FAVORED SOUL: This doesn't seem right...

[Klaus]

1) Sometimes do more average damage than 5th level Cone of Cold because they have no saving throw for half damage and no spell resistance.

Cone of Cold affects a 60-foot cone. Orbs affect a single target. Catch two targets in the cone and you're dealing twice as much damage as the orb.

2) Since they have a roll to hit, they can critical for double damage.

They have to roll to hit, so they can miss.

3) Damage Golems.

Just like Creeping Doom, Evard's Black Tentacles, summoned monsters, etc. And good luck throwing that Orb of Fire at an iron golem, or Orb of Electricity at a flesh golem.

4) Bust through Antimagic Fields.

So can a Wall of Iron. Just tip it over. Or an Acid Splash (a meager 0-level spell!!!)

5) Ignore Evasion and Improved Evasion.

But is affected by Evasion (allowing a flat-footed character to retain his Dex bonus to AC), or by a monk's Wisdom bonus to AC.

6) Create permanent Orb "objects" (effects?) which have no hardness and no hit points, so there is no known way to destroy them except possibly Disintegrate.

You're not actually saying that the orb still exists after the spell is cast, are you? Does that also mean that I can create a pool of acid by casting Acid Splash repeatedly? Cool!

Practically the only defenses against them are a Miss Chance or the fact that the caster can roll a 1 on his to hit.

Deflection and Dodge bonus to AC, cutting off line of sight or line of effect, readying an action to shoot an arrow at the spellcaster, Resist Energy, Protection from Energy, Energy Immunity.

:\

 

[KarinsDad]

Cone of Cold affects a 60-foot cone. Orbs affect a single target. Catch two targets in the cone and you're dealing twice as much damage as the orb.

Only if both targets fail their saves. No doubt about it. You can get multiple targets with Cone of Cold.

The difference is that you typically will not kill multiple targets with Cone of Cold.

You can more easily kill a target with an Orb (typically a 4.75% chance of a critical). Against an arcane caster or rogue, an Orb has a slim chance of killing them outright with no save. Throw enough of them against PCs and low hit point PCs will die with no chance to defend themselves.

You're not actually saying that the orb still exists after the spell is cast, are you? Does that also mean that I can create a pool of acid by casting Acid Splash repeatedly? Cool!

It depends.

I contend that the Orb spells and the Acid Splash spell are illegal according to the rules:

Creation: A creation spell manipulates matter to create an object or creature in the place the spellcaster designates (subject to the limits noted above). If the spell has a duration other than instantaneous, magic holds the creation together, and when the spell ends, the conjured creature or object vanishes without a trace. If the spell has an instantaneous duration, the created object or creature is merely assembled through magic. It lasts indefinitely and does not depend on magic for its existence.

Acid is not a creature in the game, nor is it an object.

Conjuration Creation does not state that it can create an effect. Fire and Acid are effects in the game, not objects.


So, WotC is basically breaking the school of magic rules here. If Acid Splash is defined as an object (in order for it to belong to the Conjuration Creation School of Magic), then yes. It lasts indefinitely (course, we have no idea of its hardness or hit points).

If it is defined as an effect, then it should not exist as a spell. According to RAW.


In either case, Antimagic Field should stop all spells except those that explicitly state that it does not (like Prismatic Wall).


WotC has occasionally placed certain effects into improper schools of magic. I personally think they should correct it, either by changing the rules of the Conjuration Creation School (i.e. instantaneous effect creations like acid do not last indefinitely), or removing those spells from the school and put them into Evocation where they belong. YMMV.

 

[Bad Paper]

But is affected by Evasion (allowing a flat-footed character to retain his Dex bonus to AC), or by a monk's Wisdom bonus to AC.

um. Do you mean uncanny dodge?

You're not actually saying that the orb still exists after the spell is cast, are you? Does that also mean that I can create a pool of acid by casting Acid Splash repeatedly?

He does, but I think this is a narrow reading of the rules. The orb lasts as long as it takes to travel the range of the spell and/or strike a target. Which is to say, instantaneously. Then it's gone.

So anyway, how 'bout them favored souls, huh? wow. yeah.

 

[bestone]

And even on rolling a 1 with the orbs, complete scountrel has some feat where that 1 becomes a natural 20!! woo for crits!

 

[Klaus]

Yeah, Uncanny Dodge.

Uh...

So, wacky Favored Souls can choose between Knowledge (arcana) and (religion), eh?

 

[Klaus]

And even on rolling a 1 with the orbs, complete scountrel has some feat where that 1 becomes a natural 20!! woo for crits!

Which effectively ammounts to Improved Critical (ranged touch), doubling a threat range from 20 to 19-20.

 

[bestone]

If you say so, i think its better than that however, a 1 is an auto miss, removing that removes the auto miss chance. Sometimes even a 1 will hit (with enough bonuses!)

 

[Nail]

So anyway, how 'bout them favored souls, huh? wow. yeah.

Orb spells are the suck. Does that have anything to do with FS's? Nope.

 

[Jhoony]

Acid is not a creature in the game, nor is it an object.

Conjuration Creation does not state that it can create an effect. Fire and Acid are effects in the game, not objects.

So, WotC is basically breaking the school of magic rules here. If Acid Splash is defined as an object (in order for it to belong to the Conjuration Creation School of Magic), then yes. It lasts indefinitely (course, we have no idea of its hardness or hit points).

Sorry to drag up the orbs again, but are you saying that you want a hardness and hit points for water?
Remeber acid = liquid.


For the favoured souls, the lack of Knowledge (religion) confused me to. After seeing some of the arguments on here though it sort of makes sense. However why they gave them Knowledge(arcana) I am still completely baffled by.

 

[Elephant]

So, WotC is basically breaking the school of magic rules here. If Acid Splash is defined as an object (in order for it to belong to the Conjuration Creation School of Magic), then yes. It lasts indefinitely (course, we have no idea of its hardness or hit points).

What's the hardness and hit points of water? Of air?

Or can Conjuration: Creation only create *solid* objects?