Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Technical & Gameplay Problems Phantasmal Killer

It looks like the game is using the wrong info and its hard for me tell without a proper combat log. But in general once the target fails its saving throw its scared, then during its next turn it should take damage and end of its turn make a savings throw. Instead it makes its savings throw at the beginign of its turning meaning inorder for damage to occur 2 savings throws have to be passed. Personaly I think it should take damage immediatly on failing and again the second round and after the second round it rolls for save

Since when were instakill spells even nerfed in DnD?

I hate it. DC casters are dead in this game, and enchantment spells are even worse.

I remember when playing ad&d, phantasmal killer was a great spell for its level. In BG3 it is not worth it unfortunately. In fact I didn't really use spells that could be negated with a saving throw. You risk wasting your turn completely which can be catastrophically for a spell caster. Most fights you just had to deal out as much damage as possible as early as possible in order to win, because of the big advantage of offense vs defence.

It's Shield, Fireball and Lightning Bolt all day long in BG3. It's a shame cool spells like Phantasmal Force never get a chance. 1d6 per turn for Concentration is just pathetic.

how do you think this should be fixed, for a fourth lvl spell this is weak, its basicaly the same as cuase fear a 1st lvl spell

I'd turn Phantasmal Killer into an Intelligence Saving Throw like Phantasmal Force is. For consistency, and Int is less resisted I think.

But the real problem is that a Concentration spell has to compete with Larian's equipment (+1d4 Radiant/Fire/Poison, dip, coat, Ring that adds +2 Acid damage etc.) and absurd Haste rule changes for damage output. It can't.

Yea my sorc basically just uses fireball and lightning bolt. Even haste is rubbish, the lethargic penalty on end is bad, and you can only maintain one concentration spell.

Level 1&2 slots shield is good, also for sorcs twinned chromatic orb and ray of sickness. Magic Missile if success chance is too low or the enemy has too many immunities.

Its also unfortunate that sorcs dont get acid arrow, I use the staff from the mushroom merchant, and the once a day melf arrow on it can be twinned, but the main reason for it is the +1 spell DC along with 20 CHA.

Overpowered melee due to imbalanced gear and incorrect implementation of haste makes melee superior to spells. Doesn't help that they made some unwarranted nerfs to control spells either, and in general seems to have too high saves on their mobs.

18 wisdom on shadowheart, 30% chance for hold person lol. I just gave up bothering with CC spells, they are too heavily nerfed in this game unless you save scum them.

Any and all DC improving gear needs to go on my sorc anyway. 95% chance on twinned ray of sickness with poisoner robe and green dragon is tasty.

Lots of basic human enemies late game have...

a) insane ability scores like multiple 20's and the rest in 14-16 range
b) homebrew "armor" buffer abilities that you have to break through before you can do anything to them (Hello, DOS)
c) Magic Resistance for no reason other than to have magic resistance to screw spellcaster PC's and turn them into lame magic missile machines

Jeez how much they hate control, spellcasters and tactical combat other than grinding away at big HP pools and armor buffers.

Phantasmal killer in earlier ed like pathfinder is a one shot kill if the opponent fails 2 checks, from my memory its wisdom and constitution. Weird is an aoe version. When I played with my friends as a DM I homebrewed the spell into the following.

Phantasmal Maim: [level 4]: target takes 10d6 if they fail a DC [15], on save take half. On failed save, frighten enemies in 5m radius around target. Target takes 1d3 for 1d3 rounds.

Phantasmal Force: [level 1]: deal 1d4 damage up to 3 enemies for 1d3 turns- if cast with concentration deal 2d4 up to 4, [dc 10 con save], save nullifies

Phantasmal Killer: [level 5]: Attempt a constitution check, if yours is higher, opponent takes 20d4 damage, if they die, cast again if pass a DC 20 wisdom check.

Weird: [level 8]: Deal 20d4 damage in a 20M radius around yourself, you must pass enemy save+ level + prof, versus your roll + level + prof. If all hit targets die, make a dc 20 check on wisdom, to cast again

Doesn't necessarily need homebrewing, somewhere a long time ago I found the following such effects for those spells:

Phantasamal Killer level 4 - Constitution save for damage, if failed Wisdom save for death
Improved Phantasamal Killer level 7- Wisdom save for death, damage on save
Weird level 9 - mass IPK

The were basically rewritten as such to be Wisdom save death alternatives for FOD / Wail in necromancy which were constitution saves.

The catch being if you specialized in either Illusion or Necromancy for improved DC, they were opposing forbidden schools so you could only have either.

Necromancy also had Circle of Death at level 6 which was made a 2 save mass kill with negative levels on the first failed save.

These spells were correctly used in Dungeons and Dragons online, minus Improved PK and Weird, I think it was one of the 3rd edition rulesets.