flaming sphere

[DiFier]

Does anyone feel that flaming sphere is overpowered? It does allow you 2 magical 'attacks' per round a 2d6 damage each.
That's a second level spell which could do up to 4d6 damage PER CASTER LEVEL.
Sure, it's no garantueed damage, but even if you 'hit' half the time you still do 2d6 damage per caster level. That's still al lot for a second level spell.

Wait, flaming sphere does 2d6 to one person. who gets a reflex save for no damage. each time that they are could be effected by it. it doesn't do 2d6 per caster level but lasts caster level # of rounds. it takes a MEA to move it. (I think) so while you can cast a spell (or attack) and have the sphere attack in one round that is all you can do.

 

[Henry]

A handy rule of thumb would be to let 6 gallons of water from a create water spell extinguish it - that way, it takes a 3rd level caster or higher to do it, same as the minimum level for the 'sphere.

 

[shurai]

Flaming Sphere overpowered? Well, let's think it over.

The saving throw DC is 15 or so, while the typical Reflex save for a 3rd level character is about about d20+2 to d20+6. So, the typical character will save about half of the time. At 3rd level, Flaming Sphere lasts three rounds. (2d6) * 3 / 2 is about 10.5 damage, so about 10-11 damage for the entire spell on average. Chances are the spellcaster in question will have to spend a MEA or two to make it actually strike things.

What about other spells? Melf's Acid Arrow is a good comparator. Melf's, at 3rd level, will last 2 rounds for an average of 10 damage for both rounds together. A wizard's ranged touch attack at +3 or so has about a 1/2 chance of hitting given that most Touch ACs are 10 to 15, and I believe they crit as well. So that cuts the average down to about 5 damage per casting at that level. The advantages, though, are that it can seriously disrupt spellcasters for a couple of rounds, has a longer effective range, and is 'fire and forget.' Also, a character can't run away from the effects as one could from the Sphere.

It's true that the Sphere lasts much longer than the Arrow as the caster level increases, but the chances of saving successfully grow much more quickly than the chances of avoiding a Touch Attack. Eventually, the Sphere will be all but useless while the Melf's still has a reasonable chance of dealing damage. Of course, at that point, the whole problem will be moot as neither will deal enough damage to matter, but overall I'd say the situation is much more balanced than it would appear.

-S

 

[peregrijn]

My bad.
One really has to read all of the entry carefully. I missed the bit that a sphere which enters an occupied square stop FOR THE REST OF THE ROUND. I guess an 'oops' is in order.
Off course you can move it both actions, just make sure you don't hit anything on the first run

My suggestion of possible overpowering was based on the mistaken assumption you could do damage twice in a round (as I mentioned in the earlier post), not on the one 'attack' per round as it turns out to be.

 

[shurai]

Actually, I hate to pick nits but I believe it only moves 30' per round no matter how many Move-Equivalent Actions the caster takes to move it around.

-S

 

[peregrijn]

Oops again it seems, although in this case I have mitigating circumstances. The description doesn't just say it can move 30 ft per round (missed that one too it seems) it also states that 'the sphere moves as long as you actively direct it (a move-equivalent action for you)'.

But it doesn't really say you can move it only once per round as a move-equivalent action. (Lame excuse, I know)

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I just wish it was an area of effect instead of just an effect spell, ten I could use sculpt spell on t and have a gigantic flaming, ball,cone, collum, or line jumping around.

 

[maddman75]

I despise the Sculpt Spell feat. I count it in the same category of Eagle Claw - a feat that lets you do something that you should be able to do anyway. What makes for a better game? Having every Ray of Enfeeblement look the same? Or having the Necromancer turn his arm to a flexible black serpent that bites at his foes while the elf conjures a blue cone of wind?

I'd let you shape a flaming sphere any way that you pleased, so long as it didn't alter the basic properties of the spell. And I still have these spells be vulnerable to identification by spellcraft.

We should always be free to customize the flavor text.

 

[maybeso]

I despise the Sculpt Spell feat.
<snip>

I'd let you shape a flaming sphere any way that you pleased, so long as it didn't alter the basic properties of the spell. And I still have these spells be vulnerable to identification by spellcraft.

We should always be free to customize the flavor text.

That's not a bad argument for giving the "Spell Thematics" feat (mof pg22) for free, at least the original and not the errata, but has very little to do with "sculpt spell" (t&b pg 42) that lets you change the AOE of spells to a small list of other shapes for a +1 level increase.

 

[Hypersmurf]

... so long as it didn't alter the basic properties of the spell.

As Maybeso points out, altering the basic properties of the spell is the point of the feat.

Converting Burning Hands to a 40' Cone is nice.

-Hyp.