Un-nerfed Mages

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by Gef

To the OP, if still relevant.

I run a high fantasy game where 200pts is coming into master wizard level but the big guns have 300 or so. The big battlefield artillery spell is rain of fire (or hail of stones), cast over a huge area...like 300' diameter. 2d6 per turn for 60 turns to a whole company of soldiers! Of course it takes 200 energy...which costs 120 points. (That assumes 80% in limitations, but familiar is worth -40% and Fire Only is another -40%.) Master wizards use Throw Spell and Telecast to deal with range penalties, although journeymen are less likely to have mastered metamagic. As a house rule, telecast doesn't always look like an eye...it looks like something cool associated with the wizard's guild or magical tradition. The main battle wizard in an army can blast off several of those big Rain of Fire spells, because every apprentice learns Lend Energy, and a few journeyman with an energy reserve of 30 (a mere 18 point advantage) can top off the master in no time. I've had small unit engagements (i.e., the party vs. similar group) where most of the action was spellcasting. I have a campaign condition which prohibits teleportation, but the PCs use telepathy to call for help when they need it and get Lend Energy telecast. I have some house rules to make magic more interesting but haven't needed any to make it more powerful.

GEF

And when the foe has resist fire cast on them? Being so limited to something that is relatively easy to counter is not a good idea.