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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MoogleEmpMog" data-source="post: 1710460" data-attributes="member: 22882">I love the idea of basing spells of of CRs, Saeviomagy, but those figures seem a little harsh.Cripple 0-1 higher? (by cripple, I'm guessing reduce to 50% hp or temporarily but significantly impair, ala blind/stun/sicken)Kill anything lower?Ouch.Let's look at some spells in the PHB.Disintegrate, a 6th-level spell (minimum level 11th) deals 22d6 damage when first obtained (asuming a failed save).  That's 77 average damage to a single target, 132 max.Barring massive damage saves, an average CR 11 hezrou (138 hp), CR 11 young adult black dragon (152 hp) or CR 11 elder fire elemental (204 hp) can't die from one of the game's most devastating offensive spells.  A typical CR 11 human fighter (87 hp), CR 11 devourer (78 hp) or CR 11 harpy archer (103 hp) won't die from the average damage.In fact, a glance at the monster manual shows that most monsters can't die from a single Disintegrate cast at the minimum caster level.A sorcerer adds two minimum dice of damage, which brings the hezrou into killable range and the devourer under the average.  But those creatures are than a CR below him and ought to be killable without question.  As a rule this spell, considered one of the game's strongest, doesn't meet the criteria you advanced.It's even worse for single-target damage spells.  Fireball?  5d6 (17.5 average, 30 max) against CR 5 monsters?  None are going to die from the *max*, much less the average.CR 10 and CR 4 monsters, respectively, can survive these spells with reasonable rolls.I think a better range would be:Single target:4 or more CRs below or less: That's gotta hurt!2-3 CRs below or less: That's (probably) going to take it out.1 CR below to equal CR: It's got about a 50-50 chance.1-2 CRs above: It'll feel it, but don't look for dead monsters.3 CRs or more above: You are like the buzzing of flies to it!Multiple targets:5 or more CRs below or less: That's gotta hurt!3-4 CRs below: You know who to hit with this spell.1-2 CRs below: It's got about a 50-50 chance.equal CR to 1 CR above: It'll feel it, but don't look for dead monsters.2 CRs or more above: You are like the buzzing of flies to them!</blockquote>

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