D&D 5E [GUIDE] A Blast From the Past: Wizarding 101

[famousringo]

You're missing the point of Flaming Sphere, which is that it's controlled with the bonus action. Wizards don't have much to use their bonus action on besides Misty Step, and maybe Minute Meteors, so it's a worthy pick. Also combos well with Pyrotechnics for an AoE blind at low levels.

So you're right that it does damage like a Firebolt, but you miss that you can do both on the same round. Well, after the first round, anyway.

 

[Avalongod]

Can't twin scorching ray, either. Disintegrate would be the one to cite, if you're set on twinning a damage spell. Most sorcs prefer to use it on concentration buffs like haste and greater invisibility, since it costs one sorcery point per spell level.

I really regret using this language in the guide, haha, but you are correct of course. I actually started thinking about it after I referred to it. I have a friend who is playing a sorc and was twinning Scorching Ray, so this is something we goofed on. Thanx!

 

[Avalongod]

You're missing the point of Flaming Sphere, which is that it's controlled with the bonus action. Wizards don't have much to use their bonus action on besides Misty Step, and maybe Minute Meteors, so it's a worthy pick. Also combos well with Pyrotechnics for an AoE blind at low levels.

So you're right that it does damage like a Firebolt, but you miss that you can do both on the same round. Well, after the first round, anyway.

Flaming Sphere does have it's fans for the reason you mention...ultimately opinions vary which is what makes this stuff interesting of course. For me between the bad damage, the concentration and that most fights don't really last long enough to get a lot out of this, it's tended to underwhelm for me...

 

[Avalongod]

As an exercise: I'd suggest building a level one wizard and advancing him through the levels. Give him one extra spell in his spellbook every other level to represent purchased/found spells. This is a pretty common scenario. You'll find that the resources are tighter than most people think they are...

Oh I agree with you about resources typically being tight beyond the "freebie" spells at each level. But my approach here was really more about which spells, at least to me, held up against what you would expect per their level, which excel and which are terrible. With that in mind, it's conceivably possible they might ALL be sky blue or gold. There's nothing to say that all spells couldn't be great spells. That's not the case of course, but that was my thinking in designing the guide. I think if we went the other direction, with say, black being the default for most spells with few outliers, it might start to seem if there were only a few "right" spells for all wizards to select. I tend to think there are a lot of good options for different styles of play. But, I totally agree you're only going to get a fraction into the spellbook and need to plan accordingly!

 

[Avalongod]

I'm so confused. Fireball? That's a damage spell. If you want damage, why on earth are you playing a wizard? Wizards are for control.

That's only one way to play a wizard. Wizards were exclusively about control in 4e, but not so much either prior or before. You could always design a great control wizard (and still can in 5e), but they've gone back to giving players options on how to design their wizard (hence fireball as a kick-ass damage spell).

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I just noticed this sentence in the Chill Touch description:

Ranged spell attack means this is for dex builds, but you should be pumping dex anyway.

Ranged spell attacks for wizards rely on Int, not Dex.

You're missing the point of Flaming Sphere, which is that it's controlled with the bonus action. Wizards don't have much to use their bonus action on besides Misty Step, and maybe Minute Meteors, so it's a worthy pick. Also combos well with Pyrotechnics for an AoE blind at low levels.

Also, Animate Dead and Animate Objects and Bigby's Hand are all also controlled with your bonus action.

 

[Zardnaar]

I saw flaming sphere used to good effect with my group last session. It was rammed into an opponent 3 times and, due to the terrain was able to deal extra damage to two targets that were in the radius of the end of their turn burn effect so it effectively dealt 6d6 fire damage a turn, in total I think it probably dealt 16d6+ damage total (although a couple of saves were made against it), not bad for a level 2 spell slot. It's an excellent spell, which is well worth a pick in my opinion. The fact that it deals damage in a radius also gives it some battlefield control which can be incredibly useful.

This. It is interesting if you can get 2 or 3 opponents with it who have to suck up AoO to get away from the sphere and even more fun with things like sentinel feat. Flaming sphere+cantrip+recurring damage can actually add up to decent damage. Most level 2 wizard spells deal crap damage anyway so its not like FS is actually bad. Paralysing and stunning an opponent beside one is also fun.

 

[seebs]

That's only one way to play a wizard. Wizards were exclusively about control in 4e, but not so much either prior or before. You could always design a great control wizard (and still can in 5e), but they've gone back to giving players options on how to design their wizard (hence fireball as a kick-ass damage spell).

I don't think I remember any point in previous play where a damage-oriented wizard was as effective as a control or utility wizard.

 

[mellored]

Extra attack for a blade singer is a pretty worthless option. Booming blade, green flame-blade, and firebolt will do more damage at that point. Unless your in an anti-magic zone, it need not apply.

Paladin 2 for smites makes for a nice addition for bladesinger's, or abjuration wizard with a blade.

 

[Avalongod]

I don't think I remember any point in previous play where a damage-oriented wizard was as effective as a control or utility wizard.

I would dispute this, but I think it's besides the point...there are so many ways to play a wizard...control is certainly one. But that's part of the fun of wizard...you can use it to design many very different PCs rather than a single way or doing it.