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Message: <blockquote data-quote="charlesatan" data-source="post: 3446841" data-attributes="member: 20870">1) Flavor-wise, there will be arguments whether the orb spells work or not. "What makes sense" is relative especially when magic is involved. You can think of the orb spells as a spellcaster conjuring a virtual hand grenade of the appropriate element. Or you don't believe it should ignore SR, it's still a magical force. Suffice to say, if you want to believe in it enough, you'll find an explanation. If you don't want to, you'll find a counter-explanation.2) Game mechanics-wise, I like the orbs. Mainly because it gives the mages something to do when facing magic immune creatures aside from the "hide behind the fighter argument". I'm a firm believer that the party should contribute something to every encounter no matter how big or small (and so I'm a fan of encounter traps as well as it gives the other party members aside from the Rogue something to do).3) Contrary to what some of you might believe, the Orbs aren't intruding in the area of evokers. A) The orb spells aren't an auto-hit--you need to make a ranged touch attack roll. It's easier to hit than a normal ranged attack but it's far from an auto-hit. Also bear in mind that spellcasters tend to have crappy BAB bonuses. A 10th-level Wizard let's assume will have an attack bonus of +8 (+5 from BAB, +3 from Dex [+1 normal, +2 cat's grace]). A Rogue will probably have a touch AC of 18 (10 base, +1 deflection (ring of protection), +7 Dex [+5 normal, +2 cat's grace]). That's around a 45% miss chance. Of course less nimble classes will be easier to hit but then again, they will have more hit points. B) Game mechanics-wise, except in situations where the challenges your party is facing actually has SR or spell immunity, I'll most likely go for other spells, such as Lightning Bolt or Fireball. They're one level lower for one thing. For another they affect multiple targets. And they are auto-hits (except with people with Evasion). And occupy a lower spell slot (for metamagic goodness).4) Orb of Force for me is different from the other "elemental" Orbs. Yes, it is quite good. But that's also why the damage cap has been lowered compared to the other orbs.5) The orbs for me are a nice addition to the set of energy subtype spells. I mean aside from ray of frost and ice storm, how many other cold spells are there below 5th-level and pre-Spell Compedium? (Protection from Energy fits the bill but that's leaning more towards defense rather than offense.)</blockquote>

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