Brew Potion: Can it be used on Personal spells?

[Vanye]

I'm asking because there are quite a few spells in Magic of Faerun that would make good potions (such as Camoflage, Reverse Arrows, Master Air) but have Target: You, rather than "targets a creature or creatures. " Are these eligible for potionmaking?

 

[CRGreathouse]

The DMG potion table lists several personal-range potions.

 

[0-hr]

Can they be? Yes.
Should they be? No.

Shield and Truestrike potions, at least, are rather unbalanced.

 

[Skaros]

Can they be? Yes.
Should they be? No.

Shield and Truestrike potions, at least, are rather unbalanced.

I'm not sure I see the huge imbalance of True Strike potions, at least.

I mean, sure, a power attacking fighter could use it to add his entire BAB to the damage for his next single attack, but to do so he gives up an entire attack or even attack sequence to drink the potion (a standard action, I believe?)

Shield potions...well, if they are unbalanced then perhaps shield is as well

-Skaros

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Can they be? Yes.
Should they be? No.

Shield and Truestrike potions, at least, are rather unbalanced.

I don't find true strike unbalanced. You take an action and use a potion to get one attack at +20. Sure it's cheap, but you will usually be better off using that drink potion action to actually attack the monster.

Shield yep that's just wrong. Taking the brew potion feat is almost worth it jsut for that spell.

 

[IceBear]

But normally the person casting shield on themselves isn't wearing much in the way of armor to stack with. A potion of shield would get around that.

IceBear

 

[Pax]

Can they be? Yes.
Should they be? No.

Shield and Truestrike potions, at least, are rather unbalanced.

What's so unbalanced about Shield potions?

Remember, for potions, wands, and so on -- the "caster level" is presumed to be the *minimum* needed to cast the spell. So a 50gp-ish potion gives you the Shield bonus as thought from a 1st level caster ... so, for one minute: ten rounds. It will take your action for one round (presuming a potion belt or similar), to gain that benefit at all.

Now, me, I want to know why Brew Potion doesn't already let you opt for Oils / Salves. It's the required feat for such nifty items as Oil of Slipperiness. 8)

IMC, I allow most single-target spells to be rendered into potion, salve/oil, or similar forms (such as a powder to mix into a drink; takes more time, but it's more portable ... good for those "between encounters" use potions).

External-effect spells pretty much need to be in salve or oil form -- i.e. Shield spells. Apply externally, gain benefits thereof.



[edit]
Oh, and Ice BEar -- Mithril Shirt. Mage Armor. Etc.

Not to mention the gp/xp cost for ten rounds of protection.

And on top of it all, since Shield provides a Cover bonus, it's susceptible to Sharpshooter, or at Epic levels, Uncanny Accuracy.
[/edit]

 

[IceBear]

*sigh* Can't make a general statement on here without something pointing out flaws with specific examples.

Yes, there are ways that a sorcerer or wizard could have a very high AC and cast shield, but I was just pointing out that at low levels you can be easily giving the tanks in the party and extra +7 to AC which would make them next to invincible in combat. For 50gp and 2XP, there can be a lot of these potions floating around in the group to make mockeries of difficult battles.

IceBear

 

[0-hr]

I wasn't posting as a matter of opinion or speculation, but rather using the tried-and-true definition of "unbalanced" as it relates to D&D. I recently finished a year long campaign and witnessed countless encounters across a wide range of levels.

What I saw was certain items and tactics that were used over and over again regardless of character class, circumstance, or cost. At least half the players in any given battle would employ either a potion of True Strike, or potion of Shield at one time or another. It didn't matter if they were in robes or platemail, swinging a sword or shooting a bow. It was as common as everyone activating their Boots of Speed on their fist action, and using their Wands of Cure Light Wounds when the fight was over.

Seven AC for 10 rounds for only 50gp is a great bargain. And +20 to hit allows for all kinds of power attacking & smiting goodness. With potion belts and haste items as common as haversacks, it's just a no-brainer (and therefor, unbalanced).

When that campaing ended, I put away my 16th level cleric with his haversack full of shield potions and made up a new, low-level character. What is the first thing I bought? A potion belt and a couple of shield potions

 

[Shard O'Glase]

*sigh* Can't make a general statement on here without something pointing out flaws with specific examples.

Yes, there are ways that a sorcerer or wizard could have a very high AC and cast shield, but I was just pointing out that at low levels you can be easily giving the tanks in the party and extra +7 to AC which would make them next to invincible in combat. For 50gp and 2XP, there can be a lot of these potions floating around in the group to make mockeries of difficult battles.

IceBear

exactly, right now in the game I run virtually every fight that looks a bit chalenging starts off with a lot of gulping down shield potions. The cleric and fighter both jump up to 30+acs. I'm just happy I've been running a humanoid oriented game, where we are at the elvel where dispells can start flying somewhat freely. Now in a mosnter oriented, and enemies being spell less campaign this tactic continues being obscene for many more levels.