D&D 5E Power Gamers Guide to Elemental Evil Players Companion

[Diamabel]

Yes. But it is best to use the full spell over just half or 75% of it.

I'd call it 90%, but no matter

Point being.. the spell is worthwhile to cast, even without getting 100% effect.. it is just that good!

 

[TarionzCousin]

Yeah, if you can't even use medium armor, it makes no sense you can fly the orc off the cliff

You can grapple drag him and yourself off the cliff though, and fly away.

This is why my Aarakocra grappler always carries a cliff with him.

 

[Falling Icicle]

And yikes, Immolate stinks. Is it just me, or does WOTC seem to think damage over time is an advantage compared to just dealing it all up front? Like Acid Arrow vs. Scorching Ray, particularly the heightened versions.

Immolation is really underwhelming for a 5th level spell. A flaming sphere cast in a 5th level slot deals 5d6 per round and it can affect multiple creatures, be moved from one target to another, and doesn't end the instant a creature succeeds on the saving throw against it. That said, immolation isn't totally worthless. It could be effective against creatures with poor Dex saving throws, and it does have a disintegrate-like ability to reduce a creature to ash if it drops it to 0 hp.

 

[trentonjoe]

What 's the purpose of "in either case" in the last sentence? If it the object is aimed at a "person" the target can make a DEX save to avoid, right?

Catapult
1st-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 150 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Choose one object weighing 1 to 5 pounds within range
that isn’t being worn or carried. The object flies in a
straight line up to 90 feet in a direction you choose
before falling to the ground, stopping early if it impacts
against a solid surface. If the object would strike a
creature, that creature must make a Dexterity saving
throw. On a failed save, the object strikes the target and
stops moving. In either case, both the object and the
creature or solid surface take 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

This is why my Aarakocra grappler always carries a cliff with him.

While we're talking about grappling and flying, it's worth noting that:

1.) Air Elementals can fly twice as fast as Aarakocras, and have no issues with weight limits.
2.) Air Elementals have Str 14 and are reasonably good at grappling if you Hex the enemy.
3.) Air Elementals can grapple creatures up to size Huge, and when grappling Small creatures they move at full speed.
4.) If you're on a cliff already, you could just Push the enemy off the cliff instead of doing a grapple/pull.

I'm not saying Aarakocras don't have me excited, I'm just pointing out that you don't have to be an Aarakocra to drop an enemy for lots of falling damage.

 

[Diamabel]

What 's the purpose of "in either case" in the last sentence? If it the object is aimed at a "person" the target can make a DEX save to avoid, right?

Catapult
1st-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 150 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Choose one object weighing 1 to 5 pounds within range
that isn’t being worn or carried. The object flies in a
straight line up to 90 feet in a direction you choose
before falling to the ground, stopping early if it impacts
against a solid surface. If the object would strike a
creature, that creature must make a Dexterity saving
throw. On a failed save, the object strikes the target and
stops moving. In either case, both the object and the
creature or solid surface take 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

I read it as this:
case 1: object hits solid surface and stops, dealing 3d8 bludgeoning damage to object and surface
case 2: object hits creature- if creature fails on save, object strikes creature and stops, dealing 3d8 damage (to object and creature) if creature succeeds on save, object misses creatures and continues to travel until it reaches 90' or strikes a solid surface (dealing 3d8 to the object and surface)

 

[trentonjoe]

That makes sense, I knew I was missing something.

 

[I'm A Banana]

What 's the purpose of "in either case" in the last sentence? If it the object is aimed at a "person" the target can make a DEX save to avoid, right?

Catapult
1st-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 150 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Choose one object weighing 1 to 5 pounds within range
that isn’t being worn or carried. The object flies in a
straight line up to 90 feet in a direction you choose
before falling to the ground, stopping early if it impacts
against a solid surface. If the object would strike a
creature, that creature must make a Dexterity saving
throw. On a failed save, the object strikes the target and
stops moving. In either case, both the object and the
creature or solid surface take 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

Looks like a missing sentence -- something maybe along the lines of On a successful save, the object misses the creature but strikes the solid surface nearest the creature. 'at's how I plan in interpreting it, anyway.

 

[Minigiant]

Pyromancy

Cantrips
Fire Bolt
Control Flame (Not Evocation)
Create bonfire (Not Evocation)
Produce Flame (Not Evocation)

1st
Absorb Element -fire (Wiz only, Not Evocation))
Burning Hands
Chromatic Orb -fire (Not Evocation)

2nd
Flaming Sphere (Wiz only)
Scorching Ray
Aganazzar's Scorcher
Pryotechnics (Not Evocation)

3rd
Fireball
Flame Arrows (Not Evocation)
Melf's Minute Meteors

4th
Conjure Minor Elementals (Wiz Only, Not Evocation)
Elemental Bane (Wiz and Lock only, (Not Evocation)
Fire Shield (Wizard and Fiendlock only)
Wall of Fire

5th
Conjure Elemental (Wizard only, Not Evocation)
Flame Strike (Fiendlock only)
Immolation

6th
Investiture of Flame (Not Evocation)

7th
Delayed Blast Fireball
Fire Storm

8th
Incendiary Cloud (Not Evocation)

9th
Meteor Storm

Fiendlock gets flamestrike, produce flame, and permanent resist.
Wizards get more exclusive spells.
Sorcerers can apply metamagic and subclass to all spells.

 

[Uchawi]

That's the double edged sword of less rigid mechanics for general actions.

Noncasters can do a lot on their own due to the few restrictions and freeform easy action resolution.

In turn, you need fewer noncaster classes as there are fewer rule restrictions to break.

For the elemental evil PDF, I expected little for noncasters outside of new races. And after races, only blasty casters got new spells. And only as options and not many full on buffs. Another more combat based PDF would have to contain more martial and skill stuff. I was surprised to see no war feats in the Mass Combat UA.

It is a double edge sword that does not need to exist. You can have a freeform action resolution for any class ability (martial or casters) and still provide detailed abilities. Overall casters are just as simple, but they have something to look forward to when expanding ability.