Spells every wizard should know

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On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 11:12:04 GMT, "Bradd W. Szonye"
<bradd+news@szonye.com> carved upon a tablet of ether:

> Bradd wrote:
> >> /Polar ray/ is OK, but unfortunately cold resistance is common, and the
> >> same foes you'd use it on to avoid Reflex saves are also the guys with
> >> high touch AC. Since you need to deal with firing into melee, cover,
> >> etc., a smart rogue or monk could easily force you to miss with a ray.
>
> Rupert Boleyn wrote:
> > My main targets are monsters with good Fort saves. For those without
> > (which includes rogues), I use Disintegrate. Yes, I could still miss,
> > but if I don't... If I knew I was hunting monks or rogues I'd gear up
> > with some Quickened True Strikes to solve the problem.
>
> Heh. I'm just so bad at playing wizards, especially high-level wizards.
> That just didn't occur to me, but at that level of course you can easily
> afford a few 5th-level slots on QTSes. Especially since 5th-level spells
> are a bit weak anyway.

It's not my usual tactic, BTW - too specific. Usually I take a
quickened Shield or MM spell or two, and a quickened fireball or Haste
if I think I can afford it (they compete with Prismatic Spray and DBF,
though).

IME Disintegrate, while not the fight-stopper it used to be, will put
a serious dent in anything that fails its save, and its precision
means you can use it in very tight environments. Unlike Flesh to Stone
you get to score the loot, too.

Chain Lightning is quite a nice evocation spell for 6th level, as it
affects lots of targets without frying friends.

Oh yeah - I completely agree with your list having Mind Blank there as
the 8th level spell for all wizards. The only downside is not getting
some aid from your allies buff effects (morale bonuses, etc. tend to
be mind-affecting).

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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Rupert Boleyn wrote:
> Oh yeah - I completely agree with your list having Mind Blank there as
> the 8th level spell for all wizards. The only downside is not getting
> some aid from your allies buff effects (morale bonuses, etc. tend to
> be mind-affecting).

It's a critical spell for the scrying defense alone. In my last high-
level campaign, it was one of the few spells that the PCs kept up at all
times. (Death ward was another.)
--
Bradd W. Szonye
http://www.szonye.com/bradd

 

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On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 13:51:15 +0200, Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic@inet.hr>
carved upon a tablet of ether:

> It's an 8th-level spell that does d6/level damage. At 15th, that's 15d6.
> A scorching ray does 12d6, and it's 2nd level! An Empowered scorching
> ray (4th-level) does (the equivalent of) 18d6. OK, that's with a feat,
> and three rays means that energy resistance screws scorching ray three
> times as much as it does polar ray, and fire resistance/immunity might
> be more common than cold... OTOH, three rays also means it's less of an
> all-or-nothing thing vs. high touch AC. And without resistances, a
> Maximized Empowered scorching ray does more damage at 13th level than a
> polar ray does at 25th!

The 3xresistance is a real killer, IME. Energy Resistance 20+ is
fairly common in high-level monsters, and that stops Scorching Ray
dead, and messes an Empowered or Maximised one up pretty badly, too.

> It seems to me that it's a poor 8th-level spell if a 2nd-level one and a
> couple of metamagics can give it a run for its money...

People talk a lot about Empower and Maximise, but I've never seen them
used yet. Everyone who's played an arcanist so far has decided they
cost too much.

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
> People talk a lot about Empower and Maximise, but I've never seen them
> used yet. Everyone who's played an arcanist so far has decided they
> cost too much.

Our new wizard cohort has been using empowered magic missiles lately.
They're nothing amazing, but they get the job done.
--
Bradd W. Szonye
http://www.szonye.com/bradd

 

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Bradd W. Szonye wrote:
> First, thanks for the feedback. I've saved a copy for reference. Below
> are miscellaneous clarifications and comments.
>
> Bradd W. Szonye wrote:
>>> Spells every wizard should know:
>>> 0 detect magic (div)
>
> Justisaur wrote:
>> possibly Prestidigitation. usually the divine casters can handle the
>> detect magic.
>
> I should've left level 0 off the list anyway, since wizards get all of
> the spells for free. I guess it's still useful for sorcerers, who do
> all know /detect magic/ IME.

Still useful. Just treat it as a "spells every wizard should memorise" for
0th-level, especially as you don't get 0th-level bonus spells.

>>> 5 wall of force (evoc)
>
>> Eh.
>
> Going by experience here; I think it's the most-used 5th-level spell
> in our group. Maybe we're just unusually fond of crowd control.

If you are, you're not alone - our group's wizard gets an awful lot of use
out of it, for crowd control and sometimes general utility (most recently,
as a deflection barrier for an avalanche).

--
Mark.

 

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In article <ugu5h1lb0rnjvs2fpsd4v35bivfba7fp6u@4ax.com>,
rboleyn@paradise.net.nz says...

> > It's an 8th-level spell that does d6/level damage. At 15th, that's 15d6.
> > A scorching ray does 12d6, and it's 2nd level! An Empowered scorching
> > ray (4th-level) does (the equivalent of) 18d6. OK, that's with a feat,
> > and three rays means that energy resistance screws scorching ray three
> > times as much as it does polar ray, and fire resistance/immunity might
> > be more common than cold... OTOH, three rays also means it's less of an
> > all-or-nothing thing vs. high touch AC. And without resistances, a
> > Maximized Empowered scorching ray does more damage at 13th level than a
> > polar ray does at 25th!
>
> The 3xresistance is a real killer, IME. Energy Resistance 20+ is
> fairly common in high-level monsters, and that stops Scorching Ray
> dead, and messes an Empowered or Maximised one up pretty badly, too.

Perhaps. But against such critters, is even 25d6-20 from the polar ray
really worth the 8th-level slot? IME, when faced with significant energy
resistance, spellcasters go for non-energy spells.

> > It seems to me that it's a poor 8th-level spell if a 2nd-level one and a
> > couple of metamagics can give it a run for its money...
>
> People talk a lot about Empower and Maximise, but I've never seen them
> used yet. Everyone who's played an arcanist so far has decided they
> cost too much.

Empower's OK for an evoker (or anyone else who often uses fistfuls o'
d6), I think. Maximize is probably a bit too expensive. And I think
they're both better for sorcerers than wizards, since if you have
fireball, with Empower you also have a decent evocation for your 5th-
level slots, and can use your 5th-level spells known for something else.

But what you say is itself a rather damning commentary on polar ray,
isn't it? People don't take Empower and Maximize because they're too
expensive, and polar ray is much like an Empowered Maximized 2nd-level
spell...


--
Jasin Zujovic
jzujovic@inet.hr

 

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Bradd wrote:
>> As part of my "spell kits" project (see my recent article), I'm
>> working on lists of spells that just about every wizard should know.

Kaos wrote:
> Y'know, between "every wizard should know" and "necromancy is an easy
> school to drop for specailists," I've decided the magic system is
> broken.

Part of the reason I don't play specialists is that I just can't bring
myself to drop any of the schools. I think necromancy is one of the
easiest to drop, but it's still painful to give up enfeeblement,
spectral hand, wilting, stuff like that. In particular, I've noticed
that "must-have" spells are spread across the schools at the topmost and
bottommost levels (which is what folks look at first when making the
choice).

As for must-have spells, there are a few abilities that few wizards
would want to give up, because they're fantasy staples (teleport) or
life-savers (dimension door) or both (shapechange). Then there's the
meta-magical stuff like dispelling and detecting magic that are simply
an important part of being a wizard.

> Ideally there wouldn't be a universal spellbook ....

I don't think you could put together an entire spellbook of must-have
spells, but there are a few spells that almost everybody wants. I don't
think you could get rid of them (unless you made them class features
instead of spells).
--
Bradd W. Szonye
http://www.szonye.com/bradd

 

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On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 15:04:46 -0500, "Marshall"
<destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> carved upon a tablet of ether:

> > Another thing you seem to have missed - Ice Storm lasts an entire
> > round, which allows you to use it for crowd control.
>
> True. But thats also a penalty since it prevents your meleers from closing
> for an extra round and brings all sorts of weather penalties in for ranged
> attackers. So you might buy your buffers an extra round, is that worth a 4th
> level spell?

You have no idea how to use blocking effects, do you?

> > Have you ever thought of dropping the AoE spells _before_ the meleer's
> > close?
>
> Sure. Now you're back to all your encounters being at 300'+ range. IME,
> you've got MAYBE one round before your meleers are mixing it up.

Assuming they've good sense to not run, 150-200 feet is plenty.

> > Horrid Wilting being targetted, rather than AoE is a neutral effect -
> > you can't get your friends by accident, but you can't just dump it and
> > catch foes you can't detect, either. It doesn't work on constructs and
> > undead AT ALL, either.
>
> Targetted vs. cone is no brainer, but hey, i'll give you that.

Really? That's not my experience - they both have their place.

> > That said, my Loremaster uses Polar Ray as her 8th level direct damage
> > spell (when she bothers with one), because she's already got lots of
> > area effect, so something a little more precise is useful sometimes.
>
> Yeek, Thats an AWFUL spell. Compare it to Disintegrate, 1/2 the damage at +2
> levels. What the hell was WotC thinking? (Well, they were thinking the OFS
> was an 8th level spell)

Polar Ray has no save. Disintegrate has a Fort save (something
powerful monsters tend to be good at). I use Disintegrate more than
Polar Ray, but the latter has its place.

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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On 29 Aug 2005 11:44:54 -0700, "Justisaur" <justisaur@gmail.com>
carved upon a tablet of ether:

> > 4 dimension door (conj)
>
> DD? I'm rather fond of Polymorph, seems a heck of a lot more useful to
> me. Ice Storm is also extremly useful as it has no SR, I'd probably
> pick Ice Storm, then Polymorph as necessary spells.

No save, yes. No SR, no.

> > 5 wall of force (evoc)
>
> Eh. Lesser Planar Binding, Summon Monster V (take a look at the
> Acheri), or Teleport are all way above wall of force on must have
> spells. Dominate Person is usually a first for anyone interested in
> charming stuff too.

I say Teleport. Never found a use for Wall of Force.

> > 6 disintegrate (trans)
>
> This is a good one against undead, but it's rather limited. Antimagic
> Field is a real must for a PC, for a loaner NPC it's not very good
> though. Planar Binding is again a far better spell than disintegrate.

Disintegrate is very cool, IME. Planar Binding is nice, though.
Antimagic Field I've never used.

> > 7 limited wish (univ)
>
> Very good, but I find people shy away from it because of the xp cost.
> It's of more use to a sorcerer as well. Prismatic Spray seems to be
> the spell of choice here.

Oh yes.

> > Abjuration:
> > 1 shield
>
> I'm not sure this is as much a must as protection from foo. Of course
> that's usually the cleric's job. So shield it is.

Shield is marvelous - it stacks with any other AC sources a wizard is
likely to have, and stops MM dead.

> > 4 stoneskin
>
> Not as useful as it once was. I find Dimentional Anchor seeing far
> more use.

Stoneskin is very useful IME. It stops most of those annoying nusisane
and spell disruption attacks.

> > 6 dispel magic, greater
>
> Again, Antimagic Field is far more useful.

Again, not IME.

> > 7 teleport, greater
>
> Not really worth it. Magnificent Mansion is a much better choice

Depends how much travelling you do, and how often you need a quick
getaway. The mansion means you could well have your enemies camped
right outside when you emerge.

> > 3 haste
>
> Not as useful as it once was, Fly is more useful.

??? Haste is not as powerful, but more useful - it's now a party buff.

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 00:50:16 +0200, Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic@inet.hr>
carved upon a tablet of ether:

> Empower's OK for an evoker (or anyone else who often uses fistfuls o'
> d6), I think. Maximize is probably a bit too expensive. And I think
> they're both better for sorcerers than wizards, since if you have
> fireball, with Empower you also have a decent evocation for your 5th-
> level slots, and can use your 5th-level spells known for something else.
>
> But what you say is itself a rather damning commentary on polar ray,
> isn't it? People don't take Empower and Maximize because they're too
> expensive, and polar ray is much like an Empowered Maximized 2nd-level
> spell...

Except it doesn't cost you a couple of feats.

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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Rupert Boleyn wrote:
> On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 02:48:01 GMT, "Bradd W. Szonye"
> <bradd+news@szonye.com> carved upon a tablet of ether:
>
> > Part of the reason I don't play specialists is that I just can't bring
> > myself to drop any of the schools. I think necromancy is one of the
> > easiest to drop, but it's still painful to give up enfeeblement,
> > spectral hand, wilting, stuff like that. In particular, I've noticed
> > that "must-have" spells are spread across the schools at the topmost and
> > bottommost levels (which is what folks look at first when making the
> > choice).
>
> I don't play specialists for much the same reason. the other reason is
> that if I want to specialise it's usually by theme, and I can
> generally do a better job with a sorcerer build.

I find the same. If I want to limit my spell choice in exchange for
more slots the sorcerer does it better and has the same basic spell
list.

Heck a cleric gets as many or more slots than a specialist wizard,
and has a pretty nice spell selection with no need to worry about
spellbooks or spells known.

One of the major edges a wizard has is crafting items, without
the crafting ability I consider the class underpowered.

Specialists seriously weaken crafting (I think there is at least
one really nice item with a spell prereq from any school) AND
they restrict spell choice for one extra slot at each level. It
just never strikes me as a good trade even when I make NPCs with
specialization and limited screen time.

DougL

 

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Rupert Boleyn wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 13:51:15 +0200, Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic@inet.hr>
> carved upon a tablet of ether:
>
> > It's an 8th-level spell that does d6/level damage. At 15th, that's 15d6.
> > A scorching ray does 12d6, and it's 2nd level! An Empowered scorching
> > ray (4th-level) does (the equivalent of) 18d6. OK, that's with a feat,
> > and three rays means that energy resistance screws scorching ray three
> > times as much as it does polar ray, and fire resistance/immunity might
> > be more common than cold... OTOH, three rays also means it's less of an
> > all-or-nothing thing vs. high touch AC. And without resistances, a
> > Maximized Empowered scorching ray does more damage at 13th level than a
> > polar ray does at 25th!
>
> The 3xresistance is a real killer, IME. Energy Resistance 20+ is
> fairly common in high-level monsters, and that stops Scorching Ray
> dead, and messes an Empowered or Maximised one up pretty badly, too.
>
> > It seems to me that it's a poor 8th-level spell if a 2nd-level one and a
> > couple of metamagics can give it a run for its money...
>
> People talk a lot about Empower and Maximise, but I've never seen them
> used yet. Everyone who's played an arcanist so far has decided they
> cost too much.

I haven't seen arcanists use them much, but Incense of Meditation
is kick ass when your cleric knows that today is THE DAY. So I
have seen clerics take the feat just so they could make the incense.

I'm pretty sure I have seen a spontanious cure maximized, but I
think that was 3.0 so I suspect that 3.5 fixed that by adding
mass cure spells.

IIRC the sorcerer in one campaign had empower, and got some use
out of it once (but not nearly as much as he got out of silent
spell since I played opponents smart enough to try to constrain
the party's mobility then cast silence on nearby objects).

DougL

 

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On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 02:48:01 GMT, "Bradd W. Szonye"
<bradd+news@szonye.com> carved upon a tablet of ether:

> Part of the reason I don't play specialists is that I just can't bring
> myself to drop any of the schools. I think necromancy is one of the
> easiest to drop, but it's still painful to give up enfeeblement,
> spectral hand, wilting, stuff like that. In particular, I've noticed
> that "must-have" spells are spread across the schools at the topmost and
> bottommost levels (which is what folks look at first when making the
> choice).

I don't play specialists for much the same reason. the other reason is
that if I want to specialise it's usually by theme, and I can
generally do a better job with a sorcerer build.

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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"Bradd W. Szonye" <bradd+news@szonye.com> wrote in message
news:slrndh6stu.tj7.bradd+news@szonye.com...
> Marshall <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> wrote:
> > The larger area is rarely useful ....
>
> Because you're stupid.
>

Only idiots find believe that friendly fire is.

> > So when are you actually going to use this spell?
>
> It works fine for us. Maybe you're just stupid.
>

Or, as has been proven time and again, you're group is full of idiots who
LIKE wasting high level spell slots

> > I suppose if you are attacking a thieves guild or a monastery and
> > manage to draw them all into an open field it my have a single use.
>
> Or ogres. They're stupid too.
>

I see a theme here; "Idiot on Parade" and you've got a leading role...

> >> Have you ever thought of dropping the AoE spells _before_ the
> >> meleer's close?
>
> > Sure. Now you're back to all your encounters being at 300'+ range.
>
> You don't need 300 feet -- unless you're stupid.
>

See above on friendly fire. I really feel sorry for anyone who thinks you
have the slightest clue.

>
> > So it has the effect of a 4th level spell given a piss-poor AoE. Sculpt
> > spell is +1 level and has the same effect.
>
> No, it's not like a 4th-level spell, because by then 4th-level attack
> spells are almost entirely useless. You don't seem to understand this
> whole math thing. Probably because you're stupid.
>

You seem to have the same problem mickey does, 10d6=10d6. It has the damage
cap of a 4th level spell(or less) and the same added effect of a 4th level
spell. Specifically Sonic Orb. But, you're clueless, so take this rope and
hang yourself again please.

> >> I don't know that Greater Shout is superior to Horrid Wilting, but
> >> it's not inferior, and as they're of different schools, this is fine.
>
> > It needs its damage cap upped, badly.
>
> Not really. It does other stuff too.
>

So do spells a lot lower in level with a lot greater effect. But those are
actually effective, which you seem to not have the capability of being.

> You could use a thinking cap, though.

Dont need one, thanks.
You're conical cap is cute, tho. Had it for a while? You can barely make out
the D-U-N-C-E.

 

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>> > Meteor Swarm is actually useful now, though not that powerful most of
>> > the time (resistance fire damage is far too coomon for that,
>> > especially as each blast's damage is resisted seperately).
>>
>> Energy Substitution thus becomes a more useful metamagic feat.
>
> However, there are plenty of creatures with resistance to any given
> element, and Energy Substitution only lets you convert to one other
> element. This is nice, especially if you're a sorcerer, but I'm not
> sure it's a feat slot 'nice'.

There is also the archmage's ability to do on the fly energy substitution
to any energy type.

 

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Bradd wrote:
>> Because you're stupid.

Marshall wrote:
> Only idiots find believe that friendly fire is.

Too funny -- do you think you could sound any more stupid?

>>> Sure. Now you're back to all your encounters being at 300'+ range.

>> You don't need 300 feet -- unless you're stupid.

> See above on friendly fire. I really feel sorry for anyone who thinks
> you have the slightest clue.

See upthread, where I state that we manage to use area spells /and/
avoid friendly fire. That's because we, unlike you and your imaginary
friends, are not stupid.
--
Bradd W. Szonye
http://www.szonye.com/bradd

 

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Marshall wrote:

> Only idiots find believe that friendly fire is.
>

Can I use this for my signature file. It's quintessential Marshall.

 

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On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 04:19:02 -0500, "Marshall"
<destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> carved upon a tablet of ether:

> You seem to have the same problem mickey does, 10d6=10d6. It has the damage
> cap of a 4th level spell(or less) and the same added effect of a 4th level
> spell. Specifically Sonic Orb. But, you're clueless, so take this rope and
> hang yourself again please.

Now explain to the rest of the class how you intend to stun a whole
bunch of foes with Sonic Orb.

--
Rupert Boleyn <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz>
"Just because the truth will set you free doesn't mean the truth itself
should be free."

 

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"Rupert Boleyn" <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message
news:euvah1pgha2ek76po9h9cnep668huh3qg8@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 04:19:02 -0500, "Marshall"
> <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> carved upon a tablet of ether:
>
> > You seem to have the same problem mickey does, 10d6=10d6. It has the
damage
> > cap of a 4th level spell(or less) and the same added effect of a 4th
level
> > spell. Specifically Sonic Orb. But, you're clueless, so take this rope
and
> > hang yourself again please.
>
> Now explain to the rest of the class how you intend to stun a whole
> bunch of foes with Sonic Orb.
>

Sculpt Spell is +1 spell level. While it doesnt work directly on Sonic Orb,
the effect would be the same on a new researched spell. Single target to AoE
is +1 spell level. Making Greater Shout around a 5th level spell effect(in
an eighth level slot).

That conludes your lesson on Evocation 301 for the day...

 

[KAOS]

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On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 04:19:02 -0500, "Marshall"
<destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> dared speak in front of ME:

>"Bradd W. Szonye" <bradd+news@szonye.com> wrote in message
>news:slrndh6stu.tj7.bradd+news@szonye.com...
>> Marshall <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> wrote:
>> > The larger area is rarely useful ....
>>
>> Because you're stupid.
>
>Only idiots find believe that friendly fire is.

Purple geese traffic freely.
(Or to put it another way: wtf are *you* trying to say?)

>> > So when are you actually going to use this spell?
>>
>> It works fine for us. Maybe you're just stupid.
>
>Or, as has been proven time and again, you're group is full of idiots who
>LIKE wasting high level spell slots

For definitions of "time and again" that are synonomous with "Only in
Marshall's fevered imagination."

--
The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out
the conservative adopts them.
Samuel Clemens, "Notebook," 1935

 

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Kaos wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 04:19:02 -0500, "Marshall"
> <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> dared speak in front of ME:
>
>
>>"Bradd W. Szonye" <bradd+news@szonye.com> wrote in message
>>news:slrndh6stu.tj7.bradd+news@szonye.com...
>>
>>>Marshall <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>The larger area is rarely useful ....
>>>
>>>Because you're stupid.
>>
>>Only idiots find believe that friendly fire is.
>
>
> Purple geese traffic freely.
> (Or to put it another way: wtf are *you* trying to say?)

Maybe he's channeling a slaad:

http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=68

 

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In news:deu7ev$1csk$1@news.iquest.net,
Marshall <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> typed:
> I've always found it easier to find a 5' gap to shoot a LB thru than
> a 20'd circle that didnt have the parties flankers in it. Also found
> that most of FBs range is beyond encounter distance so its not as
> huge a bennie as it looks.

"Encounter distance", what's that? Do you have a set limit on the distance
encounters can occur at or what?

I agree that FBs full range ain't always usable but your argument seems to
say it's never usable.

--
T. Koivula

 

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Behold! for "Marshall" <destroyr@BRAKESiquest.net> spake unto the
multitude thus:

>
>"Rupert Boleyn" <rboleyn@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message
>news:cqn5h1tpeuipvggm9pbhg2j9b3ge1ro5sn@4ax.com...
>> Have you ever thought of dropping the AoE spells _before_ the meleer's
>> close?
>>
>
>Sure. Now you're back to all your encounters being at 300'+ range. IME,
>you've got MAYBE one round before your meleers are mixing it up.

Eh? Do all your adventures happen underground or something? Lightning
Bolt is great for clearing corridors but pretty shaky elsewhere.
Unless your targets happen to line up in a row directly facing you,
it's hard to get many of them. OTOH, Fireball will clear a whole room
very nicely.

LB has some minor advantages - electricity resistance is less common
than fire resistance, it can smash down doors (or walls at high level)
and is sometimes less prone to collateral damage, but FB is far more
useful in the great outdoors. It also does extra damage to some things
(eg white dragons, frost giants), and LB does extra to very little.

In a dungeon, I might take LB. Outside, no.

--
Jim or Sarah Davies, but probably Jim

D&D and Star Fleet Battles stuff on http://www.aaargh.org

 

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Behold! for "Bradd W. Szonye" <bradd+news@szonye.com> spake unto the
multitude thus:

>2 mirror image (illus)

Far too prone to mooks, arrows, Magic Missile, Cleave or

Actually, in "Any successful attack against an image destroys it." I
assume "attack" must be a deliberate physical attack action (ie roll
d20 to hit) capable of doing damage; otherwise AoE spells would wipe
it out, as would a handful of sand. But what about shadows, Ray of
Frost or Ray of Enfeeblement?

And are you in control of the images? I infer so, but it doesn't say
so, doesn't say whether they move or teleport, whether they can appear
on the other side or a door, etc etc.

This spell is rather vague.

At low levels, Web, Invisibility or Glitterdust. At higher levels,
Spectral Hand* or Glitterdust.

*Spectral Hand is a bit vague too. It implies that it moves anywhere
within max range within one round, so unless it gets whopped by an
incorporeal movement AoO or something near you, it can't get hit.

--
Jim or Sarah Davies, but probably Jim

D&D and Star Fleet Battles stuff on http://www.aaargh.org

 

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Bradd wrote:
>> 2 mirror image (illus)

Jim Davies wrote:
> Far too prone to mooks, arrows, Magic Missile, Cleave or
>
> Actually, in "Any successful attack against an image destroys it." I
> assume "attack" must be a deliberate physical attack action (ie roll
> d20 to hit) capable of doing damage; otherwise AoE spells would wipe
> it out, as would a handful of sand. But what about shadows, Ray of
> Frost or Ray of Enfeeblement?

IIRC, anything that targets an image dispels it, but I don't have the
rules handy to double-check.

> And are you in control of the images? I infer so, but it doesn't say
> so, doesn't say whether they move or teleport, whether they can appear
> on the other side or a door, etc etc.

Huh? I'm sure the rules answer at least a couple of those questions. For
example, they can't appear on the other side of a door unless you have
line-of-effect to that space. And it clearly states that you can
rearrage the images; dunno whether that's what you meant by "control."
--
Bradd W. Szonye
http://www.szonye.com/bradd