Is the Feeblemind spell fair?

[frankthedm]

Just right? Too Cruel? Too Limited?

Feeblemind
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

If the target creature fails a Will saving throw, its Intelligence and Charisma scores each drop to 1. The affected creature is unable to use Intelligence- or Charisma-based skills, cast spells, understand language, or communicate coherently. Still, it knows who its friends are and can follow them and even protect them. The subject remains in this state until a heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish spell is used to cancel the effect of the feeblemind. A creature that can cast arcane spells, such as a sorcerer or a wizard, takes a -4 penalty on its saving throw.

Material Component
A handful of clay, crystal, glass, or mineral spheres.

 

[Dracorat]

I think it's fine. The counter spells are pretty common at that level of magic. (Heal and Limited Wish, with LW being a little later obviously).

 

[Sejs]

The only part of the spell that makes me kinda [edit]raise[/edit] my eyebrow is the -4 save penalty for arcane spellcasters.

Ditch that and it's fine.

 

[Dracorat]

Actually that will coorce mages to be the first targets, which means their cleric counterparts can then followup with a heal to reverse it. If the cleric got hit first, it would be harder to counter until the mage can cast level 7 spells.

 

[Crothian]

The only part of the spell that makes me kinda [edit]raise[/edit] my eyebrow is the -4 save penalty for arcane spellcasters.

That makes it a great anti dragon spell though

 

[IcyCool]

That makes it a great anti dragon spell though

Yes and no. It says nothing about the dragon being unable to beat down the characters.

 

[Crothian]

Yes and no. It says nothing about the dragon being unable to beat down the characters.

Ya, but it stops all spell casting. I'm pretty sure a dragon without spells is easier to defeat as a dragon with spells.

 

[Wish]

My problem with this spell (and several others of its ilk) is that the counter measure is higher level than the spell itself. It wouldn't be at all unreasonable for a 9th level wizard to be the BBEG for a bunch of 7th level characters. If he hits the mage with this, it's essentially a save-or-die spell, with a penalty on the save. Now, that's in most actual campaigns where you can't just walk into town and plunk down your gold to force a high-priest to do your bidding. In pure core D&D where a Heal spell costs only 660 gp and is available on the equipment and services charts in the PHB, it's really no big deal.

 

[IcyCool]

Ya, but it stops all spell casting. I'm pretty sure a dragon without spells is easier to defeat as a dragon with spells.

True, but it is hardly a pushover. It may be neat to turn that angry dragon into a gibbering idiot, but it's still a gibbering idiot that can breathe fire and tear apart Volkswagens with it's claws. And it's still angry at you.

And now it can't be reasoned with.

 

[Felix]

By "fair", do you mean, "balanced"?

If yes, then sure, it's balanced. It's a single target non-lethal character "killer". It happens to have the added flavor of being particularly effective against arcanists, who, incidently, are the only ones who can cast it. A wonderful mage's anti-mage spell.

If you don't mean "balanced", but rather, "fair", as in "just"... then I don't understand the question; since when was anything judged by a "fair" standard in DnD?

[I answered the poll assuming that you meant "Balanced"]

[EDIT]

And now it can't be reasoned with.

True, but now it's easier to fool as well.