D&D: Level 9 Shaman Dailies

At the end of the session on Sunday we leveled up to level 9 which brings with it 'just' a new daily power. Aidan messaged me yesterday to look at the rogue dailies to see if anything stood out to me since they all seemed pretty bland. There were a couple interesting ones but nothing that really seemed very spectacular. A little extra damage, maybe some very situational utility, but nothing special. Then I took a look at my options... They're crazy! There are a wide variety of options and all of them seem very powerful...

For example, Aidan's best damage option was basically a normal attack followed by letting an ally make an attack too. So, around double damage but with two attack rolls. One of my damage options has me make an attack, and then for the rest of the fight I get to make an ally take an attack every round. So, I basically do double damage for the rest of the fight...

Maybe I want my damage option to hit a bunch of enemies instead of just one? Well, I can hit a 5x5 square for good damage and a save ends daze. Only downside there is it hits allies.

Or as a different take on ongoing damage I can make an 11x11 square zone which has all enemies in the zone take an extra d6 damage from all attacks. Is this better than giving an ally an attack per round? Well, assuming I use my at-will attacks for the rest of the fight giving out attacks then this will be doing 5d6 damage per round, excluding misses. So probably like 14 damage a round? Giving Sky an attack probably does about that much so they're pretty close. This attack has the advantage that if someone busts out an AE or uses an action point the damage ramps up. It has the disadvantage that if the enemies can get out of the 11x11 zone it does nothing. (The first one is a 3x3 square that gives out attacks but I can spend a move action to send it around.)

There's a cool pet buffing attack but I don't really attack with my pet so it's not an option for me.

Then there are the primarily healing options... First up I can make a 5x5 square that is difficult terrain for the enemies and heals any ally inside the zone for 7 each time they hit with an attack (max once per round). This zone can be moved with a move action but has the downside that I have to spend a minor action every round to sustain it.

Alternatively there's a single one shot heal which hits me and everyone within 10 squares for 7 healing. Sounds a little weak compared to the previous one, yeah, but it has a little bit of extra damage thrown in... An enemy gains vulnerable 5 (save ends). If a d6 per attack was good, 5 flat damage is pretty great! Of course it could actually get saved before anyone attacks which is unfortunate, and it also ends after the one monster dies. On the plus side the instant healing aspect will grant everyone a save! (Would the procs from the previous one also grant saves, I wonder? Reading the feat I think no. I also think I can't give myself a save so I totally cheated on Sunday. Frown.)

Finally we have the option that isn't technically healing but could well prevent more damage. And it's awesomely themed... Basically I'd polymorph one of my friends and turn them into a mountain. They'd become slowed (obviously, mountains are big and slow) and would resist 5 damage per attack. They'd also do 4 extra damage every time they attack. And as an added bonus when I first cast it I get to hit everyone adjacent to the mountain for decent damage and knocks them down. Downside, I have to spend a minor actions to keep it going. Upside, the target can spend a minor action to end it (in case the slow is too brutal I guess). This has some interesting options... Buffing the tank pretty much makes him an invincible killing machine unless the enemies run away. Or if we're in a bad spot and someone gets jumped by a couple guys or the tank is stuck somewhere else I can build a second tank. (Though they probably just go fight someone else then, but maybe that's all we need.)


I feel like the most important thing I can do is send out saves at a critical juncture. I already have a daily I use for just that though, so I'm not really sure I need a second one filling the same role. I'm not sure which way I'll end up going but one thing is for sure... My options are a lot cooler than Aidan's!