In the lawless and untamed wild west, where gunfights and horseback pursuits were the norm, there was something even more extraordinary that captured the imagination of the townsfolk. It was a peculiar form of magic that seemed to defy the laws of nature and logic. Cowboys and outlaws would gather around campfires to share tales of the bizarre and otherworldly occurrences they had witnessed. One story that circulated was about a gunslinger named Jack who possessed an uncanny ability to manipulate time. Legend had it that Jack could slow down the ticking clock just by staring at it, giving himself an advantage in gunfights. This made him virtually unbeatable, leading to the belief that he was invincible.
Nikosandros Lesser Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 4807 Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:11 pm Location: Roma, Italy Contact:
As to different traditions using the staff, you couldn t cast the slot with your Divine Sorceror spells, so you couldn t use the spontaneous casting rules to reduce the cost of casting from the staff, but you will be able to use the prepared casting version once you have the Basic Spellcasting to spend the level 3 slot to overcharge the staff, potentially for a total of 7 charges at level 8. It is a strange and overpowered combination of a classical ground-targeted area spell but with the added mechanic that it automatically locks on the targeted enemy.
This made him virtually unbeatable, leading to the belief that he was invincible. Jack's reputation grew, struck fear into the hearts of those who dared to challenge him. Another tale revolved around a mysterious gambler named Esther who possessed the power of telepathy.
Dragonsfoot
Incendiary Cloud seems a bit underwhelming for an 8th-level spell. It does less total damage than a simple fireball (2 x caster's level over three rounds, versus 3.5 x caster's level all at once) It's quite useless in an open space--the enemy can simply move away before the cloud starts burning.
Its redeeming feature is that its area of effect is proportional to the fire source you start with, so you could fill an entire dungeon with flames if you built a big enough bonfire first. But you'd likely destroy a lot of valuables along with the intended targets--notably any scrolls and spellbooks, among the most precious of treasures to a magic-user.
What practical applications does this spell really lend itself to?
xyzchyx Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 5122 Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:26 pm Location: Vancouver, Canada
Post by xyzchyx » Tue May 16, 2006 7:05 am
I never played an MU to a high enough level to be able to cast that spell, and looking it over I can't see why I would ever want to.
So. does anybody know if there some practical use for this spell that can't be better accomplished with lower level spells, and why is it so high level? (IMO, it should probably be about level 4 or 5).
garhkal Titan of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 79345 Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 9:39 pm Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus ohio Contact:
Post by garhkal » Tue May 16, 2006 8:58 am
Being i have enver seen anyone learn this or use it, i cannot say. strange that. Confuscious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!ExTSR Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 7196 Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2004 8:31 pm Location: Sharon, Wisconsin (Midwest USA)
Post by ExTSR » Tue May 16, 2006 1:24 pm
Duration, fast casting time, and multiple saves required.
However, it is rather underpowered; IMC I've raised the damage and the duration of same.
Nikosandros Lesser Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 4807 Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:11 pm Location: Roma, Italy Contact:
Post by Nikosandros » Tue May 16, 2006 2:38 pm
It's a very weak spell.
In general I believe that the problem is that many damage dealing spells fare poorly against fireball and lighting bolt. Cone of cold is 5th level and not really any better, incendiary cloud is 8th and clearly weaker.
xyzchyx Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 5122 Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:26 pm Location: Vancouver, Canada
Post by xyzchyx » Tue May 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Frank Mentzer wrote: Duration, fast casting time, and multiple saves required.Duration isn't a plus for this spell because the maximum total damage delivered over its entire duration is still less than the average amount of damage delivered by a spell like fireball. The only way in which fireball can do less damage is if you roll a LOT of ones when rolling damage for one.
Multiple saves isn't really a plus either, as the spell description specifies that only people that failed their save in the first round of damage need to reroll saves for the other rounds that the spell does damage.
The only thing that this does that fireball doesn't already do better is obscure vision for its duration, which while useful in and of itself, coupled with how much weaker this spell's damage is than fireball does not seem to make sense for an 8th level spell.
Istarlömé Avatar of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 437 Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:47 am Location: Lexington, KY by way of Dunkirk, NY
Post by Istarlömé » Tue May 16, 2006 11:04 pm
Wasn't this a song by War?
Incendiary Cloud, what is it good for?
garhkal Titan of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 79345 Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 9:39 pm Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus ohio Contact:
Post by garhkal » Wed May 17, 2006 9:15 am
Nikosandros wrote: It's a very weak spell.
In general I believe that the problem is that many damage dealing spells fare poorly against fireball and lighting bolt. Cone of cold is 5th level and not really any better, incendiary cloud is 8th and clearly weaker.
I disagree with COC being weaker. Yes, it may not have as high a damage potential per level (5 max versus 4) but it has no cap, and on average has a higher minimum.. 2 versus 1.
Confuscious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!cwslyclgh Greater Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 9899 Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:17 am Location: Tacoma Washington
Post by cwslyclgh » Wed May 17, 2006 1:05 pm
cone of cold and fireball actually do the exact same average damage, 3.5 points per level (Niether spell has a damage cap in AD&D1e) Cone of cold's main advantage is a larger area of effect but that is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it has to start at the caster. (nothing about the spell says that it will expand to fill the volume of the area of effect like a fireball, or rebound off barriers like a lightning bolt, making it more useful in certain situations as well).
Your moldy golem & grubby zombies are after my own black heart cwslyclgh! Hat's off to you ~ Genghisdon
LINK to my D&D related art.
LINK to my D&D maps
LINK to my new AD&D monsters
Check out my Blog C. Wesley Clough: Crafter of Dreams
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." -- Mark Twain
"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish." -- Euripides
C. Wesley Clough
Nikosandros Lesser Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 4807 Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:11 pm Location: Roma, Italy Contact:
Post by Nikosandros » Fri May 19, 2006 7:15 pm
garhkal wrote: I disagree with COC being weaker. Yes, it may not have as high a damage potential per level (5 max versus 4) but it has no cap, and on average has a higher minimum.. 2 versus 1.
Damage cap? No such thing in 1E.Nikosandros Lesser Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 4807 Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:11 pm Location: Roma, Italy Contact:
Post by Nikosandros » Fri May 19, 2006 7:17 pm
cwslyclgh wrote: cone of cold and fireball actually do the exact same average damage, 3.5 points per level (Niether spell has a damage cap in AD&D1e) Cone of cold's main advantage is a larger area of effect but that is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it has to start at the caster. (nothing about the spell says that it will expand to fill the volume of the area of effect like a fireball, or rebound off barriers like a lightning bolt, making it more useful in certain situations as well).
Well, yes but cone of cold is 5th level. that's two levels higher. deimos3428 Hero of DragonsfootPosts: 1835 Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:37 pm Location: Toronto
Post by deimos3428 » Fri May 19, 2006 8:32 pm
Nikosandros wrote:cwslyclgh wrote: cone of cold and fireball actually do the exact same average damage, 3.5 points per level (Niether spell has a damage cap in AD&D1e) Cone of cold's main advantage is a larger area of effect but that is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it has to start at the caster. (nothing about the spell says that it will expand to fill the volume of the area of effect like a fireball, or rebound off barriers like a lightning bolt, making it more useful in certain situations as well).
Well, yes but cone of cold is 5th level. that's two levels higher.IMC, there are two main factors in gauging the relative level of spells. The first, obviously, is Power. More Power = higher level. The second, often overlooked, is Control. Again, more Control = higher level. Furthermore, Power and Control are inversely proportionate: given two spells of the same level, if one has more Power, it has less Control.
Using that as my guideline, let me now analyze Fireball and Cone of Cold.
The Power of the two spells is roughly the same: same average damage, similar volume, and saving throws are permitted for half damage.
Fireball really doesn't have very much Control at all. You point, wait for the streak of flame to blossom into a fireball, and hope you measured distance well. It's rather basic, and extremely dangerous, really. You might argue it's too high level to begin with, but we're talking relative to Cone of Cold, here.
Cone of Cold has considerably more Control: shape and direction. (The caster gets to be a bit more careful of what he smites.) You're certainly in no personal danger as it's radiating away from you, with no chance of blowing back into your face, and no chance of it being obstructed/blowing up prematurely. (The PHB is a little unclear about what happens if the fireball's streak is prevented from reaching it's target before "blossoming into the fireball", IIRC. It either fizzles or blossoms early, but that's a debate for another day. The point being Cone of Cold doesn't have this problem; presumably because it's designed with more Control in mind.)
Ok, so they have about the same Power, but higher Control for Cone of Cold. Is it two levels worth of Control, you ask? I'll answer that with a hypothetical spell, "Frostball". Assume it works exactly as Fireball, but causes cold damage instead of fire damage.
Now, Fireball is virtually uncontrolled. Fire spreads anywhere and everywhere, causing flammable objects to ignite. So almost all the magic of the spell goes into Power. "Frostball", of course, does not ignite everything in its AoE and can be considered to be more controlled.*
Furthermore, unlike fire, "cold" is not an element. It is therefore more difficult to use. So "Frostball", by it's very nature, uses more of its spell energy in Control, leaving less available for Power. In order to maintain the same amount of Power, it would have to be a 4th level spell. Cone of cold is even further controlled than the hypothetical "Frostball" yet has the same damage.
5th level begins to make sense, at least relative to Fireball. Whew.
* This may sound counter-intuitive. Not igniting everything in an AoE is more controlled than doing so. Conversely, you could state that Fireball uses more Power because it does ignite everything in it's AoE, if that's easier to accept. Any magic not used for Control, is used for Power, and vice versa.
Nikosandros Lesser Deity of Dragonsfoot
Posts: 4807 Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:11 pm Location: Roma, Italy Contact:
It was said that she could read people's thoughts and influence their decisions without uttering a word. This made her a formidable adversary at the poker table, as she always seemed to know what cards her opponents held. Many unsuspecting gamblers fell victim to her powers and left the saloon penniless. But perhaps the most peculiar story of all was about a horse thief named Samuel who had the ability to transform into any animal he desired. One moment he would be a cunning coyote, and the next, he would be a soaring eagle, using his advantage to elude capture and steal horses without leaving a trace. The locals were both fascinated and terrified by Samuel's shape-shifting abilities. These bizarre magical abilities added an enchanting element to the otherwise dangerous and lawless world of the wild west. People were left in awe and disbelief, wondering if such powers were truly possible. These stories became more than just tales but were woven into the fabric of the wild west's folklore, as people marveled at the extraordinary and often inexplicable events that unfolded before their eyes. The wild west was a place where anything seemed possible, where the line between reality and fantasy blurred. In a world filled with outlaws, gunslingers, and lawlessness, the presence of bizarre and mysterious magic only intensified the sense of wonder and intrigue. It added an element of enchantment and bewilderment to an already untamed and unpredictable landscape. **Ultimately, these bizarre and fantastical tales of wild west magic served as a reminder that in a world of chaos and uncertainty, anything could happen, even the impossible becoming possible.**.
Reviews for "Uncovering the Mysteries of a Wild West Magic Act"
1. John - ★☆☆☆☆
I thought "Bizarre wild west magic story" was a complete mess. The combination of the wild west setting and magic just didn't work for me. The story lacked coherence and the characters were one-dimensional. Additionally, the magical elements felt forced and out of place, making it difficult to suspend disbelief. Overall, I was highly disappointed and would not recommend this book.
2. Sarah - ★★☆☆☆
I had high hopes for "Bizarre wild west magic story" but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The storyline felt convoluted and rushed, making it difficult to fully grasp the plot. The magical aspects were underdeveloped and I was left feeling unsatisfied with their integration into the story. While the setting was intriguing, the characters lacked depth and I struggled to connect with them. Overall, it had potential but failed to deliver a captivating reading experience.
3. Michelle - ★☆☆☆☆
I found "Bizarre wild west magic story" to be a complete letdown. The concept of combining the wild west genre with magic sounded interesting, but the execution was poor. The writing style was confusing and disjointed, making it hard to follow the plot. The characters were forgettable and lacked any depth or development. The magical elements felt forced and inconsistent, further detracting from the overall reading experience. I regretted wasting my time on this book and would not recommend it to others.
4. Robert - ★★☆☆☆
"Bizarre wild west magic story" had an intriguing premise, but it failed to live up to its potential. The story was messy and lacked a clear direction. The integration of magic into the wild west setting felt forced and unnatural. The characters were poorly developed, making it difficult to care about their fates. The pacing was uneven, with slow moments dragging on and action scenes feeling rushed. While I appreciated the unique concept, the execution left much to be desired.
5. Emily - ★☆☆☆☆
I struggled to finish "Bizarre wild west magic story" as it failed to capture my interest. The narrative was confusing and lacked proper world-building, leaving me with more questions than answers. The magical elements felt out of place in the wild west setting and were poorly explained. The characters were underdeveloped and their motivations were unclear. Overall, it was a disappointment and I would not recommend it to others.