Zardnaar
Legend
Interesting Video. I'll paraphrase it below as I don't expect you to watch it.
They go through the various elemental types. Essentially nothing has changed from 5.0. Poisons still out right bad to the extent it's a trap. On paper force is the best. Downside is few force spells and they tend to deal low damage. There's no force fireball for example.
In 5.5 force has 0 monsters in the MM with resistance or immunity. Poison has over a 100 combined (out of 500 critters. Frost and fire have a lot as well. Another downside for frost imho is they target constitution saves a lot.
Most of frost however is resistance vs immunity. . Elemental Adept might barely be worth it on a frost dedicated spell caster. And here's the problem with the feat. Resistance is annoying but not
quite common enough to dedicate a feat to it. Certain campaigns might be an exception if you metagame. Cast a different spell or use spells like chromatic orb, dragon breath or a control spell instead. Save yourself a feat blasting tends to be weak now generally imho.
Acids the best out of Elemental spells but lacks the spell options. Lightning has the best compromise between spell options, damage, and resistance vs immunity. At least at the casual level.
Of the more exotic energy types necrotic effectiveness really depends on the amount of undead on the campaign. Otherwise it's good. Radiance is the best in terms of beating resistance and immunity. Unless you're facing celestial types on a regular basis. Psychic is also good but lacks spell options espicially if you only use 5.5.
Overall best imho. Radiant , psychic. For elements lightning and frost with Elemental Adept. Personally I wouldn't take Elemental Adept anything but frosts your best option.
Blaster Options.
Invoker. Popular with casuals it's now the weakest wizard in 5.5 PHB imho. It's B tier and that's mostly because it's still a wizard. I do not recommend.
Clerics. Every cleric has good radiance options. As per usual the light cleric excels here and is great from level 3+ (2 in 5.0). Lights also the best cleric overall outside of Tashas Cauldron of Broken BS options.
Warlocks. Eldritch Blast Iis the best force damage spell . Warlock in 5.5 may be the best designed class in 5.5 with a the right amount of power vs fun vs build options combo. Has fire and radiant options.
Dragon Sorcerer.
Last 4 I have seen have been lightning. Avoid poison like the plague. New options now open up Acid and buff lightning and cold over the tradional fire ones. Sorcerous Burst now gives decent ranged lightning and acid cantrips. Chromatic Orb adds versatility and a good level3+ spell for non lightning and fire builds. Transmute energy metamagic also opens up acid sorcerers combined with Chromatic Orb and Dragons breath.
Psychic. Would have to theory craft this one out. Synaptic static is now core. Would be looking at things like wizards, lore bards and aberration mind sorcerers. Espicially if Tashas and Xanathars are still in play.
They go through the various elemental types. Essentially nothing has changed from 5.0. Poisons still out right bad to the extent it's a trap. On paper force is the best. Downside is few force spells and they tend to deal low damage. There's no force fireball for example.
In 5.5 force has 0 monsters in the MM with resistance or immunity. Poison has over a 100 combined (out of 500 critters. Frost and fire have a lot as well. Another downside for frost imho is they target constitution saves a lot.
Most of frost however is resistance vs immunity. . Elemental Adept might barely be worth it on a frost dedicated spell caster. And here's the problem with the feat. Resistance is annoying but not
quite common enough to dedicate a feat to it. Certain campaigns might be an exception if you metagame. Cast a different spell or use spells like chromatic orb, dragon breath or a control spell instead. Save yourself a feat blasting tends to be weak now generally imho.
Acids the best out of Elemental spells but lacks the spell options. Lightning has the best compromise between spell options, damage, and resistance vs immunity. At least at the casual level.
Of the more exotic energy types necrotic effectiveness really depends on the amount of undead on the campaign. Otherwise it's good. Radiance is the best in terms of beating resistance and immunity. Unless you're facing celestial types on a regular basis. Psychic is also good but lacks spell options espicially if you only use 5.5.
Overall best imho. Radiant , psychic. For elements lightning and frost with Elemental Adept. Personally I wouldn't take Elemental Adept anything but frosts your best option.
Blaster Options.
Invoker. Popular with casuals it's now the weakest wizard in 5.5 PHB imho. It's B tier and that's mostly because it's still a wizard. I do not recommend.
Clerics. Every cleric has good radiance options. As per usual the light cleric excels here and is great from level 3+ (2 in 5.0). Lights also the best cleric overall outside of Tashas Cauldron of Broken BS options.
Warlocks. Eldritch Blast Iis the best force damage spell . Warlock in 5.5 may be the best designed class in 5.5 with a the right amount of power vs fun vs build options combo. Has fire and radiant options.
Dragon Sorcerer.
Last 4 I have seen have been lightning. Avoid poison like the plague. New options now open up Acid and buff lightning and cold over the tradional fire ones. Sorcerous Burst now gives decent ranged lightning and acid cantrips. Chromatic Orb adds versatility and a good level3+ spell for non lightning and fire builds. Transmute energy metamagic also opens up acid sorcerers combined with Chromatic Orb and Dragons breath.
Psychic. Would have to theory craft this one out. Synaptic static is now core. Would be looking at things like wizards, lore bards and aberration mind sorcerers. Espicially if Tashas and Xanathars are still in play.
