Arcane fire : Whats the point?

[Vanye]

Is there a limit to the use of Arcane Fire per day?
Can an Archmage Channel as long as he has Spells?
Didnt find a limit in the Class description and if so imho it is
superior to Force of Orb because one can use it more often.

Correct. There is no limitation, save the number of spells availalbe, to you use of this abiility.

 

[Mistwell]

Why select this ability?

Because it's cool!

Do you need another reason?

 

[Ilium]

Why select this ability?

Because it's cool!

Do you need another reason?

Yes, and I'll give you one: My 15th-level character just found a use for cantrips and 1st-level slots: Cowing the peasants.

Actually that might be the same reason, after all.

 

[DM-Rocco]

Actually, you do need to burn a 9th-level spell to "power" arcane fire.

Arcane fire is a supernatural ability and is therefore not subject to spell resistance. So the SR 36 demon lord will be hurt by your arcane fire. It's either that or stick to Melf's Acid Arrow or one of the other handful of spell that are also not subject to spell resistance.

Er, actually, unless I am reading it wrong, you DON'T have to burn a 9th level spell slot to power arcane fire. You do have to give up a permanent 9th level spell slot to take arcane fire, but even the example on page 178 of the DMG uses giving up a 7th level spell slot to power Arcane Fire.

So, how are we both, and the book, wrong?

 

[IanB]

The reason to take this over those orb spells as a wizard is simple. It means you can load up with corner case utility and buffs spells and not have to worry about giving up offensive capability.

 

[Elephant]

Which is one of the several reasons I house-ruled the Orb spells back to Evocations in my 3.5 games; Orb of Force, particularly, out-guns many other Evocation spells, and can't even have energy resistance applied the way "Cone of Flame" can.

But, technically Question's right -- Orb of Force, and probably some other effects, would mostly outclass a 9th level slotted Arcane Fire.

Orb of Force maxes out at 10d6 damage. For a 4th level spell, that's a little underwhelming.

 

[Jack Simth]

Suppose a powerful archmage (wiz-15, Archmage-5) is afflicted with nineteen negative levels (caster level 1) and then it's his turn.

Empowerd Orb of Force: 1d6*1.5 damage.

Fifth level spell slot Arcane Fire: 5d6 + ?d6 damage.

Now which is better?
Oh, right - Teleport. Also a 5th level spell. Nevermind.

 

[DM-Rocco]

Orb of Force maxes out at 10d6 damage. For a 4th level spell, that's a little underwhelming.

For an area of effect spell, this is right in line with the guidelines from the DMG for damage, as underwhelming as you may think it is.

Anyway, what esle would you take as an offensive spell for a 4th level spell slot?

 

[Thanee]

It's a single target spell, though.

The only reason to pick up Arcane Fire is (besides being cool and all) for a wizard to be able to spontaneously convert spells into damage. Other than that, the ability doesn't look very appealing to me. Never did, not even before Complete Arcane.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Question]

To do 14d6 damage with arcane fire as a level 5 archmage, you would need to sacrifice a level 9 spell to do so though, i did not say you had to use a level 9 spell to power arcane fire.

Orb of force does 10d6 unblockable damage as a level 4 spell at level 10. Pretty damn good, and it just gets better when slapping on empower/maximise and that epic feat that lets you raise a spell's damage cap by 10 die for +4 spell levels.