Fireball or Lightning Bolt?

[MacMathan]

With the relative nerfing of lightning bolt, IMO, in 3.5 I have to say Fireball has been a better choice for my mages. Energy substitution is a big help to any mage and makes up for the fire immunity issue.

Of course then you don't get to hear the "lightingboltlightnigboltlightingbolt" jokes.

 

[frankthedm]

Give me a Lightning Bolt anyday. Most DMs in my playgroup give a 2 point penalty to saves for those in metal armor, so I might be biased.

first post after board revival WOOT!

 

[Myrkveth]

'Area of Effect' over 'Line of Effect'

I'll take the area of effect over a line any day. The bad guys rarely stand in a line for me to mow them down with Lightning Bolt, but are usually clustered enough in an area that I can get 'em ALL with FIREBALL. (c:

 

[kolikeos]

for me it'll be fireball all the way, for sheer blow-up quality! you can't get any better then a classic fireball, no, not even with a magic missile!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I didn't vote, as I can't imagine having only one of the spells. Maybe if some kind of metamagic feat were available to switch energy types, but a lot of such feats are kind of broken.

I've got a wizard now who prepares one fireball and two lightning bolt spells. Fireball is better, but I just prefer lightning bolt.

 

[gamecat]

Lightning Bolt. I'll take a scalpel over a sledgehammer any day.

 

[JimAde]

Fireball for the indirect-fire effect. As a mage you should be behind your meat shields friends anyway, so it's nice to be able to put the center of the blast behind the enemies and not barbecue your party.

Of course if you can get Sculpt Spell you can have the best of both worlds with one spell.

 

[Crothian]

They both got nerfed though...Fireball was better when it filled a certain volume and Lightning bolts were much more fun when they bounced

 

[IronWolf]

Fireball for me! Everything looks like combustible fuel when we have one of those!

 

[KB9JMQ]

LIghtning bolt. Waay too much fire resistance out there.