Poll: Which Wizard 5th daily is best?

[brehobit]

For those of you with the books...

• Bigby’s Icy Grasp : 2d8+Int damage vs. 1 target, grabs them. sustainable and movable.
• Fireball: 3d6+INT, burst 3
• Stinking Cloud: d10+INT, burst 2, sustainable and movable.
• Web: burst 2, those hit are immobilized (save to end). Lasts 5 minutes, area is difficult terrain and anyone ending turn in it is immobilized.

Humm, I think as written web is almost impossible to escape. You need to make a save to move, but saves are made at the end of the round. If you make the save after all your actions, you can't move that turn, then you are again immobilized because you ended your turn there. Am I missing something?

Question answered below. Thanks Gloombunny

[Nifft]

I like Fireball. It's really big, and the damage is significant.

Cheers, -- N

[Loghren]

It's gonna take a long, long time to get used to not getting 1d6/level (Max 10d6) for Fireball.

[Baka no Hentai]

You know, I really cant decide. Several of them seem to be really useful in different situations.

[Gloombunny]

You've misread the text of Web. It immobilizes any creature that ends its move in the web, not any creature that ends its turn. If you spend your turn immobilized and then save, you didn't end your move in the web because you didn't have a move that turn. So you can walk out on your next turn.

[brehobit]

I think fireball loses hands-down to stinking cloud.

Fireball does 3d6 + INT, half if you miss.

Stinking cloud does d10+INT if the attack hits, then d10+INT again when the target gets a turn. So 2d10+INTx2, half if you miss. It does have a smaller area, but it can be sustained. Plus, but spending a minor and move action you can keep doing the d10+INT every round in many/most fights. Obviously, if someone moves the targets when it isn't their turn, the damage can be negated.

With an INT of 18 and a hit, fireball does 14.5 on the average, and the cloud does 19...

[Hellzon]

Stinking Cloud is your friendly neighbourhood 2*2 poison vortex that floats around the battlefield and kills approximately 2 minions* per round. I voted for it.

Icy Grasp focuses on one dude and keeps him immobilized, while dealing damage. That and Web can be useful if the party has many ranged combatants.

*) A much more realistic estimate than 4, I think.

[Fobok]

I'm tempted to say Fireball, since it's so iconic, but Web really does seem like it would have the most use.

[Ridley's Cohort]

Of these spells, Web is the one that says "Controller" to me. You are a Wizard. Your job is to shape the battlefield to the advantage of your team.

That said, Stinking Cloud could be very, very resource efficient when employed against hordes, especially in a drawn out battle. If you are a resource management wonk, this is an attractive option.

Fireball is a quick hit. Not my style, but I can understand the attraction.

Bigby's Icy Grasp is competing with the Strikers. I would prefer to leave it to them to annoy single dangerous foes, although I understand it might be very practical to have such an option in my kit as well.

[Incenjucar]

Only reason I can see going for Bigby's Cold Hand is you if you're working the cold damage type with the applicable feats and such.

Being able to immobilize them is only really great if they're taking damage while immobile, and lacking both luck and larceny, I can't check to see if you have any good options for holding someone down in a bog of doom.

[Kraydak]

Originally Posted by Incenjucar

Only reason I can see going for Bigby's Cold Hand is you if you're working the cold damage type with the applicable feats and such.

Being able to immobilize them is only really great if they're taking damage while immobile, and lacking both luck and larceny, I can't check to see if you have any good options for holding someone down in a bog of doom.

brehobit forgot to mention the fact that Bigby's Icy Grasp does damage every round to held people (d8+int). It's that damage+control aspect which made me vote for Bigby's over Stinking Cloud.

[Incenjucar]

Originally Posted by Kraydak

brehobit forgot to mention the fact that Bigby's Icy Grasp does damage every round to held people (d8+int). It's that damage+control aspect which made me vote for Bigby's over Stinking Cloud.

Personally I'd get it anyway, but I would be abusing Cold-based feats to get a +6 to that damage after the first round.

It's really a decision I would make based on the rest of the party and their tactics.

AOE damage can be pretty nasty for your group if most of your damage is done in melee, while ranged attackers have so much to gain from Web...

[brehobit]

It's interesting how close this is. Seems fairly well balanced! Much more so than I'd thought.

[baberg]

Icy Grasp's sustain also deals damage per turn on the order of 1d8+INT. So really you've got:

Int vs. Reflex, 2d8+INT damage
If the target breaks free, you can re-grab him for another Int vs. Reflex, 2d8+INT
If the target is still in your grasp, he takes 1d8+INT.

This effectively takes you out of the fight (sustain is minor, moving hand is move, and grabbing is standard) but for the entirety of the fight you've got a repeating 2d8+INT damage (plus immobilizing the target) at level 5. That's pretty strong, and you don't have to worry about allies getting caught up in the cloud like you do with Web or Stinking Cloud.

[Destil]

You get 2. I'd take fireball and web... best damage dealer and best area control power. Choose each day which you'll need more. Or take the feat and get 3 of the four (I'd drop fireball if I had the other three to choose from...)