Ally's Curse: Is this overpowered? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Ally's Curse: Is this overpowered?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
redrumpc
Mar 12, 2010 14:36:33 Hey guys -

I'm currently assist DMing a campaign in Eberron. A player has recently brought up concerns about another player's homebrew feat being overpowered.

What do you think?

Ally's Curse:
Any turn you finish where an opponent who is already cursed by you, but was not dealt damage this turn by you, can now lend the extra 1D6 of damage to one other allies' damage rolls. This damage can only be added to one ally's damage roll per cursed enemy per turn, and only if that enemy was not dealt damage by you (the warlock). This power grows as you do and at 11th level will lend 2D6 and at 21st level, 3D6.

Any opinion is greatly appreciated. Thanks, guys.
#2
pluisjen
Mar 12, 2010 16:16:20
I'm not sure if I read this right...

Does it say "For any cursed enemy you did not deal damage to, the next ally to hit it deals +1d6 damage"? That would be very powerful.

Or does it read "If you did not deal curse damage this turn, one of your allies can deal your 1d6 curse damage instead of you", limiting the whole party to 1d6 points of damage, instead of only allowing the Warlock to deal those damage points? That would be moderately powerful, but probably doable without really breaking anything.

Either way; this feat lets the Warlock curse someone and then attack anyone he pleases without losing his curse damage, with does make it a very uncharactaristic feat and not something I'd allow in my games. It makes the Warlock feel like even less of a striker, in my eyes.
#3
babyj
Mar 15, 2010 1:42:42 I understand it as the second interpretation that Pluisjen wrote.

If correct: Aye, I agree with Pluisjen's evaluation that the feat is thematically incorrect. Aside from that, however..it also seems to have potential for brokenness.

specifically- say, my buddy and i are warlocks. we have two rogues for party members. boost the AC and attack of two rogues as much as possible, and ignore our own (we will have very little need for it). my buddy and i hurl curses and then back up, letting the rogues move in. the rogues hit often anyways, and get excellent damage too, but now it will be increased even more, thus they get hit less as a result of the creatures dying faster. me and my buddy would never get hit, since our curses work by proxy

I can see how the others at the table might feel like this is broken.
#4
praedoran
Mar 15, 2010 1:58:28
Hey guys -
Ally's Curse:
Any turn you finish where an opponent who is already cursed by you, but was not dealt damage this turn by you, can now lend the extra 1D6 of damage to one other allies' damage rolls. This damage can only be added to one ally's damage roll per cursed enemy per turn, and only if that enemy was not dealt damage by you (the warlock). This power grows as you do and at 11th level will lend 2D6 and at 21st level, 3D6.

It's far too strong to be a Heroic feat, but it's certainly in line with the Paragon level Warlock feats. Warlock's aren't a leader class, they shouldn't be buffing other people's damage, and it's not until Paragon that they get to share pact boons with party members within 3 squares.

The real problem is this turns the power into literally, an encounter long +1D6/Round at-will without a save or attack or such.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 redrumpc Mar 12, 2010 14:36:33	Hey guys - I'm currently assist DMing a campaign in Eberron. A player has recently brought up concerns about another player's homebrew feat being overpowered. What do you think? Ally's Curse: Any turn you finish where an opponent who is already cursed by you, but was not dealt damage this turn by you, can now lend the extra 1D6 of damage to one other allies' damage rolls. This damage can only be added to one ally's damage roll per cursed enemy per turn, and only if that enemy was not dealt damage by you (the warlock). This power grows as you do and at 11th level will lend 2D6 and at 21st level, 3D6. Any opinion is greatly appreciated. Thanks, guys.
#2 pluisjen Mar 12, 2010 16:16:20	I'm not sure if I read this right... Does it say "For any cursed enemy you did not deal damage to, the next ally to hit it deals +1d6 damage"? That would be very powerful. Or does it read "If you did not deal curse damage this turn, one of your allies can deal your 1d6 curse damage instead of you", limiting the whole party to 1d6 points of damage, instead of only allowing the Warlock to deal those damage points? That would be moderately powerful, but probably doable without really breaking anything. Either way; this feat lets the Warlock curse someone and then attack anyone he pleases without losing his curse damage, with does make it a very uncharactaristic feat and not something I'd allow in my games. It makes the Warlock feel like even less of a striker, in my eyes.
#3 babyj Mar 15, 2010 1:42:42	I understand it as the second interpretation that Pluisjen wrote. If correct: Aye, I agree with Pluisjen's evaluation that the feat is thematically incorrect. Aside from that, however..it also seems to have potential for brokenness. specifically- say, my buddy and i are warlocks. we have two rogues for party members. boost the AC and attack of two rogues as much as possible, and ignore our own (we will have very little need for it). my buddy and i hurl curses and then back up, letting the rogues move in. the rogues hit often anyways, and get excellent damage too, but now it will be increased even more, thus they get hit less as a result of the creatures dying faster. me and my buddy would never get hit, since our curses work by proxy I can see how the others at the table might feel like this is broken.
#4 praedoran Mar 15, 2010 1:58:28	Hey guys - Ally's Curse: Any turn you finish where an opponent who is already cursed by you, but was not dealt damage this turn by you, can now lend the extra 1D6 of damage to one other allies' damage rolls. This damage can only be added to one ally's damage roll per cursed enemy per turn, and only if that enemy was not dealt damage by you (the warlock). This power grows as you do and at 11th level will lend 2D6 and at 21st level, 3D6. It's far too strong to be a Heroic feat, but it's certainly in line with the Paragon level Warlock feats. Warlock's aren't a leader class, they shouldn't be buffing other people's damage, and it's not until Paragon that they get to share pact boons with party members within 3 squares. The real problem is this turns the power into literally, an encounter long +1D6/Round at-will without a save or attack or such.