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I have a problem with my spellcaster player characters - they don't use their spells! I have sorcerers, clerics, and oracles that run into battle and insist on using crossbows, even though many of them have dismal (if any) dexterity bonuses, and almost all of them have several at-will powers or cantrips that could be used to good effect in battle.
The most recent example that sparked this post was an attack on a bandit camp. The ranger scouted ahead but failed his stealth check, the bandits raised the alarm, and skewered him with 3 arrows in the surprise round. The Oracle won the initiative, ran right past the wounded ranger (who was down to 1hp) and fired a crossbow bolt at the bandits (of course completely missing).
Has anyone else seen this kind of problem? Any ideas as to how to encourage them to use their spells?
use the break spell to break all of their weapons, it's a fortitude check, so fighters will survive it. Fudge a bit if there is a serious problem.
If they then try to fist-fight ... then let them meet a monster that has spikes on their skin.
If this doesn't help, give them a scroll of teleport, put a brass armor on them, put them on the top of a mountain during a lightningstorm. If they really don't want to use magic, they got it coming.
Only inexperienced players who are not sure of what they can do.
If you're looking for encouragement, how about the classic "are you sure you want to do that?" or even more direct, give them the total attack number with the crossbow and then also give them the total attack number with let's say their 7/day ranged touch attack (or whatever powers that they are not using)
But, the Oracle example just sounds like either an inexperienced player or at least inexperienced with that new class. Generally after a few encounters of getting their behinds kicked players will look at their character sheet and think "Man was there anything else I could have done instead of using my crossbow, oh right I have all these spells and such!" (:
On the other hand some players choose to play their characters a bit inefficiently for RP purposes, not that it sounds like that's going on here but there's so many possible reasons it's hard to give more advice.
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Only inexperienced players who are not sure of what they can do.
If you're looking for encouragement, how about the classic "are you sure you want to do that?" or even more direct, give them the total attack number with the crossbow and then also give them the total attack number with let's say their 7/day ranged touch attack (or whatever powers that they are not using)
But, the Oracle example just sounds like either an inexperienced player or at least inexperienced with that new class. Generally after a few encounters of getting their behinds kicked players will look at their character sheet and think "Man was there anything else I could have done instead of using my crossbow, oh right I have all these spells and such!" (:
On the other hand some players choose to play their characters a bit inefficiently for RP purposes, not that it sounds like that's going on here but there's so many possible reasons it's hard to give more advice.
It's a mix of both. One inexperienced player in particular I talked to, pointed out how much easier it is to hit with a ranged touch spell than a crossbow, and she still hasn't gotten it. The Oracle example confounds me - she's a very experienced role player, has played quite a bit of Pathfinder, and frequents society games in her area.
Did the Oracle get similar treatment in round 2?
I don't know yet - it's a play-by-post and we haven't gotten there yet ;)
For that same reason, it's hard to do the whole "Are you sure you want to do that?" approach.
Weird, the wizard in my group casts too many spells! Seriously, there have been fights with just regular monsters that he has used over half of his daily allotment of spells.
Although he is getting better. I've been recommending he use some spells with longer durations, things like flaming sphere or summon monster, to give him something to do every round rather than just fireball x3, then shoot arrows.
Has anyone else seen this kind of problem? Any ideas as to how to encourage them to use their spells?
Firstly, I've always viewed spells akin to currency that should only be spent wisely. You never know as a player when the next encounter might happen - and when it does, it might be tougher than the last.... and you're not going to get back that 3rd level spell you used to kill some rot grubs.
Aside from that, your player might be a bit green with regard to group priorities. Taking him aside from the other players after the game and talking to him might be of some use. And when I say "talk" I don't mean lecture him into playing his character a certain way... I mean pose scenarios and draw out some responses: "What if you knew the ranger was on death's door - and by extension, died because of lack of group attention?"; "Do you envision your character more as a healer - or more as a smiter of foes?"; "What do you think your character would more benefit from: a strong, healthy ally at his side, or momentary personal glory?"
I don't wish to say the questions should be loaded - but simply getting the player to think less about his own bacon (or his "valuable" contributions) might yield some more varied play.
Storm burst is the only reason I lived to second level!
Now I have a crossbow but that is for a different reason....
(heavy crossbow and divination spell true strike, is 1/day awesomeness)
I don't know yet - it's a play-by-post and we haven't gotten there yet ;)
Ah, PbP makes things harder. From the limited experience I have with that I've seen that a lot of players have a hard time thinking of the Party instead of just their character. Having a friend sit next to you glaring at you because you didn't heal him and he died goes a long way to learning how to work as a group. ;)
Yeah, all bets are off in play by post... no clue how to solve that problem.
(IMO, play by post is really a sub-par way to game, but I understand if someone doesn't have another option).
I don't see what the thread title has to do with the subject..
That aside: Usually, as the game progresses and the players get more experience with the class and its abilities, they work out what works and what doesn't. Give them time, and they'll sort themselves out :)
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I don't see what the thread title has to do with the subject..
I saw it as how in 3rd edition there weren't really as many 0-level spells that were useful in combat, plus you had a limited amount of them anyways so spell casters had to resort to mundane weapons in combat. In Pathfinder, there's enough unlimited use spells or abilities that you should almost never have switch to a crossbow - and my players don't seem to realize that.
One reason in PBP is the spells with 1 round casting times spells like sleep as good as it is at low levels ends up looking like this on a PBP.....
"I cast sleep getting as many as I can in the area of effect"
Everyone else gets to open long ashes and impale opponents while caster is casting.....
Often combined efforts of melee types kills opponents and caster is still waiting for resolution of the spell......
No way around this on PBP....
I am not surprised to hear of this "wanting to do something" coming forth!
A few Question:
= What level were the characters ?
= How many spells did they have ?
= Was the caster already in combat ?
= Was the caster worried about casting a spell, and being disrupted before it was completed (their by wasting her turn). ?
Anyway, best thing is sit down and talk with the players about why they are playing the way they do.
I for one, after reading Pathfinder, am thinking that i should build my Caster Feats around Bows skills more, due to the desire have not having to worry about a creature Making its save, Spell Resistance, Spell immunity to damage type, Evasion, Improved Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncany Dodge, and Dispell Magic/Counter Spells.
Love spells, Love magic, but magic in 3.0/3.5/PF is just not as dependable as it use to be, requires more skills to use, and just is not as powerful as it once was. Sometimes, a good old fashioned +3 magic Ice bow, can work better than trying to overcome Spell Resistance.
... Nope. that's a player problem, not a system problem. I don't know what any 3rd edition caster was doing with a crossbow passed 2nd level, but it sounds like your party was paging Charles Darwin for emergency pickup.
Kill them off for being stupid…
Always good advice. Always demonstrate how superior you are to lesser 'players'.