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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 3453307" data-attributes="member: 3424">I generally agree with the above.The main problem with the orb spells is that they are very effective against single targets - they have no saving throw (not for the damage, anyway), and they only require a touch attack. Generally speaking, it is more likely that a PC will succeed at his touch attack than his opponent will fail his saving throw. Spell resistance is an additional factor. Although not every opponent will have spell resistance, many will in a high-level game. The only real defences against them are energy resistance and immunity, and these affect the other spells, too.The other factor contributing to their effectiveness is that combat with single, powerful opponents (usually, the BBEG or his main allies or henchmen) are a staple of many games, and even when the PCs face multiple opponents, the numbers are probably in the low single digits. This makes area-effect spells comparatively less useful in-game.I am not convinced that the orb spells are broken, but I do believe that many DMs run games that favor them over area-effect spells.</blockquote>