Why heighten a Ray of Enfeeblement? > maxminis.com- D&D minis, 4th edition D&D

Subject: Why heighten a Ray of Enfeeblement?

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kyrin
Commander

3157 Posts

03/31/2006 11:09 PM
The topic says it all -- but I'll say more anyway. While perusing the wand tables as part of this Create a Master Magic Item Table Project, I saw that one of the possibilities for a wand was Ray of Enfeeblement, heightened to 4th Level. Why would you do that? RoE has no save, and no effect that would depend on spell level. I guess the SR level check would jump to d20+7 (since only a 7th level caster could manage that) and it could penetrate a Minor Globe. That just seems like a lot of trouble to me. Can anyone think of another reason? I'm just hitting a wall with this. The charm spells I can understand (wands need all the help they can get with save DC, and +5 to the diffy is very spiffy for charm person) but RoE has me stumped. Thanks for any light youse guys can shed on this. JIM aka kyrin

My Have/Want List <-\|-\|->My Trades and References 1 <-\|-\|->My Trades and References 2 Pronounce "Drow" like "crow"! Viva la Revolution! We Shall Overcome! Vindicated Champion of the Stirge! Vindicated Champion of the Githyanki Knight on Red Dragon!! Vindicated Champion of the Androsphinx!

maijstral
Underboss

2105 Posts

04/01/2006 12:22 AM
quote: Originally posted by kyrin The topic says it all -- but I'll say more anyway. While perusing the wand tables as part of this Create a Master Magic Item Table Project, I saw that one of the possibilities for a wand was Ray of Enfeeblement, heightened to 4th Level. Why would you do that? RoE has no save, and no effect that would depend on spell level. I guess the SR level check would jump to d20+7 (since only a 7th level caster could manage that) and it could penetrate a Minor Globe. That just seems like a lot of trouble to me. Can anyone think of another reason? I'm just hitting a wall with this. The charm spells I can understand (wands need all the help they can get with save DC, and +5 to the diffy is very spiffy for charm person) but RoE has me stumped. Thanks for any light youse guys can shed on this. JIM aka kyrin overcoming SR or getting through the minor globe are the only 2 that come to mind off the top of my head.Just because you can add a meta magic feat to a spell doesn't mean you should. The magic items list should take into account every possiblity. Just because you or I can't find a use for it doesn't mean someone else might be able to. I can see a senario where a powerfull fighter type is protected from 3rd and lower spells and you just need to nerf him and they do stack so a couple could take him right out of the battle. Everytime someone builds a better mousetrap a better mouse comes along.

zenthrus
Commander

4908 Posts

SLC, UT

04/01/2006 1:30 AM
Penetrating a globe or punching through spell resistance could be vital in certain circumstances. Aside from that it's basically useless (there are a number of spells which gain no benefit from Heighten).

Knight Warlord a.k.a. Commander (#32) in only 6 months. Where's my pie? Champion of Dwarven Thunderlashers Knight of the Large Dire Chicken Have/Want List Trade References

kyrin
Commander

3157 Posts

04/01/2006 8:50 AM
quote: Originally posted by zenthrus Penetrating a globe or punching through spell resistance could be vital in certain circumstances. Aside from that it's basically useless (there are a number of spells which gain no benefit from Heighten). The wand tables continue to baffle me. Why bother to put this very special situation in a wand, and for the low, low price of 21 grand no less? If you're worried about punching through an SR that requires d20+7, I don't think RoE is high on your list of "must cast" spells. Me no unnerstand... JIM aka kyrin

My Have/Want List <-\|-\|->My Trades and References 1 <-\|-\|->My Trades and References 2 Pronounce "Drow" like "crow"! Viva la Revolution! We Shall Overcome! Vindicated Champion of the Stirge! Vindicated Champion of the Githyanki Knight on Red Dragon!! Vindicated Champion of the Androsphinx!

IHawk
Underboss

1049 Posts

Lisle, Illinois

04/01/2006 11:37 AM
The other reason I come up with is awefully sinical... you can give high priced treasure away and it won't be any more usable than the first level wand. That would be just mean though, especially in a setting where you just won't be able to sell such an item.

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zenthrus
Commander

4908 Posts

SLC, UT

04/01/2006 8:50 PM
The wand tables aren't comprehensive and are arbitrary. I think they tried to illustrate the wide variety of things you could do with a wand. As with many things in life, just because you can do something doesn't mean it makes any sense to actually do it [:D]

Knight Warlord a.k.a. Commander (#32) in only 6 months. Where's my pie? Champion of Dwarven Thunderlashers Knight of the Large Dire Chicken Have/Want List Trade References

IanB
Commander

3112 Posts

04/02/2006 3:54 AM
Even better, the spell resistance thing is meaningless, since it would be cheaper to just make a high caster level version of RoE without heightening it. I assume it is there for the lesser globe effect, though typically the guys you want to shoot rays of enfeeblement at aren't spellcasters anyway. Odd.

Anson on WotC boards

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