Problems with Meteor Swarm?

[TheBestDeception]

Not sure if anyone else has seen this, but while fighting some skels, I noticed a lack of damage. Looking back at the log (the Frozen Guardian was nice enough to cast it twice on me...), it seems there was no effect whatsoever from casting the spell, other than the cool animation.



Do remember, this is a level 9 spell, IIRC. Quite a disappointment. You know, taking the idea shamelessly from Guild Wars, Meteors are fast and all ... and could possibly bring a KnockDown effect to those stuck in it...

Speaking of useless ... healing circle is right alongside Meteor Swarm, also seen in the log. Another GW idea that could be followed... useful close-area healing spells.

Just a few thoughts.

[Teladro]

Yeah, meteor swarm does nothing. Never has afaik. Mobs that cast it get nothing. If I try to cast it nothing happens. I'm not sure, but I'd guess scrolls do nothing either.

[AggieDan]

Yeah, I recall seeing the meteor swarm and thinking, "Wow! Glad I didn't get hurt by that!" not even thinking that it was a bug. That would make all the skeletons a little harder if the Guardians could get those spells off and actually do some damage.

[JesterOI]

I mentioned that MS problem to DD over a month ago.

[Bob]

It's a problem with the size of the no-damage zone that surrounds the caster.

There's a report on it in Bug Tracker (0001193) from almost a year ago. The accompanying jpeg shows just how far I was able to get away from the petrified Guardian without him taking any damage. One more sidestep to the left put him into the damage zone.

[TheBestDeception]

I suppose I didn't make it clear enough in the original post ... not only was it not working, but it seems for a lvl 9 spell Meteor Swarm in general is underpowered.

(Compare it with IGMS, Horrid Wilting, Delayed FB [uber PvM])

Removing the protected zone is a start, but seriously: 20d6 PHYSICAL with a reflex save just seems weak ... right there with earthquake in its uselessness.

Other possibilities: remove save, KD effect, half fire dmg, short duration spell (think SoV, but with meteors that obviously do less than the advertised dmg)

Any thoughts?

[Yonwe]

It would be nice to have something close to 3.5 PnP: 24d6 fire/bludgeon damage with no save to the target, with 20d6 fire with a reflex to everyone around the target up to 40'. It ain't gonna happen that way, but perhaps something like removing the save would at least make it playable at its level, as TBD suggested as well.

[Lokey]

Why did Bio nerf it in the first place? Seems straightforward enough to code. Checked, the problem is a feet/meters booboo with the safe area, right now it's 60% of a tile around the caster as a safe zone--that's too big, and not needed since it sounds ok to just do a hostile only in a sphere type thing (like Horrid should be).

Meteor Swarm
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: Pattern of fireball-like spreads (see text)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None or Reflex half (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
When the character casts this spell, either four large spheres (2-foot-diameter) or eight small spheres (1-foot-diameter) spring from the character's outstretched hand and streak in a straight line to the spot the character selects.
Any creature in the straight-line path of these spheres is struck by each one and takes 24d6 points of fire damage (no save).
If the spheres reach their destination, each bursts in a spread.
Each large sphere deals 6d6 points of fire damage. The four spheres explode with their points of origin forming a diamond or box pattern around the spell’s central point of origin, which the character designates upon casting. Each large sphere has a 15-foot-radius spread, and each blast is 20 feet apart along the sides of the pattern, creating overlapping areas of the spell’s effect and exposing the center to all four blasts.
The smaller spheres each have a 7 1/2-foot-radius spread, and each deals 3d6 points of fire damage. They explode with their points of origin forming a pattern around the spell’s central point of origin (which the character designated upon casting) of a box within a diamond or vice versa, with each of the outer sides measuring 20 feet long. The center has four areas of overlapping effect, and numerous peripheral areas have two or three overlapping areas of the spell’s effect.
Creatures caught in a blast can attempt Reflex saves for half damage. Creatures struck by multiple blasts save against each blast separately.

That's worth being a level 9 spell (96d6 damage no save, yikes)...from up to 1200ft away too if you can spot em.

[Bob]

I'm guessing there aren't any plans to extend the XP range to 1200ft...