Zardnaar
Legend
What are better long range AoE options? I skimmed trough 5.5 rules, didn't go into all the spells and what changed. Also, did they give pure martials any real AoE options? That was their weak point in 5e.
Depends on what you count as long range.
Commands being used a lot along with new Tashas hideous laughter. Level 1 stun locks vs singular targets.
Spirit Guardians and Chromatic orb for damage side helping of control.
You can also upcast hunger of hadar now, old favorites like fear, slow, and Hypnotic Pattern.
With even more bloat and increased martial damage.....
Level 12 stress test they were twinning hold monster on 2-3 targets and using hunger of hadar or whatever and the world tree barbarian was teleporting foes into the hunger along with repelling blast and other forced movement. Anything that survived ran into Paladin or Champion Fighter and they were often blind/feared or whatever.
Anything with a meh wisdom save gets wrecked by stun locks and paralysis.
I was throwing 3 CR 14s at them, 8 CR 5s abd 12+ CR2 at them.
Soelkxasyers turned up but you really need 1 counterspeller per PC primary caster almost.
Spellcasters cant kill stuff fast enough the fighter/barbarian/playing could.
Level 12 martial put out 300 odd damage in one round iirc. 9 or 10 attacks.