D&D 5E (2024) Fireball Vs Chromatic Orb Late Tier 2 Thoughts.

[ECMO3]

I play a lot of games to level 1-20, but I multiclass a lot too, so I have never played a single class from 1-20. Closest to 20th level I got in a single class is an 18th level Bladesinger Wizard, but she has 2 levels of Death Cleric (2014 rules).

I've never played a 5E Barbarian and I don't think I would. I just don't find the trope very compelling. Also the limits on spell use while Raging really make it unlikely I would play it. In is not being a non-caster, I play lots of Rogues and a fair amount of Fighters, but they don't have those restrictions on spells. I have thought about doing a Rage Mage - A pure melee Abjuration Wizard with 5 or 6 levels of Barbarian and Armor of Agathys through the Runecarver feat, but it would need to be a particular campaign.

I have only played 1 level of Druid. I took that level at 18th level (11 Ranger/1 Monk/5 Bard/1 Druid), that character took her last two levels in Ranger and is the only "Druid" I have played.

I only played one Artificer and she died at level 3. Swore off the class after that.

Other than those three classes, I played all the other classes multiple times each. I play more Rangers and Rogues than anything else.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Critical hits and paralysis is what you're missing. 6d8 becomes 12d8 vs 9d6 no save.

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though? Even if there are multiple targets paralysed through upcasting, are they really likely to be close enough to each other?

 

[FrogReaver]

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though? Even if there are multiple targets paralysed through upcasting, are they really likely to be close enough to each other?

If all those foes are paralyzed why waste another higher level slot on chromatic orb? I don’t get it.

 

[Zardnaar]

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though? Even if there are multiple targets paralysed through upcasting, are they really likely to be close enough to each other?

Not super common for multiples but a question was asked about why use CO. Its a reason. I don't include it in damage calculations.

They're thriving around hold spells. One encounter I had was bhaslist assassins 7 of them CT2. 5 and 8 iirc.

All 7 got paralyzed 2 were free crits and I think there was a third crit.

They had terrible wisdom saves and the players don't like murder aura ability.

Often its 1 target if paralyzed maybe 2 if they're adjacent. Lower level ones tend to get used. A lvl 1 CO vs paralyzed bounced 92% of the time lvl 2 is 97% iirc.

 

[Zardnaar]

Today's session had a triple tap.

Encounter at level 11 was 6 CR3, 5 CR 2s, and 1 CR8. Death cultists, rights, and the nasty CR8 death cultist..

CR 8 won initiative. Everything else rolled like crap. We had a new fireball template. Room wasn't that big.

I've said fireball is situational. Well the right situation came up.

Bard lead with a synaptic static. 8d6 damage+debuffs. Light cleric lobbed in a fireball upcast to 5th level. 10d6 damage. Sorcerer then threw in a level 4 chromatic orb. Synaptic static did around 300 damage. Fireball broke 400. CO didn't pay attention all the CR2s were dead.

The last 3 survivors died to Fighter1/monk 10. Dual wielding 6 attacks a round.

So 2 level 5s a level 4, 12 targets.

Whatever the encounter was it was over round 1. 1 npc got a turn. A lot of failed saves.

 

[ECMO3]

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though?

Not really IME. Crit damage against one enemy with a near automatic jump is very common though.

I am playing a Fighter1/Warlock4 with Chromatic Orb through Magic Initiate and if an enemy is held with Hold Person or something that is going to be her go to - walk up next to the held enemy and crit him, then automatically jump to one more target (and possibly two more if I use a Pact Slot).

She also has Flames of Phelethegos which makes it more likely to jump whether the enemy is held or not.

 

[Zardnaar]

Not really IME. Crit damage against one enemy with a near automatic jump is very common though.

I am playing a Fighter1/Warlock4 with Chromatic Orb through Magic Initiate and if an enemy is held with Hold Person or something that is going to be her go to - walk up next to the held enemy and crit him, then automatically jump to one more target (and possibly two more if I use a Pact Slot).

She also has Flames of Phelethegos which makes it more likely to jump whether the enemy is held or not.

Multiple crits vs held characters are uncommon even i n my hold spells happy party.

Level 1 CO critting has a 92% bounce chance, Lvl2 its 99% iirc.

 

[mellored]

Best i had was with my wild sorcerer.

Enemies surrounded the wild heart barbarian, who bonus action disengaged.

Cast sleep, getting 3 targets to skip a turn.
Wild Surged for max damage on next spell.
2 failed their second sleep roll.

4d8 (we're only 3rd level), maxed, auto-crit, auto bounce.
= 1 shot 2 enemies and Bloodied the 3rd.


Would be more consistent with a Tempest Cleric. Possibly with Elemental Adept turning 1 into 2's to helps the bounce chance.

 

[Zardnaar]

Best i had was with my wild sorcerer.

Enemies surrounded the wild heart barbarian, who bonus action disengaged.

Cast sleep, getting 3 targets to skip a turn.
Wild Surged for max damage on next spell.
2 failed their second sleep roll.

4d8 (we're only 3rd level), maxed, auto-crit, auto bounce.
= 1 shot 2 enemies and Bloodied the 3rd.


Would be more consistent with a Tempest Cleric. Possibly with Elemental Adept turning 1 into 2's to helps the bounce chance.

Our Sorcerer took elemental adept. Yes it helps with bounces. He took it for the negaring lightning resistance part.

The bounce part is coming up more often though.

One downside is amount of real life time to resolve the damn thing though.

 

[mellored]

Our Sorcerer took elemental adept. Yes it helps with bounces. He took it for the negaring lightning resistance part.

The bounce part is coming up more often though.

One downside is amount of real life time to resolve the damn thing though.

Chance of 2d8 matching = 12.5%
Chance of 2d8 treat 1 as 2 matching = 15.63%

Not that you roll 2d8, but that's all the math I want to do at the moment.

Well, 8d8 with Elemental Adept is 100% chance to bounce (assuming you hit).