Talk:Energy Trail (3.5e Equipment)

Pricing & Design

I have concerns with both pricing and design on this enhancement. The design space just isn't there for a +2 enhancement cost to do more than just +2d6 energy damage. If you want to keep the cost the same and have extra features, the damage is going to need to drop a little.

The big problem though is the trail. So, it's a large area of denial vs no save damage. This approach makes it inherently unfun for melee characters who now need to adjust their movement accordingly to what may be an entire array of lines all extending from the archer. The DM gets discouraged from using big monsters since it becomes unavoidable for them to end up crossing over multiple of these just to do anything, even in the air. DMs also now need to track these lines after every attack, every round, in every angle. 3 squares to your left, 6 squares up, that's a line effect now. That sounds awful to track every single round. Meanwhile, the fighter has to dodge through all this stuff around where he's working, and the rogue as trouble getting in for a flank and the cleric can't get to people to touch for buffs and healing because there's automatic damage in the way.

Given that there are abilities that will let characters throw things around corners, or arch shots or do other things with their projectiles and ammunition that aren't "lines", you're going to end up with some weirdness there as well.

I cannot recommend the lingering trail effect on an enhancement like this.

Off the top of my head recommendation instead of a lingering effect, have the "trail" damage any targets that would have been in the way due to soft cover or whatever. Just use the primary attack roll and the soft cover targets take just the "trail" damage if it would otherwise hit. This still has some of the problem of shooting past your allies though like the original does. The "trail" is anti-melee-teamwork in its design so that's a hurdle to overcome.

Also you have "ML" for Manifester Level listed. I imagine that's a copy goof. --Ganteka Future (talk) 20:09, 30 September 2022 (UTC)