Do you see Circle of Death used much?

[Kae'Yoss]

Yeah, it's the 500gp PLUS the HD limit. I wouldn't want to waste 500 gp just to find out the baddies are all 10th level warriors...

Yeah. Why use/ learn/ prepare that spell and blow 500 gp if a fireball or other mass damage spell would probably have the same effect? Those who will shrug off a fireball are often the same who don't even have to save against cloudkill, after all.

 

[Drowbane]

So - what are your experiences with the spell?

I want to like the spell, I really do. I remember it being useful in older editions. With the HD limitation (and gp cost) it is just not worth knowing.

I have better methods of mook destruction.

Solid Fog + Acid Fog (or Cloudkill) come to mind.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Solid Fog + Acid Fog (or Cloudkill) come to mind.

Don't forget that Acid Fog already acts like Solid Fog!

 

[Nifft]

The PCs used it (and undeath to death) a few times before we noticed the material component value. That put a bit of a damper on it... and same thing with stoneskin.

-- N

 

[pawsplay]

The really odd thing about the HD limit is that already affects only a certain number of foes, based on HD.

 

[Drowbane]

Don't forget that Acid Fog already acts like Solid Fog!

Err... meant Acid Fog + Cloudkill

 

[Quartz]

It doesn't have to mention the caster is immune. The spell only affects creatures up to 9 HD, and you have to be 11th level to cast it....

Not if you've got it on a scroll or Ring of Spell Storing.

E.g. 8th level guy casts it at the party via his ring and the party reflect it back at him.

 

[Dog Moon]

I think he was contemplating someone casting it from a scroll when they were lower level, FWIW.

That's how I've used it. In Exp. to Castle Ravenloft, there's a Cleric who is like 6th level or something like that and had a scroll of it. Annihilated the Paladin who they had just met in the village who rolled seriously bad on that save, and like half the party. Everyone was just like 'Woah, what the *expletive* just happened?'

The only time I've used it as either a DM or a Player.