I prefer the massive damage to the SoD just because of how it translates when a SoD spell moves from the hands of a PC to an NPC/monster. After all, a PC death affects the game a lot more than a monster death, usually, and for me, it's far more exasperating to have a PC get 1HK'd than it is exciting to 1HK a monster. It is totally depressing that you usually can't kill a tough monster in one hit with a spell called "Finger of Death," I agree on that.
Then again, i'm probably more likely to use a spell like that on mid-boss, or other right-hand-man/lackey creatures since his saves and hp are usually crappy enough to kill right off the bat and I don't want him giving the boss flanking or haste or whatever anyways.
SoD's are a possible waste of an action. If the caster is trying to compete with the fighter with DPR then the fighter is going to be ahead, but killing and damaging(hp damage) are not always the best ways for a caster to go.
Will saves and Fort saves are the normal SoD spells, but most high level monsters have high saves against these saves making them less efficient than buffing or debuffing as an example.
I have recently returned to roleplaying after a long hiatus, and am not yet completely up to date with all the rules changes which have occurred since the last edition of D&D I played (3.0 a bit but really AD&D 2nd Ed.)Is it pointless trying to create a wizard which can do similar damage/round to a fighter in combat? In which way would you suggest I go about creating a spellcaster which would be effective at dealing with fighter types?
Dealing with fighter types as an enemy and working with them when they are on your team are two different things.
It takes a lot of resources to making blasting useful, and a lot of levels.
If you want to work with the fight buffs and debuffs are your friend.
If you want to take the fighter out target will saves, and or buff your own party so they can take him out.
Dealing with fighter types as an enemy and working with them when they are on your team are two different things.
It takes a lot of resources to making blasting useful, and a lot of levels.
If you want to work with the fight buffs and debuffs are your friend.
If you want to take the fighter out target will saves, and or buff your own party so they can take him out.
Ta, I'll look into this. I had a look through the majority of posts on this thread and have to say that I think death spells such as finger of death etc should kill opponents and not just do damage.
The whole game has gone soft on PCs!
I remember when a fighter had less than a hundred HPs at tenth level and only did d8+5 damage and having AC -7 was *really* something.Level Drain, pah! Only gain a few tempory negative levels now...Death is nothing just get raised and greater restoration...No CON lose, nothing...
*mutters and shuffles off to get pipe and slippers*
I remember a time when a 1st lvl fighter with 10hp or thereabout could do de 12 damages+4 for 18/85 strength and had a fighting chance to kill an ogre <ith only 4d8+1 hp and 1d10 dmg per blow that landed.
Actually, , I don't remember ever seeing a housecat statted out before 5ed D&D. Then again, I've not DM'ed for nearly 20 years, so I may have missed something, as I concentrated on player only material.
Eff me up the A**e if you're not right, I'd utterly forgotten that.
and the fight with that ogre lasted 3 rounds... I was lucky and hit 3 times, and was not hit hard enough to get me down... granted, 1st round was not melee, I hit it with a javelin before closing to melee.
Our cleric soakedd up the ogre's first hit before I engaged it seriously, but nobody else than me actually hit it, I had bragging rights for having killed it virtually single handed.
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