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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 9636954" data-attributes="member: 2629">This is incorrect.I have not done the math recently, but it tends to help people that do not trust the calculations to spell out the number sense of it by talking about the dice combinations to show work. To get to 21, on 8,8 you only need to roll a combined 5 on the two extra dice which happens 83% of the time... that by itself accounts for about a 1.3% chance.  Then there are the opportunities to get there on 8,7,6+ (1.17%); 8,6,7+ (0.78%) ; 8,5,8 (.39%) ; 8,4,8 (0.39%); 8,3,8,2+ (0.34%), 8,2,8,3+ (0.29); 8,1,8,4 (0.24)... which adds up to just shy of 5%Except you're ignoring the word selectively ... making the decision to roll for empower when you have information about the other dice and can select whether to use them or not gives you options.  Put another way: If I case firebolt at 5th level and do not crit, empower spell will never get me to 21 damage.  However, if I cast sorcerous burst and get an 8 on a die (which happens in 15/64 of cases), I can elect to use sorcerous burst to increase my odds of getting there ... with the chances of it occurring increasing if I can leave in place an 8 I already rolled.    If I roll 8,3 initially, then a 4 on the bonus dice - I get to reroll that 3 and 4 and potentially get another 8 on one of the dice, or a 7 an 6 on both dice, or ...I listed out the main ones.  It is also worth noting that homebrew monsters, for many DMs, tend to have more of them - so YMMV.  I have a DM that ran a frost campaign in which nearly everything was immune to cold and vulnerable to fire.  I would not advocate for that approach ... but DMs do what they do.  To be clear:  As a sorcerer - right now - I would take this as my second damaging cantrip.  I would use it selectively for a few situations:1.) To avoid / target resistances and immunities.2.) If I know how many hps to target and it hits just above the damage I can do with a non-crit on my higher average damage cantrip.3.) When breaking concentration is absolute key and I only have cantrips to use.4.) Attacking objects if my primary cantrip doesn't damage them.5.) Potentially range issues (vs poison spray as a primary).6.) RP reasons (I want to deal acid or psychic damage as part of an intimidation tactic).7.) When the potential fun of exploding dice are worth giving up the efficiency.  It is just fun to roll.In the future, I expect this cantrip will get support and see increased utility - like a MtG card that goes from trash to top tier when a future set adds the right compliment.</blockquote>

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