I may have gotten the Uzhul card name wrong, but you know which one it is.

Is it just me or the more powerful spell of the two, based on rank and power usage, is actually the worst spell when you read the effect lines ?

The Amber order also has a similar problem with its Claws and Fangs spells. The weakest spell is actually the better one...

Am I reading these wrong ?

What do you think ?

Thanks again for your insights.

If you mean Bright Order Flame Blast vs Great Fires of U'Zhul, I see your concern.

Great Fires would be okay as a Rank 2 spell with 1 more power cost and 3 longer recharge comparing reckless winc it's 1 more damage with one success, easier access to increased damage and possibility of group damage (though not really that useful as it is not noted as avoiding Soak and most of that damage is going to be soaked).

However that Flame Blast is unopposed Spellcraft and Great Fires is vs Target Defence seems to tip balance against Great Fires. Most of your "light 'em up" spells seem to not be vs Target Defence, why this one is I don't know. That unlike Flame Blast it can be used when others engaged with you may help Great Fires but if you use it targeting those folks you can get yourself too.

valvorik said:

I'm just curious... which spell is more powerful in your eyes?

I would say Flame Blast is the better spell, fewer challenge dice (only 1 versus when against defence, 1 for the defence and 1 for modifier on spell), no defensive dice from target, most success, less Miscasts due to fewer chances of Chaos Stars. So you're more likely to get improved results, less likely negative side effects. But that's just my quick comparison not in play use.

Perhaps though it's not necessary that "every higher rank spell is better". Sometimes the more expensive car, program etc. is not better. Should the Old World not make it as possible to make "foolish choices if you just assume higher price/rank is better"?

Rob

Looking at the Reckless side of the cards :

Flameblast is easier to cast (not vs Defence) has only a 2 recharge instead of 5.

Minimum damage with a success is Int+4, same as Great fires.

Maximum damage with 3 successes, 3 boons and a Comet is a whopping Int+9 and 2 Criticals !

Great fires' max damage, with 2 successes, 1 boon and 1 Comet is Int+7 to main target and Int+3 to all enemies in the engagement.

You could say that 2 successes, 1 boon and 1 comet is much easier to come by than the Flameblast max damage lines... BUT Flameblast isn't against Target Defence which takes away 1-3 Misfortune from the pool and the possibility of dodging the spell... also, Great fires adds a misfortune for each enemy in the engagement... so to hurt a lot of people, you need to roll pretty well...

Lastly, even with an Int of 5, the Great fires can do maximum 8 damage to all engaged. Useful against low level unarmoured mooks... but not much else.

In conclusion, it just seems to me that these two spells are more or less equal in effect, but one costs more to cast, has a longer recharge... and that makes it the lesser choice.

I would love to hear in game stories that prove me wrong !

The two other cards that seem slighlty off are Primal Claw and Fangs of Fury, Amber wizard spells.

Again looking at reckless.

Primal Claw is recharge 0, no added difficulty. Does from 5+str damage minimum up to 7+str, Pierce two, +draw 3 crits choose one.

Fangs of Fury is recharge 2, one misfortune, but receives a fortune die if outnumbered. Does 6+str minimal damage up to 8+str, pierce 2, draw 3 crits choose one.

The success/boon lines are identical.

Now here's the deciding factor : only Primal Claw can be cast in human form.

Conclusion, you have almost identical spells, but the lower rank one has a quicker recharge and is more flexible ! Why learn Fangs of Fury ? It's a waste of EPs.

And the worst thing here, is that it uses up a spell "slot" for the designers and thus reduces the diversity of this college's spells.

Dommage.

One has to see Great Fires in the light that it's a Bright Wizard spell, and the Bright Wizard order talent...

Adding 5 power to the pool (12 in total, gotta love Reckless Channeling...), is suddenly 13 damage to everyone in the engagement (this kills goblins I believe?).

And remember the damage added is to ALL damage components in the spell, so both the Area Effect damage, AND the single targeted damage!!!

Suddenly the spell is turned into a really deadly weapon. With 4 enemies in the engagement, you deliver 20 extra damage from using the Order talent...

The Amber spell is actually not very well balanced. The things that speak for it being as it is, is that in Beastform you want to conserve pwr as much as possible (no channeling), so a spell that hits for 1 extra damage, is actually good...

BUT! I changed that to only use 2 power, which means our Amber wizard does a combo of Fangs and Claws and Mighty Blow.