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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6354864" data-attributes="member: 42582">Disintegrate has to "hit" too; it's just that the "hit" chance is mediated via the saving throw mechanic (so the defender rolls the d20) rather than the attack mechanic (which has the attacker roll the d20).With Finger of Death there is "DoaM", otherwise known as half damage on a save, but that is going to be in the neighbourhood of 30 hp, which will not render unconscious the average wizard of that level until s/he has already take a reasonable amount of damage.The fact that 13th level archers deliver their damage in smaller packets but at large numbers slightly increases the likelihood of average damage coming up, but rolling the large numbers of dice these attack spells call for is going to have a strong averaging tendency also. So I don't really see any fundamental difference.For a concrete example: a 13th level fighter has +12 to hit (20 DEX, prof, archery style) and can make 4 attacks (three plus action surge), each doing 1d8+5, for overall expected damage (ignoring to hit chance and criticals for the moment) of 38.Let's suppose the wizard's AC is 15 (from Mage Armour and +2 DEX). Then the fighter hits on a 3 or better, or 9/10 of the time, for expected damage of 32.6. There is also .4 chance of a crit (.1 per attack, x 4 attacks), for +1.6 additional damage. So the expected damage, overall, is 34.2. That's not as much as the spell attack, but the spell attack damage is not repeatable, whereas the archery is (at 3/4 the output - only one action surge).NPC wizards will be dangerous in situations in which the GM treats them as having all their highest level slots available and good to go, but that has been an issue in all versions of D&D except 4e.</blockquote>

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