D&D 5E Fireball vs Flame Strike

[green_destiny]

So I was looking at Fireball and Flame strike having the following:

FIREBALL
- 3rd level Invocation
- 1 action
- Range: 150ft
- Damage: 8d6 fire damage
- AOE: 20ft radius sphere
- extra effect: ignites flammable objects

FLAME STRIKE
- 5th level Invocation
- 1 action
- Range: 60ft
- Damage: 4d6 fire damage + 4d6 radiant damage = 8d6
- AOE: 10ft radius x 40ft high cyclinder
- No extra: ignites flammable objects (Not specified)

I am comparing a default 3rd level spell vs 5th level spell. I was hoping the latter to be more powerful/effective. Besides the difference in AOE and range (fireball has farther range). Damage wise, they have a total of 8d6 of damage.

My question is with a 5th level spell slot, under usual combat conditions, why would I cast Flame strike over Fireball? I'd rather cast fireball at the 5th level slot, adding 2d6 of fire damage.

Why would flame strike be classified as a 5th level spell and fireball a 3rd level spell? Is it just because of the radiant damage it provides? Am I missing something?

Considering radiant damage. Is radiant damage that useful? So far in combat, we haven't had any situations needing radiant damage to gain advantage.

Some monsters may only be vulnerable to radiant damage but still that's very situation specific.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Flame Strike is a spell for Clerics, and Fireball is a spell for Wizards.

Wizards are supposed to be better at using spells to cause direct damage.

Fireball is a better spell than Flame Strike, primarily because it does the same damage in a greater area with a lower-level spell slot.

 

[thalmin]

Fireball is a sorcerer or wizard spell, Flame Strike is a cleric spell.

Edit: Ninja'd

 

[green_destiny]

Right, the classes that has access to them, got it.

Although I'm looking at this from a Warlock Fiend patron that has access to both spelss. I'm pretty sure I'll be using Fireball 99% of the time over Flame Strike then.

 

[dd.stevenson]

Right, the classes that has access to them, got it.

Although I'm looking at this from a Warlock Fiend patron that has access to both spelss. I'm pretty sure I'll be using Fireball 99% of the time over Flame Strike then.

Good call!

 

[PnPgamer]

Light clerics perhaps gain fireball? Not 100% sure.

 

[green_destiny]

Light clerics perhaps gain fireball? Not 100% sure.

That's also correct. Fiend Warlock and Light Clerics have access to both Fireball and Flame Strike spells.

 

[Staffan]

As an aside, this is the kind of thing I'd love seeing in an "annotated rule book" or something like that. Other things that could fit:

"You might think Sneak Attack does a ton of damage, and you'd be right, but it's about on par with what a fighter deals with all their extra attacks."

"Yes, Agonizing Beam applies to each hit of Eldritch Blast. That just means that the warlock can, more or less, keep up with martial characters in sustained damage."

"No rule should allow concentration on multiple effects at once. The whole point of concentration is that the effects are powerful, but you only get one of them at a time."

"Magic weapons are lower rarity than magic armor, because magic weapons speed up combat and armor slows it down."

That sort of thing.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

once apon a time we had arcane and divine spells, and they followed different rules, flame strike was a 5th level divine spell and fireball was a 3rd level arcane one... now adays we have muddied the water

 

[Joe Liker]

The value of radiant damage should not be ignored.

At higher levels, you'll find a lot of monsters resistant or immune to fire. Very few are resistant or immune to radiant. On the contrary, many shadowy creatures are vulnerable to radiant damage.