Do spellcasters use Burning Hands in your game?

[Rel]

We had a sudden realization at our game the other night and although it isn't really earthshattering in consequence, it sparked this question: Do arcane spellcasters in most campaigns use the Burning Hands spell.

My reason for asking is this: If you are using the spell with any degree of efficiency, you will be subject to one or more Attacks of Opportunity every time you use it.

This could be a problem with any of the cone spells, but they (by definition) get wider as they get further from the caster.

Because of the shape of Burning Hands (a semi-circle with the caster at the center point) the only way to avoid taking AoO's is by only catching one creature (assuming a Medium Sized creature) in the square 10 feet away from the caster. That isn't a very efficient use of the spell.

It seems like this should have occured to us sooner, but in the last campaign where Burning Hands was cast, it was done with a wand and therefore didn't provoke AoO's anyway.

Any thoughts?

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Because of the shape of Burning Hands (a semi-circle with the caster at the center point) the only way to avoid taking AoO's is by only catching one creature (assuming a Medium Sized creature) in the square 10 feet away from the caster.

Not true. There's also casting defensively, casting from behind cover, and casting against creatures who have already taken an AoO that round (and don't have Combat Reflexes).

 

[kreynolds]

No. They think it leads to the path of Satan, just like dancing.

 

[Rel]

Re: Re: Do spellcasters use Burning Hands in your game?

Not true. There's also casting defensively, casting from behind cover, and casting against creatures who have already taken an AoO that round (and don't have Combat Reflexes).

Well, those are all true and I was aware of them. I didn't mention the issues of Cover or "already used their AoO" because those are generally beyond the control of the caster.

Casting defensively is an option of course. But at low levels, when Burning Hands is most likely to be useful, the average caster probably doesn't have a high enough Concentration skill to make this a good option most of the time.

Then again, if you've got Mage Armor, Shield and a good Dex, you might not care if they get some AoO's. At low levels, the bad guys probably can't hit you anyway. But if they do, ouch.

 

[Crothian]

Our Wizard uses Burning hands and rarely draws an AoO.

 

[Rel]

Our Wizard uses Burning hands and rarely draws an AoO.

Would you mind elaborating on how he does that, Crothian?

I'll assume that he has a way to provide himself with cover, or he has a good Concentration skill (or doesn't and is lucky), or he opportunisticly waits for the bad guys to expend their AoO's and then moves in for the kill (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Just to clarify my reason for starting this thread, it was that I couldn't think of any other spells off hand that, if you wanted to use them in a manner approaching their ideal effeciency, would force you to take an AoO, unless you utilized one of the ways to avoid such AoO's. I think this is largely attributable to the "inverse cone" effect of Burning Hands and the fact that the area of effect is relatively small.

I'm not hugely bothered by it and I don't think it is "shafted" or needs errata. I just found it curious and it struck me as precisely the sort of thing that the collective intellect of ENWorld might want to kick around.

 

[hammymchamham]

one of my charecters in a Rokugan campaign that went from level 1 to maybe 5 ot 6, one of the PC's used Burning Hands as his signiture spell.

 

[IceBear]

At low levels, I don't think a spellcaster WANTS to use that spell to optimum effect - it would mean moving oneself so he's nearly surrounded by enemies, and that's not something most arcane spellcasters would want. Thus, most castings would be against only one or two targets.

Later, when the spellcaster is at a higher level he might be able to use this spell at maximum effeciency against weak opponents and then he could cast defensively to avoid the AoO.

IceBear

 

[aliensex]

At first level, your best bet would be to just move in and cast on the defensive. Your Concentration should be at least a +3 or +4, and definately have Combat Casting (another +4 for defensive casting). So, thats a bout a +8 bonus on average against a DC of 16. Very high success percentage, so cast those first level spells in close quarters!

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

Actually, two points here about why I love this spell.

First, my Wizard always has burning hands memorized ... mostly as a defensive spell. He uses it when he somehow gets surrounded by orcs, etc... then casts it (on the defensively to avoid AoO) to wipe out everyone around him. Nice spell for first level.

The second great use for burning hands is if you get the Enlarge spell feat. All of a sudden, you've got a second level spell that shoots out a sheet of flame 20 feet from you. This mini-fireball can come in real handy.