I've read the rules, I have a player wanting to play a wordcaster in an upcoming campaign. I want to be on top of my game when the inevitable weirdness surfaces.
Ok, first up: target words. So basically this word defines your target (s). Target words don't affect the spell level (unless Boosted) as far as I can tell. Am I right in saying that you pretty much are never going to use "Selected" and will use "burst" all the time instead? it seems just better. Even a Boost selected is a higher spell level than a Boost burst.
Effect words: seem pretty ok.
Meta words: ... are basically free metamagic feats X number of times per day?... and a lot more for meta-word mastery? Some of these meta-words seem REALLY good, like Irresistible or Mind Warp. Any way to get meta-words other than at 1st level and this feat?
The given example: burst/fire blast. Is a 3rd level word? But if it's boosted as in the example, then it's a 5th level word? That seems very high to me, considering the boosted 5th level word is still slightly worse than fireball.
is there anything particularly ridiculous I should be watching out for as a GM?
Nearly all the Words are weaker than their equivalent spells. But there are a few that are better. Standard action summons, a cheap raise dead equivalent, and a really nice haste alternative are the three that spring to mind.
As for the Meta Words, I wouldn't worry much about them. The daily use limit is very low, so it's unlikely that your player will even bother learning any others beyond Boost.
If your player is planning to use Words with a spontaneous caster (Sorcerer or Oracle mainly) and really know what they're doing, they could make a highly effective specialist caster.
The Words system can be used to make a very effective blaster or enchanter sorcerer, a pretty good summons focused character, or an effective combat oracle.
The ability to have multiple low level Words in a single Wordspell is very useful to action economy as well once the caster gets up in levels. He can add buff effects to his summons or charms, or just cast two buffs on himself or the party at once. Once they get into the mid-levels they'll also be able to largely choose what saving throw they want to target at any given time and have Spell Focus / Elemental Focus feats apply to nearly every Wordspell they cast all by combining multiple low level Words into high level Wordspells.
I'd definitely suggest reading KBrewer's guide to using (and abusing in a couple cases) wordcasting to make a highly effective blasting sorcerer.
Fire Blast is a level 3 Effect Word. The Burst Target Word is listed as level 1, and gives a 10' radius burst area to the Wordspell. You can Boost the target word to either a 20' burst or a 40' burst, increasing the target word to either third or fifth level. Target word levels don't affect the Wordspell level though - they're just the minimum level of Effect Word that can be used with that Target Word.
It's unclear if you can choose to use a low level Word with a higher level Target and just wind up with higher level Wordspell. I don't think it's intended that you can, but I also don't see it as much of a power increase.
So a Burst Target Fire Blast can have:
a 10' radius and is a level 3 Wordspell.
a 20' radius and is still a level 3 Wordspell, but uses one of the caster's Meta Word daily limit
1 40' radius (if the GM wants to rule that this is valid), is now a level 5 Wordspell, and uses one of the caster's Meta Word daily limit.
Ok, first up: target words.
Effect words specify which target word is used. Most words won't give you the choice of "burst" if they're intended to be used with "selected".
Any way to get meta-words other than at 1st level and this feat?
If you're a regular wordcaster, then you can learn these just like any other spell. If you accessed words of power using "experimental spellcaster" then you must use a feat to learn more.
The given example: burst/fire blast. Is a 3rd level word? But if it's boosted as in the example, then it's a 5th level word? That seems very high to me, considering the boosted 5th level word is still slightly worse than fireball.
Yes; you need to be very careful with words of power for this very reason. It's entirely possible to just end up with weaker versions of regular spells. Getting words of power to work right takes a lot of time and effort and is not something I'd advise for more casual players looking to just string stuff together.
There are a couple really good words in there, but nothing too over the top. I find the best wordcaster is a regular Sorcerer who uses the Experimental Wordcaster feat and learns all his words by taking this feat repeatedly. Spending feats on spells is a pretty good deal for sorcerers to begin with, and to top it off many words are "2-for-1" deals because they can be boosted for a different effect. Great value for Sorcerers.
I've read the rules, I have a player wanting to play a wordcaster in an upcoming campaign. I want to be on top of my game when the inevitable weirdness surfaces.
Ok, first up: target words. So basically this word defines your target (s). Target words don't affect the spell level (unless Boosted) as far as I can tell. Am I right in saying that you pretty much are never going to use "Selected" and will use "burst" all the time instead? it seems just better. Even a Boost selected is a higher spell level than a Boost burst.
Effect words: seem pretty ok.
Meta words: ... are basically free metamagic feats X number of times per day?... and a lot more for meta-word mastery? Some of these meta-words seem REALLY good, like Irresistible or Mind Warp. Any way to get meta-words other than at 1st level and this feat?
The given example: burst/fire blast. Is a 3rd level word? But if it's boosted as in the example, then it's a 5th level word? That seems very high to me, considering the boosted 5th level word is still slightly worse than fireball.
is there anything particularly ridiculous I should be watching out for as a GM?
[u]This is good notes on it:[/u]
Instead of typical spell incantations, Words of Power is just that: a few words, put together in combinations, that form raw magic. It consists of:A) A Target word, which identifies what/when/where the magic occurs.
B) One or more Effect words, which identifies what the magic actually does
C) Optionally, Meta words, which apply free meta-magic to the spell (sort-of.)
d. Casting a word spell is always a standard action
Effect words affect spell level used.
1. Starting out: Regardless of class, each wordcaster begins play knowing all of the target words—even those that they cannot yet use due to the level restriction—as well as the boost meta word. In addition to the basic allotment, each wordcaster also begins play knowing a number of effect and meta words equal to the number of spells they would normally be allowed to know at 1st level, and gain additional words at the normal rate.
2. Target Word: This word determines the range of a wordspell, how the wordspell manifests, and what it can affect. If the wordspell has an area, it affects every creature in the area defined by the target word. If it has targets, it affects the specific targets described by its word. A wordspell can have only one target word.
3. Effect Word: Effect words determine what effect a wordspell has when cast. They also determine the schools of the wordspell and its duration, saving throw, and spell resistance, if any. A wordspell can have more than one effect word, even ones from different schools of magic. In this case, the spell counts as both schools of magic. The maximum level of the effect words contained within a wordspell depends on the level of the spell slot used and the number of words arranged in the wordspell
4. Meta Word: This word modifies the wordspell in some way, often by increasing either its duration, range, or components. It can also boost certain target or effect words, changing the wordspell’s overall effect. Unlike with other words, a wordcaster can only use meta words a number of times per day equal to half his caster level in his wordcasting class (minimum 1). A wordspell does not need to contain a meta word.