Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dartonus 05-24-07, 06:16 PM	Could an archmage use mastery of elements to change a spell to deal negative energy damage? because the description says it can change the elements of a spell and the elements seem to be used interchangably with energy, I'm sorta confused. thenks in advance.
Kalarus 05-24-07, 08:30 PM	No, an archmage can't. The ability description reads "This ability can only alter a spell with the acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic descriptor." Those are the 5 types you're allowed to interchange, not negative energy. I know it seems like there's no mentioning of it being prohibited to change a spell of one of those five descriptors to negative energy, and that all it says is that you couldn't change a negative energy spell into dealing acid, cold, electric, fire or sonic damage. However, keep in mind that if you change one of those energy types, its descriptor changes as well. For example, changing a fireball into cold, the spell loses the [Fire] descriptor and gains the [Cold] descriptor. Now imagine doing that with negative energy. The fireball would lose its [Fire] descriptor. I don't recall Negative Energy spells having a specific descriptor so it gains nothing. Now suddenly, you can't modify your own spell anymore, since the spell has lost its [Fire descriptor]. Now that doesn't make sense doesn't it, you can modify the spell one way but you're powerless to change it back? You're hardly a *Master* of elements if you screw up that way ;)
Ertai Planeswalker 05-26-07, 04:54 AM	It would be overpowered too, because if you can change it into negative energy, you would also be able to turn it into positive energy... Now imagine an archmage tossing 10D6 positive energy balls from 800 feet away to heal his wounded partymember. That's an average of 35 points of healing for 3rd level spell... exactly 4 points less a cleric would heal using Cure Serious Wounds rolling max, and even then CSW is a touch spell...