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arkol
2007-09-25, 06:44 AM
What exactly is the damage of an empowered magic missile?

Citizen Joe
2007-09-25, 06:59 AM
Empowering boosts a spell by 2 effective levels, so you're starting at level 5 caster (Magic Missile at level 3). So you would get 3 missiles doing 1.5X(1d4+1) each

Kurald Galain
2007-09-25, 07:10 AM
Empowering boosts a spell by 2 effective levels

Huh? No it doesn't.

An empowered magic missile deals (1d4 x 1.5) + 1 points of damage. That means 2, 4, 5 or 7 points, depending on the die roll, for an average of 4.5 points. You get exactly as many missiles as you would when casting the spell without empowering it.

Arbitrarity
2007-09-25, 07:11 AM
He means, to cast it you need 3rd level spell slots, so minimum CL 5.

arkol
2007-09-25, 07:15 AM
Ok thank you all :smallsmile:

Tyger
2007-09-25, 07:25 AM
Huh? No it doesn't.

An empowered magic missile deals (1d4 x 1.5) + 1 points of damage. That means 2, 4, 5 or 7 points, depending on the die roll, for an average of 4.5 points. You get exactly as many missiles as you would when casting the spell without empowering it.

Actually, this is incorrect. Magic Missile is used as an example in the Empowering spells section, and the +1 is also multiplied by 1.5. So you get # of Missiles at (1d4+1)x1.5 each. Half the time it makes no difference, as you round down, but the other half, it does matter.

Half-blood
2007-09-25, 07:30 AM
using metamagic feats to bolster simple spells? aw, that brings back memories.

arkol
2007-09-25, 08:00 AM
But the feat says

All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half.

So the +1 wouldn't get multiplied right?

Hasn't this been errated or something?

ImperiousLeader
2007-09-25, 08:10 AM
Rather than think of 1d4+1, think that the missile does between 2 and 5 points damage. So, Empowered gives a missile that does between 3 to 7 points damage.

Person_Man
2007-09-25, 08:36 AM
EMPOWER SPELL [METAMAGIC]

Benefit: All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. An empowered spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

An effect of a spell is the total numerical value that is to be applied as a penalty.

1d4+1 damage is a single effect.

It is not two separate effects, one from a random random variable (die roll) and one from the linear level dependent addition.

This has been discussed before. And looking at the errata and FAQ, there are no entries that modify how this is calculated. The magic missile example just stress that this is the correct interpretation and is hopefully why it was chosen.

Also, its retarded to use Empower Spell on a Magic Missile. You're almost always better off just casting a 3rd level spell.

arkol
2007-09-25, 09:16 AM
OK guess that settles it.

However...


Also, its retarded to use Empower Spell on a Magic Missile. You're almost always better off just casting a 3rd level spell.

If you prepare spells and you're not expecting some enemys ussualy immune to your other damage sources? Sure....

But if you DO know that you're gona encounter such enemys, or if you cast spontaneously and just happen to encounter them it's better then doing nothing.... as seen here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0459.html). (yes I'm aware that he's maximizing and not empowering but you work with the tools you've got...)

GoC
2007-09-25, 10:03 AM
Question: Isn't range a variable numerical effect?
It's certainly numerical and it varies with level but would Empower increase it?

Seatbelt
2007-09-25, 10:10 AM
Magic Missile owns things with concealment.

Thrawn183
2007-09-25, 10:13 AM
Question: Isn't range a variable numerical effect?
It's certainly numerical and it varies with level but would Empower increase it?

Range is a constant. Think about it like this, everyone with the same caster level always has the same range, but everyone with the same caster level does not always do the same amount of damage; damage is variable while range is not.

Fighteer
2007-09-25, 10:13 AM
Question: Isn't range a variable numerical effect?
It's certainly numerical and it varies with level but would Empower increase it?
"Variable" in the context being used here means that it has a random component, represented by the roll of one or more dice. Range is affected by caster level, but you don't roll a die for it in most cases.

Put more simply, Empower Spell only affects things that are rolled. If the spell range is 10 yards per caster level, there's no dice roll; therefore no Empower Spell effect. If the spell range were (for example) 1d6x10 yards, then Empower Spell would affect it.

Koji
2007-09-26, 05:04 PM
Magic Missile owns things with concealment.

I was under the impression that magic missile simply slightly injures things with concealment.

TheOOB
2007-09-26, 05:23 PM
Magic Missile owns things with concealment.

So does any area of effect spell, concealment doesn't matter when you are simply firing for effect.

One of the better uses of empower spell is that it lets spells exceed a spell levels damage cap earlier then normal spells for that level. For example, at level 10 an empowered fireball deals 10d6*1.5 while a cone of cold doesn't deal an equivlent amount of damage until level 15 despite being in the same slot. Magic missile is a poor spell to empower because it doesn't hit full powerful until level 9, which by then most 3rd level spells are near their max power.