Hold Person... too powerful? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Hold Person... too powerful?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Nov 14, 2004 11:18:25 Am I the only one who thinks that hold person in second ed. is kind of too powerful?
#2
zombiegleemax
Nov 14, 2004 17:10:07 more like useful it is a human fighter's bane (no bonus to saves or resistance charm) but I wouldn't say it's excessively powerful, and all but the most evil creatures will even harm a held person. And if that human has a ring of free action-- he's got nothing to fear at all. Along with the limited casting range it's a less versatile spell than one might thing. IMO, it may seem daunting at first read, but in an actual game terms we've never had any problems.
#3
zombiegleemax
Nov 14, 2004 20:08:25 Well, the problem I have is the duration. In a small fight it'll put beefy BBEG Fighter's in their place. It's very useful, I agree, but only to those who use it.
#4
soel_griffin
Nov 15, 2004 13:19:36
all but the most evil creatures will even harm a held person.

But those are exactly the type most pcs will face. I think its the spell most harmful to pcs at early levels.
#5
zombiegleemax
Nov 15, 2004 22:14:31 The priest version is indeed overpowered at 2nd level, but then again, priests are overpowered to begin with.

Now, the 3rd level wizard version? I think that one's just fine. I agree that the duration may be a tad long, but not enough to make it worthy of being a 4th level spell.
#6
zombiegleemax
Nov 21, 2004 8:17:21
But those are exactly the type most pcs will face. I think its the spell most harmful to pcs at early levels.

I agree with this. In the 1st Edition modules, it seemed that an automatic spell that a cleric would recognize was Hold Person just due to how much power the spell has over beginning characters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Nov 14, 2004 11:18:25	Am I the only one who thinks that hold person in second ed. is kind of too powerful?
#2 zombiegleemax Nov 14, 2004 17:10:07	more like useful it is a human fighter's bane (no bonus to saves or resistance charm) but I wouldn't say it's excessively powerful, and all but the most evil creatures will even harm a held person. And if that human has a ring of free action-- he's got nothing to fear at all. Along with the limited casting range it's a less versatile spell than one might thing. IMO, it may seem daunting at first read, but in an actual game terms we've never had any problems.
#3 zombiegleemax Nov 14, 2004 20:08:25	Well, the problem I have is the duration. In a small fight it'll put beefy BBEG Fighter's in their place. It's very useful, I agree, but only to those who use it.
#4 soel_griffin Nov 15, 2004 13:19:36	all but the most evil creatures will even harm a held person. But those are exactly the type most pcs will face. I think its the spell most harmful to pcs at early levels.
#5 zombiegleemax Nov 15, 2004 22:14:31	The priest version is indeed overpowered at 2nd level, but then again, priests are overpowered to begin with. Now, the 3rd level wizard version? I think that one's just fine. I agree that the duration may be a tad long, but not enough to make it worthy of being a 4th level spell.
#6 zombiegleemax Nov 21, 2004 8:17:21	But those are exactly the type most pcs will face. I think its the spell most harmful to pcs at early levels. I agree with this. In the 1st Edition modules, it seemed that an automatic spell that a cleric would recognize was Hold Person just due to how much power the spell has over beginning characters.