Spellfire FAQ Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Spellfire FAQ Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
aravilar_holistacia
03-23-04, 03:09 AM Okay.

I've been searching through the forums and come to the conclusion that spellfire is an FAQ worthy topic which I will put under the Combat section.

However, I want to know the specifics you think should go into the question, as sort of a catch-all FAQ question that will detail all the important aspects of the spellfire that get a lot of attention.

Thanks in advance,

Aravilar
Forgotten Realms FAQ Author
dragonheart
03-23-04, 06:11 PM spell fire and breath weapons - can it absorb a breath weapon? and for that matter a clear list of waht can and perhaps more important can not be absorbed.
also my understanding of reading things is that while you can send out a blast with up to your con in HD you are not required to - rather you can send out any size you want up to your con. is this correct - it might help some folks in several of the spellfire debates.
Sarta
03-23-04, 06:39 PM I think the biggest concern regarding spellfire is campaign balance. An average 1st level character with a con of 11 and spellfire is capable of dishing out 11d6 of damage in a single action -- thereby making mincemeat of any BBEG designed to be a challenge to a group of level 1 characters.

Many posters feel that in order to negate this imbalance a DM should tailor encounters given to pc's to include more cannon-fodder and less big targets, thereby negating some of its usefulness.

Personally, I have just house-ruled that a player with spellfire cannot do more than their overall character level in d6 damage per round. While this may not jive with spellfire as presented by Mr. Greenwood, I also am not certain that it was originally intended for a PC to wield and so balance issues were not a major concern.

The secondary concerns that I have seen have been the issues of refilling one's spellfire pool. Some have argued that allowing a pc to refill their own pool is unbalancing.

Sarta
Faraer
03-23-04, 06:42 PM Won't there be a magic section?

I think the most important thing is to set out the origin, purpose and context of spellfire, and how that relates to the ways it was adapted to fit 2nd edition AD&D then the new D&D and their paradigms.
Alac Luin
03-23-04, 06:46 PM Spellfire and shadow weave.
Absorb shadow weave spells?
Acess shadow weave in any way, or just mystra's weave?
If it does, can it work in wild/dead magic zones?
Can dispel magic counterspell spellfire? (MoF says yes, but the current FRCS FAQ says spells cannot counterspell spellfire)
aravilar_holistacia
03-24-04, 09:00 PM Thank you for your help. :D

:bump: More stuff, guys!
Brahzs M'ahnkei
03-25-04, 09:08 AM Originally posted by Sarta
...a player with spellfire cannot do more than their overall character level in d6 damage per round.

Sarta

I think this house rule makes a lot of sense, if you are concerned about unbalanced game-play. Personally, I think that spellfire _is_ by it's nature unbalancing in a given low level scenario- that's why, theoretically, so few beings in the Realms possess the power. In a grader sense, however, I think it was intended to be a counter to those mad-magic-wielding wizards/god-like tyrants who used arcane energies to lay genocidal waste to the populace, etc. With that in mind, I personally have not messed with the power to much in our game. Besides, there are so many other powerful feats & prestige classes that it eventually becomes a moot point.

Cheers,
;)
Crust
03-25-04, 09:59 AM I posted this a while back...

I DM a cleric of Mystra 14/spellfire channeler 4, and there isn't anything unbalancing about him, even when I start him out with 20 stored spellfire levels before every outing.

He hardly ever turns the tide with his spellfire. Sure, it's clutch against a spellcaster, golem, or a spell barrier, but he in no way lays waste to legions of foes or causes towers to topple like we see in the Spellfire novels. Unlike in the novels, spellfire is used rarely, and it's spent quickly.

And charging up isn't easy, either. Converting useful spells and draining useful magical items for spellfire levels hardly ever seems the best choice when it comes down to making a decision, so he typically just uses what levels I start him out with.

As far as absorbing goes, he hardly ever does that unless he's in the midst of a one-on-one spell duel. I find that it's always better to act than to hope for a targeted spell.

Now, being the level that he is, and traveling with the individuals he travels with, the PCs and NPCs he is acquainted with allow for him to, say, pump himself up with up to 60 spellfire levels to, say, defend the walls of the Twisted Tower, or prepare for an assault against a force of githyanki, or a horde of orcs. Rapid blast is very destructive, and though one can only "target" one individual with spellfire, I assume spellfire functions much like great cleave, slaying others as it leaves ashes in its wake. There are times when he's super-charged right before a handy teleport, sending a veritable nuclear bomb into the midst of any successfully scried area... but that seldom happens.

Of course, one might say, "Why isn't he hunted down like Shandril was?" To that I reply, "Those fools learned their lesson in Spellfire." Or... "They can learn that lesson again when trying to tangle with him and his companions, which has happened time and again."

All in all, spellfire is nothing to get in a bind over.
WizO_BigSister
03-25-04, 10:48 AM Faraer I presume since you want such an incredibly detailed section on Spellfire you are volunteering to write it ;) It will end up in the "Magic, Deities, and the Cosmos" sectioon of the FAQs, which does already exist :)

Crust I am not sure I understand what the questions you want to see included actually are.
Crust
03-25-04, 11:09 AM No questions, just an overall explanation that spellfire is balanced and shouldn't be held in such high regard.

What does it matter about questions included? It's not like anyone will look at these posts and say, "By golly! They've got it! Let's write another $30 book about something that's already been ironed out twice!"

By the way, are we now expected to make posts that are directly relevant to the first post? Man oh man... :twitch:
Alac Luin
03-27-04, 07:41 PM This is not a question, but something that dispells the myth that a rod of absorbtion changing in 3.5 (which it didn't) and now becouse of this non-existent change a spellfire person no longer has to ready an action.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
aravilar_holistacia 03-23-04, 03:09 AM	Okay. I've been searching through the forums and come to the conclusion that spellfire is an FAQ worthy topic which I will put under the Combat section. However, I want to know the specifics you think should go into the question, as sort of a catch-all FAQ question that will detail all the important aspects of the spellfire that get a lot of attention. Thanks in advance, Aravilar Forgotten Realms FAQ Author
dragonheart 03-23-04, 06:11 PM	spell fire and breath weapons - can it absorb a breath weapon? and for that matter a clear list of waht can and perhaps more important can not be absorbed. also my understanding of reading things is that while you can send out a blast with up to your con in HD you are not required to - rather you can send out any size you want up to your con. is this correct - it might help some folks in several of the spellfire debates.
Sarta 03-23-04, 06:39 PM	I think the biggest concern regarding spellfire is campaign balance. An average 1st level character with a con of 11 and spellfire is capable of dishing out 11d6 of damage in a single action -- thereby making mincemeat of any BBEG designed to be a challenge to a group of level 1 characters. Many posters feel that in order to negate this imbalance a DM should tailor encounters given to pc's to include more cannon-fodder and less big targets, thereby negating some of its usefulness. Personally, I have just house-ruled that a player with spellfire cannot do more than their overall character level in d6 damage per round. While this may not jive with spellfire as presented by Mr. Greenwood, I also am not certain that it was originally intended for a PC to wield and so balance issues were not a major concern. The secondary concerns that I have seen have been the issues of refilling one's spellfire pool. Some have argued that allowing a pc to refill their own pool is unbalancing. Sarta
Faraer 03-23-04, 06:42 PM	Won't there be a magic section? I think the most important thing is to set out the origin, purpose and context of spellfire, and how that relates to the ways it was adapted to fit 2nd edition AD&D then the new D&D and their paradigms.
Alac Luin 03-23-04, 06:46 PM	Spellfire and shadow weave. Absorb shadow weave spells? Acess shadow weave in any way, or just mystra's weave? If it does, can it work in wild/dead magic zones? Can dispel magic counterspell spellfire? (MoF says yes, but the current FRCS FAQ says spells cannot counterspell spellfire)
aravilar_holistacia 03-24-04, 09:00 PM	Thank you for your help. :D :bump: More stuff, guys!
Brahzs M'ahnkei 03-25-04, 09:08 AM	Originally posted by Sarta ...a player with spellfire cannot do more than their overall character level in d6 damage per round. Sarta I think this house rule makes a lot of sense, if you are concerned about unbalanced game-play. Personally, I think that spellfire _is_ by it's nature unbalancing in a given low level scenario- that's why, theoretically, so few beings in the Realms possess the power. In a grader sense, however, I think it was intended to be a counter to those mad-magic-wielding wizards/god-like tyrants who used arcane energies to lay genocidal waste to the populace, etc. With that in mind, I personally have not messed with the power to much in our game. Besides, there are so many other powerful feats & prestige classes that it eventually becomes a moot point. Cheers, ;)
Crust 03-25-04, 09:59 AM	I posted this a while back... I DM a cleric of Mystra 14/spellfire channeler 4, and there isn't anything unbalancing about him, even when I start him out with 20 stored spellfire levels before every outing. He hardly ever turns the tide with his spellfire. Sure, it's clutch against a spellcaster, golem, or a spell barrier, but he in no way lays waste to legions of foes or causes towers to topple like we see in the Spellfire novels. Unlike in the novels, spellfire is used rarely, and it's spent quickly. And charging up isn't easy, either. Converting useful spells and draining useful magical items for spellfire levels hardly ever seems the best choice when it comes down to making a decision, so he typically just uses what levels I start him out with. As far as absorbing goes, he hardly ever does that unless he's in the midst of a one-on-one spell duel. I find that it's always better to act than to hope for a targeted spell. Now, being the level that he is, and traveling with the individuals he travels with, the PCs and NPCs he is acquainted with allow for him to, say, pump himself up with up to 60 spellfire levels to, say, defend the walls of the Twisted Tower, or prepare for an assault against a force of githyanki, or a horde of orcs. Rapid blast is very destructive, and though one can only "target" one individual with spellfire, I assume spellfire functions much like great cleave, slaying others as it leaves ashes in its wake. There are times when he's super-charged right before a handy teleport, sending a veritable nuclear bomb into the midst of any successfully scried area... but that seldom happens. Of course, one might say, "Why isn't he hunted down like Shandril was?" To that I reply, "Those fools learned their lesson in Spellfire." Or... "They can learn that lesson again when trying to tangle with him and his companions, which has happened time and again." All in all, spellfire is nothing to get in a bind over.
WizO_BigSister 03-25-04, 10:48 AM	Faraer I presume since you want such an incredibly detailed section on Spellfire you are volunteering to write it ;) It will end up in the "Magic, Deities, and the Cosmos" sectioon of the FAQs, which does already exist :) Crust I am not sure I understand what the questions you want to see included actually are.
Crust 03-25-04, 11:09 AM	No questions, just an overall explanation that spellfire is balanced and shouldn't be held in such high regard. What does it matter about questions included? It's not like anyone will look at these posts and say, "By golly! They've got it! Let's write another $30 book about something that's already been ironed out twice!" By the way, are we now expected to make posts that are directly relevant to the first post? Man oh man... :twitch:
Alac Luin 03-27-04, 07:41 PM	This is not a question, but something that dispells the myth that a rod of absorbtion changing in 3.5 (which it didn't) and now becouse of this non-existent change a spellfire person no longer has to ready an action.