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The Caster 'I Win' Button

There's been some discussion on the caster so-called "I Win" button, those high-level spells that can effectively allow a caster to end an encounter with one spell.  I understand the frustration with casters.  Early in the game they can be practically useless; however, by the upper levels they can be overpowering.  This is due to an inherent design flaw or feature, depending on your point of view, that allows most fighting classes to grow linearly while the caster classes grow quadratically.

When casters overpower and take the fun out of a game, it is not the fault of the caster or a particular spell.  It is the fault that the GM and/or the module writer did not take into account these new abilities properly.  The GM needs to design adventures and encounters to challenge the party that is playing.  Once in a while, this may mean allowing the caster to save the day with a simple spell.  More times that not though, it means engaging all of the players in a meaningful way.

There are lots of good strategies for challenging higher level parties that have those spells:

  • Non-combat encounters can be used to challenge a party by forcing them to roleplay and rely on skills.  And, it will help keep your bard happy, if you want your bard happy.
  • Split-the-party encounters can force the spellcaster to do what he does best, while the rogue does what he does best, while the cleric does what he does best, while the fighter does what he does best... and so on.  A combination of challenges can always be a fun encounter for all.  Never split the party sounds like a challenge for the GM.  There is ALWAYS a way.
  • Mirroring the party's strengths in the enemies can bring back balance.  Sure you have a 17th level gnome sorceress, but the incoming has two of them, and one of them is going to do nothing but try to block your spells.  Now what?
  • Kill the magic.  Nothing makes a party work harder that turning off the magic.  Alternately, a x100 hyper-magic field can have a similar effect.  This gets everyone since magic weapons turn into masterwork weapons in an anti-magic field.
  • Find better foes. If your party isn't challenged in the encounters, your are probably using the wrong foes.  Game designers do their best with CR levels and such, but ultimately the GM has to find the right combination, especially at higher levels.  Those special immunities, special abilities, etc, can go a long way to making things more interesting.  Have a mage that blasts everything with fireball?  Find something with immunity to fire and force them out of their comfort zone.
  • Change the rules.  It's not cheating to add anti-magic walls that you can't teleport through.  It's not cheating to cast a gaes on that caster.  Shake things up to keep them interesting.  Remember that the GM wins if the players are challenged, having fun, and have those legendary stories to tell when the game is over.
Wubba wubba.

-GM
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