Scale Weakening, am I overlooking something?

[PhaedrusXY]

You're missing the point, an enemy hit with scale weakening is still going to be fully operational, an enemy hit with glitterdust or web is going to be nigh-helpless.

If they fail their save (or if you can even use Web). I'm not missing anything.

This spell is almost as good as a Wraithstrike that affects the entire group, and lasts for multiple rounds. How is that not good? Everyone always rants and raves about how "broken" Wraithstrike is, and yet you're arguing that this spell, which is arguably better for a lot of situations, isn't even worth prepping. It does not allow a save, and only requires a touch attack, which is generally easy vs. something with loads of natural armor. It is a decent debuff, and would be better than the spells you're suggesting in some situations.

Like for example if you're facing a dragon. High will saves, so it's not likely to fail vs. Glitterdust, and a Web will hardly slow the big ones down, even if they fail the save. This spell means all your beatsticks at least hit it, and many will be able to Power Attack the crap out of it, even without something like Shock Trooper.

[Akalsaris]

Well, at 3rd level I wouldn't really want to prep it, but it would be a good candidate for a quickened spell at higher levels, when saving throws are too high for most 2nd level spells and lots of monsters have a decent amount of natural armor. 

Yes, there are lots of great spells for a wizard at 2nd level, but this is another good choice, maybe high second-tier. 

[Brainpiercing]

Well, at 3rd level I wouldn't really want to prep it, but it would be a good candidate for a quickened spell at higher levels, when saving throws are too high for most 2nd level spells and lots of monsters have a decent amount of natural armor. 

Yes, there are lots of great spells for a wizard at 2nd level, but this is another good choice, maybe high second-tier. 

It's a second level spell you can use at higher levels, unlike all those low level SoSs, which are never likely to have any effect late, against BBEGs.
Save on Glitterdust at Lvl 13+? 15+?  Without shenanigans it just won't keep up.

The job of a God wizard is to make his actions count, and actions you spend casting spells with too low saves don't count. Sure, Glitterdust is still fine vs groups of mooks, but not against the big guys. Against the big guy you want an action that decisively alters the battlefield. And you can do it with that spell, because you've gone from "BSF  might be able to hit him - with luck" to "BSF can whack the shit out of him."

[Omen of Peace]

You'all are overlooking the fact that it has been updated in the SC to be -1 NA/3 CL.
You might as well go with (Mass) Curse of Impending Blades until high levels since it doesn't require you to hit and also works on classed humanoids.

 

[Brainpiercing]

That...um... sucks.

That's one of my main gripes with the SC: It's so bloody INCONSISTENT!! It adds spells which are really quite cheesy, but nerfs some that were never that bad. I've personally decided to just ignore SC updates on some spells.

[PhaedrusXY]

You'all are overlooking the fact that it has been updated in the SC to be -1 NA/3 CL.
You might as well go with (Mass) Curse of Impending Blades until high levels since it doesn't require you to hit and also works on classed humanoids.

 

Well, I guess someone thought it was too good. 

[The Lurker]

Use Targeting Ray instead (also SC).

[Farodin]

The funny thing is that when I looked at the spell's description, there was no mention of the word penalty anywhere.  Just for comparison, I looked at Ray of Enfeeblement which I know applies a penalty in its effect and says that explicitly.  The verb used in Scale Weakening's description is "reduced."  Maybe this is Wizards being inconsistent, it wouldn't be the first time.

Doesn't matter. Penalty is not some keyword which defines whether you can stack something. What matters is that the spell has a certain duration, and is not instantaneous. Because of this you cannot stack it with itself.

Pre-SC it's still a great spell of course.

[SorO_Lost]

That...um... sucks.

That's one of my main gripes with the SC: It's so bloody INCONSISTENT!! It adds spells which are really quite cheesy, but nerfs some that were never that bad. I've personally decided to just ignore SC updates on some spells.

I'm totally to blame. Yep, it's me.

I kept killing off the authors (and their mothers) to prevent the book from coming out and nerfing a very important spell to me. Each new guy that came read the notes of the previous authors and slapped something together to try and catch up to the book quota. After the sixth guy, things were just printed as is.

[Salt_Crow]

I was not aware that AC could actually go below zero. I had always thought it would stop at 0...

Well you do get size penalties...

[cru]

Or there's Shocktrooper, that can easily bring (especially) touch AC into negatives (-20 power attack, -2 charge). Fortunately, few stay alive to take advantage of it...

[Runestar]

Or there's Shocktrooper, that can easily bring (especially) touch AC into negatives (-20 power attack, -2 charge). Fortunately, few stay alive to take advantage of it...

Does it really matter how low it goes? Unless a foe will somehow end up with a negative attack roll, it really doesn't matter if your AC is 1 or -100...they are still going to hit you on a 2 or more...

[ReaderOfPosts]

I know that if I was just shock trooper pounced and survived, I'd certainly full power attack in return, for a corresponding penalty.

[Negative Zero]

The attacker could very well have a negative attack bonus.

The 6 Str Elven Wizard 1, after being hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement, tries to swing the Huge Kukri that he found.

[BowenSilverclaw]

The attacker could very well have a negative attack bonus.

The 6 Str Elven Wizard 1, after being hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement, tries to swing the Huge Kukri that he found.

*headdesk*

[PhaedrusXY]

The attacker could very well have a negative attack bonus.

The 6 Str Elven Wizard 1, after being hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement, tries to swing the Huge Kukri that he found.

This sounds like my current arena match in the PbP area. My 6 str halfling wizard with the Noncombatant flaw was grappling a 6 str gnome.  I actually succeeded in doing one damage to her, because that is the minimum damage you can do (1d2-2 for the lose ).

[Brainpiercing]

The attacker could very well have a negative attack bonus.

The 6 Str Elven Wizard 1, after being hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement, tries to swing the Huge Kukri that he found.

*headdesk*

seconded.

[BowenSilverclaw]

The attacker could very well have a negative attack bonus.

The 6 Str Elven Wizard 1, after being hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement, tries to swing the Huge Kukri that he found.

This sounds like my current arena match in the PbP area. My 6 str halfling wizard with the Noncombatant flaw was grappling a 6 str gnome.  I actually succeeded in doing one damage to her, because that is the minimum damage you can do (1d2-2 for the lose ).

Linky for the midget-fight? It sounds hilarious