Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Warric 05-23-07, 03:26 PM	I'm thinking of nerfing these spells when used offensively. I don't like the fact that even on a successful save they still do 10 hp damage per level. It's way too easy to win a lot of combats with this spell, especially in conjunction with prayer beads. I'm thinking of changing it to: "on a successful save the victim takes 1d8 hp of damage per level...." What do you all think?
RobbyPants 05-23-07, 04:00 PM	Actually, it won't make much of a difference. As written, the spell does half the 10 damage per level, half on a save (thus 5 damage per level). If you change it to 1d8 per level, you are averaging 4.5 damage per level (minimum 1 per level, max 8 per level). All that you succeed in doing here is marginally reduce the damage, and drastically increase the variation. It's quite possible that a successful save could be about as leathal as a failed one!
Warric 05-23-07, 04:41 PM	My bad... I'm doing this from memory right now (still at work). Perhaps lowering it to 1d6 or 1d4 per level? I just dislike the fact that even if you succeed on the save you still take a lot of damage. I don't want to decrease the effectiveness of the spells if the victim fails the save, just if he succeeds. Success shouldn't mean you still take a ton of damage. I've seen too many monsters go down fast from this spell from a mere touch attack even though they succeed on the save. Any other ideas out there?
RobbyPants 05-24-07, 09:38 AM	My bad... I'm doing this from memory right now (still at work). Perhaps lowering it to 1d6 or 1d4 per level? I just dislike the fact that even if you succeed on the save you still take a lot of damage. I don't want to decrease the effectiveness of the spells if the victim fails the save, just if he succeeds. Success shouldn't mean you still take a ton of damage. I've seen too many monsters go down fast from this spell from a mere touch attack even though they succeed on the save. Any other ideas out there? Well, it's really like most other direct damage spells, in that it deals half damage on a successful save. The only real difference is that it deals a lot of damage anyway. Do remember that on a successful save, the target's HP cannot be lowered below 1 with harm, thus, it won't be lethal on a successful save. Also, the mettle ability (which is fairly hard to come by), will allow you to take no damage on a successful save. Mettle is similar to evasion, but it works on effects requiring a Fort or Will save. Alternately compare it to similar spells. Slay Living (level 5) does 3d6 on a successful save. Destruction (7th level) does 10d6 on a successful save. Perhaps having Harm deal a flat 5d6 damage (not halved) on a save would work. This is comprable to what Disitegrate (also a single target 6th level spell) does when you make a save.
Warric 05-24-07, 01:32 PM	Hmm... a good way to look at it. If disintegrate does a flat 5d6 damage on a successful save, I think I'll make harm/heal do 8d6 damage on a successful save and this is why. It should not be as good as destruction damage-wise, because it is lower in level. But it should do more damage than disintegrate because disintegrate is a more versatile spell and also, it can't kill an opponent on its own whereas disintegrate can. That seems like a good balance to me. Thanks Robbypants
RobbyPants 05-24-07, 03:03 PM	No problem! :D