D&D 5E Elemental Evil companion spells underwhelming?

[the Jester]

Am I the only one who thinks the Elemental Evil companion has a bunch of spells that are woefully underpowered?

I'm specifically looking at Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting- an 8th level spell that deals 10d8 damage, save for half? Am I missing something? This seems very weak to me.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Doesn't the spell affect every creature within a 30' cube, up to 150' away?

10d8 on a dozen, or two dozen, opponents, in a single spell? That's the power.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I dunno 'bout ADHW, but I just picked up the humble Catapult spell for my wild sorcerer and I am just about to start flinging bags of caltrops and flasks of alchemist's fire around the battlefield like some kind of manic litterbug, so that's gonna be fun as heck.

 

[kbrakke]

Some of them are weaker some of them aren't. For Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting it looks like a high level spell for a necromancer. Throw it in to an area where your skeletons are fighting not-undead. They take damage, your skeletons don't. It's pretty niche, which is not something I personally like in my 8th level spells, but as a sorcerer I can't afford to waste spells known. A necromancer wizard might want this in his book for the day you know you're doing an undead vs not undead fight. On the other hand, ice knife, minute meteors, and the investitures look awesome.

Overall I like many of the new elemental themed spells, and think that the spells are on the same level as the normal PBH spells.

On a different note, has anyone figured out which part of Erupting earth is a typo? It's a 3rd level spell that does a mere 3d12, but has the text "At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 2nd." Don't you always have to cast it at a 3rd level spell slot or higher? But at 3d12 it's pretty weak. 4d12 base would make more sense to me, a higher variance fireball.

 

[abirdcall]

I read through a bunch of them. All of the ones I read seem weak to me.

I am guessing it is to avoid power creep.

Earth tremor: 10' radius self. Dex save or 1d6 dmg and knocked prone. That area is difficult ground.

Thunderwave: 15' cube self. Con save 2d8 dmg pushed 10 ft away. Objects are also pushed away.

Thunderwave has a much better area of effect and 9 vs 3.5 dmg. The rider is weaker but I don't think that makes up for its other failings. If I want to debuff enemies there are better 1st level spells for that.

 

[Tormyr]

I think they work really well (from what I have looked at). They don't seem more or less powerful than other equivalent spells. They are just, different. Hopefully this means that there are more options without more raw power, power creep, splat books, etc., etc., etc.

 

[abirdcall]

On a different note, has anyone figured out which part of Erupting earth is a typo? It's a 3rd level spell that does a mere 3d12, but has the text "At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 2nd." Don't you always have to cast it at a 3rd level spell slot or higher? But at 3d12 it's pretty weak. 4d12 base would make more sense to me, a higher variance fireball.

Erupting Earth is listed as 3rd level on the Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard spell lists. I would say it is meant to be 3rd level. Shatter deals 3d8 damage as a 2nd level spell, if Erupting Earth was also 2nd level it would just be better.

Erupting Earth does 8.5 damage less than Fireball but has a rider and does a less resisted type of damage.

It scales better with level too. I'm not saying it is good, but I do see why it is a 3rd level spell as it is too good to be 2nd level.

 

[the Jester]

Doesn't the spell affect every creature within a 30' cube, up to 150' away?

10d8 on a dozen, or two dozen, opponents, in a single spell? That's the power.

But a fireball is bigger and does 8d6 damage in a 3rd level slot. Boost it to an 8th level slot, and you're talking about 13d6- far more damage (albeit more easily resisted).

Some of them are weaker some of them aren't. For Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting it looks like a high level spell for a necromancer. Throw it in to an area where your skeletons are fighting not-undead. They take damage, your skeletons don't.

Aha! That must be the point.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

But a fireball is bigger and does 8d6 damage in a 3rd level slot. Boost it to an 8th level slot, and you're talking about 13d6- far more damage (albeit more easily resisted).

Might want to check your math on that one Don't presume that the larger preceding number necessarily means vastly more damage.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

I have to disagree almost entirely with the OP. I was very favorably impressed by the PotA spell list. I think the elemental spells are both wonderfully flavorful and generally pretty powerful as well. One has to view these things in terms of an expanded toolset rather than a damage increase per se. Some of my favorites:

Create Bonfire - Persistent damage cantrip. Great for fighting melee foes in a corridor.
Absorb Elements - Shield spell equivalent for elemental damage AoE abilities.
Control Flames - Your lantern now illuminates a whopping 240 feet
Maximilian's Earthen Grasp - Retargettetable restraint
Investiture spells - for general utility