KarinsDad said:
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.
Offering no save against the damage is consistent with the way touch spells work, not something unique to the orbs. They don't offer SR, which is really what makes them potent single-target direct damage spells. Drawing a comparison to CoC is an odd choice, as it is a big ol' AoE designed to damage foes by the bushel. A single-target spell should affect single targets more effectively than an AoE.
2) Since they have a roll to hit, they can critical for double damage.
Again, nothing special about the orbs there. The same is true of any spell that makes an attack roll. Are you just suggesting spells shouldn't utilize attack rolls?
Well, any spell that isn't stopped by SR affects golems. Rakshasas too. This is ground already covered in #1, so this is redundant.
4) Bust through Antimagic Fields.
Not so.
"The space within this barrier is impervious to most magical effects, including spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Likewise, it prevents the functioning of any magic items or spells within its confines. An antimagic field suppresses any spell or magical effect used within, brought into, or cast into the area, but does not dispel it."
Cast an orb in an AMF, and it's suppressed.
5) Ignore Evasion and Improved Evasion.
Also already stated in #1.
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.
The spell's duration is instantaneous. The electricity discharges, the fire burns the way fire is wont to do, the acid spills away...I suspect few groups ever have practical problems with adjudicating this.
Practically the only defenses against them are a Miss Chance or the fact that the caster can roll a 1 on his to hit.
The defense against them is the requisite form of energy resistance, or barring that, hit points. Why do you discount energy resistance, but treat ignoring evasion as a big deal, when the former is much more common amongst monsters, and more easily attained by most PC's (through a spell or item)? Again, you're making these spells sound like they're unique when they just work like so many other spells. The only distinction between these spells and another ranged touch attack (like, say, scorching ray) is the ineffectivenss of SR. So, is that really what this all boils down to? You don't like high direct-damage spells that can't be deflected by SR?
