Fireball and Web -- good combo?

[HeavyG]

I just found the rule in the SRD :

Objects take half damage from acid, fire, and lightning attacks. Divide the damage by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one- quarter damage to objects. Sonic attacks deal full damage to objects.

So, yes, if you treat the web as a damageable object, you can blow it away with any energy damage. It's just that fire will work best (because of the flammable aspect described in the spell description), then sonic, then acid and lightning, and finally cold which will do only 1/4 damage.

All you'd need is to house rule a hardness and hit points value for the webbing.

 

[Crothian]

Good Find!!

I so love it when the rules answer our questions. Makes things so much easier.

 

[Rixshaw]

above someone said that lightning does not casue fire. I myself have seen a fire start in a field when a bolt came down i do not have my books with me but I guess they might say that in the spell. I think lightning would deffinatly do damage to the web spell and I might check to see if it would catch on fire.

 

[bret]

Speaking strictly from the strategy POV, in some cases it isn't a good combination.

The normal use of web would be to delay or divert part of an opposing force. You are trying to split the opponent's forces, so that you can (hopefully) concentrate your attacks on a smaller group.

The normal use of Fireball is to rapidly kill off as many opponents as possible. You are not trying to channel them or delay them, you just want to reduce their numbers as quickly as possible.


Provided you keep in mind that you should kill off the creatures not trapped in the web first, no problem. As soon as you get in the habit of always thinking of the Web as a way to get 'a little bit extra' damage from Fireball, you may quit thinking of it for what I consider it's main strategic strength.

 

[hong]

As soon as you get in the habit of always thinking of the Web as a way to get 'a little bit extra' damage from Fireball, you may quit thinking of it for what I consider it's main strategic strength.

... not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

As soon as you get in the habit of always thinking of the Web as a way to get 'a little bit extra' damage from Fireball, you may quit thinking of it for what I consider it's main strategic strength.

Good point. But not only does Web do a little extra damage (2d4) it also significantly lowers the chances of those trapped making reflex saves. Which can make all the difference.

Fireball.. Fireball ... FIREBALL!!!

I love fireball.

 

[karooba]

But not only does Web do a little extra damage (2d4) it also significantly lowers the chances of those trapped making reflex saves.

Not really. Only a -2 penalty. And everyone has forgotten that the web provides a cover BONUS to reflex saves ... depending on how far inside they are caught. More than 20 ft and they have TOTAL cover ... which means your killer fireball does a big fat zippo.

 

[Hand of Vecna]

Didn't see this mentioned, so here's my personal fave Web spell combo -- Wall of Hornet (a 3rd level Druid spell in "Relics & Rituals," it's basically a nastier version of Summon Swarm).

My DM ruled that the wasps summoned by the spell were small enough to be able to fly through the Webbed area and fully affect/sting anyone caught in the Web (which is exactly how we dispatched an Umber Hulk in the RttToEE a few weeks back...)

 

[Ziggy]

Not really. Only a -2 penalty. And everyone has forgotten that the web provides a cover BONUS to reflex saves ... depending on how far inside they are caught. More than 20 ft and they have TOTAL cover ... which means your killer fireball does a big fat zippo.

Nope, these bonuses don't work against attacks that "originate or spread out from a point on the other side of the cover". As a fireball will definitely spread through the whole web (if placed properly), the cover bonus does not apply in this case.

.Ziggy

 

[karooba]

Nope, these bonuses don't work against attacks that "originate or spread out from a point on the other side of the cover".

That's interesting. You seem to have quoted from PH p. 133. Your copy must be different from mine. Let me quote from mine.

These bonuses, however, only apply to attacks that originate or spread out from a point on the other side of the cover.

Exactly opposite to what you quoted. I suggest you have another read of p. 133 ... or if you got this rule from somewhere else, tell me where.