Magic Missile/Eldritch Blast modification - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Magic Missile/Eldritch Blast modification

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
salmelo
Jul 04, 2008 19:51:27 As is, magic missile does force damage, and eldritch blast does plain old damage.
My question is, do you think it would be reasonable to allow a PC with either power to choose, at 1st level, a type of damage? so they could choose to have their magic missile deal fire damage, or their eldritch blast deal necrotic damage.
Are certain damage types inherently more powerful than others? from what i've seen the only difference is whether or not the opponent has resist and/or vulnerabilities. are there more / more common creatures with vulnerabilities to certain damage types? should I maybe limit it to a certain list?
#2
jimb
Jul 04, 2008 20:26:17 A lot of monsters (especially undead) are vulnerable to radiant damage, so you might not want to allow radiant magic missiles or eldritch blasts.

Otherwise, I don't think there are serious balance issues with this. A wizard or warlock can always change the damage type of these spells anyway by using the appropriate magic implement.
#3
Steveman
Jul 04, 2008 20:30:01 If you want them to be able to choose an energy types. Pic the "most common" energy types; Acid, Cold, Fire and Lightning. That wahy they have control, don't give themselves a major leg up over those who pic force or "nil".
#4
grod_the_giant
Jul 04, 2008 20:46:38 One thing to think about is some monsters (though not as many as in 3e) have elemental resistance, while they don't have 'untyped' resistance.

That being said, I'd let them take anything but radiant (which really is just 'holy' damage, if you think about it).
#5
gorditobandito
Jul 04, 2008 21:06:45 I don't think it matters much since you as the DM choose what to pit them against. just don't punish them by having extra damage against trolls that you granted them by making them fight a bunch of fire elementals as well. if you don't let this new damage type affect your decisions as to the monsters you throw at them too much then it otta be fine
#6
danmarlok
Jul 04, 2008 22:11:51 I'll follow the crowd on this one. Let them pick anything but radiant as that's the really the demesnes of the holy classes IMO. Let them be the ones that determine their fluff so to speak, determine a damage type and a visual effect. Maybe one warlocks eldritch blast is depected as dark hands thrust up from below and grab the target imparting an icy chill to the soul, while another's is a slivering tornado of icy particles and a third is a draws down fire from the heavens. It lets the players 'characterize' their character, make them unique and personal.

Someone could probably go through the MM and muchkin it and determine the total resists possible and take the one with the fewest resists of course but as a DM you can of course change the mobs to whatever you want.
#7
salmelo
Jul 04, 2008 23:38:01 thanks for all the imput, that seems to match what I was thinking for the mos part, so it seems to be the best choice.
#8
makeshiftwings
Jul 04, 2008 23:53:16 You might want to be careful of Cold damage too. There are feats and items that allow extra "control" abilities when using cold damage, and I think they're built under the assumption that cold spells are generally less damaging than fire or force spells. Letting Magic Missile be Cold might make for a very powerful frost mage.
#9
jimb
Jul 05, 2008 3:05:14
You might want to be careful of Cold damage too. There are feats and items that allow extra "control" abilities when using cold damage, and I think they're built under the assumption that cold spells are generally less damaging than fire or force spells. Letting Magic Missile be Cold might make for a very powerful frost mage.

If you want to be a frost mage, you can just cast your magic missiles using a wand of chill strike to achieve the same effect. (By the RAW, any power cast using a wand of chill strike gains the Cold keyword, since the magic item has a daily power with the Cold keyword.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 salmelo Jul 04, 2008 19:51:27	As is, magic missile does force damage, and eldritch blast does plain old damage. My question is, do you think it would be reasonable to allow a PC with either power to choose, at 1st level, a type of damage? so they could choose to have their magic missile deal fire damage, or their eldritch blast deal necrotic damage. Are certain damage types inherently more powerful than others? from what i've seen the only difference is whether or not the opponent has resist and/or vulnerabilities. are there more / more common creatures with vulnerabilities to certain damage types? should I maybe limit it to a certain list?
#2 jimb Jul 04, 2008 20:26:17	A lot of monsters (especially undead) are vulnerable to radiant damage, so you might not want to allow radiant magic missiles or eldritch blasts. Otherwise, I don't think there are serious balance issues with this. A wizard or warlock can always change the damage type of these spells anyway by using the appropriate magic implement.
#3 Steveman Jul 04, 2008 20:30:01	If you want them to be able to choose an energy types. Pic the "most common" energy types; Acid, Cold, Fire and Lightning. That wahy they have control, don't give themselves a major leg up over those who pic force or "nil".
#4 grod_the_giant Jul 04, 2008 20:46:38	One thing to think about is some monsters (though not as many as in 3e) have elemental resistance, while they don't have 'untyped' resistance. That being said, I'd let them take anything but radiant (which really is just 'holy' damage, if you think about it).
#5 gorditobandito Jul 04, 2008 21:06:45	I don't think it matters much since you as the DM choose what to pit them against. just don't punish them by having extra damage against trolls that you granted them by making them fight a bunch of fire elementals as well. if you don't let this new damage type affect your decisions as to the monsters you throw at them too much then it otta be fine
#6 danmarlok Jul 04, 2008 22:11:51	I'll follow the crowd on this one. Let them pick anything but radiant as that's the really the demesnes of the holy classes IMO. Let them be the ones that determine their fluff so to speak, determine a damage type and a visual effect. Maybe one warlocks eldritch blast is depected as dark hands thrust up from below and grab the target imparting an icy chill to the soul, while another's is a slivering tornado of icy particles and a third is a draws down fire from the heavens. It lets the players 'characterize' their character, make them unique and personal. Someone could probably go through the MM and muchkin it and determine the total resists possible and take the one with the fewest resists of course but as a DM you can of course change the mobs to whatever you want.
#7 salmelo Jul 04, 2008 23:38:01	thanks for all the imput, that seems to match what I was thinking for the mos part, so it seems to be the best choice.
#8 makeshiftwings Jul 04, 2008 23:53:16	You might want to be careful of Cold damage too. There are feats and items that allow extra "control" abilities when using cold damage, and I think they're built under the assumption that cold spells are generally less damaging than fire or force spells. Letting Magic Missile be Cold might make for a very powerful frost mage.
#9 jimb Jul 05, 2008 3:05:14	You might want to be careful of Cold damage too. There are feats and items that allow extra "control" abilities when using cold damage, and I think they're built under the assumption that cold spells are generally less damaging than fire or force spells. Letting Magic Missile be Cold might make for a very powerful frost mage. If you want to be a frost mage, you can just cast your magic missiles using a wand of chill strike to achieve the same effect. (By the RAW, any power cast using a wand of chill strike gains the Cold keyword, since the magic item has a daily power with the Cold keyword.)