7th Level Storm Sorcerer - Spark Form or Thunder Bomb?

[Roseweave]

I'm comparing these two abilities, and I'm wondering why Spark Form is rated higher. It IS a very cool ability thematically, and the mobility it offers is great. I'm leaning towards it since my character is Move 7.

However, Thunder Bomb does a nice little bit of AoE damage, has a great effect, and an amazing effect on the centre target. The effect is good enough that I can use it as a single target power, as it's pretty much a better version of pinning bolt. My character has a bit of a spider theme going on, so abilities that in some way restrain or trap work really well.

However Spark Form is rated higher, so there might be something I'm missing. The fun you could have with the fluff of the power is great - you could describe a little The Flash type fight sequence, and having an extra square of movement, means more targets. It solves the issue of needing everything clumped into Close Burst 1.

It's sort of an impossible choice for me atm.

 

[Roseweave]

forgot to add 4e

 

[darkbard]

It's a difficult question to weigh in on without specific knowledge about the rest of the build or the party. Are you primarily attacking from range? Does your party already have strong control options? These are vital questions, and there are many others.

Without such knowledge, I would opine that Thunder Bomb might be more useful to the typical Sorcerer in the typical party (including a Controller). But if you are often mixing it up in melee range of several combatants and adhere closely to the Striker role only, well, Spark Form brings the goods, especially with base speed 7.

 

[Roseweave]

I tend to alternate between range and melee.

 

[MwaO]

Two things:
As a sorcerer, you generally like being in melee as a high risk, high reward move - in that your AC is bad, but a lot of powers damage opponents who pick on you or find themselves adjacent. Spark Form lets you get into melee or out very quickly.

You likely can always potentially attack 3 targets with Spark Form, maybe more. Thunder Bomb, as an area 1, is likely just 2 or so.

 

[Jhaelen]

I'm comparing these two abilities, and I'm wondering why Spark Form is rated higher.

Who is rating it higher?
Some CO guide? If so, the guide usually explains why it's rated higher.

Judging from the powers' names, they also have different energy types: Thunder vs. Lightning. Often, that's the most important difference between two powers since Sorcerers tend to be highly focused on a single energy type. The types of monsters you expect to face can also impact your decision: Are you likely to encounter creatures that are resistant or immune to lightning?

Apart from that, without seeing the exact effects of both powers, it's hard to say which is better. 'Spark Form' seems to be more flexible since it combines movement with damage, i.e. there might be situations where you just mainly cast it just to re-position yourself.

 

[masteraleph]

Things that usually go into rating striker powers, not necessarily in this order.:

1) Does it do multiple attack rolls/multiple damage instances? If yes, higher rating (that's why Flame Spiral is the best Sorcerer power, period). Alternatively- does it give you a damage instance without spending a standard action?

2) Does it damage more than one enemy? How many more? How efficiently? (usually less of a priority than 1, though the fact that Flame Spiral passes both 1 and 2 is why it is so good).

3) Does it help your action economy (making more attacks with a total of minor, move, standard, and maybe AP standard?)

4) If it's a burst or a blast, is it friendly (doesn't damage enemies?)

Spark Form doesn't deal multiple damage instances to one enemy. But it does deal damage to multiple enemies, and it does help your action economy by saving you a move action, and it is friendly. Comparatively, Thunder Bomb deals damage to multiple enemies, but practically speaking probably fewer than Spark Form, especially if they're not already ideally situated, it doesn't save you actions, and it's unfriendly, making it tricky to use if allies are in the way.

To be fair, the Charop standard for a Sorcerer at level 7 is probably something along the lines of:

Turn 1-
Move action- Move
Minor action- if you're a Sarifal Feywarden, use the encounter power, otherwise, whatever you want- maybe Lightning Cuts if you take that at level 7.
Standard- Flame Spiral
AP- Some other standard action. If you're not a Wild sorcerer and not a Satyr, you probably take Thundering Gust at 7 so that you can combine the Flame Spiral and the Slide from Thundering Gust.