So the user can cast:
2 charges: 2 ball lightning spheres, single target, triggered, 5D4 lightning damage, 0 damage if saved
2 charges: 2 shooting star motes, multi-target, instantaneous, 5D4 fire damage, 2.5D4 damage if saved
Ball Lightning appears to be designed for control (and for light/pushing out in front of the group as they explore), but very little damage compared to Shooting Stars which is multi-target and does damage on a save.
Although ball lightning could control some NPCs, they shouldn't necessarily know that if they get within 5 feet, it discharges. That might be a difficult one for a DM to adjudicate fairly (do the NPCs avoid the adjacent square if using grids, or not?).
2 charges: 2 ball lightning spheres, single target, triggered, 5D4 lightning damage, 0 damage if saved
2 charges: 2 shooting star motes, multi-target, instantaneous, 5D4 fire damage, 2.5D4 damage if saved
Ball Lightning appears to be designed for control (and for light/pushing out in front of the group as they explore), but very little damage compared to Shooting Stars which is multi-target and does damage on a save.
Although ball lightning could control some NPCs, they shouldn't necessarily know that if they get within 5 feet, it discharges. That might be a difficult one for a DM to adjudicate fairly (do the NPCs avoid the adjacent square if using grids, or not?).