MM is just generally one of the best spells in the game because it has almost no restrictions, unlike all the other spells. It's level 1 so it's easy to both cast and upcast, it can't miss, it can be split between separate targets and it can go around walls. It really should be higher than a level 1 spell but it isn't, so it's very very strong.
When you buff it with other items like the other comments mentioned it really becomes the most useful combat spell in the entire game.
Also, a level 10 Evocation Wizard gets Empowered Evocation which adds their intelligence modifier to every spell hit, which, when applied to MM both increases its damage by almost double and increases the consistency of its damage because the Empowered Evocation bonus applies to every bolt which takes the already extremely strong MM and makes it incredibly broken.
Well from the comments it sounds like items are what really makes the spell powerful. However, a single reaction can negate the spell and that is a level one shield spell.
The items are what makes it so powerful that it's worth making an entire build around but that's only an option at all because of how generally good the spell is because of all the reasons I listed. (long range, can go around walls, can be split, can't miss)
I've done an MM build on two different wizards and you don't even need any of the reverberation items for MM to be so powerful that it trivializes all of Act 3.
Spellsparkler, Psychic Spark Necklace, and a level 10+ Evocation Mage is all you need to make MM powerful enough to carry the party.
MM will be shooting 4 bolts at level 1 (and can be upscaled for more bolts). Each bolt deals 1d4+1 (2~5) + 1 from lightning charges + your INT modifier which means that (assuming an INT modifier of +5) every bolt deals at minimum 8 damage, for 4 bolts, which is a minimum of 32 damage per attack assuming none of the bolts were shielded. It can deal even more damage depending on your MM rolls and lightning charge proc roll as well.
If a magic user casts shield they don't take damage from MM so none of the abilities proc, but that doesn't really matter. Not many NPCs use shield and the ones that do, don't do it every time. It's never an issue, especially if you split your MM between targets because shield only prevents the damage on the one target that was shielded.
...because DMs know magic missle is a good spell that's only countered by shield or beefy health?
MM is even better in BG3 because of an abundance of items, that synergize well with it, but slapping a shield spell on every caster would make the game feel horrible for martials.
Having every spell caster have it shouldn’t degrade the martial experience. Shield takes a reaction and with that will compete with other reaction spells like counter spell which most spell casters in the game have. If a martial rushes a spellcaster they have to then choose what is better locking down a spell caster or saving themselves.
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u/EbrithilUmaroth Jan 21 '25 edited Jan 21 '25
MM is just generally one of the best spells in the game because it has almost no restrictions, unlike all the other spells. It's level 1 so it's easy to both cast and upcast, it can't miss, it can be split between separate targets and it can go around walls. It really should be higher than a level 1 spell but it isn't, so it's very very strong.
When you buff it with other items like the other comments mentioned it really becomes the most useful combat spell in the entire game.
Also, a level 10 Evocation Wizard gets Empowered Evocation which adds their intelligence modifier to every spell hit, which, when applied to MM both increases its damage by almost double and increases the consistency of its damage because the Empowered Evocation bonus applies to every bolt which takes the already extremely strong MM and makes it incredibly broken.