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Low Level spellcasters -- what use are they?
- Thread starter krunchyfrogg
- Start date
I'm a third level cleric in my game.
In today's session, I healed 180 hp worth of damage off of the party. Worthless? Noooo.
Now mind you, I did get a little miffed, as I've probably done close to 300 healing in the last four games and I've cast exactly 4 non-healing spells... but I'm anything but adverse to keeping people alive. This does come after a two year campaign with no cleric in the party ever, so I'm a little biased when it comes to the flexibility of clerics. Prior to this, we had a druid who saved half his spell list literally for healing, instead of simply waiting for advantageous moments to use his non-healing spells.
As far as I am concerned, even if I'm just healing my sorry ass always-getting-hit fighter friends, I'm contributing to the play and to the progression of the session immensely. Also having two domain spells per day i can't channel irregardless of the needs of the party makes me have some things i can do beyond heal. Ultimately though, it's no different than fighters occasionally not trying to hurt opponents (opting for sunders or trips what have you).
In today's session, I healed 180 hp worth of damage off of the party. Worthless? Noooo.
Now mind you, I did get a little miffed, as I've probably done close to 300 healing in the last four games and I've cast exactly 4 non-healing spells... but I'm anything but adverse to keeping people alive. This does come after a two year campaign with no cleric in the party ever, so I'm a little biased when it comes to the flexibility of clerics. Prior to this, we had a druid who saved half his spell list literally for healing, instead of simply waiting for advantageous moments to use his non-healing spells.
As far as I am concerned, even if I'm just healing my sorry ass always-getting-hit fighter friends, I'm contributing to the play and to the progression of the session immensely. Also having two domain spells per day i can't channel irregardless of the needs of the party makes me have some things i can do beyond heal. Ultimately though, it's no different than fighters occasionally not trying to hurt opponents (opting for sunders or trips what have you).
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A 1st-level sorcerer's BAB is only one off from a 1st level fighter (+0 instead of +1). With a decent dex and a crossbow, you've got an effective missile fighter up until 3rd level or so, and that's when your spell ability starts to perk up.
For wizards (unless you're an elf who can use bows), unless you can start with some scrolls pre-scribed you're at a disadvantage, but you catch up quickly. Once you have a little bit of XP and gold to spend, you're set. You'll blow through your spells quickly at 1st level; that's what makes Sleep so appealing...multiple targets taken out with one casting. You jsut have to be clever about what spells you cast and when.
For wizards (unless you're an elf who can use bows), unless you can start with some scrolls pre-scribed you're at a disadvantage, but you catch up quickly. Once you have a little bit of XP and gold to spend, you're set. You'll blow through your spells quickly at 1st level; that's what makes Sleep so appealing...multiple targets taken out with one casting. You jsut have to be clever about what spells you cast and when.
Oracular Vision
First Post
You need somebody to loot the corpses while the fight is still ongoing...
Hammerhead
Explorer
Umm, low level casters clear the house with their spells. Sleep, Color Spray, Burning Hands, etc. A first level sorcerer can Color Spray his enemies 4 times a day, or 3 if he resorts to Mage Armoring himself. They can also plink away with their little crossbows.
Seriously, why does everyone act as if low level casters suck? Wizards and Sorcerers can easily take out large groups of guys with their spells, and Clerics, with one healing spell, can bring someone from dying to nearly full. They can also Command enemies to Die!, and then make that Command a reality with a friend's CDG.
Seriously, why does everyone act as if low level casters suck? Wizards and Sorcerers can easily take out large groups of guys with their spells, and Clerics, with one healing spell, can bring someone from dying to nearly full. They can also Command enemies to Die!, and then make that Command a reality with a friend's CDG.
FireLance
Legend
The best thing to do is to play to the spellcaster. Remember, they have more than just spells. Clerics have other class abilities - turn undead, domain abilities and (as previously mentioned) domain spells. Wizards and sorcerers should have familiars. Set up challenges that require the use of these abilities - encounters with undead, for example, or an item behind a hole in the wall that only the familiar can reach.
As a DM, place minor scrolls and spell trigger items for them to find. This is especially good if the items contain spells that the characters do not have or would not normally prepare. Set up challenges that require the use of these spells.
Grenade missiles like alchemist's fire and acid are also useful for low-level spellcasters since they ignore armour (ranged touch), deal fair damage, and are not too expensive.
As a DM, place minor scrolls and spell trigger items for them to find. This is especially good if the items contain spells that the characters do not have or would not normally prepare. Set up challenges that require the use of these spells.
Grenade missiles like alchemist's fire and acid are also useful for low-level spellcasters since they ignore armour (ranged touch), deal fair damage, and are not too expensive.
krunchyfrogg
Explorer
Just to answer those who keep responding w/ "use a crossbow," the Illusionist is a Gnome with a 6 STR. I don't think he could carry around a crossbow very well. He needs all the speed he's got.
Besides, like I said in the original post (but maybe not clearly enough): We're all in melee combat before a round or two goes by. he'll either catch us in a Color Spray, or he's just as likely to hit the party members as he is a monster when firing into a melee.
Besides, like I said in the original post (but maybe not clearly enough): We're all in melee combat before a round or two goes by. he'll either catch us in a Color Spray, or he's just as likely to hit the party members as he is a monster when firing into a melee.
Zerovoid
First Post
Clerics rock because they can heal. This holds true at any level.
Wizards, like this Illusionist, should probably memorize Sleep as many times as they can. That spell doesn't scale at all well, (making it a bad choice for a sorceror), but is killer for the first few levels. Charm person is another good choice. Also, if the group does more than just combat, they might find the Illusionist's illusions to be useful. Minor Image and Change Self are both good spells.
With a Sorceror, I would just take pot shots with a crossbow, and save your magic missiles for when they are needed. Use them against boss monsters with a high AC. Use them against weak or weakened enemies that a guaranteed to be killed in one shot by the 1d4+1. Use them against monsters like shadows that can only be hurt by magic, since the party is low on magic items.
Also, at low levels, a wizard/sorceror with good dex and Mage Armor and Shield can usually only be hit on a natural 20. Although they might drop from one hit, I've seen them stand up to foes that would have felled the other party members almost certainly in a round or two.
Wizards, like this Illusionist, should probably memorize Sleep as many times as they can. That spell doesn't scale at all well, (making it a bad choice for a sorceror), but is killer for the first few levels. Charm person is another good choice. Also, if the group does more than just combat, they might find the Illusionist's illusions to be useful. Minor Image and Change Self are both good spells.
With a Sorceror, I would just take pot shots with a crossbow, and save your magic missiles for when they are needed. Use them against boss monsters with a high AC. Use them against weak or weakened enemies that a guaranteed to be killed in one shot by the 1d4+1. Use them against monsters like shadows that can only be hurt by magic, since the party is low on magic items.
Also, at low levels, a wizard/sorceror with good dex and Mage Armor and Shield can usually only be hit on a natural 20. Although they might drop from one hit, I've seen them stand up to foes that would have felled the other party members almost certainly in a round or two.
Zerovoid
First Post
krunchyfrogg said:
A light crossbow is 6lbs. 20 bolts is 2lbs. A gnome with 6 str can carry 15 lbs without penalty. What else does he need besides the crossbow? Clothes only weight 2lbs if you pick wear a monks outfit. A dagger only weighs 1lb. A backpack weighs 2lbs. Assuming that your food is kept on your mount, or carried by another party member, that leaves 3lbs to spare. Not much, but worth it for combat effectiveness.
Zerovoid said:
No, no, no. Clerics _suck_ because they can heal, and thus people expect you to be the party medic. Hence the post that started this thread.
Every low-level party should invest in a wand of cure light wounds. 50d8+50 points of healing for 750 gp, and the cleric gets to kick butt along with everyone else.
