Undeath to Death

[Astriel]

Why does this spell suck so bad? Why did they change this spell to only affect undead with 9 HD instead of the 1d4 HD per caster level (Maximum 20d4)?

[Angelus_dead]

Why does this spell suck so bad?

Because the verisimilitude of D&D called for spells that were impressive against rabble, but not helpful against meaningful enemies.

DDO would be improved if spells like Undead to Death, Circle of Death, Sleep, Deep Slumber, Symbol of Death, and Power Word Stun were changed from firm HD/hp exclusion limits to giving targets above that limit a Fort save to survive, with no auto-failure on 1s and a bonus according to how much higher their stat is.

Why did they change this spell to only affect undead with 9 HD instead of the 1d4 HD per caster level (Maximum 20d4)?

Because it was simpler, and buffing the spell like that certainly didn't make it overpowered.

[Astriel]

Because it was simpler, and buffing the spell like that certainly didn't make it overpowered.

Simpler? Sure I guess making the spell so completely useless that it won't even work on anything in your level range could be construed as simpler.

I don't see how buffing it to kill 1d4 HD per caster level of undead would make it overpowered. It would just be like a lesser version of Wail of the Banshee that worked on undead.

[Angelus_dead]

Simpler? Sure I guess making the spell so completely useless that it won't even work on anything in your level range could be construed as simpler.

Clearly you don't know what the original spell does.

The DDO version is stronger in a numerical sense. Instead of the HD being limited to 1d4*level, you can kill however many enemies are available. The maximum of 9 HD each is the same in both DDO and the original D&D.

It would be a good idea for DDO to deviate from the D&D rules and improve spells of this type.

[Astriel]

Clearly you don't know what the original spell does.

The DDO version is stronger in a numerical sense. Instead of the HD being limited to 1d4*level, you can kill however many enemies are available. The maximum of 9 HD each is the same in both DDO and the original D&D.

It would be a good idea for DDO to deviate from the D&D rules and improve spells of this type.

Oh well I completely forgot that the core spell was limited to 9 HD as well. Too much NWN I suppose since there is no HD limit on the spell in NWN 1 and 2 only circle of death had the 9 HD limit.