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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shadowdweller00" data-source="post: 6713487" data-attributes="member: 6778479">We are all very much aware of the official spell interpretation.  Your assessment of its power is not even remotely correct; and more or less proof you haven't actually seen the spell used.  Every attack used against the animals is an attack that is not leveled against the caster or their (original) allies.  Most summoned beasts can survive multiple strikes from both PCs AND monsters*.  AoE abilities can occasionally remove them all - except that the caster gets to choose where the animals appear, and whether they appear in an appropriate formation.  The damage output of even the weakest CR 1/4 beast is considerable when there are 8 of them.* (For at least the first few levels that Conjure Animals comes into play.  Higher-CR monsters can eventually one-shot the summoned critters of course, but the spell can be upgraded to summon more of them so that the attacks neutralize a smaller percentage of the summoned forces).My experience differs sharply. Many monsters have either no ranged attacks or ranged attacks that are very considerably weaker than their melee attacks.  It is furthermore very easy to deny or impose penalties on ranged counterattacks by dropping prone, moving behind companions, or moving behind walls.  On top of this, there are a plethora of attacks and abilities that force movement through the area.  Including for example: Thorn Whip, Thunderwave, Tidal Wave, the Battlemaster's pushing attack, the paladin's Thunderous Smite, the open-hand-monk's Open Hand Technique.  Not to mention the variety of other spells and effects that cause damage if enemies within the spike growth area do NOT move. Flaming Sphere deals damage BOTH when it is rammed into an enemy (as a bonus action) AND when an enemy ends their turn adjacent to it.  While it is frequently simple for enemies to end their turn away from the sphere - it is also occasionally possible to place the sphere in a position where enemies cannot BOTH move away AND avoid attacks of opportunity from melee combatants.  In contrast to Heat Metal, Flaming Sphere does not require enemies to be bearing metal armor or armaments, can affect multiple creatures per round, and can be retargeted once the initial enemy has fallen.Heat Metal still has its (niche) uses. A lizardfolk shaman casting the spell on the party fighter and then ducking down into the swamp muck while the unfortunate warrior cooks is certainly amusing. But it is not the game-breaker that some would claim it is.</blockquote>

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