I noticed that save or die spells aren't in the Alpha.
I also noticed that many spells, such as find the path, have been nerfed.
If we wanted to play a game where magic is reduced to video game-like restrictions, we would be playing 4th edition.
First Point: Find the Path
I disagree with your logic that it takes fun out of the game. There are people who don't like dungeon crawling and would prefer to get straight to the big guy at the bottom. Nobody's forcing the wizard to memorize find the path, if they want to use it they can. Some times people want to walk instead of teleport, it gives more experience points and treasure. Please don't ruin it for the ones who want the game to go a little faster.
Second Point: Polymorph Subschool
I always disagreed with this nerf to transforming. It doesn't just reduce the power of a shifting character, it also pigeonholes them into a certain number of forms. What if I want to turn into a Roc instead of a dragon? or a basilisk? Or something nobody else has wanted to become before?
Third Point: Breath of Life
This spell is a gigantic middle finger to resurrection, hence why I consider it a nerf, its a nerf to raise dead and the like. Worse than that, it takes away some of the lethality of the game by allowing "combat rezzes".
Fourth Point: Enhancement Bonus in Altered Form
Why oh why an enhancement bonus? Do you realize how dumb this is? Your strength isn't increased by a magical transmutation, its being increased by sprouting massive dragon muscles. This means that a dragonshaped human can't benefit from a belt of strength or a bull's strength spell. It makes the 2nd level boosters useless.
This is of course a big turn off for me. Massively.
Fifth Point: Identify = Free?
Why did you get rid of spell components?
This is something I wanted to avoid by buying Pathfinder instead of 4th edition.
Sixth Point: Shapechange
Okay so now I have to spend a 9th level slot to be able to spontaneously choose to cast a lower level changing spell? I may has well have memorize limited wish or wish! Shapechange now has the power level of a dead herring.
Seventh Point: XP Costs Removed
So now people won't be hesitant to spam Wish. Instead of nerfing spells and compensating for it by removing components, why not just leave the spells as is?
Eight Point: Miracle?
Why is Miracle absent from this list? Is your aim to turn clerics into heal monkeys? I want my CoDZilla builds.
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I noticed that save or die spells aren't in the Alpha.
I also noticed that many spells, such as find the path, have been nerfed.If we wanted to play a game where magic is reduced to video game-like restrictions, we would be playing 4th edition.
First Point: Find the Path
I disagree with your logic that it takes fun out of the game. There are people who don't like dungeon crawling and would prefer to get straight to the big guy at the bottom. Nobody's forcing the wizard to memorize find the path, if they want to use it they can. Some times people want to walk instead of teleport, it gives more experience points and treasure. Please don't ruin it for the ones who want the game to go a little faster.
That's great for the caster of the spell, what about the DM who spent all week preparing the dungeon with all the side rooms and spread out the treasure throughout the dungeon, then has to listen to players whine about how they aren't getting their level appropriate treasure? (not a hypothetical, this has happened to me) Fun for a player and fun for the group are two seperate things.
Second Point: Polymorph Subschool
I always disagreed with this nerf to transforming. It doesn't just reduce the power of a shifting character, it also pigeonholes them into a certain number of forms. What if I want to turn into a Roc instead of a dragon? or a basilisk? Or something nobody else has wanted to become before?
You've got to remember that the Wizard and the Party are two seperate things, and also keep in mind that even though you are a considerate player who doesn't abuse the power of the spell, that there are others that do and can ruin the game for the people that play at the table with them (remember this is going to be a game involved with organized play)
Third Point: Breath of Life
This spell is a gigantic middle finger to resurrection, hence why I consider it a nerf, its a nerf to raise dead and the like. Worse than that, it takes away some of the lethality of the game by allowing "combat rezzes".
I'll actually agree with you here, I hate easy rez, I want my players to accept a certain level of lethality and play around that not take rediculous unnecesary risks becuase they can just be brought back and get a restoration spell cast on them.
Fourth Point: Enhancement Bonus in Altered Form
Why oh why an enhancement bonus? Do you realize how dumb this is? Your strength isn't increased by a magical transmutation, its being increased by sprouting massive dragon muscles. This means that a dragonshaped human can't benefit from a belt of strength or a bull's strength spell. It makes the 2nd level boosters useless.
This is of course a big turn off for me. Massively.
Um because every character uses polymorph every fight? the fighter polymorphs every battle and therefor has no need of a bullstrength wow, I hadn't caught that, good thing you pointed out how utterly useless stat boost items and low level transmutes are. (just a friendly warning though, don't play in a game I DM cause there are no stat boosting items or spells that do nothing but enhance a stat)
Fifth Point: Identify = Free?
Why did you get rid of spell components?
This is something I wanted to avoid by buying Pathfinder instead of 4th edition.
Um it's one spell that lost it's material component and it's because it is no longer an auto success. There are still a lot of costly material spells. and who got rid of materials? this is a rather bad and failed point.
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I noticed that save or die spells aren't in the Alpha.
I also noticed that many spells, such as find the path, have been nerfed.If we wanted to play a game where magic is reduced to video game-like restrictions, we would be playing 4th edition.
First Point: Find the Path
I disagree with your logic that it takes fun out of the game. There are people who don't like dungeon crawling and would prefer to get straight to the big guy at the bottom. Nobody's forcing the wizard to memorize find the path, if they want to use it they can. Some times people want to walk instead of teleport, it gives more experience points and treasure. Please don't ruin it for the ones who want the game to go a little faster.
One point I just want to say, is if the players don't like dungeon crawls, why are they actually doing one?
Third Point: Breath of Life
This spell is a gigantic middle finger to resurrection, hence why I consider it a nerf, its a nerf to raise dead and the like. Worse than that, it takes away some of the lethality of the game by allowing "combat rezzes".
Well there already was a 3.5 spell that kind of did this. I believe it was Revivify (Spell Compendium) except that didn't just heal damage with there being a chance they came back to life, if raises them done within one round. Both Breath of Life and Revivify have the one round requirment which definitely a big thing. Most clerics I've been around can't always make it to a fallen comrade in one movie action. It's also not a spell I would see prepared everyday.
Fourth Point: Enhancement Bonus in Altered Form
Why oh why an enhancement bonus? Do you realize how dumb this is? Your strength isn't increased by a magical transmutation, its being increased by sprouting massive dragon muscles. This means that a dragonshaped human can't benefit from a belt of strength or a bull's strength spell. It makes the 2nd level boosters useless.
This is of course a big turn off for me. Massively.
Fifth Point: Identify = Free?
Why did you get rid of spell components?
This is something I wanted to avoid by buying Pathfinder instead of 4th edition.
They didn't get rid of a spell component, only the 100gp Pearl. The appraise skill is now used for identifying magic items (in conjunction with Detect Magic or Identify) so a skill check is required, it's not just a *bam* I cast the spell and know situation.
Sixth Point: Shapechange
Okay so now I have to spend a 9th level slot to be able to spontaneously choose to cast a lower level changing spell? I may has well have memorize limited wish or wish! Shapechange now has the power level of a dead herring.
The big thing, like with 3.5 Shapechange is you can change your form every round. So it's not just using a 9th level slot for a lower level spell, it's a 9th level slot for a lower level spell that you can cast each round as a free action.
Seventh Point: XP Costs Removed
So now people won't be hesitant to spam Wish. Instead of nerfing spells and compensating for it by removing components, why not just leave the spells as is?
If they can SPAM wish, let them, it still costs 25,000 GP every casting assuming they cast 4 a day that's 100,000gp everyday, I don't know about you, but that's a lot for any character I've ever had.
Eight Point: Miracle?
Why is Miracle absent from this list? Is your aim to turn clerics into heal monkeys? I want my CoDZilla builds.
It's been said anything that hasn't been changed by the Alpha Release should just assume the original SRD version (with things like xp costs being changed per the sidebar)
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Sixth Point: Shapechange
Okay so now I have to spend a 9th level slot to be able to spontaneously choose to cast a lower level changing spell? I may has well have memorize limited wish or wish! Shapechange now has the power level of a dead herring.
I've got nothing as I haven't really paid much attention to the shape changing spells, but don't wish and limited wish force you to mimic a spell of a certain level lower? are there shapechange spells of a level higher than the min?
Seventh Point: XP Costs Removed
So now people won't be hesitant to spam Wish. Instead of nerfing spells and compensating for it by removing components, why not just leave the spells as is?
Ummm they still have costly material components don't they, doesn't that prevent spamming?
Eight Point: Miracle?
Why is Miracle absent from this list? Is your aim to turn clerics into heal monkeys? I want my CoDZilla builds.
Okay I am now officially rolling my eyes because this is a knee-jerk reaction. If something is not included in the alpha and not noted as having been removed then it is the same as the original.
I actually kind of like Breath of Life. As stated, the spell 'revivify' had a similar effect, and I've used to before.
First of all: it doesnt cheapen death any more. A raise dead/ restoration combo costs 6,000 GP. Casting Breath of Life basically saves you this cost, it's a monetary convinence, nothing more.
Second: already mentioned but yeah, clerics tend to be in full plate and have a move of 20. a lot of the time that's not enough to get to your dead friend in time.
third: here's the real reason I like this spell. If a character dies (especially early in the combat), there is nothing the party can do for him. This leads to a player sitting around having nothing to do for the rest of the combat, which can sometimes take hours for a tough fight (you know, the kind your players are likely to die on), and it sucks to be them, it really does. Breath of Life gives you another shot at participating in the battle, and I like that, because I'm all for people having more fun at the game. There's still a penalty for dying (a -1 to everything the rest of the combat, pretty much), and that's not going to be removed due to the long casting times of spells like Restoration, so players will still try to avoid death, but if something happens well... there's a chance at being able to have some fun the rest of the night..
Find the Path and it's 'Locate' bretheren are bad for the game. They work for groups who do just want to find the dungeon and kill the guy, but their very existence undermines the game world. Look at all the discussion of Blackjack in the CotCT forums. It shouldn't be necessary to equip EVERY meaningful NPC with an Amulet of Non-detection to keep some intrigue and mystery in the game.
I noticed that save or die spells aren't in the Alpha.
First Point: Find the PathI disagree with your logic that it takes fun out of the game. There are people who don't like dungeon crawling and would prefer to get straight to the big guy at the bottom. Nobody's forcing the wizard to memorize find the path, if they want to use it they can. Some times people want to walk instead of teleport, it gives more experience points and treasure. Please don't ruin it for the ones who want the game to go a little faster.
On the other hand it is not very logical of the character not to use it if he has the ability. But it comes in handy in times when you lack someone who can actually track someone
Second Point: Polymorph SubschoolI always disagreed with this nerf to transforming. It doesn't just reduce the power of a shifting character, it also pigeonholes them into a certain number of forms. What if I want to turn into a Roc instead of a dragon? or a basilisk? Or something nobody else has wanted to become before?
Personally I havent run into the problems that polymoph caused, but judging from the WOTC boards they where severe. And it was the stated intention of Paizo to stick close to the 3.5 system but solve some of its major problems. And since plymorph semms to have been the number one transgresser here it fits the intention of the game.
Third Point: Breath of LifeThis spell is a gigantic middle finger to resurrection, hence why I consider it a nerf, its a nerf to raise dead and the like. Worse than that, it takes away some of the lethality of the game by allowing "combat rezzes".
Agree. Raising the dead is far too simple as it is already.
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Fourth Point: Enhancement Bonus in Altered Form
Why oh why an enhancement bonus? Do you realize how dumb this is? Your strength isn't increased by a magical transmutation, its being increased by sprouting massive dragon muscles. This means that a dragonshaped human can't benefit from a belt of strength or a bull's strength spell. It makes the 2nd level boosters useless.
This is of course a big turn off for me. Massively.
Just take a whiteout pen, write over wherever it says "enhancement", and replace it with the word "polymorph". It works just fine in my game. Still limits them to only one concurrent effect, but still makes the magic items actually worth a damn.
0. Sadly there still ARE save or die spells in the game:
The word series and phantasmal killer still are save or dies which should also be adressed in A4 or B1.
1. So ruining the whole game by just instant teleporting to the BBEG, killing him, and then teleporting back to town is great fun to you? That's a bit sad in my eyes :)
2. The new polymorph system rocks. Srlsy.
It still has some flaws with some creatures abilities you can get and which are seriously broken, but I'm confident those will be adressed in the future.
3. Good spell.
4. So morphing into a Dragon via a spell isnt MAGICAL TRANSFORMATION for you? O_o
Resonable and balancing.
5. It now needs a skillcheck. And making it free hurts noone.
6. Wish costs 25k and doesn't enable you to cast a spell each round as a free action.
7. The EXP costs were removed because they fixed the spell.
Now you are much more limited what you can do with it (and it is much clearer either) and thus it is reasonable to cut it down to a 25000gp MC. By WotC rules a point of EXP was worth 5gp anyway. So the costs stayed the same. But every player I have known yet was hesitating to cast ANY spell that was costing EXP, because EXP means levels, and gold is only giving you some items which CAN make you better.
8. Will be addressed in the next version. I'm sure on that one.