D&D 5E (2024) Fireball Vs Chromatic Orb Late Tier 2 Thoughts.

[ECMO3]

I play a lot of games to level 1-20, but I multiclass a lot too, so I have never played a single class from 1-20. Closest to 20th level I got in a single class is an 18th level Bladesinger Wizard, but she has 2 levels of Death Cleric (2014 rules).

I've never played a 5E Barbarian and I don't think I would. I just don't find the trope very compelling. Also the limits on spell use while Raging really make it unlikely I would play it. In is not being a non-caster, I play lots of Rogues and a fair amount of Fighters, but they don't have those restrictions on spells. I have thought about doing a Rage Mage - A pure melee Abjuration Wizard with 5 or 6 levels of Barbarian and Armor of Agathys through the Runecarver feat, but it would need to be a particular campaign.

I have only played 1 level of Druid. I took that level at 18th level (11 Ranger/1 Monk/5 Bard/1 Druid), that character took her last two levels in Ranger and is the only "Druid" I have played.

I only played one Artificer and she died at level 3. Swore off the class after that.

Other than those three classes, I played all the other classes multiple times each. I play more Rangers and Rogues than anything else.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Critical hits and paralysis is what you're missing. 6d8 becomes 12d8 vs 9d6 no save.

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though? Even if there are multiple targets paralysed through upcasting, are they really likely to be close enough to each other?

 

[FrogReaver]

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though? Even if there are multiple targets paralysed through upcasting, are they really likely to be close enough to each other?

If all those foes are paralyzed why waste another higher level slot on chromatic orb? I don’t get it.

 

[Zardnaar]

Is getting the crit damage against multiple paralysed targets particularly common though? Even if there are multiple targets paralysed through upcasting, are they really likely to be close enough to each other?

Not super common for multiples but a question was asked about why use CO. Its a reason. I don't include it in damage calculations.

They're thriving around hold spells. One encounter I had was bhaslist assassins 7 of them CT2. 5 and 8 iirc.

All 7 got paralyzed 2 were free crits and I think there was a third crit.

They had terrible wisdom saves and the players don't like murder aura ability.

Often its 1 target if paralyzed maybe 2 if they're adjacent. Lower level ones tend to get used. A lvl 1 CO vs paralyzed bounced 92% of the time lvl 2 is 97% iirc.