Perfect Recall - Rules question, Epic Level Play

[Zombieman]

So the 'Perfect Recall' ability which kicks in a level 20 for a spell caster, states:

At 20th level, spell casters can recall any previously
cast 0-level spells at will. They must make a successful CL 0 prime attribute
check to recall and cast the spell, and they can only recall a specific spell
once that day. For instance, a cleric who successfully recalls an endure
elements spell he cast earlier may only recall it for one additional casting
that day. At 24th level, spell casters can recall any previously cast 1st-level spells
at will. They must make a successful prime attribute check as with 0-level spells.

Prime attribute checks would add, at 20th level a minimum of +26 to the roll (plus any attribute modifiers), meaning it would always be successful, as would the roll at level 24. I know, as the Castle Keeper, I could assign penalties to the roll for various reasons, discounting those though this seems like a pretty sweet deal for the spell casters, essentially doubling all their 0 and 1st level spells when they hit level 24 (if they memorized all different spells with no duplicates.)

Is my interpretation correct or am I missing something?

[Treebore]

So the 'Perfect Recall' ability which kicks in a level 20 for a spell caster, states:

At 20th level, spell casters can recall any previously
cast 0-level spells at will. They must make a successful CL 0 prime attribute
check to recall and cast the spell, and they can only recall a specific spell
once that day. For instance, a cleric who successfully recalls an endure
elements spell he cast earlier may only recall it for one additional casting
that day. At 24th level, spell casters can recall any previously cast 1st-level spells
at will. They must make a successful prime attribute check as with 0-level spells.

Prime attribute checks would add, at 20th level a minimum of +26 to the roll (plus any attribute modifiers), meaning it would always be successful, as would the roll at level 24. I know, as the Castle Keeper, I could assign penalties to the roll for various reasons, discounting those though this seems like a pretty sweet deal for the spell casters, essentially doubling all their 0 and 1st level spells when they hit level 24 (if they memorized all different spells with no duplicates.)

Is my interpretation correct or am I missing something?

No, your reading it right. They just word it like that to account for possible House Rules, such as you always fail on a Nat 1.
Besides, trust me, at 20th and 24th level, 0 and 1st level spells are pretty inconsequential. So getting to double them, while nice, does pretty much nothing to boost their over all power level.

[serleran]

The ability is far weaker than what I use for my own game, but, considering the loss of damage caps, getting upwards of 10 or more 20d4+20 "never miss" attacks is pretty damn significant.

But... its earned. Unless you chump and start at level 20.

So, there's that.

Wizards don't tend to survive. Hell, fighters don't tend to survive.

[Zombieman]

Got it, I thought it might be something like that. Yeah, I do use the '1' is a failure home rule too, as '20' is always a success if a task can be done or a save can be made.

My game is getting up into the low teens now, so I'm planning ahead a bit for what rules, exactly, to use. I still find the Wizard falling back on Magic Missile a LOT as a go-to. Like Serleran said, it does lot of damage with no save or to hit required, and fireballs can be so messy when it comes to damaging friends and minions.

Oh, and THANKS for the feedback, I appreciate it!

[Treebore]

Got it, I thought it might be something like that. Yeah, I do use the '1' is a failure home rule too, as '20' is always a success if a task can be done or a save can be made.

My game is getting up into the low teens now, so I'm planning ahead a bit for what rules, exactly, to use. I still find the Wizard falling back on Magic Missile a LOT as a go-to. Like Serleran said, it does lot of damage with no save or to hit required, and fireballs can be so messy when it comes to damaging friends and minions.

Oh, and THANKS for the feedback, I appreciate it!

Spell casters should always have a Shield spell up, if they don't, they deserve the Magic Missile damage. Anyways, I've played high level mages, well into the 20th level ranges in 1E, carried over into 2E. 0 and 1st level spells really do just above nothing to boost such an Arch Mages over all power. In 3E I played a mage to 48th level.

[Captain_K]

Rather or not 0th or 1st lvl spells have power in a game with 20th lvl PCs... I wonder how that mage is alive to be through ALL their high level spells and are down to low level.. but some of them, damage aside might be helpful in odd settings and having them in memory or able to recall would be nice.