Poll: Which Wizard 5th daily is best?

[brehobit]

For those of you with the books...

• Bigby’s Icy Grasp : 2d8+Int damage vs. 1 target, grabs them. sustainable and movable.
• Fireball: 3d6+INT, burst 3
• Stinking Cloud: d10+INT, burst 2, sustainable and movable.
• Web: burst 2, those hit are immobilized (save to end). Lasts 5 minutes, area is difficult terrain and anyone ending turn in it is immobilized.

Humm, I think as written web is almost impossible to escape. You need to make a save to move, but saves are made at the end of the round. If you make the save after all your actions, you can't move that turn, then you are again immobilized because you ended your turn there. Am I missing something?

Question answered below. Thanks Gloombunny

 

[Nifft]

I like Fireball. It's really big, and the damage is significant.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Loghren]

It's gonna take a long, long time to get used to not getting 1d6/level (Max 10d6) for Fireball.

 

[Baka no Hentai]

You know, I really cant decide. Several of them seem to be really useful in different situations.

 

[Gloombunny]

You've misread the text of Web. It immobilizes any creature that ends its move in the web, not any creature that ends its turn. If you spend your turn immobilized and then save, you didn't end your move in the web because you didn't have a move that turn. So you can walk out on your next turn.

 

[brehobit]

I think fireball loses hands-down to stinking cloud.

Fireball does 3d6 + INT, half if you miss.

Stinking cloud does d10+INT if the attack hits, then d10+INT again when the target gets a turn. So 2d10+INTx2, half if you miss. It does have a smaller area, but it can be sustained. Plus, but spending a minor and move action you can keep doing the d10+INT every round in many/most fights. Obviously, if someone moves the targets when it isn't their turn, the damage can be negated.

With an INT of 18 and a hit, fireball does 14.5 on the average, and the cloud does 19...

 

[Hellzon]

Stinking Cloud is your friendly neighbourhood 2*2 poison vortex that floats around the battlefield and kills approximately 2 minions* per round. I voted for it.

Icy Grasp focuses on one dude and keeps him immobilized, while dealing damage. That and Web can be useful if the party has many ranged combatants.

*) A much more realistic estimate than 4, I think.

 

[Fobok]

I'm tempted to say Fireball, since it's so iconic, but Web really does seem like it would have the most use.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Of these spells, Web is the one that says "Controller" to me. You are a Wizard. Your job is to shape the battlefield to the advantage of your team.

That said, Stinking Cloud could be very, very resource efficient when employed against hordes, especially in a drawn out battle. If you are a resource management wonk, this is an attractive option.

Fireball is a quick hit. Not my style, but I can understand the attraction.

Bigby's Icy Grasp is competing with the Strikers. I would prefer to leave it to them to annoy single dangerous foes, although I understand it might be very practical to have such an option in my kit as well.

 

[Incenjucar]

Only reason I can see going for Bigby's Cold Hand is you if you're working the cold damage type with the applicable feats and such.

Being able to immobilize them is only really great if they're taking damage while immobile, and lacking both luck and larceny, I can't check to see if you have any good options for holding someone down in a bog of doom.