Any SRD spells that can be omitted? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Any SRD spells that can be omitted? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
lord_blackfang
12-22-05, 02:57 AM The spells lists for my campaign are getting rather long and unwieldy what with all the new stuff from various books and this here forum.

So I was thinking, are there any "core" spells that can safely be omitted? Anyting that noone ever uses, or that's broken, or so mechanically unsound that it creates rules issues?

I'd still make the spells available to my players if they specifically asked for them, but I'd love to be able to prune the basic spell lists somewhat.

Thanks :)
farfairer
12-22-05, 03:24 AM the easiest way to do what you want is to allow only spells from the PHB to your players without permission or reaserch.

However there is 1 spell from the PHB that my entire group of gaming friends (all 12 of us) think is broken and we always disalow it, and 1 spell we always modify.

The deleated spell is:Touch of Idiocy
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: Yes
With a touch, you reduce the target’s mental faculties. Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1.
This spell’s effect may make it impossible for the target to cast some or all of its spells, if the requisite ability score drops below the minimum required to cast spells of that level.

There are several reasons I feel this spell is completely broken and needs to be removed from the game.

The spell lasts 10 min/lvl.
Touch AC is relatively low, especially for casters, since spells don't add to it.
The spell allows no save.
While at level 3 this spell may not seem to powerful, contemplate adding metamagic feats to it, such as Ranged Touch Spell, Empower Spell, Maximize Spell, or any of the Fell feats from Libra Mortis.

The spell that I always modify is: Animal Growth
Transmutation
Level: Drd 5, Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: Up to one animal (Gargantuan or smaller) per two levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
A number of animals grow to twice their normal size and eight times their normal weight. This alteration changes each animal’s size category to the next largest, grants it a +8 size bonus to Strength and a +4 size bonus to Constitution (and thus an extra 2 hit points per HD), and imposes a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. The creature’s existing natural armor bonus increases by 2. The size change also affects the animal’s modifier to AC and attack rolls and its base damage. The animal’s space and reach change as appropriate to the new size, but its speed does not change.
The spell also grants each subject damage reduction 10/magic and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it— the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.
All equipment worn or carried by an animal is similarly enlarged by the spell, though this change has no effect on the magical properties of any such equipment.
Any enlarged item that leaves the enlarged creature’s possession instantly returns to its normal size.
The spell gives no means of command or influence over the enlarged animals.
Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.

The modifications to this spell I make are as follows:

Reduce targets to 1 animal/ 3 levels
Reduce durration to 1 round/ level
Reduce STR bonus to +4
Reduce CON bonus to +2
The reasons for these changes in Animal Growth are because of game balace issue my friends and I noticed between this spell and Righteous Might, and abuse of the Druid Feat Natural Spell.

Righteous Might is a 5th level cleric spell that does almost exactly the same thing as Animal Growth. The difference is that RM is caster only, it lasts 1 round/ level, and in the errata it grants +4 STR and +2 CON.

Animla Growth may only be able to target animals, but those animals can include a Druid's animal Companion, any animals the Druid has summoned, and the Druid himself if he has the feat Natural Spell.
lord_blackfang
12-22-05, 02:18 PM Thanks for your suggestion, but I need to add plenty of new "core" spells to get a proper "elemental" system. So I'd rather drop some old ones.

Can noone think of any spells that could (or even should) be removed?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
lord_blackfang 12-22-05, 02:57 AM	The spells lists for my campaign are getting rather long and unwieldy what with all the new stuff from various books and this here forum. So I was thinking, are there any "core" spells that can safely be omitted? Anyting that noone ever uses, or that's broken, or so mechanically unsound that it creates rules issues? I'd still make the spells available to my players if they specifically asked for them, but I'd love to be able to prune the basic spell lists somewhat. Thanks :)
farfairer 12-22-05, 03:24 AM	the easiest way to do what you want is to allow only spells from the PHB to your players without permission or reaserch. However there is 1 spell from the PHB that my entire group of gaming friends (all 12 of us) think is broken and we always disalow it, and 1 spell we always modify. The deleated spell is:Touch of Idiocy Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Living creature touched Duration: 10 min./level Saving Throw: No Spell Resistance: Yes With a touch, you reduce the target’s mental faculties. Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1. This spell’s effect may make it impossible for the target to cast some or all of its spells, if the requisite ability score drops below the minimum required to cast spells of that level. There are several reasons I feel this spell is completely broken and needs to be removed from the game. The spell lasts 10 min/lvl. Touch AC is relatively low, especially for casters, since spells don't add to it. The spell allows no save. While at level 3 this spell may not seem to powerful, contemplate adding metamagic feats to it, such as Ranged Touch Spell, Empower Spell, Maximize Spell, or any of the Fell feats from Libra Mortis. The spell that I always modify is: Animal Growth Transmutation Level: Drd 5, Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Targets: Up to one animal (Gargantuan or smaller) per two levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart Duration: 1 min./level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes A number of animals grow to twice their normal size and eight times their normal weight. This alteration changes each animal’s size category to the next largest, grants it a +8 size bonus to Strength and a +4 size bonus to Constitution (and thus an extra 2 hit points per HD), and imposes a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. The creature’s existing natural armor bonus increases by 2. The size change also affects the animal’s modifier to AC and attack rolls and its base damage. The animal’s space and reach change as appropriate to the new size, but its speed does not change. The spell also grants each subject damage reduction 10/magic and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it— the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size. All equipment worn or carried by an animal is similarly enlarged by the spell, though this change has no effect on the magical properties of any such equipment. Any enlarged item that leaves the enlarged creature’s possession instantly returns to its normal size. The spell gives no means of command or influence over the enlarged animals. Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack. The modifications to this spell I make are as follows: Reduce targets to 1 animal/ 3 levels Reduce durration to 1 round/ level Reduce STR bonus to +4 Reduce CON bonus to +2 The reasons for these changes in Animal Growth are because of game balace issue my friends and I noticed between this spell and Righteous Might, and abuse of the Druid Feat Natural Spell. Righteous Might is a 5th level cleric spell that does almost exactly the same thing as Animal Growth. The difference is that RM is caster only, it lasts 1 round/ level, and in the errata it grants +4 STR and +2 CON. Animla Growth may only be able to target animals, but those animals can include a Druid's animal Companion, any animals the Druid has summoned, and the Druid himself if he has the feat Natural Spell.
lord_blackfang 12-22-05, 02:18 PM	Thanks for your suggestion, but I need to add plenty of new "core" spells to get a proper "elemental" system. So I'd rather drop some old ones. Can noone think of any spells that could (or even should) be removed?