Improve Meteor Swarm
Cru
Member Posts: 12
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is set to release in roughly three weeks, and with it will come legitimate access to 9th level spells. Unfortunately, most of the 9th level spells in Baldur's Gate II are vastly underpowered when compared to their 2nd edition counterparts with the exception of a select few such as Time Stop and Chain Contingency. Furthermore, they are often overshadowed by the High Level Abilities, or 10th level spells, that are cast from the same slots. While I think many would agree that the entire pool of 9th level spells warrants a second look, I would like to draw attention to one spell in particular that I would argue is dreadfully underpowered: Meteor Swarm.
The imbalance of this spell is not only significant insofar as it affects gameplay, but also due to the role it plays as an icon of high level D&D play. Meteor Swarm made its debut in 1E and has always been around in one form or another as the pinnacle of evocation and blasting power. While not always the most strategically sound option, it was always just that: an option. Moreover, it was an option that, unless its victims were specifically prepared for it, was bound to wreck havoc on the battle field, making it an actually viable option. Sure, you could cast Time Stop and drop Delayed Blast Fireballs or some other lower level evocation to fry your enemies, but it just didn't come with the same vanity of using a single spell to annihilate everything in around you not immune to fire. Plus, you still had to spend multiple slots to get the job done. This is especially true when it was used by enemies, as it was on several occasions in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. When an adversary uses Meteor Swarm just before you finish casting Time Stop and kill him with Finger of Death (and then proceed to take out all his allies), it should stand as a testament to just how powerful and potentially dangerous he alone was to you; as he used the most directly destructive spell available, and that makes defeating him far more gratifying. As it stands however, Meteor Swarm in Baldur's Gate II was a strategic blunder, and while still somewhat dangerous if outright ignored, its role is vastly deflated when one compares it to other spells of similar level. Thus, when an enemy uses it, it just shows how he was supposed to be powerful the script he was given failed miserably to accomplish this.
Now to my main contention: Why is Meteor Swarm underpowered? Well let's begin by looking at the spell description.
At first glance it doesn't seem that bad. It has no saving throw, area of effect, continues to cause damage for four rounds. Of course no one is going to stand in it for more than one round except for poorly scripted NPCs, so that essentially reduces its damage down to 4-40, or 4d10. That's right 4d10. When you see it multiplied out: 4-40, it actually looks like a decent amount, but for those of us accustomed to thinking in terms of dice know that 4d10 is an average of 20 damage, which is pretty pathetic for a 9th level spell. Now you could accompany it with movement hampering spells like web or hold to increase its damage, but that really doesn't add anything to its appeal. Time Stop is built with the express purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of your other spells. Meteor Swarm is intended to be a one shot blast that's at least capable of being dangerous on its own. We have to be honest though, these numbers mean nothing out of context. So let's look at the true source of Meteor Swarm's inferiority as a 9th level spell by comparing it to some lower level spells. While I could make arguments as to how it will never trump spells like Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, or even another fire spell like Delayed Blast Fireball. But seeing as how they are both instantaneous effects while Meteor Swarm, in its current incarnation, is a continuous effect, I feel it is only fair to compare it to another spell with a continuous effect. Have a look.
This spell is 8th level, so it is clearly supposed to be less powerful than Meteor Swarm. But in what way is it? At 1-4 points of damage/caster level, it appears that these spells do the same amount of damage. But what is the lowest level you'll be able to cast both of them? Level 18. That means it does 18d4 damage to Meteor Swarm's 4d10. An average of 36 to an average of 20 damage. But that's not all. This spell lasts for 1 turn, which equals 10 rounds. This spell will last 250% longer than Meteor Swarm. While I already demonstrated this means very little for the vast majority of encounters, it still goes to show just how pathetic Meteor Swarm is. To be fair, this spell does allow for a saving throw to reduce the damage by 1/2. But if we do the math, that means that at level 18 this spell will do the same damage, minus 1d4, as Meteor Swarm even if the enemy makes the save. At level 20, it does the same damage outright and thus double when the save is failed. I don't think I need to point out that as an 8th level spell this is not only better, but casts faster and can be cast through Chain Contingency. I don't intend to open the disputes over whether Chain Contingency itself is balanced, but this just goes to show where Meteor Swarm stands. Its one and only advantage over Incendiary Cloud is its range. Meteor Swarm can be cast as far as 90 yards away while Incendiary Cloud is confined to visual sight of the caster, which we know really means visual sight of the party. The only way you might benefit from the extra distance is if your party scouted ahead then retreated, or if you're metagaming. In essence, Meteor Swarm, on its best day, has been reduced to a cheesy sniper spell that is still vastly trumped by other options.
Now to answer the next objection my suggestion might face: What about the 10th level spell Comet? Was this an attempt to fix Meteor Swarm without actually fixing it? I don't need to point out that it is, by all accounts, better than both Incendiary Cloud and Meteor Swarm, but is it an acceptable replacement? From a vanity standpoint, I would argue that it is not. Its own spell description does mention outright that it is intended as a more powerful version of Meteor Swarm. However, giving us a new spell that is similar in its physical nature but just all around better is not the same when we consider the fact that this spell was designed specifically for Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. To my knowledge, it has virtually no basis in any other D&D source. I may be mistaken about this, however if there is a source, I would bet it is an obscure 3/3.5 source that is not part of the core game or Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Moreover, I have never seen an enemy in Baldur's Gate cast it. In fact the High Level Abilities are largely underused by enemies in Throne of Bhaal, but that's a different matter. The point is: Comet is not the new Meteor Swarm, and rightfully so. Comet is an interesting spell in and of itself, and I'm not advocating it's removal.
Overall, I think it would benefit the game if developers improved Meteor Swarm to such an extent that it is comprehensively more powerful than Incendiary Cloud and, at least in certain situations, actually more effective than Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting (though it need not simultaneously be the most economical use of a spell slot). If developers can only make small adjustments, my suggestion would be to improve its damage/round to 10d10 (no save), on par with Comet but without the stun and still party-dangerous. I don't recall whether or not Comet does blunt damage, but if so that would be another advantage as it's far less resistible than fire. If not then perhaps that's another change to consider.
EDIT: It really didn't occur to me when I composed this, but another simple solution would be to simply implement the Icewind Dale II version of the spell. An instantaneous 24d6 damage with a save for half is certainly better than the current implementation. Everything else was standard in terms of casting time and range (visual). While this version may have sufficed in Icewind Dale II, spells in Baldur's Gate II seemed as though they were more intricate. Icewind Dale II seemingly tried to reproduce their 3rd Edition implementations in a simplified fashion, at least with this spell. Then again, Meteor Swarm's flavor does rest primarily in its raw power rather than its intricacy; it was never really supposed to be a fancy spell. Just some additional thoughts.
To actually temper its vanity and render it almost useful, it may also be worth considering to reduce its casting time to 5 seconds (Spellstrike also carries this casting time at level 9). This would bring it closer to Comet's casting time of 3 seconds and under Incendiary Cloud's traditional casting time of 8. A fully geared sorcerer/mage with the Robe of Vecna and Amulet of Power would accordingly cast this spell instantaneously, making it an arguable (though still likely less favorable) alternative to Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting.
On the contrary, if larger changes are possible, then perhaps an implementation similar to it's D&D 3.5 edition incarnation (a series of four 6d6 fireballs that deal 8d6 to an aimed target) might be a good idea. Mechanically, this could function similarly to Melf's Minute Meteors or Energy Blades, wherein the thrown missiles explode into fireballs upon impact, much like an arrow of detonation. To balance it out, give the player one round to launch all four meteors (and the attacks/round to do it) lest they explode on him in a similar fashion to Sunfire. Those caught in the area would get a save for 1/2 damage with respect to each individual meteor's explosion they're caught in, but those hit directly take full damage.
There is also the traditional D&D 2nd edition variation to consider, which is similar more complicated as the meteors have fixed destinations. Yet, it is seemingly achievable with current game mechanics. This involves four or eight (though for the game it could be kept to four) meteors being launched simultaneously in such a fashion that they each detonate in different locations (the corners of a box - 20 ft apart, the explosions expanding 30ft) with an overlap in the middle (the center of this would likely be the origin point of the spell selected by the player). The damage per meteor would be 10d4, for a total of 40d4 in the overlap and allowing a individual save for 1/2 damage on each meteor separately. Prior to detonation, the meteors would also produce a line effect similar to Aganazzar's Scorcher as they approach their destination. Anything in their path would suffer the full damage of that meteor (10d4) without a save.
To sum everything up, I don't recommend we make Meteor Swarm so useful that it becomes a regularly memorized spell by players. The impressive resistances and sophistication of 18+ HD enemies are always, in my opinion, going to render Meteor Swarm a spell of vanity, even if we go so far as to reduce its casting time. Rather, I would merely like to see it made more dangerous to emphasize its classic flavor. Exactly how much more powerful this spell needs to be made is not my contention, just that it needs to be improved past the point of Incendiary Cloud. Which of the variations I suggested is the most balanced, or if there are better variations other there, is something I'll leave up to the developers and the community. Other suggestions are more than welcome.
I would like to thank anyone that read through my ridiculously long post, as well as apologize for any topic repetition this post may have included. I looked into the post listing announced changes, as well as a few quick searches to determine if similar issues have already been discussed, all to no avail. Though I will admit I was not able to do a thorough investigation of all posts since the forum launched. I also have yet to play Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. However seeing as how 9th level spells are illegitimate in the first installment, I don't anticipate it to be of any consequence that I have only played the classic releases of the games.
-Baldur's Gate II spell descriptions were obtained from the Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn: Spell List by JBolton at GameFAQs.com
-The D&D 2nd edition version of the Meteor Swarm spell is available in the 2nd edition Player's Handbook.
-The D&D 3.5 edition version of the Meteor Swarm spell is available in the 3.5 edition Player's Handbook as well as the 3.5 edition system reference document (d20srd.org).
-EDIT: The Icewind Dale II spell description can be found in the Icewind Dale II Book of Spells and Tables.
-Recent edits reflect minor errors
The imbalance of this spell is not only significant insofar as it affects gameplay, but also due to the role it plays as an icon of high level D&D play. Meteor Swarm made its debut in 1E and has always been around in one form or another as the pinnacle of evocation and blasting power. While not always the most strategically sound option, it was always just that: an option. Moreover, it was an option that, unless its victims were specifically prepared for it, was bound to wreck havoc on the battle field, making it an actually viable option. Sure, you could cast Time Stop and drop Delayed Blast Fireballs or some other lower level evocation to fry your enemies, but it just didn't come with the same vanity of using a single spell to annihilate everything in around you not immune to fire. Plus, you still had to spend multiple slots to get the job done. This is especially true when it was used by enemies, as it was on several occasions in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. When an adversary uses Meteor Swarm just before you finish casting Time Stop and kill him with Finger of Death (and then proceed to take out all his allies), it should stand as a testament to just how powerful and potentially dangerous he alone was to you; as he used the most directly destructive spell available, and that makes defeating him far more gratifying. As it stands however, Meteor Swarm in Baldur's Gate II was a strategic blunder, and while still somewhat dangerous if outright ignored, its role is vastly deflated when one compares it to other spells of similar level. Thus, when an enemy uses it, it just shows how he was supposed to be powerful the script he was given failed miserably to accomplish this.
Now to my main contention: Why is Meteor Swarm underpowered? Well let's begin by looking at the spell description.
Meteor Swarm (Evocation)
Level: 9
Range: 90 yards
Duration: 4 rounds
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: 30' radius
Saving Throw: None
When the caster utters the words to this powerful spell, he calls upon powerful forces indeed. These forces pull down meteors from above, hurling them randomly at any in the area of effect. Any caught in the destructive path of the meteors --whether friend or foe-- will suffer 4-40 points of damage, with no saving throw. The caster is well advised to be careful in his use of this spell.
Level: 9
Range: 90 yards
Duration: 4 rounds
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: 30' radius
Saving Throw: None
When the caster utters the words to this powerful spell, he calls upon powerful forces indeed. These forces pull down meteors from above, hurling them randomly at any in the area of effect. Any caught in the destructive path of the meteors --whether friend or foe-- will suffer 4-40 points of damage, with no saving throw. The caster is well advised to be careful in his use of this spell.
At first glance it doesn't seem that bad. It has no saving throw, area of effect, continues to cause damage for four rounds. Of course no one is going to stand in it for more than one round except for poorly scripted NPCs, so that essentially reduces its damage down to 4-40, or 4d10. That's right 4d10. When you see it multiplied out: 4-40, it actually looks like a decent amount, but for those of us accustomed to thinking in terms of dice know that 4d10 is an average of 20 damage, which is pretty pathetic for a 9th level spell. Now you could accompany it with movement hampering spells like web or hold to increase its damage, but that really doesn't add anything to its appeal. Time Stop is built with the express purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of your other spells. Meteor Swarm is intended to be a one shot blast that's at least capable of being dangerous on its own. We have to be honest though, these numbers mean nothing out of context. So let's look at the true source of Meteor Swarm's inferiority as a 9th level spell by comparing it to some lower level spells. While I could make arguments as to how it will never trump spells like Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, or even another fire spell like Delayed Blast Fireball. But seeing as how they are both instantaneous effects while Meteor Swarm, in its current incarnation, is a continuous effect, I feel it is only fair to compare it to another spell with a continuous effect. Have a look.
Incendiary Cloud (Evocation)
Level: 8
Range: Visual Sight of Caster
Duration: 1 turn
Casting Time: 8
Area of Effect: 30' radius cloud
Saving Throw: 1/2
This spell creates a billowing cloud of roaring flame. Any in the area of the spell must leave the cloud immediately, or suffer 1-4 points of fire damage per level of the caster each round while in the area of effect with a save vs. spells for half.
Level: 8
Range: Visual Sight of Caster
Duration: 1 turn
Casting Time: 8
Area of Effect: 30' radius cloud
Saving Throw: 1/2
This spell creates a billowing cloud of roaring flame. Any in the area of the spell must leave the cloud immediately, or suffer 1-4 points of fire damage per level of the caster each round while in the area of effect with a save vs. spells for half.
This spell is 8th level, so it is clearly supposed to be less powerful than Meteor Swarm. But in what way is it? At 1-4 points of damage/caster level, it appears that these spells do the same amount of damage. But what is the lowest level you'll be able to cast both of them? Level 18. That means it does 18d4 damage to Meteor Swarm's 4d10. An average of 36 to an average of 20 damage. But that's not all. This spell lasts for 1 turn, which equals 10 rounds. This spell will last 250% longer than Meteor Swarm. While I already demonstrated this means very little for the vast majority of encounters, it still goes to show just how pathetic Meteor Swarm is. To be fair, this spell does allow for a saving throw to reduce the damage by 1/2. But if we do the math, that means that at level 18 this spell will do the same damage, minus 1d4, as Meteor Swarm even if the enemy makes the save. At level 20, it does the same damage outright and thus double when the save is failed. I don't think I need to point out that as an 8th level spell this is not only better, but casts faster and can be cast through Chain Contingency. I don't intend to open the disputes over whether Chain Contingency itself is balanced, but this just goes to show where Meteor Swarm stands. Its one and only advantage over Incendiary Cloud is its range. Meteor Swarm can be cast as far as 90 yards away while Incendiary Cloud is confined to visual sight of the caster, which we know really means visual sight of the party. The only way you might benefit from the extra distance is if your party scouted ahead then retreated, or if you're metagaming. In essence, Meteor Swarm, on its best day, has been reduced to a cheesy sniper spell that is still vastly trumped by other options.
Now to answer the next objection my suggestion might face: What about the 10th level spell Comet? Was this an attempt to fix Meteor Swarm without actually fixing it? I don't need to point out that it is, by all accounts, better than both Incendiary Cloud and Meteor Swarm, but is it an acceptable replacement? From a vanity standpoint, I would argue that it is not. Its own spell description does mention outright that it is intended as a more powerful version of Meteor Swarm. However, giving us a new spell that is similar in its physical nature but just all around better is not the same when we consider the fact that this spell was designed specifically for Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. To my knowledge, it has virtually no basis in any other D&D source. I may be mistaken about this, however if there is a source, I would bet it is an obscure 3/3.5 source that is not part of the core game or Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Moreover, I have never seen an enemy in Baldur's Gate cast it. In fact the High Level Abilities are largely underused by enemies in Throne of Bhaal, but that's a different matter. The point is: Comet is not the new Meteor Swarm, and rightfully so. Comet is an interesting spell in and of itself, and I'm not advocating it's removal.
Overall, I think it would benefit the game if developers improved Meteor Swarm to such an extent that it is comprehensively more powerful than Incendiary Cloud and, at least in certain situations, actually more effective than Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting (though it need not simultaneously be the most economical use of a spell slot). If developers can only make small adjustments, my suggestion would be to improve its damage/round to 10d10 (no save), on par with Comet but without the stun and still party-dangerous. I don't recall whether or not Comet does blunt damage, but if so that would be another advantage as it's far less resistible than fire. If not then perhaps that's another change to consider.
EDIT: It really didn't occur to me when I composed this, but another simple solution would be to simply implement the Icewind Dale II version of the spell. An instantaneous 24d6 damage with a save for half is certainly better than the current implementation. Everything else was standard in terms of casting time and range (visual). While this version may have sufficed in Icewind Dale II, spells in Baldur's Gate II seemed as though they were more intricate. Icewind Dale II seemingly tried to reproduce their 3rd Edition implementations in a simplified fashion, at least with this spell. Then again, Meteor Swarm's flavor does rest primarily in its raw power rather than its intricacy; it was never really supposed to be a fancy spell. Just some additional thoughts.
To actually temper its vanity and render it almost useful, it may also be worth considering to reduce its casting time to 5 seconds (Spellstrike also carries this casting time at level 9). This would bring it closer to Comet's casting time of 3 seconds and under Incendiary Cloud's traditional casting time of 8. A fully geared sorcerer/mage with the Robe of Vecna and Amulet of Power would accordingly cast this spell instantaneously, making it an arguable (though still likely less favorable) alternative to Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting.
On the contrary, if larger changes are possible, then perhaps an implementation similar to it's D&D 3.5 edition incarnation (a series of four 6d6 fireballs that deal 8d6 to an aimed target) might be a good idea. Mechanically, this could function similarly to Melf's Minute Meteors or Energy Blades, wherein the thrown missiles explode into fireballs upon impact, much like an arrow of detonation. To balance it out, give the player one round to launch all four meteors (and the attacks/round to do it) lest they explode on him in a similar fashion to Sunfire. Those caught in the area would get a save for 1/2 damage with respect to each individual meteor's explosion they're caught in, but those hit directly take full damage.
There is also the traditional D&D 2nd edition variation to consider, which is similar more complicated as the meteors have fixed destinations. Yet, it is seemingly achievable with current game mechanics. This involves four or eight (though for the game it could be kept to four) meteors being launched simultaneously in such a fashion that they each detonate in different locations (the corners of a box - 20 ft apart, the explosions expanding 30ft) with an overlap in the middle (the center of this would likely be the origin point of the spell selected by the player). The damage per meteor would be 10d4, for a total of 40d4 in the overlap and allowing a individual save for 1/2 damage on each meteor separately. Prior to detonation, the meteors would also produce a line effect similar to Aganazzar's Scorcher as they approach their destination. Anything in their path would suffer the full damage of that meteor (10d4) without a save.
To sum everything up, I don't recommend we make Meteor Swarm so useful that it becomes a regularly memorized spell by players. The impressive resistances and sophistication of 18+ HD enemies are always, in my opinion, going to render Meteor Swarm a spell of vanity, even if we go so far as to reduce its casting time. Rather, I would merely like to see it made more dangerous to emphasize its classic flavor. Exactly how much more powerful this spell needs to be made is not my contention, just that it needs to be improved past the point of Incendiary Cloud. Which of the variations I suggested is the most balanced, or if there are better variations other there, is something I'll leave up to the developers and the community. Other suggestions are more than welcome.
I would like to thank anyone that read through my ridiculously long post, as well as apologize for any topic repetition this post may have included. I looked into the post listing announced changes, as well as a few quick searches to determine if similar issues have already been discussed, all to no avail. Though I will admit I was not able to do a thorough investigation of all posts since the forum launched. I also have yet to play Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. However seeing as how 9th level spells are illegitimate in the first installment, I don't anticipate it to be of any consequence that I have only played the classic releases of the games.
-Baldur's Gate II spell descriptions were obtained from the Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn: Spell List by JBolton at GameFAQs.com
-The D&D 2nd edition version of the Meteor Swarm spell is available in the 2nd edition Player's Handbook.
-The D&D 3.5 edition version of the Meteor Swarm spell is available in the 3.5 edition Player's Handbook as well as the 3.5 edition system reference document (d20srd.org).
-EDIT: The Icewind Dale II spell description can be found in the Icewind Dale II Book of Spells and Tables.
-Recent edits reflect minor errors
Post edited by Cru on
4
Comments
Meteor swarm meteor's do indeed do 10d4 damage......but...there's supposed to be FOUR of them EACH doing 10d4.
in other words, 40d4 in the area of effect. The spell is currently only 1/4th power.
I can, to a degree, understand that they were trying to balance it by spreading it out over four rounds. In the 2nd edition version not 'everyone' in the area of the spell takes damage from all four meteors, only those caught in the overlap, moreover they are still allowed separate saves for each meteor individually. In the end though, I still think they failed miserably because they ended up simply recreating an 8th level spell in a weaker format. Implementing a more powerful but still balanced version is certainly within the limitations of the engine.
I didn't want to bring this issue up in the original post, as it really does deserve its own thread if it hasn't already been addressed, but the enemy scripting in Baldur's Gate II, wherein enemies stand in damaging effects, is another controversial issue due to the abuse factor mentioned previously. I would advocate that this element be changed in Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. However there are many other scripting elements that could be improved as well. It is my suspicion that such elements were, in part, what brought about the creation of additional mods such as Ascension - mods that drastically improved difficulty by commanding enemies to use their abilities more effectively, among other alterations. The extra damage provided by Insane difficulty doesn't amount to much if you're tactical enough to immunize yourself to it all together, nor does it carry any weight if enemies use their defenses so poorly you can kill them before they are able to hurt you. If memory serves, there was even another mod that explicitly fixed the issue at hand by scripting enemies to move out of harmful effects. Since it is more commonly known, and there are already mods that fix it, I was hoping the developers would not require a formal request on these forums to consider implementing such changes.
On another note, 10d10 may sound a bit excessive, but we have to remember that Meteor Swarm should be able to hold its own (though not necessarily be better than) against all 8th, 9th, and 10th level spells. 10d10 averages out at 50 damage. This is still relatively low compared to spells like Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting which do an average of 80 and Dragon's Breath (20d10, also fire damage but with a knockback). Meteor Swarm doesn't need to be better per se, but needs to hold its own for the sake of vanity, as I mentioned in the original post. Incendiary Cloud does 20d4/round. Setting Meteor Swarm at 8d10 would make their numerical damage equivalent, but with Incendiary Cloud still lasting longer and casting faster. However, 10d10 without a save would make Meteor Swarm slightly better damage-wise, although still shorter lasting. Comet does 10d10 plus a save or be stunned. Dragon's Breath does 20d10 with a knockback and save for 1/2 damage and no knockback. Meteor Swarm needs to somehow come out as better than the former almost as good as the latter two. I suggested 10d10 damage because it would emphasize that it is comparably as dangerous as Comet but has less strategic usability for the lack of stun or other effect. In addition, it's still equally threatening since you still must move out of it or risk taking another 10d10. It's not difficult to deal with (whereas stun can be a nightmare), but still requires a response, thus upholding its vanity factor.
Baldur's Gate II, however, had far more spells as well as a much greater degree of diversity in content. Accordingly, some spells' implementations could literally be thought of as 'bugs' in and of themselves, while even those that weren't so definitively game breaking could still be considered drastically imbalanced. Much like all D&D campaigns, higher level play greatly complexes the game and Baldur's Gate II is no exception. It's difficult to see Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition as having any real integrity if certain spell changes aren't made.
EDIT: I thought it would be appropriate to also briefly discuss the vanity factor which I cited in my original post as the basis for which I advocated Meteor Swarm's change. Just as it is important for things to remain balanced and work properly in the much more complex Baldur's Gate II, the value of certain spells' flavor also becomes comparably more significant at higher levels of play. If you or an enemy is supposed to be powerful, your/their abilities (even when not strategically sound), should reflect that or risk greatly deflating the immersion factor, thus potentially diminishing enjoyment for a seemingly large number of players.
Having not read the announcement to which you refer, I did notice you made a point to mention 'big' changes instead of just changes period. I would like to point out that 'big' changes, depending on the relative meaning of the term 'big', are not necessarily required to fix most of the issues with spells in Baldur's Gate II. For example, in my original post I offered simple numerical solutions to balancing Meteor Swarm in addition to the more elaborate ones. I have to say an unwillingness to change spells in such simple ways as adjusting damage is a bit off-putting, if of course that is indeed their plan.
That said, while I am aware of the Gibberlings 3 community, I did not have knowledge of the particular mod you mentioned. I would consider their version of Meteor Swarm adequate and arguably more loyal to the 2nd Edition version of the spell. However, I do still believe it should be formally implemented by the licensed developers rather than being left to a mod.
Though if bugs are getting fixed, hopefully Mislead and Project Image will finally be corrected, but I'm not holding my breath. Mislead is very do-able, Project Image...not so sure (hence my advocating moving it down to 6th where it's supposed to be for 2nd edition and treating it like a lesser version of simulacrum (1/3 instead of 2/3 level), which is a massive step towards balancing it from it's current completely broken status.