'Problem' Spells". What do you think?

 

[Anubis]

Yeah but you should see the disadvantages he had to take in order to buy that 200 IQ.

What exactly to you mean by that? Just for your information, it's a woman, not a man.

 

[mroberon1972]

Attempt at making summoning better...

I made an attempt to fix the summoning system in this thread. No one seemed to think much of it though...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=24374

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Re: Attempt at making summoning better...

I made an attempt to fix the summoning system in this thread. No one seemed to think much of it though...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=24374

I'm not trying to fix everything. I have several suggestions for many spells. DMs can use some, all, or none of them, but the info is there to make a decision.