Author Topic: Walk wizard, walk  (Read 9757 times)

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axenome1

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #40 on: March 26, 2011, 12:02:25 AM »
Complete Mage reserve feats pretty much eliminate the need for magic missile. If you wander around in the Spell Compendium you can find enough force spells to ignore it, although admittedly reserve feats are actually the first time I've ever seen a mechanic make heighten spell matter other than as a yadda yadda to increase dc by a couple points.
On that particular topic, in low magic campaigns I enforce a house rule that reserve feats require the added expenditure of a 0-level spell slot or higher to use. Can be useful to make magical effects seem more important.
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Kaelik

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #41 on: March 26, 2011, 12:45:56 AM »
Yeah, because if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that those reserve feats are too powerful, and should really be limited to an absolute maximum of 5 times a day.  :fu

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #42 on: March 26, 2011, 12:54:18 AM »
Yeah, because if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that those reserve feats are too powerful, and should really be limited to an absolute maximum of 5 times a day.  :fu
Uh, he said 0th level or higher.

And in a low magic setting they could get significantly better.
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Echoes

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #43 on: March 26, 2011, 11:20:17 AM »
Yeah, because if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that those reserve feats are too powerful, and should really be limited to an absolute maximum of 5 times a day.  :fu
Uh, he said 0th level or higher.

And in a low magic setting they could get significantly better.

Why would you spend real spell slots on a reserve feat instead of casting an actual spell? With the exception of a couple, they are all asstastic even when they are free to use. Even the good ones can't really compete with most spells, although Minor Shapeshift would still be useful for the free temp HP even if it cost a 1st-level slot.

And low-magic setting? What the hell? How does that affect reserve feats? You still get your spells per day, and in fact your spells are comparatively more powerful, so why would you waste slots on some shitty minor effect when you could use those same slots in actual level-appropriate ways?
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RobbyPants

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #44 on: April 01, 2011, 10:59:40 AM »
Yeah, because if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that those reserve feats are too powerful, and should really be limited to an absolute maximum of 5 times a day.  :fu
Uh, he said 0th level or higher.

And in a low magic setting they could get significantly better.

Why would you spend real spell slots on a reserve feat instead of casting an actual spell? With the exception of a couple, they are all asstastic even when they are free to use. Even the good ones can't really compete with most spells, although Minor Shapeshift would still be useful for the free temp HP even if it cost a 1st-level slot.
Exactly.  In this situation, you have two options:

1) Spend a feat, reserve a spell slot, and blow a spell slot to activate an inferior effect, or

2) Spend a spell slot and get a better effect.

What the actual fuck?  Low magic or not, why would you ever do that?
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Hallack

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #45 on: April 01, 2011, 01:12:20 PM »
I think a tricked out Reserve feat can be useful in something like an E6 game (due to limited spell slots mostly) but yeah, most are "meh" level of awesome. 
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The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #46 on: April 01, 2011, 04:19:29 PM »
2) Spend a spell slot and get a better effect.

What the actual fuck?  Low magic or not, why would you ever do that?

Summoning a large elemental >> ray of frost
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RobbyPants

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #47 on: April 01, 2011, 04:34:04 PM »
2) Spend a spell slot and get a better effect.

What the actual fuck?  Low magic or not, why would you ever do that?

Summoning a large elemental >> ray of frost
Yes and no.  Lets look at this at an actual game table.  First of all, we have to know what the hell "low magic" even means.

If we're talking about being limited to relatively low level spells (like E6 or something), then you're looking at a trade off of blowing a feat, reserving one of your top level spells, and spending a slot for 3d6 damage or so vs just casting a spell.  In most cases, I'd rather be dropping a Grease or Silent Image than doing 3d6 damage.  Sure, the 3d6 is totally rad for a 0th level spell, but you get four of those a day, and I hope you don't have to Detect Magic, or anything.

If we're not talking about being limited to low level magic, then you have high level magic available.  So sure, you can pull of 9d6 fire damage or an elemental with a 0th level spell slot... or you could spend your standard action actually casting a 9th level spell.

In either case, I just can't be made to care about how much better a particular reserve feat might be compared to a 0th level spell.  In a vacuum it looks nice, but in actual practice, the trade-off is ass.
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The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #48 on: April 01, 2011, 04:39:00 PM »
Ah, I was assuming that it was a "no full spellcasting progression" type dealie, where you could have a decent CL and only sixth level spells or whatever.

Summoning a large elemental with the reserve feat is about equivalent to a fifth level slot or so?  Something like that.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2011, 04:40:44 PM by The_Mad_Linguist »
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RobbyPants

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #49 on: April 01, 2011, 06:00:52 PM »
Yeah.  I guess I'd have to know what "low magic" meant for that to really mean anything to me.  Still, I'm skeptical about making reserve feats suck even more on base principles alone.  I guess I need more info.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
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Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

Endarire

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Re: Walk wizard, walk
« Reply #50 on: April 01, 2011, 11:49:15 PM »
Divine Metamagic: Heighten or Metamagic School Focus: Heighten may help.  Even then, the edge won't last long.
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