I know that I should submit this to the design - spells forum, but I could not start a thread there.
So, the fact is that there is quite a serious problem with this spell, i.e. Mage's Disjunction, which can really make the difference at high levels and is therefore very frequently employed.
As the description has it:
each permanent magic item must make a successful Will save or be turned into a normal item for the duration of this spell. An item in a creature’s possession uses its own Will save bonus or its possessor’s Will save bonus, whichever is higher.
This implies that every single time that the spell is cast on a PC (or an important NPC) one has to start rolling saving throws for all the magic items that the PC is carrying. And they can be numerous at high levels (and then consider also scrolls, potions, and the like!!).
It is really annoying since it interrupts the excitement of the combat and can take a lot of time, and there is no way to avoid this: every time the spell is cast, the saving throws kermis must start.
Adding insult to injury, the spell has a really wide area (40-ft . radius burst), meaning that - very likely - more than a single PC (and typically two to four) will be encompassed by the effect, multiplying the problem.
So, we came up with a solution, that we would like - if possible - to be included in the final version of the handbook.
It is as simple as that: everything remains unchanged expect that - as far as the magic items are concerned - the creatures in the spell's area make a single saving throw. If the ST succeeds, all the carried/touched item are unaffected, if it fails, one must start checking for every magic item one by one (rolling individual saving throws as per current version of the spell).
We have verified that this small modification limits the problem a lot, while keeping the emotional impact of the spell (there remains the risk of failing the ST, and maybe losing a few items due to rolling a natural 1). The spell remains valid and strong, since its main function is that of removing every spell/buffer/magical effect without having to rely on the randomness of dispel magic (in particular when battling against spellcasters of comparable or superior power).
Thank you for your attention.
Ademaro
I know that I should submit this to the design - spells forum, but I could not start a thread there.
Ah. That is because the playtest wrapped up on the 23rd, and Jason handed over his final draft for editing earlier this week.
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I kind of support another option put up in a thread here. Instead of destroyed, all items and such are supressed ala dispel magic. My only trouble with this is the recalculation of bonuses, but that's a high level problem ANYway.
I kind of support another option put up in a thread here. Instead of destroyed, all items and such are supressed ala dispel magic. My only trouble with this is the recalculation of bonuses, but that's a high level problem ANYway.
Not a problem IMO, just part of the game. By the time you see disjunctions, you are almost guaranteed to have been seeing dispel magic since about 4th or 5th level characters.
Knowing your character's basic bonuses should be long since been established before you reach the range at which you start seeing that effect.
rawr!! ^_^ A.H.C.
I believe It has already been mentioned elsewhere that this spell has already been modified for the final release.
No wonder. Probably the most reviled spell in the game.
I guess something like suppressing magic works best. For a certain amount of time (make it 1 hour per caster level, or a flat day, or something like that), the items are just regular magic.
Or make the suppression permanent untill broken. How you break that I don't know.
If you want to keep the permanent item breaker, make it something that works on a single item, or maybe even a single unattended item (alternately, the wielder must be willing to go along). That way you can destroy unwanted items, but at the same time it won't make whole parties of players want to lynch you.