Wood Elemental School

[Joshua9093]

Does anyone else get the impression that this School is overpowered? Assuming you max your INT, at first level you can have a ranged attack out to 100 feet that has a +5 to attack and does d6+5 damage, and can do so 8 times a day. While it is not a touch attack like the other similar school-based abilities, the damage output is cannot be equaled until 10th level, or surpassed until 12th level (again, when compared to the other beginner school-based attacks).

Additionally, you get a floating enhancement bonus to Dex, Wisdom, or Con, which can be a huge benefit when using a 20 point buy system for stats.

I enjoy power-gaming, but even I am getting a little queasy at making a wizard with this school. It seems like a sure fire way to annoy DMs with it's "overpowering-ness".

Is there something I am not taking consideration? I am curious what other people think about it.

[Serum]

Until you realize that d6+5 damage against normal AC at level 5 with your piddly BAB isn't the best use of your actions, and you're missing out on a great deal of good spells by choosing the Wood school.

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

No this is far from overpowered

[Morgen]

Ahhh, I'd assumed that this thread was because they got access to Sirocco as a 4th level spell.

Splintered Spear is a nice ability, the bleed damage is nice to have at lower levels. Certainly nothing brutally overpowered though compared to other wizard schools.

[Matthew Pittard]

Yeah I wouldnt start riding the overpowered horse down the road yet in regards to this School. You are giving up some quite nice spells for this school

[Caderyn]

its a shortspear with a range increment of 20 feet meaning its

+5 1d6+5 at 20 foot or less
+3 1d6+5 at 21-40 feet
-5 1d6+5 at 100 feet

[andreww]

jimmyblitz wrote:

Does anyone else get the impression that this School is overpowered? Assuming you max your INT, at first level you can have a ranged attack out to 100 feet that has a +5 to attack and does d6+5 damage, and can do so 8 times a day. While it is not a touch attack like the other similar school-based abilities, the damage output is cannot be equaled until 10th level, or surpassed until 12th level (again, when compared to the other beginner school-based attacks).

Additionally, you get a floating enhancement bonus to Dex, Wisdom, or Con, which can be a huge benefit when using a 20 point buy system for stats.

I enjoy power-gaming, but even I am getting a little queasy at making a wizard with this school. It seems like a sure fire way to annoy DMs with it's "overpowering-ness".

Is there something I am not taking consideration? I am curious what other people think about it.

I have to ask if you are being serious here? The school powers are generally pointless as is and become obsolete easily around level 5 when you have enough spells to last you through the day. You also give up the benefit of getting far better specialisation options.

[Ilmakis]

It's a powerfull school power, yes. Especially at low level it could seem OP.
But at higher level, when you are a wizard, making one attack with your poor BAB against AC is almost useless when you can haste your party or slow your ennemies or use all of your mighty spells with better effect.

The floating enhancement is quite good too, but not way better than the one given by the Transmutation school.

[Lormyr]

Splintered spear is nice at very low levels. For high level casters, I actually prefer the void school for powergame cheese. Reveal weakness + a quickened and persisted save or suck spell = auto win.

[Rerednaw]

Your question and concern is legitimate.

Compared with what is available to wizards I don't feel that is the case.

Encounter-enders like Sleep, Color Spray, etc. can incapacitate foes and is arguably superior to 1d8+5 damage to a single target at first level. At higher levels you get other options.