Jack Simth |
Okay, so the Dreamer Mystic Connection: Sixth level ability:
Dream Manifestation (Su) - 6th Level
You can spend 1 Resolve Point as a full action to pull a concept or image from dreamspace and manifest it in the physical realm. This ability reproduces the effects of a spell of up to the highest level you can cast and can come from any spell list. You control the appearance of the dream manifestation.
Is that as good as it sounds, or am I missing something?
It's Su, so the DC is higher than for spells.
It has it's own activation time, so the casting time of the original spell isn't relevant.
It has it's own cost, so the cost of the base spell isn't relevant.
Is it just me, or is this ridiculously good?
Taja the Barbarian |
I expect most things don't get playtested. It's not the first time we've had a ridiculously powerful option slip through.
This connection is actually from the middle adventure of an AP, so it probably didn't get the same level of testing as it would have in a non-adventure supplement: Playtesting the adventure wouldn't necessarily involve testing the new Mystic Connection that presumably wasn't actually available at character creation.
Jack Simth |
The level 18 ability is kind of absurdly OP as a tool of assassination, too. Teleport to target sleeping person, anywhere in the universe, as long as you're reasonably familiar with them. 9 to 10 minutes later, you're gone without a trace. Like, you do have to achieve familiarity, but....
Yes, but that’s at 18th. What percentage of games hit 18th, vs. the percentage that hit 6th?
Metaphysician |
I mean, its trading resolve points for spells, but with the same limits on spell power as any you'd otherwise have. Its a powerful ability, sure, but I'm not sure I'd call it 'broken'. Not when you are trading survivability with each usage. Note that it also requires a full action, so its significantly less useful in combat than your average normal spellcasting.
John Mangrum |
Does Starfinder ever do that thing where a given spell is of different spell levels depending on which list it's on? That would be even more of a reason.
Technically there's nothing preventing it, but no, Starfinder has not done that.
Jack Simth |
I mean, its trading resolve points for spells, but with the same limits on spell power as any you'd otherwise have. Its a powerful ability, sure, but I'm not sure I'd call it 'broken'. Not when you are trading survivability with each usage. Note that it also requires a full action, so its significantly less useful in combat than your average normal spellcasting.
You have sharply limited spells known (e.g., at 7th, a mystic knows just two third level spells): This removes that cap, and lets them come from any list as well. Any situational spell that you wouldn't learn normally? It's available immediately. So, say, Starlit Span is right there if you need it.
If there's a level-appropriate spell that solves the problem, you can solve the problem. And there are a LOT of spells. This is a VERY LARGE flexibility increase. Like... the capstone ability to cast Miracle doesn't mean anything to a Dreamer, because you've been able to do everythingthat gets you since 16th, and more often to boot.
You have limited slots per day. A seventh level Mystic generally has just three third level spell slots (two base, one bonus).. but generally six+ resolve points... and it takes ten minutes to use them for stamina repair. So if you cast one spell of your highest level each fight, and restore Samina after each fight, you go from being able to handle three encounters at 7th to being able to handle four or five... and this gets progressively more true at higher levels, as Resolve goes up basically linearly while your highest level slots per day reset every few levels: A tenth level Mystic gets just three-ish 4th level spell slots... and probably 9+ Resolve Points. A 16th level Mystic gets probably three 6th level spell slots... and probably 14+ resolve points.
No, it's not a power thing, for the most part. It is flexibility and endurance. And it is a LOT of it.