Except when you have a Human Wizard who takes 2-Handed Sword as there "Weapon of Choice" and can wield it as a fighter with a 20 strength. I don't feel like it balanced with any of the other abilities, for example
Abjur-Protective Ward +1 deflect for 1 rnd
Conjure- Acid dart does 1d6 +1/2 caster levels (MAX at 20th 1d6+10)
Divin-Diviner's Fortune your C/L for 1 Atk or Skill check 1 crtr once
Enchant- Dazing Touch Daze creature for 1 rnd if Your HD or under
Evoc-Energy Ray does 1d6 +1/2 caster levels (MAX at 20th 1d6+10)
Ill-Blinding Ray 1 rnd Blind Up to or under your HD. Only usable x1
Necro- Grave Touch 1d6 +1/2 caster levels (MAX at 20th 1d6+10)
Uni- Hod Apprentice - Draw weapon as free action and attack within 30' with your atk bns and your int at modifier to atk and strength.
I believe that all of the first level powers are weak except for Universalist HoA. Just imagine when a Universalist wizard obtains a Fiery 2 handed sword of OP with a High int.
I think that because the wizard in not committed to a particular school he gives up the specialist abilities. After all why would I want to specialize in any other school when I can use my HoA with any weapon I'm proficient with and is magically imbued with any kind of ability I want. Then I can pick any spell that you want on top of that. I think the whole Universalist is OP and seriously needs to be NERFed
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Except when you have a Human Wizard who takes 2-Handed Sword as there "Weapon of Choice" and can wield it as a fighter with a 20 strength. I don't feel like it balanced with any of the other abilities, for example
Abjur-Protective Ward +1 deflect for 1 rnd
Conjure- Acid dart does 1d6 +1/2 caster levels (MAX at 20th 1d6+10)
Divin-Diviner's Fortune your C/L for 1 Atk or Skill check 1 crtr once
Enchant- Dazing Touch Daze creature for 1 rnd if Your HD or under
Evoc-Energy Ray does 1d6 +1/2 caster levels (MAX at 20th 1d6+10)
Ill-Blinding Ray 1 rnd Blind Up to or under your HD. Only usable x1
Necro- Grave Touch 1d6 +1/2 caster levels (MAX at 20th 1d6+10)
Uni- Hod Apprentice - Draw weapon as free action and attack within 30' with your atk bns and your int at modifier to atk and strength.I believe that all of the first level powers are weak except for Universalist HoA. Just imagine when a Universalist wizard obtains a Fiery 2 handed sword of OP with a High int.
I think that because the wizard in not committed to a particular school he gives up the specialist abilities. After all why would I want to specialize in any other school when I can use my HoA with any weapon I'm proficient with and is magically imbued with any kind of ability I want. Then I can pick any spell that you want on top of that. I think the whole Universalist is OP and seriously needs to be NERFed
Except that since it functions as mage hand, with only the changes listed, you are still limited to 5 lbs. or less. The only two-handed weapon that falls into that category is a quarterstaff. Besides, the description says "ghostly hand" (singular), so that also would preclude using a weapon that required two hands to use, IMO.
EDIT: and besides, even a 20th level wizard with a 30 INT and using a +5 weapon (of any kind) could either attack at +25 (worse than most fighters) and do a limited amount of damage (say 2d6+5+1d6 for your fiery example), or cast meteor swarm or wail of the banshee. So, no, I don't think HoA is overpowered. The Universalist's capstone ability, Mastery of All Schools, on the other hand ...
By the rules, I think that you are limited to a one-handed weapon. In the case of my wizard I let him have a greataxe, and with his INT of 20, that meant +5 to hit and +5 to damage.
Would you like to know how often he uses that greataxe? 1st level - after he'd burned through his spell points, same for 2nd and 3rd. I think he's used HoA maybe 5 times from level 4 through 12.
Yes, very scary.
Edit: Yes, I know that what I allowed is beyond the RAW of the ability. It was fun (for me and the player). Come on, semi-scrawny wizard carrying a greataxe? Priceless. Plus it allowed for Savah having been the one to have trained him in the use after he almost cut a hand off in his backstory.
By the rules, I think that you are limited to a one-handed weapon. In the case of my wizard I let him have a greataxe, and with his INT of 20, that meant +5 to hit and +5 to damage.
Would you like to know how often he uses that greataxe? 1st level - after he'd burned through his spell points, same for 2nd and 3rd. I think he's used HoA maybe 5 times from level 4 through 12.
Yes, very scary.
Edit: Yes, I know that what I allowed is beyond the RAW of the ability. It was fun (for me and the player). Come on, semi-scrawny wizard carrying a greataxe? Priceless. Plus it allowed for Savah having been the one to have trained him in the use after he almost cut a hand off in his backstory.
Unfortunately my group wizard is using the HoA every combat, often causing spacing problems. See I ruled that the weapon has to take up space and a party member can not occupy the same space as the weapon. This means he is typically blocking the path of other party members.
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You are indeed limited to a 5lb weapon. Also, HotA scales like the other feats. The reason HotA gets such a large bonus is because most of the other attack options are some kind of touch attack, thus they negate armor bonuses.
As the Wizard levels up HotA is a subpar option for damage. If that's all he's using.. well. Wipe wipe wipe. :)
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Gosh, it would indeed be sexier if it could affect weapons over 5 lbs. :)
My Magic Domain Cleric of Urgathoa would love to use it with his Favored Weapon Scythe, for instance. Heck, I wouldn't mind if I could use it with a Small Scythe, to get a smaller damage die, but keep the x4 Crit, for that matter!
But he's stuck with Dagger, Quarterstaff, Club, Light Mace and Shortspear, etc. I suppose a Sickle would fit the theme of the reaper / death goddess.