Flamebrand vs. Chain Lightning

[bleedthefreak]

Is it me or is flamebrand excessivly powerful? The mage in my party is level 10 (11 after last night) and he can consistantly hit everyone with a DC 26 Flamebrand for 10d6 damage, and it hits a medium area (200ft for him) and strike within that area 10 (!) targets for 10d6 damage.

Comparing that with Chain Lightning, which strikes only those within 30 feet of each other, and admittatly at long range, the damage drops to 1/2 after the first strike (20d6 maxium, 10d6 secondary bolts). Flame brand caps out at 15d6. Which would you rather do, 15 targets at 15d6 or a few targets a 20d6 (primary) and 10d6 (secondary) and be hitting far fewer targets? Am I missing something with Chain Lightning, or is Flamebrand broken?

NOTE: Flamebrand is in Magic of Faerun (where my campaign is located). The Mages DC is high due to a high intelligence, his being an elemental savant, and a spell focus.

 

[StealthyMark]

A wizard in my campaign also wanted Firebrand (Wiz/Sor 5). At first, I said "Too powerful, up to level 6." After some thoughts, I compared the spell to Empowered Fireball.

Level: 5 vs 5
Damage cap: 15d6 vs 15d6
Save: +2 DC for Firebrand
Components: 50gp (Alchemists Fire) vs no cost
Effect: Effectively a free shapeable Fireball, though you need a line of sight to your targets.

I think Firebrand is fine as is.

 

[ashockney]

I concur that it's on the high end for it's spell level, but it is acceptable. One of the key differences is the burst effects. In many instances, the mage can get around this, since they are all small burst effects, but it is somewhat of a drawback.

 

[gfunk]

The main problems with Firebrand are that (1) the area of effect is massive (far, far more than a metamagicked fireball) and (2) the area is supremely sculptable, allowing you to separate enemies from allies.

I posted an argument that the spell was overpowered on the Wizard's boards, but Cust Serv thought that the fact that it dealt Fire damage (e.g. resisted by many things) made it balanced.

 

[bleedthefreak]

Not really like empowered fireball

It is far and away better since you can drop it around your friends and select EVERY target on the map with it, and avoid hitting friendly targets or damaging the nearby area. I am not going to pull it, I just think it is over powered, either that or Chain Lightning is very underpowered for the level (Six!)

 

[StealthyMark]

I agree. In open terrain, when you can see all your allies/enemies, Firebrand is absolutely superior to Fireball, Cone of Cold or Chain Lightning. In typical dungeons, a wizard standing in front of a door, has not much use of Firebrand (Chain Lightning, too), because he has to have a line of sight to each effect.

 

[bleedthefreak]

The main problems with Firebrand are that (1) the area of effect is massive (far, far more than a metamagicked fireball) and (2) the area is supremely sculptable, allowing you to separate enemies from allies.

I posted an argument that the spell was overpowered on the Wizard's boards, but Cust Serv thought that the fact that it dealt Fire damage (e.g. resisted by many things) made it balanced.

That is funny you say that, my player is playing an elemental savant (air) and he memorizes all energy spells as lightning (with one of the elemental feats, can't remember what it is called)..... this spell is an obvious wversight on WotC's part imho...

 

[Orco42]

That is funny you say that, my player is playing an elemental savant (air) and he memorizes all energy spells as lightning (with one of the elemental feats, can't remember what it is called)..... this spell is an obvious wversight on WotC's part imho...

That would be good ol' Energy Sub. from T&B. It is a really great feat.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Ball Lightning

Firebrand is damn powerful, but not as powerful as Ball Lightning, also a 5th level spell from the same book. You get a number of balls of lightning up to 1/level and a number of d6's to divide among them equal to 1/level. Thing is, a ball is not destroyed when it attacks, and sticks around for 1 round/level. At ninth level, you could have one ball doing 9d6 damage for 9 rounds...or 81d6!!!!

About the only drawback I can see is that you have to maintain concentration on the ball....but even that might not be too hard given enough distance from the enemy.

My friend's sorceror was insane in one of our campaigns, throwing around energy substituted sonic brands and ball sonics...made me glad I wasn't the DM.

 

[gfunk]

BTW, in Magic of Faerun errata Ball Lightning has been totally re-written. In a nutshell, the balls hit their target and stop w/o moving further. If anybody is foolish enough to touch or strike the balls with melee weapons, they take furter electrical damage.