Wordcasting mayhem

[Tinalles]

I'm not sure I've got this right, because it seems to good to be true.

First up, some rules quotes:

Experimental Wordcaster feat (UM 166) wrote:

Prerequisites: Ability to cast spells.

Benefit: Select one class that grants you the ability to cast spells. You can now use the slots fro that class to cast a limited number of words of power spells. Add all of the target words to your spell list and your spellbook, familiar, or list of spells known. In addition, add the boost meta word and one effect word of any level you can cast in the chosen class.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each additional time you select this feat, add two effect or meta words to your spellbook, familiar, or list of spells known.

Selected target word (UM 166) wrote:

SELECTED

Level 0
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft.//2 levels)
A wordspell with this target word affects a single target within range. If the wordspell deals energy damage, this word creates a ray that requires a ranged touch attack to hit, or it can be used as a melee touch attack with no range (decided by the wordcaster when the wordspell is cast). If it is used as a melee touch attack and the attack misses, the wordcaster can hold the charge and try again with subsequent attacks.
Boost: Instead of one target, the wordspell affects up to one target per caster level, no two of which can be more than 30 feet apart. The range increases to medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level). If used with an effect word that deals energy damage, the wordcaster must make multiple ray attacks for each target (they cannot be made as melee touch attacks). This boosted target word increases the level of all the effect words in the spell by 3 levels.

Force Bolt effect word (UM 178) wrote:

FORCE BOLT (Force)

School evocation [force]; Level magus 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Duration instantaneous
Saving throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Target Restrictions selected

This effect word deals 1d4 points of force damage per caster level (maximum 5d4). This effect is treated like a magic missile for purposes of spells that negate or absorb force effects.

So, suppose I have a sorcerer. At 9th level, I take the Experimental Wordcaster feat (UM 166). It gives me access to the target words, the meta word "boost", and one effect word of my choice. I choose "Force Bolt", which does 1d4 points of force damage per level, maximum 5d4.

Then I proceed to cast "Boost Selected Force Bolt". The "boost" applies to the "selected" target word, and lets me target 1 force bolt per caster level, for a total of 9. Each force bolt does 5d4 damage, since my caster level is well over the cap on that. And the Force Bolt effect word does not deal energy damage (force is not energy), so I don't even have to make attacks -- all 9 bolts just auto-hit.

That's 45d4 points of damage (average of 112.5), with no save. Spell resistance applies, and a Shield spell would negate it, whereupon I would cast a targeted Dispel Magic to take down the Shield spell and proceed to do it again.

It scales with level, and it can either be divided amongst a bunch of mooks, or you can hit the same target over and over.

Have I got that right? Or am I missing something?

[Umbral Reaver]

It doesn't appear that you are able to direct more than one force bolt against a single target with this.

Also, that's effectively a 5th level spell. A 9th level sorcerer doesn't have access to spell slots of that level.

[Eridan]

You do 9 x 5d4 damage not 45d4. That is a huge difference.

It is something like a 5th spell level forceball with an average of 12.5 damage per targeted creature without save. A fireball from a 9lvl sorcerer will do an average of ~16 points damage even with a successfull save and it is only a 3rd level spell.

[hogarth]

Hm. To me, it's pretty clear that the boosted Selected target word is supposed to work like the Haste or Slow spell: "one creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart". Unfortunately, they used the word "target" instead of "creature or object", so it's not clear if one creature can be targeted twice.

As a GM, I wouldn't allow one creature to be targeted more than once, but it's debatable.

[Tinalles]

Umbral Reaver wrote:

It doesn't appear that you are able to direct more than one force bolt against a single target with this.

Why not? A single target is within 30 feet of itself, and I don't see any prohibition on targeting a single creature more than once.

Umbral Reaver wrote:

Also, that's effectively a 5th level spell. A 9th level sorcerer doesn't have access to spell slots of that level.

True! I had the wizard spell progression in my head. A sorcerer could take the feat and learn the requisite words at 9, but couldn't use the boost combo till level 10.

Lastly, it occurs to me that even without any boost shenanigans, the "selected" target plus the assorted healing words are very handy, in that they give you ranged healing spells. Nice.

[LazarX]

I've tried understanding the word of power mechanics, let my head 'splode a few times and simpy sighed and abandoned the probject. Those mechanics will never see the light of day in a campaign I run.

[Tinalles]

They do seem like they could have used some more play testing.

[hogarth]

Tinalles wrote:

They do seem like they could have used some more play testing.

Sadly, there are a fair number of rough edges in the Words of Power rules. But they're still kind of fun to use, and it's not really difficult to guess what the intent was in most cases. (Of course, I'm a certified genius at guessing intent, so YMMV.)

[LazarX]

I might use them with the right players, definitely not with a group who has players that specialize in corner rule munchkinism.

[Tar-Tar]

SELECTED

Level 0
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft.//2 levels)
A wordspell with this target word affects a single target within range. If the wordspell deals energy damage, this word creates a ray that requires a ranged touch attack to hit, or it can be used as a melee touch attack with no range (decided by the wordcaster when the wordspell is cast). If it is used as a melee touch attack and the attack misses, the wordcaster can hold the charge and try again with subsequent attacks.
Boost: Instead of one target, the wordspell affects UP TO ONE TARGET PER CASTER LEVEL, no two of which can be more than 30 feet apart. The range increases to medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level). If used with an effect word that deals energy damage, the wordcaster must make multiple ray attacks for each target (they cannot be made as melee touch attacks). This boosted target word increases the level of all the effect words in the spell by 3 levels.

The boosted selected target word allows you to select a number of targets up to your caster level. You can choose to select fewer. Selecting fewer does not allow you to target the same thing more than once; otherwise, this would function like quicken spell, but instead of casting a single spell as a swift action you cast it 10 or more times as a standard action. You cannot select the same target more than once with the selected target word.

[Quatar]

It might be without save, but you still have to succeed on a ranged/melee touch attack.

Pretty much all spells that target touch AC don't allow saves, so honestly that's nothing special.

Also it seems quite clear that the intention behind the Boosted selectied word is to hit more than one target not one target 9 times.

[Lloyd Jackson]

Yep, you can't target the same creature more than once and each requires a ranged touch attack. Why? Because that was the creator's intention and doing it the other way would be unbalanced.