Lord Mephisto's Suggestions: PART 1

[Lord Mephisto]

OK, it is time... This will be the short version...

First of all, I have to say this is THE best PvP server I have ever played on. I am VERY picky, and thus my opinion is to be considered a respectful voice of approval. With that said, this server has it's issues and problems.

Secondly, I have to try stating my agenda. This is not an attempt to make some classes more powerful than others, and it is not an attempt to nerf any class. My agenda is to improve this server in a manner where all sorts of classes can be played well, not only a few known power combinations. Some characters will always have a hard time against other in certain situations, but we should - in my opinion - try to weed out the cheap shots and worst exploits. The overall goal, more fun for everyone. With that said, it is time for my suggestions and complaints:


1. SPEED OF LEVELING
I don't want characters to level too quickly, that takes away the fun of finding clever ways of playing your current character level. But I think the current speed of leveling is a little too slow today. Especially, since there are often few people online, it can be very slow indeed. And the experience gained for killing characters of the same level is too little compared to the task. This makes people often go for killing people in the far reach of their level, waiting for low level characters to "finish" an enemy, etc.

My suggestion is to increase the base xp gains a little (about +50 % or so) and increase the xp gained by killing characters of about same level by some reasonable amount. Also, to combat the problem with slow leveling when there are few people online, experience from deaths could be scaled by player number. Even with a low number of players online, it would then be possible to gain experience in a slightly higher pace than usual, thus compansating for the lack of other players and normal flow of experience from a greater number of deaths.


2. SPECIAL MULTICLASS BALANCE
There are some classes which are consistantly used only to gain a single very important advantage. The most known examples are Monk and Paladin. A lot of players choose one level of Monk just to get Evasion, and a lot of players choose one level of Paladin just to get the Charisma bonus added to all saves. These are known cheap shortcuts.

One might ask, so what? The answer is that these shortcuts are all but too known and common. And they are too far superiour choices for multiclass combinations for a few class combinations and offers simple solutions to otherwise bad situations. It destroys the semi-consistant balance between different characters. It also lessens the uniqueness and usefulness of the characters which are supposed to have these abilities in the first place. A Fighter or Rogue wouldn't benefit from taking a single Paladin level, but a Sorcerer or Bard would think twice not doing it every time.

My suggestion is to place a special restriction on the known multiclass exploits. A simple solution forcing a player to take at least 3 levels of Paladin or Monk if they were going to take a level in those classes at all. It would still be possible to create viable multiclass synergies, but with a little more consequence, requireing more serious thought and planning.


3. ITEM BALANCE
All in all, the item balance on this server is pretty good. There are, however, some problems.

The amount of slots used for ability enchantements are very different for various characters. For example, it is too easy to gain items with a huge bonus to Strength compared to other ability scores. Also, the immunity items or items granting special abilities (like Improved Evasion, Mind-spell Immunity, etc.) are by far much too cheap. One must keep in mind that saving throws stack, and it is all too easy to make sure all your saves are high enough for all saving throws to fail only on a natural 1. Items with saving throw bonuses are extremely valuable because of their stacking nature. Some weapons also have strange game mechanics. They might work in D&D PnP, but for a computer game with more attacks, they don't. I am of course talking about scythes.

My suggestion is to add more items granting similar bonuses to ability scores as exist for Strength. Also, greatly increasing the cost of items granting immunities (if not simply taken away), special abilities or saving throw bonuses. Universal saving throw bonuses should also be reduced since they quickly make sure all saves only fail on a natural 1, thus breaking the saving throw system by their own complelety. Scythes should be removed completely since they use somewhat broken game mechanics.


4. CORNERSNEAKING
As stealth works at this point, cornersneaking is too cheap and simple a stratigy for rogue-like characters. It doesn't really make sense that someone can hide in plain daylight right in front of someone on open ground. Of course, NWN is just a simulation of hiding and sneaking, but it is too exploitable as it works at this point. Also, in a more game mechanically perspective, it doesn't work like it should. An opponent is allowed to try an counter-action when attacked, a surprise round with free movement doesn't happen once per three rounds. Casting spells or running after someone who just hid behind a corner is today near impossible.

My suggestion is to make stealth harder to use and more variable for each area and terrain. So, what does that mean? It means it should be near impossible to sneak up to someone in daylight on a plain concrete floor while they watch in your direction. There are many ways of changing stealth, but a suggest something simple. Cycle day/night. Add +20 to spot/listen for all characters during the day or within brightly lit areas, remove this bonus at night and in dimly lit areas. Allow a darker hallway filled with many sidedoors or a foggy wood to include sneaking characters, but not a 100-foot open square in daylight. This would require greater skill and planning from stealth oriented players, allow for great usefulness and efficiency for their main skills and strength as a character, but also not allow the worst cheap exploits seen today.


5. SPELL BALANCE
These issues and suggestions are only a few of mine, and not in great detail. But these are the ones I feel a change first. Also, it is important to note that most of these spells have fixes available for download.

HOLY SWORD:
This spell should never simply dispel on hit. It has currently no save and works in rather mysterious ways. However it might work, it is simply too strong. This spell is simply VERY broken.

My suggestion is to remove the "Holy Sword" item property and add what should be there in the first place. A Paladin using this sword should have a constant aura of Protection against Evil (good or evil for this server) around him for the duration of the spell, the weapon should be get a +5 enchantement bonus to hit and deal an extra 2d6 damage (which makes it the best weapon in the game), and the Paladin should get an ability to CAST Greater Dispelling (Caster Level 15) once per round as long as the spell lasts.

SPELL MANTLES:
These spells do not exist in the D&D world. At least not as implemented in NWN. In addition, they are highly exploitable, use questionable rules and makes all spell battles drearingly boring and repeatative.

My suggestion is to remove them completely and add some other interesting spells instead. If not removed, I suggest some changes in both the spirit of D&D and in spirit of adding more fun and tactical options in combat.

* Spell Mantles can only protect against targeted spells, not area spells
* Lesser Spell Mantle can only protect against level 6 spells and below
* Spell Mantle can only protect against level 8 spells and below.
* Spell Mantle cannot be removed by Lesser Spell Breach, but Greater Spell Breach will remove it.
* Greater Spell Mantle cannot be removed by any Spell Breach spell.
* Lesser Spell Mantle protects against 1d6 + 4 spell levels before failing, Spell Mantle against 1d8 + 6, and Greater Spell Mantle against 1d10 + 8.
* Lesser Spell Mantle grants something similar to Spell Resistance equal of Caster Level, Spell Mantle equal of Caster Level +5, and Greater Spell Mantle equal of Caster Level + 12. If SR is not overcome, the cast spell is reflected back upon the attacker and any spell levels are not expended.
* All spell mantles are dispellable as normal, and the special spell resistance mentioned above does not apply to any dispel magic spell including Mordenkainen's Disjunction which automatically dispel all spell mantles.

DISPEL MAGIC:
These spells are very simple, and the game mechanics are crude. Many argue that the dispel rules in D&D are too simply and unfinished. With a few simple changes, they could become more interesting, fair and offer more tactical planning.

I suggest the following addition to how the dispel rules work today:

* Ability score modifiers count in the dispel magic check.
* Spell Focus: Abjuration, grants a +1 bonus to all dispel checks.
* Greater Spell Focus: Abjuration, increases the above mentioned bonus to +2.
* The feat Arcane Defense (Abjuration) grants a +2 bonus on all dispel checks made when someone cast dispelling magic on you, but not in offense.
* Skill Focus: Spellcraft, grants a +1 bonus on all dispel checks.

GREAT THUNDERCLAP:
The duration of this spell is rather underbalanced for it's level. 1 round of being either stunned, knocked down and/or deafened doesn't really add up.

I suggest increasing the duration to 1d4 rounds for each of the effects as well as adding 2d6 sonic and 3d6 electricity damage allowing a fortitude sve for half sonic damage and a reflex save for half electricity damage.

EXPEDITIOUS RETREAT:
This spell lasts for one round per level. In the D&D rules, it lasts for 1 turn per level.

I suggest something in between these two extremes since NWN is a computer game. The spell should last for 1 turn per 4 levels, but to a maximum of 5 turns at level 20. Thus, it would last for 60 seconds instead of 42 for a level 7 character, 2 minutes instead of 48 seconds for a level 8 character, 3 minutes instead of 1 minute 12 seconds for a level 12 character, etc.

FLAME ARROW:
This spell works completely different in D&D than in NWN. And the level 2 spell which more likely Flame Arrow in NWN is based upon also works differently than from the implementation today. Scorching Ray is a level 2 arcane spell, which is perhaps a spell too good for it's level. But for NWN, it would be well balanced as a level 3 spell.

I suggest chancing the Flame Arrow to become almost the D&D Scorching Ray, but keep the spell level the same. After reducing it's initial power slightly, it should inflict 4d6 fire damage per 4 caster levels to a maximum of 3 rays at level 12. Each ray requires a ranged touch attack, but allows for no save.

ENERVATION AND ENERGY DRAIN:
These nasty spells usually allow for no save in D&D. It is totally useless on a NWN PvP server as it works today. Enervation is a level 4 spell and temporarily drains character levels. Energy Drain does the same but is a level 9 spell and thus drains more. Both require a ranged touch attack with no save.

I suggest making Enervation drain 1d4 character levels (temporarily) on a melee touch attack and Energy Drain 2d4 on a ranged touch attack.

BALL LIGHTNING:
This spell doesn't work properly. And even if it did, it would be a horrible implementation of the D&D spell.

I suggest removing the spell and add a new one. If not removed, I suggest the following change:

* The spell last for one round per level as the caster is surrounded by glowing balls of electricity.
* Each round, 1 ball of lightning is discharged from the caster to a random enemy within 30 feet.
* It grants 20 resistance to electricity for the duration of the spell.
* The ball of lightning inflicts 5d6 electricity damage in a 5-feet radius.
* A successful reflex save halves this damage.

HORRID WILTING:
This spell is not correctly implemented. The damage amount is correct, but the type is not. It is not a death spell, it simply drains moisture. The damage type must be either magical or negative energy. It is necromancy, but not death magic. For balance issues in NWN, it should not be enough to be under the protection of Death Ward or by holding a simple cheap trinket to avoid a level 8 damage spell.

I suggest changing the damage type back to magical. If not magical, at least negative energy.

CHARM PERSON, DOMINATE PERSON, MASS DOMINATE, ETC.
These spells are extremely underpowered. They make creatures dazed for the duration of the spell. These spells are potentially some of the most extreme spells in D&D allowing you to control the enemy.

I suggest the spells get the following changes:

* If you win an opposed Charisma check, the target becomes confused instead of dazed.
* If you win the opposed Charisma check by 10 points or more, the enemy will attempt to use 1d4 beneficial ability on you (Mage Armor, Cure Critical Wounds, etc.) instead of standing idle in confusion and never attack you in confusion.
* Creatures under the effect of these spells suffers a -2 penalty to all will saves for the duration of the spells.

GREATER RESTORATION:
This spell shouldn't heal hit point damage at all. But it should bring back all lost character levels, ability damage, cure poisons, cure blindness/deafness, mental effects, etc. For the purpose of NWN, it does nothing more than Restoration. It is a level 7 spell and should do more, but not heal hit point damage. The base script is bad, since it heals 100 %. This server has reduced the amount to 40 %, but it is not enough. There is already many healing spells.

I suggest lowering the effect of Lesser Restoration and Restoration. Thus, Greater Restoration would still be an extremely useful spell curing all sorts of things:

* Lesser Restoration should only cure 1d4 points of ability damage, nothing else.
* Restoration should work as above but cure all ability score damage, but also be able to cure 1 negative level.
* Greater restoration should then remove all ability score damage, all negative levels, cure disease and poison, mental effects, etc.
* Greater Restoration should cure hit points equal to 1d8 + caster level.


I have much much more spell suggestions, but these are what I would think of before bedtime today. Also, I have other more general suggestions.

If someone is interested, I would even write new spell scripts intended to make the game more fun for all, add new stuff, balance things out, and to be true to the D&D rules.

Now, let me see what you think.

[Terpeh]

Ok my replies:
1) Agreed, but if there is to be an xp increase, I suggest for only Lvl 7-10 players. And I think there is the on-death xp award for lowbies. (Donno if it's still there cause I haven't played for about a month)

2) Uhm...I'm not sure about that one, it would be too complicated for players and reduces their "freewill." And may result to players leaving the server lol.

3) I think that the current item balance is good, but that's my point of view.

4) Totally agree with you on that one, 1000000% CSers are pests. Even tho there are some stuff already done to them to reduce their annoyingness.

5) I don't know lol, my NWN knowlage isn't that great when it comes to spells

[Casas]

Who are you?

But I think the current speed of leveling is a little too slow today.

No, it is easy to make L20 in <24 total hours. I did it a few years back. (Before happy hour)

A lot of players choose one level of Monk just to get Evasion

That's already been balanced. Multiclass monks do not get haste until L8. Haste-less one or two leveled monks are terrible. - I do not like Divine Grace at L1 paladin for people (sorc/pall, bard/pall) that take just 1 or 2Ls of paladin for the obvious and huge save increase. I think it should be capped at total level of paladin.. so a L20 paladin with 30 CHA would get +10 saves, a L1 pall/sorc would only get +1 saves. It may not be sugar sweet, but it's a start in the right direction I believe. Sorry but I like this idea, more than the one you submitted.

My suggestion is to add more items granting similar bonuses to ability scores as exist for Strength.

Why? STR belts go to +7. There's +4 DEX boots (mainly to boost DEX-monk power)

Some weapons also have strange game mechanics.

I'm unfamilar with this bug, please list more information. Unless it's the exploit to receive more apr's. That can only be done with 1 apr.

Cycle day/night.

Please no. Then sneaks will only come out at night.. and it will become extremely lame teams till night fall.

HOLY SWORD:

You must be new. Holy sword is greater dispel upon hit. Have you even looked at the servers current balance??

SPELL MANTLES:

We've workshopped spell mantles quite a few times. Don't think they will ever change though, except perhaps the Lesser blocking LX compared to the Greater blocking LX+Y. Sounds good.

GREAT THUNDERCLAP:

No, not in a million years. It's a 34 DC spell that force ALL three saves for 1 round of coup de grace. If anything it needs a nerf, full aoe that affects caster as well.

FLAME ARROW:

No save? Me no think so. Even mage BAB with truestrike can TOUCH any class (except concealed ones).

ENERVATION AND ENERGY DRAIN:

Agreed that they are not utilized because of their ineffectiveness. I do not agree with ranged touch + no save. Some other, more balanced route must be taken.

simple cheap trinket to avoid a level 8 damage spell.

What? There exists no L8 immunity item on this server. Shadow Shield is the only counter. I do not like it being changed to negative damage, then nega rods will render it useless.. I would rather have it's damage reduced to d6. Mages are running out of options to use on spells that will DO damage.

GREATER RESTORATION:

It gives 60%. I think it has a few problems.. Mainly when you heal lower HD classes, and they only get 20 HP or so.


All in all, I don't like most of these suggestions. I don't believe you've played enough on this server, with it's current spell balance, to know how to balance them correctly. You have spotted most of the imbalance, however. Good work. Do remember though, D&D is not pvp.. it's D&D, with a DM controlling the PCs every situation.

[Rary]

Great suggestions Lord. Here's some issues on some of those things you mentioned.

1. SPEED OF LEVELING

It's actually pretty good. I've seen people get to level 14 in a day. I'd rather increase the XP you get for -4 to +2 from your level and lower the XP you get for people +3 and +4 your level. But I haven't touched it because it seems to be pretty good right now.

2. SPECIAL MULTICLASS BALANCE

Multiclassing was an issue when I first got EW. Now like Casas said, taking 1 of monk doesn't help them that much. They are trading evasion for haste, so its not that bad. The paladin one can be an issue of course. Bard's lose there true bard bonus if they go that route though. Sorcerers, just a loss of their extra level I guess. Modifying the feat might be possible to cap it at the bonus they receive by paladin levels. If the feat can't be modified, then not sure what to do with it.

3. ITEM BALANCE

Bringing in WIS items would make monks/clerics pretty damn powerful.

Bringing in CHR items would make paladins/sorcerers/bards pretty damn powerful as well.

There shouldn't be any improved evasion items out there anymore. Mind spell immunity should only have a few items there. Amulet is 10k. One of the weapons has it too. I do agree with saving throws are easy to get, but DC's are easy to increase. Items with the saving throw bonuses I think are pretty balanced right now for what mages are getting for DC's.

4. CORNERSNEAKING

Cornersneaking is badly used but I don't think its that much of a problem anymore. Most cornersneakers get a rush at first, but then quit the character when they find out it doesn't work for them. It should be slightly easier to spot them or a teammate of yours keeps them busy now. Melee cornersneakers just get wasted running to the corner to sneak around. Or they get knocked down. So range cornersneakers are really the only problem and they get less hide/ms than any melee person does. Its definitely a problem we've been working on lately.

I just get spot gear and throw axes and that fixes them for awhile.

5. SPELL BALANCE
HOLY SWORD:

I was told last month this spell is useless.

But anyways if you add a +5 enchantment and 2d6 damage, you will destroy all mages out there. +5 with no extra damage would be better for this spell.

5. SPELL BALANCE
SPELL MANTLES:

Seems nice, but I'm not familiar with mages that much to comment on it.

5. SPELL BALANCE
DISPEL MAGIC:

I love the idea.

5. SPELL BALANCE
GREAT THUNDERCLAP:

Thunderclap is just thunder, not lightning. Adding sonic damage is a good idea to the current spell now though.

5. SPELL BALANCE
EXPEDITIOUS RETREAT:

1 Turn = 1 Minute
Speed the same as haste? Adds power to mages, especially those running ones, then cast type.

5. SPELL BALANCE
FLAME ARROW:

Sounds pretty powerful, is it?

5. SPELL BALANCE
ENERVATION AND ENERGY DRAIN:

That is a good idea. I wonder if we can change that though.

5. SPELL BALANCE
BALL LIGHTNING:

Ahh that sounds interesting...

5. SPELL BALANCE
HORRID WILTING:

Hmm, this spell should be magical damage. What's it doing now?

5. SPELL BALANCE
CHARM PERSON, DOMINATE PERSON, MASS DOMINATE, ETC.

I like the idea. I think the charm's should be atleast confusion. the dominates however I want to test yet. It should make a copy of the PC and turn them into a henchman for the caster, therefor protecting the caster.

Easier way, just make the PC failing it be pissed at his teammates and go attack them.

5. SPELL BALANCE
GREATER RESTORATION:

I can only restore all negative levels or none at all.....unless I restore all and give back whatever amount, but then that screws up the duration. How to what duration was left on it? Pretty complicated. Maybe thats why NWN added heal to it.

Anyways great input on all your suggestions. D&D is the way I want to go as well, but killing nothing but "Human Beings" and not controlled variety of NPC's makes some spells useless and others used alot.

[Casas]

5. SPELL BALANCE
BALL LIGHTNING:


Ahh that sounds interesting... Smile

~Glares at Rare~ I asked you to change that spell.. what's it been now.. a year now? -_-

The Energy Drain should not be changed to that specification. It should be changed, but that suggestion (no save, ranged touch) is too powerful. I already said mage BAB with truestrike will never miss any class that isn't concealed. How many classes have 40 base AC?

[Rary]

Make it with a save and do....

I suggest making Enervation drain 1d4 character levels (temporarily) on a melee touch attack and Energy Drain 2d4 on a ranged touch attack.

Or whatever is closer to balance it out.

[Casas]

Well putting a save on it, makes it what it is now.. only w/o the touch. So you'd actually be making it weaker.

[Terpeh]

I find the day/night cycle thing interesting, and logic says that, unless not underground or in caves, you hide during the night not day. I mean, its wierd to see a black armored sneak coming up to you in daylight. But maybe a -15 to hide during the day can be neato. But I donno its up to Rary and CSers are nerfed up a lot.

[Casas]

Perhaps tag on Enervation and Drain more saves.. such as a save for the level drain, a save for some random ability drain, and a save for HP drain?

[Rary]

I'd have to see what they do exactly.

[Casas]

Drains 1d4 or 2d4 (enervation | energy drain respectively) on a failed fort save.

[Musekaze]

ok seriously.

outdoor areas like grassy knoll and valley of conflict have day/night cycles. just no mods or anything.

I see no problem with CSing, especially since im the one on the server who most abuses it. its not that much of a pain anyway and rary recently did some changes to the CSing equipment and some of the spells.

some of the spell changes sound alright though.

nerfing hide checks in daylight? proposturous? even a -10 would make msot sneaks spottable in daylight which is a pian in the donkey enough for me already with all the dman AAs and toehr elves out there. if anything romove elves ability to always be in detect mode! its pathic when as soon as i spawn i get bombarded with AA arrows. LITERALLY!

[Drunken]

Personally I think end of round reward should be 500xp for winning team (+ arti possesion bonus to both teams). It's not that much xp if you think about it, and would provide a reason to actually try winning a round. As it is now, end of round xp reward is pathetic, being roughly equivalent to a single 7-point kill.

[Casas]

Then people just want to be on the winning team. Team arrangement starts becoming more of a problem. I've seen you do it.

[Lord Mephisto]

Who are you?

I've actually been around for a while. But I don't have a lot of time on my hands lately.

I have been playing a lot of different characters. Most of them a few levels from 7-12. I used to have one or two level 20 character on the server, most certainly named Helmut Kaal something and being arcane casters.

In the NWN community, I am using the same login as in these forums. And my rants about NWN 1 and 2 are easy to find on the Biowboards.

That is who I am.

My suggestion is to add more items granting similar bonuses to ability scores as exist for Strength.

Why? STR belts go to +7. There's +4 DEX boots (mainly to boost DEX-monk power)

I think you misunderstood me. I don't want more strength boosting items, I want some others for other classes. It seems rather unfair that strength bonuses are easy to find when they mean so much for many classes, but there exist only +2 or +3 bonuses on some other ability scores.

I do agree though that some ability score bonuses are more dangerous than others to increase bonuses on. For example, wisdom bonuses help for more than 1 thing. Saves, AC, spell DC, bonus spells, skills, etc. Charisma bonuses help for saves, spell DC, bonus spells, attack bonuses, skills, etc. But a difference between +3 and +7 seem a bit too much.

Some weapons also have strange game mechanics.

I'm unfamilar with this bug, please list more information. Unless it's the exploit to receive more apr's. That can only be done with 1 apr.

I was refering to the critical multiplier of scythes and the stacking critical ranges of weapons in general. It seems someone wasn't thinking clearly when they made the scythe weapon for D&D. My guess is that they never thought of it being used in a computer game where attacks are much more numerous. And thus inflating the value of critical hits. Especually for NWN, keen stacks with improved critical, which they shouldn't do by the D&D rules. And honestly, I think weapons are more balanced when they do not stack. For weapon master cleric/paladin scythe-wielders, it just becomes sick what a critical hit can do.

And that is what I meant with strange game mechanics.

Removing the stacking critical ranges and/or removing scythes should make the game more fair between the various melee classes.

Cycle day/night.

Please no. Then sneaks will only come out at night.. and it will become extremely lame teams till night fall.

It would not be enough just to cycle day/night. Take a look at the total of my suggestion. I think it would be somewhat interesting to differensiate between various regions in an area. It would add an actual non-lame tactic for rogue characters. It would be somewhat "realistic" and clever.

HOLY SWORD:

You must be new. Holy sword is greater dispel upon hit. Have you even looked at the servers current balance??

Sorry, I am not new. And my knowledge about the Bioware Holy Sword is rather deep. It is a strange thing.

And it is not Greater Dispelling on hit. It is much more powerful because it has a greater chance of ripping away magical protections, allthough somewhat unpredictable by nature. And, it is On Hit, something which will happen numerous times per round.

It would be interesting to grant a spell-like ability, Greater Dispelling, to a Paladin wielding a Holy Sword, where he could choose to spend a round casting the spell to dispell his enemy. That would add tactical depth, not just a insta-dispell stick.

GREAT THUNDERCLAP:

No, not in a million years. It's a 34 DC spell that force ALL three saves for 1 round of coup de grace. If anything it needs a nerf, full aoe that affects caster as well.

The DC is 10 + Spell level + feats + ability modifiers. For level 14 sorcerer, the DC is typical 10 + 7 + 0 + 8 = DC 25

For a typical level 20 wizard with maximum spell focus feats (which is rather dumb in that school), the DC is 10 + 7 + 4 + 10 = DC 31.

You can jolt it a few points higher, but even a DC 34 is mostly negated either by high saves, immunities or resistances.

And being stunned, knocked down or deafened shouldn't cause a coup de grace at all. All which should happen is that you might be held back from the caster for 1 round. How could this possibly be overpowered compared to what other spells can do at level 7?

Not that it is of great importance, since the spell now is used as a "initiative winner" for caster combat, so it isn't totally useless. But this is just because it can be used to pierce spell mantles. The spell itself isn't any good.

FLAME ARROW:

No save? Me no think so. Even mage BAB with truestrike can TOUCH any class (except concealed ones).

A mage could have serious trouble hitting a dextrous character, especially if it has some deflection bonuses to AC.

With truestrike, it would require more time spent on casting spells, which isn't always a very good idea. True Strike can also only be used for one round.

And consider the damage output. 4d6 at level 7. 8d6 from level 8-11. 12d6 as a maximum at level 12+. A fireball deals 7d6 AREA damage at level 7, though with a reflex save. A little fire resistance which is one of the most common resistances both for items and abilities would basicly make it very little effective. And each of the rays would require a separate ranged touch attack.

If the damage would prove to be a little too high, it would be simple to scale it down and still keep it as one of the VERY FEW tactical options for damage spells against evasion-oriented characters.

ENERVATION AND ENERGY DRAIN:

Agreed that they are not utilized because of their ineffectiveness. I do not agree with ranged touch + no save. Some other, more balanced route must be taken.

The no save effect would perhaps be a little unbalanced for PvP. But with a save it becomes useless.

I suggest a more balanced route for these spells:

ENERVATION:
On a failed save, temporary loss of 1d4 character levels and 1d6 negative energy damage per 3 caster level to a maximum of 5d6 at level 15.

On a successful save, 1d6 negative energy damage per 3 caster levels to a maximum of 5d6 at level 15. No level drain.

The spell would still require a successful melee touch attack.

ENERGY DRAIN:
On a failed save, temporary loss of 2d4 character levels and 5d6 negative energy damage, and temporary damage of 1d4 constitution.

On a successful save, 5d6 negative energy damage, and temporary damage of 1d2 constitution. No level drain.

The spell would require a successful ranged touch attack from within 30 feet.

After all, this is a level 9 spell.

simple cheap trinket to avoid a level 8 damage spell.

What? There exists no L8 immunity item on this server. Shadow Shield is the only counter. I do not like it being changed to negative damage, then nega rods will render it useless.. I would rather have it's damage reduced to d6. Mages are running out of options to use on spells that will DO damage.

I think you misunderstood me. I am not talking about a level 8 item. A level 8 spell requires a level 15/16 spellcaster to be cast.

Death Ward, which is a level 4 spell available to a level 7 cleric, or a death immunity item which cost 10k protects against this dangerous level 8 damage spell.

All in all, I don't like most of these suggestions. I don't believe you've played enough on this server, with it's current spell balance, to know how to balance them correctly. You have spotted most of the imbalance, however. Good work. Do remember though, D&D is not pvp.. it's D&D, with a DM controlling the PCs every situation.

As previously noted, I have played a great deal on this server. And I like it. When coming from my mouth, the builder should take it as a rare gift. I usually complain and does not pat people on the back without a good reason.

But as you say, D&D is not PvP, and we should indeed keep that in mind. But it would be nice to modify the rules in the "spirit of D&D" to create a balanced playground for everyone to have fun with. That is also my agenda.