Fireball or Lightning Bolt?

[MPA]

LB, because it can't reshape and blast the entire corridor.

 

[interwyrm]

Didn't lightning bolt used to bounce?
Edit: Suppose I should read the whole thread before posting eh?

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Lightning Bolt definitely.

If nothing else it is THE way to open the barred door and make an entrance.

 

[ThirdWizard]

LB, because it can't reshape and blast the entire corridor.

Neither than fireball...

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Of course LB is cooler than FIREball.

But I'll vote for the big Kaboom myself.

AR

 

[MPA]

Neither than fireball...

Only if you play 3ed.

 

[Pseudonym]

Lightning Bolt for me, for reasons of style. Not the stye of the effect as has been mentioned, but rather that of the components.

A bit of fur and a glass rod are tools of a man of learning. Fondling bat guano mixed with sulpher is something orcs do.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Direct damage is weak in 3.5. The point of those spells is to hit as many enemies as possible and let the power of multiplication work in your favor.

I find it extremely difficult to hit more than two enemies with a Lightning Bolt -- my allies get in the way. The area of a Fireball is a more useful shape -- I can usually drop it behind the battle line if I want to catch an enemy engaged in melee and hitting three or four targets is pretty common. The Fireball is not so useful in curving passageways or tight spaces, but the Lightning Bolt does not work there either.

If the combat devolves to a furball I am probably stuck using Magic Missile anyway. That is not the best damage but it takes the energy type out of the equation.

 

[Gossamerblade]

Although LB does have advantages in some situations, I'll choose FB just 'cos it's so......BIG! There's nothing quite like a sorcerer lobbing a fireball every round....oops, sorry about that, Mr. Front-Line Fighter....I'm sure the Cleric can do something about that....