TOPIC: Consistency of Focus Items

Just a comment for TPTB (Druegar and Jeff) about the Focus items. At present we have 7 different Focus items. I am counting Baton of Focus, +1 Baton of Focus, +2 Baton of Focus, etc. as one item. Different items have different abilities.

+2 Baton of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

+2 Staff of Focus : Spell Bonus

Gregor's Tome of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

Lenses of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Medallion of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Ring of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Shirt of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

I am just asking that you consider an errata to make them all consistent. I kind of get that the Staff of Focus doesn't provide a healing bonus, since it is a Wizard only, but some provide polymorph bonuses and some don't. This seems to relate to the year the token came out, but consider that 5th level Elf Wizards get +2 To Hit when polymorphed. Seems like the Staff of Focus should provide the same polymorph bonus as the Baton of Focus. Consistency would help confusion for players and for Character Generators.

Just a thought.

Cranston wrote: Just a comment for TPTB (Druegar and Jeff) about the Focus items. At present we have 7 different Focus items. I am counting Baton of Focus, +1 Baton of Focus, +2 Baton of Focus, etc. as one item. Different items have different abilities.

+2 Baton of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

+2 Staff of Focus : Spell Bonus

Gregor's Tome of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

Lenses of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Medallion of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Ring of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Shirt of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

I am just asking that you consider an errata to make them all consistent. I kind of get that the Staff of Focus doesn't provide a healing bonus, since it is a Wizard only, but some provide polymorph bonuses and some don't. This seems to relate to the year the token came out, but consider that 5th level Elf Wizards get +2 To Hit when polymorphed. Seems like the Staff of Focus should provide the same polymorph bonus as the Baton of Focus. Consistency would help confusion for players and for Character Generators.

Just a thought.

+1

While I don't actually code the character utilities, consistency is key regardless if you are dealing with code or not. I have found myself repeatedly checking TokenDB when working out Druid Poly builds, because you just never know which focus item helps poly and which doesn't.

Cranston wrote: Just a comment for TPTB (Druegar and Jeff) about the Focus items. At present we have 7 different Focus items. I am counting Baton of Focus, +1 Baton of Focus, +2 Baton of Focus, etc. as one item. Different items have different abilities.

+2 Baton of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

+2 Staff of Focus : Spell Bonus

Gregor's Tome of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

Lenses of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Medallion of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Ring of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Shirt of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

I am just asking that you consider an errata to make them all consistent. I kind of get that the Staff of Focus doesn't provide a healing bonus, since it is a Wizard only, but some provide polymorph bonuses and some don't. This seems to relate to the year the token came out, but consider that 5th level Elf Wizards get +2 To Hit when polymorphed. Seems like the Staff of Focus should provide the same polymorph bonus as the Baton of Focus. Consistency would help confusion for players and for Character Generators.

Just a thought.

I would support this change, It's fine the Wizard staff has no +healing as we have no +healing but it would be nice if both classes who can polymorph were aided by their legendary of focus weapons equally.

Also having all of the "of focus" items giving the same consistent bonus would make a lot of sense for players and make things easier for app creators in the future as well as simplify future "of focus" items

If you're going the route of errata'ing the Focus items for consistency, I strongly suggest the errata also consider adding the Bard to some of the items it is missing from.

Currently, they can use Gregor's Tome, the Lenses, the Medallion, and the Shirt. It has always felt odd to me that they don't get to use the Rings. And I could see them being able to use the Staffs (or possibly the Batons, since Bards have access to some 1-handed d8 weapons) as well.

Perhaps this should be fixed going forward.

I think it’s a bad idea to reach into the past and change token effects to make them more powerful and have a different effect than printed for the benefit of consitency.

The tokens say what they do right on them. If instead they said “+1 focus” then I’d agree this is a problem worth fixing retroactively.

However they don’t - they are named “x of focus” and have clear and complete rules text on the token.

This proposed change would create several tokens that don’t do what they say they do.

Also - what about the +3 and +5 staffs of focus - these wound need errata too.

I respect Cranston's concern over the character apps.

My personal feeling is this change is not needed because I agree with Matthew - the token's clearly state their abilities. If we do issue a Focus keyword (+1 focus) then we can consider an adjustment.

Ed

Cranston wrote: Just a comment for TPTB (Druegar and Jeff) about the Focus items. At present we have 7 different Focus items. I am counting Baton of Focus, +1 Baton of Focus, +2 Baton of Focus, etc. as one item. Different items have different abilities.

+2 Baton of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

+2 Staff of Focus : Spell Bonus

Gregor's Tome of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

Lenses of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Medallion of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Ring of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus

Shirt of Focus : Heal Bonus Spell Bonus Poly Bonus

I am just asking that you consider an errata to make them all consistent. I kind of get that the Staff of Focus doesn't provide a healing bonus, since it is a Wizard only, but some provide polymorph bonuses and some don't. This seems to relate to the year the token came out, but consider that 5th level Elf Wizards get +2 To Hit when polymorphed. Seems like the Staff of Focus should provide the same polymorph bonus as the Baton of Focus. Consistency would help confusion for players and for Character Generators.

Just a thought.

I'd like to see the joint focus tokens include polymorph going forward. I like that the baton gives a polymorph bonus while the staff doesn't, because I think the Druid should be best at polymorph. I'm hoping with the new character cards that the Elf Wizard gets a non polymorph specialty (maybe wands or scrolls).

@MikeSteele - and I’d prefer poly be removed from all focus items. It never made sense me that poly damage includes focus and STR - feels very double-dipping, and contributes to the class being OP.

That or, as a second choice, add Turning.

Brad Mortensen wrote: @MikeSteele - and I’d prefer poly be removed from all focus items. It never made sense me that poly damage includes focus and STR - feels very double-dipping, and contributes to the class being OP.

That or, as a second choice, add Turning.

+1 to both

Brad Mortensen wrote: @MikeSteele - and I’d prefer poly be removed from all focus items. It never made sense me that poly damage includes focus and STR - feels very double-dipping, and contributes to the class being OP.

That or, as a second choice, add Turning.

I agree. Polymorph is overpowered. You shouldn't get WEAPON hit/damage bonus (which you don't even use), STR bonus, PLUS spell/focus bonus.

Arcanist Kolixela wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: @MikeSteele - and I’d prefer poly be removed from all focus items. It never made sense me that poly damage includes focus and STR - feels very double-dipping, and contributes to the class being OP.

That or, as a second choice, add Turning.

+1 to both

I'm not sure where this "Druid is overpowered" narrative is coming from. There have been several detailed damage comparisons done recently, and I don't think the Druid has ever been near the top of them. Monk / Ranger / Wizards always seem near the top, as far as I can recall.

If we're talking about changes, all changes have to be on the table.


As for OP, I dont think it's that simple. Monks and Rangers tend to be more "one trick ponies"
Druid can heal, do spell damage (with surge), or polymorph and do melee. The versatility counts for a lot.