[Skarg]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherJarhead

But at a maximum damage level of 3d6 -6, I don't know that you are Taking Out anybody, just taking up an action that might weaken you in the heat of battle and yield no damage on a fabulous To Hit roll?

You may not "know" that' you're taking out anyone, but you still can.

It's another case of whether someone can accept the bargain of uncertainty or zero-damage results in exchange for potential good results.

For some players, they won't want that bargain so they shouldn't take magic fist. But for every disappointed wizard who didn't do big damage with a 3-die magic fist, there's also the perspective of his target, who is really glad that a 3-ST IQ 8 spell is NOT a guarantee of lots of damage.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherJarhead

Just looking at "average" damage at Maximum ST used, you aren't even inflicting a -2DX penalty as a result, and pray there isn't even 1 hit of armor/shield/toughness in play.

Strictly speaking, average is 4.5, so a 50% chance of doing at least 5 points of damage. Again, yes, you are not guaranteed that result with your accurate IQ 8 3-ST spell, and that seems to me appropriate for a spell at that level.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherJarhead

At some point, you might as well just pick up a Bow or Crossbow if you are that Martial wizard build out.

You could, and some wizards start with a missile weapon to avoid being known as a wizard, but then they need to learn that talent rather than spells, and having to drop the weapon and quiver to cast spells is an drawback.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherJarhead

And lord have mercy if the Mnoren frown upon you, and you roll slightly low of average and deliver 0 - 3 hits.

Again, yes those who hate rolling low damage shouldn't count on Magic Fist.

But there are also high rolls. High or slightly above-average rolls on 3d-6 do 6-12 damage. Again, pretty good for an IQ 8 3-ST spell.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherJarhead

Actually the more we pour over this 3 ST missle spell limitation, the more I wonder when Steve n crew "re-structured" the rules, why not dump the terrible Averages of damage on a 3D limit (assuming you even chose Max, maybe you temper it to 2d6)?
If you even ratcheted the damage up one notch, so that Magic Fist started at 1d6-1 (0-5 hits) and Fireball at IQ 12 (not a low IQ) delivered a Full d6 you wouldn't be imbalancing the game, just making it so that beginning wizards and Martial Wizards might live to their next birthday.

It might not ruin the balance, and players who don't like the weakness of Magic Fist, or want more dangerous missile spells, can trivially do that. I don't think it really improves the balance, though.

Balance depends on the typical situations in play. I think the missile weapon damages are well-balanced for 32-point arena combat. And for campaign situations where wizards work with groups of fighters who keep the wizards from getting attacked, and who protect the wizards while they rest.

I think what helps most to increase wizard survival chances (apart from bodyguards and moving carefully and Reverse Missiles, er, that is, the house rule that helps) is ruling that death only happens when actual injury (not fatigue, which still causes unconsciousness) brings ST below 0. That not only gives wizards a few more points to take injury with, but it means they tend to collapse and stop attracting attacks before they're dead.

Originally Posted by JustAnotherJarhead

No wizard in his/her right mind is going to burn off two 3d6 fireballs back to back unless they are just in a hurry to meet their maker. Adventure seldom stops after one brief combat encounter.

Well, unless they're doing what they should do anyway, and are moving to avoid the possibility of getting hurt, or they have no better way to win a battle, or they have other sources of ST, etc.