focus abjuration for harder-to-dispel spells

disastro · Post by **disastro** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:48 pm

how about allowing a caster's focus abjuration bonuses make their spells harder to dispel. knowledge of how dispelling works gives you insight into fortifying your own spells.

This gives people a build counterstroke for dispelling. perhaps add a check to mords/breach to not auto-strip their designated spells if the target caster had abjuration focus (that is, you can still dispel those effects but you now must make a caster level check rather than auto-strip).

it might also allow lower-caster level builds to be a little more viable if they are set up correctly (so we dont end up simply invalidating spells on builds that include less than 30+ caster levels)

would be a nice buff for a little-used school.

edit: would also be nice if your focus in a particular school made your spells from that school harder to dispel as well.

kingfatzo · Post by **kingfatzo** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:54 pm

i disagree...

people (like me) who build a hybrid cleric with only 30 or so cleric levels but have epic abj focus dont deserve a bonus to their saves vs another dispeller..... simply because i have not physically devoted ample caster levels.... with the focus; and with the update to dispelling (yay) i am able to dispell fairly effectivly; but i dont deserve immunity...that privlidge is again reserved for pure builds like level 40 clerics... etc...who can create all hell against the buffs of a mixed build....

ultimately; a change like this would create an unbalance in the already fragile system

disastro · Post by **disastro** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:48 pm

kingfatzo wrote:i disagree...

people (like me) who build a hybrid cleric with only 30 or so cleric levels but have epic abj focus dont deserve a bonus to their saves vs another dispeller..... simply because i have not physically devoted ample caster levels.... with the focus; and with the update to dispelling (yay) i am able to dispell fairly effectivly; but i dont deserve immunity...that privlidge is again reserved for pure builds like level 40 clerics... etc...who can create all hell against the buffs of a mixed build....

ultimately; a change like this would create an unbalance in the already fragile system

if the dispeller also focuses in abjuration then the effects would cancel out and you're at today's situation (so it's build vs build). it shouldnt grant immunity but give you a better chance to avoid getting dispelled. pure or no the build choices make a difference and a level 40 cleric still has a significant advantage over anyone else. and a focussed pure caster has the best chance of all.. except against another pure level caster who has ALSO focussed. again down to the build.

since abjuration is such a wasted line currently it would add another option besides the standard conj-transmu-necro lines. it's a benefit in theme with the school and would be an effect about as powerful as extra time stop rounds (transmu) and more powerful summons/bigby/grease.

if you only had enough feats in your build for 2 out of the 3 lines which would you pick? would put abjuration right in the running.

Post by **Amoenotep** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:07 am

try arcane defense..i think thats what your looking for. and btw, my caster is abjuration focus and it comes in handy when stripping hybrid casters down.

Nolan Silvermoon · Post by **Nolan Silvermoon** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:10 am

Amoenotep wrote:try arcane defense..i think thats what your looking for.

yup

Post by **Binkyuk** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:25 am

Last I heard AD: abj making dispels harder was originally planned, but fell foul of implementation problems and was never done.

disastro · Post by **disastro** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:33 am

arcane defense is listed as: "The character gains a +2 bonus to saving throws versus the chosen school of magic."

this also applies to the check required to dispel your spells?

edit: nvm binks post finally filtered through my coffee deprived brain.

kingfatzo · Post by **kingfatzo** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:30 pm

disastro wrote:
if the dispeller also focuses in abjuration then the effects would cancel out .

thus rendering a code change as a waste of time.....

disastro · Post by **disastro** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:48 pm

kingfatzo wrote:
disastro wrote:
if the dispeller also focuses in abjuration then the effects would cancel out .
thus rendering a code change as a waste of time.....

not necessarily, since the code would activate for all folks who didnt take abj. it would be hard to get epic transmu, conj, necro, abj, spell penetration, evo, auto quick, etc. all on one toon so you'd have more viable options to choose from and a hard choice to make to boot.

ideally every school would be badass enough to make it all a hard choice. (rather than laughing off, say, illusion or divination).