Fireball or Lightning Bolt?

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

Let's say you can only have one or the other for your character. Which do you go with?

For me, I know Fireball has it all over Lightning Bolt in sheer game mechanics (20' spread and 400'+ range vs. 120' range line), but stylistically I dig the thunderbolt. Something very primal about it, the kind of thing you'd imagine some pagan god throwing around, while fireballs just remind me of Tim the Enchanter from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. And from a gamer standpoint, I'd gamble that a lot more bad guys have fire resistance than electrical resistance.

Vote and weigh in. Let's settle this once and for all.

 

[Percivellian]

A lightning bolt sets things on fire. Fireball doesn't.

Lightning bolt it is (I also find myself agreeing with the reasons you stated as well).

 

[Teflon Billy]

I'm with you.

But only because "mopping up the mooks" is a fighter's job, not a wizard's.

Lightning bolt is a lot easier to launch at (approaching) ground zero when surrounded by your party members.

 

[Crothian]

Fewer things seem to be immune to electricity then fire as well.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

A lightning bolt sets things on fire. Fireball doesn't.

Nope. You've made the right choice, but for the wrong reason. From the SRD:

The fireball sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in the area. It can melt metals with a low melting point, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, or bronze.

 

[derelictjay]

I always pick the lit-ning bolt over fireball. Seem rooms are always to small to lob fireballs around.

 

[Rassilon]

Fireball.

Lightning Bolt is actually better in the campaign I'm in (less fire resistance, allies in melee, etc), but Fireball is - just - what - wizards - do.

In the campaign I run, the Wizardess just made 5th and took fireball.

She got 10 points when I received her character sheet and under 'Special Qualities' was "BOOM".


Rassilon.

 

[demiurge1138]

Lightning bolt is a lot of fun. It's fast, convenient, at a gamist advantage... and there's all the Emperor quotes you can throw around when you use it.

"So be it... dragon!"
FZZT

Demiurge out.

 

[Aeric]

I chose fireball. Energy resistance nonwithstanding (energy substitution takes care of that later anyways), it's an arcane caster's first truly effective AoE attack, and it's loads of fun. If there's a single high-HP baddie facing the party, let the others wolf-pack it. If there's a crowd of mooks, fireball!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I didn't vote because what I would choose would depend on my PC.

And trust me, either way I'm taking Energy Substitution more than once...Ball Lightning, Cones of Acid, Sonic Strike, Freezing Hands, Fire Storm...

I love the change-up!