Question about Storm of vengeance

[Saeviomagy]

Which means that it deafens in addition to doing each of the listed effects for a single round.

Badly worded, but I'm perfectly willing to bow to the logic concerning the dungeon adventure - ie, it wasn't changed or erratad, so it's probably right.

 

[Berk]

Everyone is assuming the target CAN move. How about using this spell against a town. "Fire and Brimstone" type stuff. See that evil temple of Set...no, that's right...I just smashed it into the ground!

There is a problem if-

1. The temple is protected from things like this with various energy immunity spells.

2. The temple only has 1st-5th level casters, in effect not really making it a temple but more of a shrine.

3. Oh hey look, any other spell that deals damage could potentially have the same effects.

4. Not to mention oh say gate or the elemental swarm spells.

5. Come to think about it, meteor swarm is pretty nice for taking out a building also, and look, that's 9th level. Actually, make that a city block.

6. Ooooo, delayed blast fireball works good also. Now there's an idea, at 17th level my delayed blast fireballs will be doing oh 17d8 damage, cast 5 of those around stationary objects and that is 85d8 damage as they all go off at the same time. Better damage for less time!!!!!

The only advantage for StoV is the area of effect, but even that isn't anywhere near a big decent advantage. Sure it could level a village or the power center of a small city but ummm, why in the world are 17th+ level characters doing this to small cities and villages? If there is a threat there then the threat should be able to deal with it. I mean if something can threaten a 17th+ group of adventurers or heck, even a cleric of that level then it sure as hell better be able to deal with it. Common sense people. Use it, please.

Berk - just a point. The spell has a 400+40ft/level range.

At 17th level, that puts it at 1000+ feet of range.

Now - how many armies are going to be capable of detecting a lone individual at 1000+feet? Or forming effective tactics to deal with him when they've just become deafened?

Any army worth their weight in lead should have scouting and patrolling in atleast a half mile radius around their encampment. Especially with the knowledge of long range spells being in existance.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

1d4+1 Huge air elementals that stick around for 17+ rounds could reak similar havoc on a large number of low level creatures with their wirlwind attack. How well a 9th level spell can devistate a large number of low level creatures is completly moot.

The only issue for me is its existence on the cleric list. The cleric is the last class that should have this spectacular of a destructive spell. It might not be the most effective spell but it is a huge, spectacular, potentially devastating spell.

Since its a storm spell the druid list is the most probable. Since its a spectaular big bang spell wizards are the next most likely. And if clerics get this then the druid list should have a similar spell with an much larger area of effect, and the wizards should have something similar but maybe using a non nature feel to it again with a much larger area of effect.

This is probably one of those lame spell and magic super cleric spells that they decided they had to translate over no matter how poorly it fit the cleric list.

 

[wolff96]

The only issue for me is its existence on the cleric list. The cleric is the last class that should have this spectacular of a destructive spell. It might not be the most effective spell but it is a huge, spectacular, potentially devastating spell.

I would have to agree. Druids, at the very least, should have this spell.

As to why it is a cleric spell... well, you have to admit, it makes one HECK of a Fire and Brimstone "divine retribution" style spell. This is a spell that could level Sodom and Gomorrha (sp?). This spell could be a divine plague all on it's own. From that standpoint... it still doesn't make much sense, but at least you can sort of see what they might have been thinking.

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By the way... if you go with the Dungeon magazine ruling, the spell does 524d6 over 10 rounds. That's an average damage of 1834. Kind of makes meteor swarm look wussy, eh?

It sucks against a single target (especially since it can be negated with elemental protections... 480d6 alone goes away with a simple lightning-negating spell or item).

However, a smart caster could wipe an army with this spell. Wait for a thunderstorm (to cover the rumblings first round). Then, when the army is huddled in their tents, start the spell. Once the acid rain starts falling, the army will definitely realize something is wrong... but by that point, the body count is going to be huge before they all escape the area of effect.

 

[Berk]

By the way... if you go with the Dungeon magazine ruling, the spell does 524d6 over 10 rounds. That's an average damage of 1834. Kind of makes meteor swarm look wussy, eh?

It sucks against a single target (especially since it can be negated with elemental protections... 480d6 alone goes away with a simple lightning-negating spell or item).

However, a smart caster could wipe an army with this spell. Wait for a thunderstorm (to cover the rumblings first round). Then, when the army is huddled in their tents, start the spell. Once the acid rain starts falling, the army will definitely realize something is wrong... but by that point, the body count is going to be huge before they all escape the area of effect.

Control weather, if 9th level spells are being thrown around let's throw a 7th level one around, and quite frankly which commanding officer of an army wouldn't want the weather to be good around their encampment? It makes everything so much easier. Also makes for a good detector if something is up in the sky. Hmm something is happening to the weather something is up. Or oh look, it's something flying towards us or over us. Very usefull spell it is.

And it only comes out to 519d6 for the entire spell. Course actually being able to target something through rain and all that from a quarter mile away isn't that easy, especially when you have to concentrate on other things.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Control weather, if 9th level spells are being thrown around let's throw a 7th level one around, and quite frankly which commanding officer of an army wouldn't want the weather to be good around their encampment? It makes everything so much easier. Also makes for a good detector if something is up in the sky. Hmm something is happening to the weather something is up. Or oh look, it's something flying towards us or over us. Very usefull spell it is.

True, useful. Still, when you spot the guy incoming at 1000ft, and he deafens 3/4 of your army in 6 seconds, you're not going to be able to do a lot about it. And then your army just starts dying. You don't NEED a covering storm for this spell, it's effective enough on it's own.

And it only comes out to 519d6 for the entire spell. Course actually being able to target something through rain and all that from a quarter mile away isn't that easy, especially when you have to concentrate on other things.

Which only makes it the single most damaging spell in the game. Given to a cleric. Giving to a cleric for soddom/gomorrah smackdowns doesn't really hold water either - isn't that what miracle would be for?

Any army worth their weight in lead should have scouting and patrolling in atleast a half mile radius around their encampment. Especially with the knowledge of long range spells being in existance.

Yeah. Scouts capable of taking out a 17th level caster, or surviving an encounter with him. If he obliterates your army, it doesn't matter that you knew he was there.

 

[Super_Troll]

Hey berk...why don't you stick the sarcasm. I expressed an opinion. If you disagree state you case, but if you want to be an ass go visit the Whitehouse.

 

[dcollins]

You are correct. The effects did stack in the Dungeon adventure explanation of the spell.

No, that's incorrect. I've got "The Storm Lord's Keep" in front of me, and it goes into great detail about the effects of storm of vengeance over two pages. The different effects do not stack up together.

Some quotes (p. 72-73):

As described in the Player's Handbook, the spell effect begins with a deafening thunderclap... In the second round, the rain of the thunderstorm briefly turns to acid... In the third round, six lightning bolts strike targets in the village... In the fourth round, hailstorms rain down...

Note the words "begins" and "briefly" above. Damage dice are not shown as being stacked. Also, it refers to a moment when "the damaging effects of the storm" are finished, which in context must be different from the end of the spell itself (i.e., in rounds 5-10 with rain & wind only).

 

[Berk]

Hey berk...why don't you stick the sarcasm. I expressed an opinion. If you disagree state you case, but if you want to be an ass go visit the Whitehouse.

*yawn* should look at your own post first, you threw the first stone

True, useful. Still, when you spot the guy incoming at 1000ft, and he deafens 3/4 of your army in 6 seconds, you're not going to be able to do a lot about it. And then your army just starts dying. You don't NEED a covering storm for this spell, it's effective enough on it's own.

I personally am not talking about a covering storm for defensive purposes. Course I could be confused by what you mean, it is after 3am. Anyways there will be the tell-tale signs of the StoV coming if the skies are clear. Magically clear at that. If the sky I made clear through magic started getting cloudy or what not right away an alarm sounds before any effects could even happen. Don't need to be able to hear to move.

Yeah. Scouts capable of taking out a 17th level caster, or surviving an encounter with him. If he obliterates your army, it doesn't matter that you knew he was there.

They just need to be able to disrupt the caster. The spell is concentration after all. I know, low level scouts and a high level cleric, tons of ranks in concentration, well if the cleric is gonna do nothing about them while they stand there and whack at him then oh well. Also I would deffinately be sure that the scouts have some way of signaling the encampment if danger is nearby.

 

[Destil]

No, that's incorrect. I've got "The Storm Lord's Keep" in front of me, and it goes into great detail about the effects of storm of vengeance over two pages. The different effects do not stack up together.

Some quotes (p. 72-73):


Note the words "begins" and "briefly" above. Damage dice are not shown as being stacked. Also, it refers to a moment when "the damaging effects of the storm" are finished, which in context must be different from the end of the spell itself (i.e., in rounds 5-10 with rain & wind only).

While this is almost certinaly the intention of the spell, as written the wording implys that they stack. Though really I'm of the oinion it needs to be re-worded in eratta to remove the word additional.