Quote:
Originally Posted by tomc
... I was thinking that increasing the range of thrown spells would lead to them being used more often, adding some diversity and creativity to combats.
It could also make an IQ 9 or 10 wizard actually dangerous. Thrown spells like trip or drop weapon don't do damage on their own, but can be lethal if thrown on a foe already engaged in combat.
To me it seems kind of goofy that a wizard has to run up and get close before they can use certain kinds of magic on you, while others spells work from much farther away.
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It seems to me that there are many possibilities you are not considering, which would make wizards very dominant, especially at long range, but also in many circumstances where now they are more balanced.
I can think of many ways IQ 9 or 10 wizards can be very effective. And many ways they would be extremely powerful with the super-long-range thrown spells you suggested. They would be a nightmare for their opponents, and for GM's of clever players, and for players whose GMs were using such powers against them intelligently.
This may come across as even more patronizing than I probably already often come across as, so apologies for that, but I think you need to playtest wizards more to appreciate how effective they can be when played well.
It is true that it's quite possible to face hard problems as a wizard, or to not see an easy/effective/obvious thing to do that isn't dangerous or that doesn't use up your ST, and get frustrated. But it's also very possible in many situations for a wizard used well to tip the scales of a group fight, and/or dominate a fighter of equal or more attributes than they have.
The proposed change would make it easier for a wizard to be effective without having to be clever or to take risks or to use a lot of energy or to have more powerful spells. But that also means that clever wizards and wizards who are more powerful etc would be even more capable than they already are.
It'd be great for limiting magic item proliferation, though, and for brigandry and pacifism. Just use Break Weapon to break people's weapons from long range and run away, rest and come back till they're all out of weapons. Often wizards will be able to cast spells on people from so far away they may not even be seen, let alone identified.
Or hide in the bushes out of sight and cast Control Person and have the party attack itself, without them even knowing which way to try to run to find or avoid whoever was doing that to them.
Or Curse your foes from range.
Not to mention more powerful spells. "You're walking down the road when... someone at a distance cast Megahex Sleep on your whole party. Anyone have ST 20? No?"