It always bothered me and most of the people I gamed with that at low levels Wizards has so little to do, and there were so many iconic fantasy casters who were constantly throwing lightning or fire, able to defend themselves even relentlessly if not to the same effect as some of the spells they could cast... so we've come up with an option for Wizards, one that can be exchanged for Arcane Bond or can be created as its own archetype.
Basically, in exchange for giving up Arcane Bond and the initial Scribe Scroll feat, you gain a 30' ranged touch attack that deals energy damage (acid, cold, fire or electricity determined at the time the character is created) as a standard action. The damage dealt is equal to 1d6/level of the highest level spell the Wizard currently has prepared, meaning that the ability grows in potency as the character does though not at an unbalancing rate and as the arcane power of the wizard diminishes through cast spells, so too does the power of his channeling.
It seems like this would go a long way towards making Wizards more playable at lower levels without giving them anything over-powered as they level up - indeed, this ability will pale in comparison to what they are capable of doing with their spells once they reach even middling levels.
Thoughts?
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I think there are 3 or 4 other "arcane channeling" threads in this forum, all with different ideas. You should check those out too to plunder ideas.
Is there a daily limit to this?
The evocation school gives something similar, and acid orb and ray of frost are cantrips. This isn't much different low level than what's already available. I admit that your suggestion works better for scaling through levels, but you indicated that your concern was at low levels specifically.
At 5th level a standard action that results in d3 damage is a wasted action. Damaging cantrips are pretty much worthless beyond 1st or 2nd level IMO.
(Yay, new avatar!)
I think there are 3 or 4 other "arcane channeling" threads in this forum, all with different ideas. You should check those out too to plunder ideas.
Is there a daily limit to this?
Keep an eye on me, eh? Yeah, thanks, thought it was time to see how the ugly half lived.
I found a couple of those a few weeks ago when we started talking about this. This option seems to be the best one we've come up with. The only daily limit would be as you cast your spells. In other words at the beginning of the day a 7th level wizard could deal 4d6 damage with this ability to a single target within 30' (still notably less than say an archer or ranger of equal level). When he had exhausted his 4th level spells for the day it would drop to 3d6, when he had exhausted his 3rd level spells for the day it would drop to 2d6 and so on.
We've also been kicking around a number of new feats that would allow this ability to be augmented in various ways.
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The evocation school gives something similar, and acid orb and ray of frost are cantrips. This isn't much different low level than what's already available. I admit that your suggestion works better for scaling through levels, but you indicated that your concern was at low levels specifically.At 5th level a standard action that results in d3 damage is a wasted action. Damaging cantrips are pretty much worthless beyond 1st or 2nd level IMO.
Sorry, I tend to define low-level as 1-4, as the emergence of 3rd level spells is a big enough game changer that it marks the transition to mid level (5-12). If you mean for something that will take you to level 9 or so, then yes this will work well. After that point (1/2 level +1)d6 is also a waste.
I would imagine it would have uses per day tied to his casting stat... though I think more than 1D6/ 2 levels would be a bad idea. You don't want to give casters MORE reasons not to have slots used up for blasting.
The entire idea was to give casters something worthwhile an effective to do more or less every round just like the martial types can... at lower levels they are still (appropriately) doing less damage than their martial counterparts and at higher levels when they have tons of spells with which to work the need for a filler becomes markedly less - which is why the damage potential between this ability vs. the spells already in their arsenal continue to have an ever-widening gap.
We're seriously considering adding this feature and a host of what we call 'augment' spells (low level spells that can be cast as swift actions which augment a spell cast later that round, similar to meta-magic effects). Should really do a lot for the Wizards imo.
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The entire idea was to give casters something worthwhile an effective to do more or less every round just like the martial types can... at lower levels they are still (appropriately) doing less damage than their martial counterparts and at higher levels when they have tons of spells with which to work the need for a filler becomes markedly less - which is why the damage potential between this ability vs. the spells already in their arsenal continue to have an ever-widening gap.
We're seriously considering adding this feature and a host of what we call 'augment' spells (low level spells that can be cast as swift actions which augment a spell cast later that round, similar to meta-magic effects). Should really do a lot for the Wizards imo.
I think wizards having rounds in which they twiddle their thumbs is intentional. The fighter can go all day (assuming HPs hold out), doing great damage each round. The wizard can spend a few minutes of his day reshaping the world, then go to bed accomplished. If you want to deal ranged touch elemental damage every round, play a gunslinger with flaming bullets. Longevity has never been the wizard's game, why is that a problem?
Longevity has never been the wizard's game, why is that a problem?
Its been my experience that players have more fun when their characters get to do something - even if its comparatively less effective - than having nothing at all. At low levels in particular Wizards don't have enough spells to full participate in the game - who wants to roll up a Wizard that has to be dependent on lackluster crossbow skills to be relevant?
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Longevity has never been the wizard's game, why is that a problem?Its been my experience that players have more fun when their characters get to do something - even if its comparatively less effective - than having nothing at all. At low levels in particular Wizards don't have enough spells to full participate in the game - who wants to roll up a Wizard that has to be dependent on lackluster crossbow skills to be relevant?
Then don't play a wizard. If you don't enjoy the game if you're not doing something all the time, play a bard or rogue I guess. Wizards twiddle their thumbs in combat, fighters twiddle their thumbs out of combat. Not every character has to be doing something meaningful every round. Ask the 2-handed fighter how much fun he's having when the face of the group is having an hour long debate with the duke.
Longevity has never been the wizard's game, why is that a problem?Its been my experience that players have more fun when their characters get to do something - even if its comparatively less effective - than having nothing at all. At low levels in particular Wizards don't have enough spells to full participate in the game - who wants to roll up a Wizard that has to be dependent on lackluster crossbow skills to be relevant?
Buy a wand.
Buy a wand.Longevity has never been the wizard's game, why is that a problem?Its been my experience that players have more fun when their characters get to do something - even if its comparatively less effective - than having nothing at all. At low levels in particular Wizards don't have enough spells to full participate in the game - who wants to roll up a Wizard that has to be dependent on lackluster crossbow skills to be relevant?
take the gunsmithing feat and get a pistol. heftier down payment, but bullets are cheaper than wand charges. guns target touch ac and deal more damage than cantrips.
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take the gunsmithing feat and get a pistol. heftier down payment, but bullets are cheaper than wand charges. guns target touch ac and deal more damage than cantrips.Buy a wand.Longevity has never been the wizard's game, why is that a problem?Its been my experience that players have more fun when their characters get to do something - even if its comparatively less effective - than having nothing at all. At low levels in particular Wizards don't have enough spells to full participate in the game - who wants to roll up a Wizard that has to be dependent on lackluster crossbow skills to be relevant?
I agree with Wiggz. I understand that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and we can't always be doing something, but this conudrum has stuck out with me as well because you, a wizard are a shaper of mystical incantations, yet you can only do it at for a little while? Of course everyone gets to beat up monsters and save the day, while the wizard gets to twiddle their thumbs? Everyone should partake in some action at some point. People have the most fun when they are participating in the action, not waiting on the sidelines. I like the idea of adding eldritch blast, sounds a lot of fun. There are the reserve feats from Complete Mage in which you reserve a spell and you can constantly do an attack or an effect every round. I am still deciding whether to replace Arcane Ray with this feat. I also like the idea you presented regarding the first option you presented about casting a spell using a spell of the highest level you can cast. I might borrow this idea. You are awesome. :)