Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Well, okay.
Daniel
Daniel
4th level evocation spells kind of blah?
- Thread starter Davelozzi
- Start date
Merlion
First Post
I think he's looking less for mechanical effectiveness and more for a feeling of oomph. Although the axiom does seem true at low levels that even level evocations are less about damage and more about special effects. Allthough I dont see why there cant just be both at all levels..
There is something of a shortage of nice, flashy 4th level damage spells. Ice Storm and Shout both do such abysmall damage, and of course then at 5th spell level you get Cone of Cold, which doesnt get to be meaningfully better than Fireball for several levels after you get it..
There is something of a shortage of nice, flashy 4th level damage spells. Ice Storm and Shout both do such abysmall damage, and of course then at 5th spell level you get Cone of Cold, which doesnt get to be meaningfully better than Fireball for several levels after you get it..
Voadam
Legend
The orb spells from T&B are nice with nifty secondary effects.
Thunderlance from Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is my eldritch knight's mainstay, 20' reach force lance that does 2d6 damage and has its own strength modifier based on caster level, lasts for 1 round/level, and dispels force abjurations such as shield and mage armor. As a force effect it is great against incorporeal undead and with its reach combined with combat reflexes and cat's grace it is great for fighting swarms of foes who rush you.
Ice storm is fine for a druid spell but should be lower level for a wizard spell IMO.
I wouldn't discount the wall spells, they have been very effective for us. The most damage ever in our campaign was caused by the dwarven fire cleric throwing a wall of fire on some mohrgs who had the high ground and lots of cover and were carrying lots of powerful incendiaries. Blew them all up in one shot.
Thunderlance from Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is my eldritch knight's mainstay, 20' reach force lance that does 2d6 damage and has its own strength modifier based on caster level, lasts for 1 round/level, and dispels force abjurations such as shield and mage armor. As a force effect it is great against incorporeal undead and with its reach combined with combat reflexes and cat's grace it is great for fighting swarms of foes who rush you.
Ice storm is fine for a druid spell but should be lower level for a wizard spell IMO.
I wouldn't discount the wall spells, they have been very effective for us. The most damage ever in our campaign was caused by the dwarven fire cleric throwing a wall of fire on some mohrgs who had the high ground and lots of cover and were carrying lots of powerful incendiaries. Blew them all up in one shot.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
two said:
Oh really?
In our last adventure my 8th level sorcerer placed a wall of fire right down a corridor filled with ghouls. Wall of fire does double damage against undead. 4d6+16 damage demolished them.
When we charged a mesa which turned out to have lots of gnoll archers on top one wall of fire later there were lots of dying gnolls and no arrows coming our way.
Wall of fire is fantastic for hurting lots of foes and lasts for ages. Wall of ice is even better for controlling a battlefield in many ways. They can produce a massive line of effect.
Other kickin' 4th level spells - polymorph, confusion, stoneskin, fireshield (the latter two combined is especially good, most especially if something with multiple attacks tries to have a go at you!)
For a sorcerer trying to decide which 4 (only 4!) spells to go for, 4th level is really tricky since there are so many good ones IMO
Ridley's Cohort
First Post
two said:
Huh?
A well placed Wall will consistently throw the opposition onto the defensive like no other spell can.
Davelozzi
Explorer
Thanks everyone, this is helpful discussion, keep it coming.
Red Baron, can you explain some of your abbreviations -- I got a few but the rest I'm not so sure about.
TB = Tome & Blood
RR = Relics & Rituals
MoF = Magic of Faerun
FR = Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
B1 = ?
R2 = ?
BT = ?
thanks!
Red Baron, can you explain some of your abbreviations -- I got a few but the rest I'm not so sure about.
TB = Tome & Blood
RR = Relics & Rituals
MoF = Magic of Faerun
FR = Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
B1 = ?
R2 = ?
BT = ?
thanks!
Davelozzi
Explorer
Oh, and as for the various Orb spells, and others that require a ranged touch attack, my brother/player seems to think that those spells are generally just a waste because he never makes his attack rolls. Do you guys find that this is generally the case?
I told him he could Weapon Focus (rays) as a feat to get a +2 but otherwise he's basically out of look unless he gets a Dex bump somehow (right now he has a +1 Dex bonus, I think his score is a 12).
Although I hadn't thought about it before, part of the problem there may be that we have a large party (8), so I'm usually sending them against opponents well above the expected CR, so I guess the average main foe has a pretty high AC. He'd probably have better luck using those spells against some of the enemy underlings instead.
I told him he could Weapon Focus (rays) as a feat to get a +2 but otherwise he's basically out of look unless he gets a Dex bump somehow (right now he has a +1 Dex bonus, I think his score is a 12).
Although I hadn't thought about it before, part of the problem there may be that we have a large party (8), so I'm usually sending them against opponents well above the expected CR, so I guess the average main foe has a pretty high AC. He'd probably have better luck using those spells against some of the enemy underlings instead.
Vymair
First Post
I'll second the support for Otiluke's Resilient Sphere. This spell and Wall of Force where the reasons I decided to never give up Evocation with my specialist wizard. The damage spells are fun, but Otiluke's Resilient Sphere can eliminate a clumsy monster from a battle. 3 Hill Giants becomes 2 Hill Giants, heal, buff, then 1 more Hill Giant, that is a much easier fight...
