It seems that Blindness and Reduce Person are of very limited usefulness simply because of the Fortitude saving throws. Fighters and other creatures which you would like to target typically have high Fortitude saves.
On the other hand, there are in the SRD much more effective spells like Glitterdust (Willpower save), Feeblemind (Willpower save but with a -4 penalty on wizards), Grease (Reflex save) or Lightning Bolt (Reflex save).
Even the Transmutation and Necromancy schools include spells with more appropriate saving throws: Slow (Willpower), Ray of Enfeeblement (no save), Waves of Fatigue (no save).
I have no problem with spells related to death, destruction and poison (like Finger of Death, Disintegrate, Implosion, Poison, Stinking Cloud) using fortitude saves. The problem is with spells that change a creature's shape to weaken it. (Mind Fog is also problematic, requiring a Will save for an effect that reduces Willpower.)
Some possible solutions:
- change the fortitude save to willpower save
- have the save be based on fortitude or willpower, whichever is lowest for the target
- keep fortitude save but give a +4 bonus to DC (or -4 penalty to save)
- require no save at all and instead require a ranged touch or melee touch attack
- combine blindness and deafness into a single spell, as they did in Neverwinter 2
Has anyone got a preference or other ideas on how to make these spells more interesting?