Leech item feat - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Leech item feat

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Aug 04, 2006 8:52:31 Have other people used it, and did you find it was too powerful? I'm probably going to allow my players to use it in my campaign cuz it's a cool concept, but for a 5th level mage to cast a 10d6 fireball sounds quite powerful to me. A mage with an intelligence of 22 (+6 bonus) could add 6 levels to 4 of his spells from a level 1 wand for 750 gp (or 375 gp if he crafted it).

Have other people playtested this yet?

Thanks for your help!
#2
Sysane
Aug 04, 2006 20:39:37
Have other people used it, and did you find it was too powerful? I'm probably going to allow my players to use it in my campaign cuz it's a cool concept, but for a 5th level mage to cast a 10d6 fireball sounds quite powerful to me. A mage with an intelligence of 22 (+6 bonus) could add 6 levels to 4 of his spells from a level 1 wand for 750 gp (or 375 gp if he crafted it).

Have other people playtested this yet?

Thanks for your help!

I allowed the wizard in my Age of Mortals campaign to take it and have regretted it ever since. IMO, its to powerful of a feat to allow other than in a campaign based in the early part of the Fifth Age.
#3
ares
Aug 05, 2006 10:47:10 Yeah, I agree. I treat it not as a feat but as a part of the magic system of early Age of Mortals. Then, when magic kicks back up, it goes goodbye. An spellcasting capable character using these feats would be a nightmare, and it really doesn't fit post War of Souls flavor, IMAO.
#4
theredrobedwizard
Aug 05, 2006 23:18:25 I ruled that Leech Item only works when your effective caster level is being drained somehow (whether it be the effects of the Age of Mortals magic stealing whatnots or some other force). If your effective caster level is unimpeded (ie. a Wizard during the post-War of Souls era), then you can't use it.

That same Wizard, however, could Leech an item to cast spells during the Age of Mortals, when his magic would normally be unavailable.

-TRRW
#5
cam_banks
Aug 06, 2006 8:13:42
I ruled that Leech Item only works when your effective caster level is being drained somehow (whether it be the effects of the Age of Mortals magic stealing whatnots or some other force). If your effective caster level is unimpeded (ie. a Wizard during the post-War of Souls era), then you can't use it.

That same Wizard, however, could Leech an item to cast spells during the Age of Mortals, when his magic would normally be unavailable.

This was definitely the intent behind the feat, looking back at it. Another way to reflect this same intent is to simply state that the leeched magic will not allow you to cast spells at greater than your caster level (which is different from your effective caster level, which could have been reduced). In other words, remove the second paragraph from the feat's description. Instead, use the character's spellcasting ability score as the limit to how many effective levels may be regained by leeching items, up to the maximum of the character's original caster level.

Thus, a 6th-level wizard with an effective caster level of 0 (because of the effects of the spirits draining magic in the Age of Mortals, etc) and an Intelligence of 18 could only leech enough magic from an item to gain a caster level of 4. He would need an Intelligence of 22 to regain his maximum caster level.

This opens up the possibility of Improved Leech Item feats that extend this limit or remove it, balancing things out somewhat in terms of feat slot cost versus feat utility.

Cheers,
Cam
#6
zombiegleemax
Aug 10, 2006 7:14:51 Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Aug 04, 2006 8:52:31	Have other people used it, and did you find it was too powerful? I'm probably going to allow my players to use it in my campaign cuz it's a cool concept, but for a 5th level mage to cast a 10d6 fireball sounds quite powerful to me. A mage with an intelligence of 22 (+6 bonus) could add 6 levels to 4 of his spells from a level 1 wand for 750 gp (or 375 gp if he crafted it). Have other people playtested this yet? Thanks for your help!
#2 Sysane Aug 04, 2006 20:39:37	Have other people used it, and did you find it was too powerful? I'm probably going to allow my players to use it in my campaign cuz it's a cool concept, but for a 5th level mage to cast a 10d6 fireball sounds quite powerful to me. A mage with an intelligence of 22 (+6 bonus) could add 6 levels to 4 of his spells from a level 1 wand for 750 gp (or 375 gp if he crafted it). Have other people playtested this yet? Thanks for your help! I allowed the wizard in my Age of Mortals campaign to take it and have regretted it ever since. IMO, its to powerful of a feat to allow other than in a campaign based in the early part of the Fifth Age.
#3 ares Aug 05, 2006 10:47:10	Yeah, I agree. I treat it not as a feat but as a part of the magic system of early Age of Mortals. Then, when magic kicks back up, it goes goodbye. An spellcasting capable character using these feats would be a nightmare, and it really doesn't fit post War of Souls flavor, IMAO.
#4 theredrobedwizard Aug 05, 2006 23:18:25	I ruled that Leech Item only works when your effective caster level is being drained somehow (whether it be the effects of the Age of Mortals magic stealing whatnots or some other force). If your effective caster level is unimpeded (ie. a Wizard during the post-War of Souls era), then you can't use it. That same Wizard, however, could Leech an item to cast spells during the Age of Mortals, when his magic would normally be unavailable. -TRRW
#5 cam_banks Aug 06, 2006 8:13:42	I ruled that Leech Item only works when your effective caster level is being drained somehow (whether it be the effects of the Age of Mortals magic stealing whatnots or some other force). If your effective caster level is unimpeded (ie. a Wizard during the post-War of Souls era), then you can't use it. That same Wizard, however, could Leech an item to cast spells during the Age of Mortals, when his magic would normally be unavailable. This was definitely the intent behind the feat, looking back at it. Another way to reflect this same intent is to simply state that the leeched magic will not allow you to cast spells at greater than your caster level (which is different from your effective caster level, which could have been reduced). In other words, remove the second paragraph from the feat's description. Instead, use the character's spellcasting ability score as the limit to how many effective levels may be regained by leeching items, up to the maximum of the character's original caster level. Thus, a 6th-level wizard with an effective caster level of 0 (because of the effects of the spirits draining magic in the Age of Mortals, etc) and an Intelligence of 18 could only leech enough magic from an item to gain a caster level of 4. He would need an Intelligence of 22 to regain his maximum caster level. This opens up the possibility of Improved Leech Item feats that extend this limit or remove it, balancing things out somewhat in terms of feat slot cost versus feat utility. Cheers, Cam
#6 zombiegleemax Aug 10, 2006 7:14:51	Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated.