Low-level area effect attacks

[Felon]

I've got some players who rely a little too much on pets to take all of their damage for them. I thought a little area effect damage might shake them up a bit, but I don't want to lob fireballs at them, just shake them up a little.

So, what I need are some weak area-effect options that can do roughly 10 points or so of damage, primarily from spells or monster special abilities. Burning hands springs to mind. Any thoughts?

 

[the Jester]

Weak breath weapons? Maybe a low-level dragon of some kind?

 

[the Jester]

Oooh, hey, also, if you use psionics there's swarm of crystal.

 

[domino]

You can't just have archers and the like just not attack the pets as much?

 

[Hypersmurf]

I've got some players who rely a little too much on pets to take all of their damage for them. I thought a little area effect damage might shake them up a bit, but I don't want to lob fireballs at them, just shake them up a little.

So, what I need are some weak area-effect options that can do roughly 10 points or so of damage, primarily from spells or monster special abilities. Burning hands springs to mind. Any thoughts?

A couple of Sound Bursts?

Two Shocker Lizards?

Lethal Shock (Su): Whenever two or more shocker lizards are within 20 feet of each other, they can work together to create a lethal shock. This effect has a radius of 20 feet, centered on any one contributing lizard. The shock deals 2d8 points of electricity damage for each lizard contributing to it, to a maximum of 12d8. A Reflex save (DC 10 + number of lizards contributing) reduces the damage by half.

It's an average of 4d8, which is a bit more than 10... but you could modify it to be 2d8 points for each lizard beyond the first, in which case two lizards would deal 2d8 damage. On the other hand, a DC12 Reflex save isn't overwhelming, so you might get away with leaving it as 4d8...

-Hyp.

 

[domino]

Color spray also would be pretty nasty.

 

[jgbrowning]

Sleep's pretty much an area affect spell.

joe b.

 

[Woas]

try some Alchemist fire

 

[JollieRoger]

Burning Hands 1d4 per caster level max 5d4

Swarms they cover a 10ft space and are large enough to cover 4 spaces

 

[galaga88]

A wizard in my D&D ran rampant over hordes of low-level baddies with his web spell. Sure it's not damage, but it effectively removes them from the battle.