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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7216098" data-attributes="member: 58172">Wall spells that deal ongoing damage.Incendiary Cloud is instructive. It is an 8th-level spell that is roughly identical to using an 8th-level spell slot to cast Fireball. In that sense, the damage is adequate for the level. Both spells target the same Dex save, dealing the same fire damage type, across the same 20 foot radius area.Additionally, Incendiary Cloud continues to burn in place to deal ongoing damage each turn, for upto 10 turns (1 minute).However, because creatures in the fire can simply walk out, this ongoing damage is unreliable, and its benefit negligible.Moreover, hostiles can easily head in the direction of allies to attack allies, making Incendiary Cloud less useful as a barrier.The cloud obscures vision, but this interferes with ally visibility as well as hostile visibility, making this feature a wash.The sense is, Incendiary Cloud is a mediocre spell, despite its adequate damage.Moreorless, it is just as useful to cast Fireball instead, using the 8th level slot. The circumstances are less likely, where it is worthwhile to prepare or know Incendiary Cloud as a separate spell.Incendiary Cloud is a Less Useful spell and is a cautionary tale of how not to design a high-level wall spell.For example, say this spell was instead called ‘Viscous Conflagration’. It explodes into an area of sticky burning goop. It is difficult terrain, slowing down escape, and possibly restraining hostiles in place within the fire, similar to a burning version of Black Tentacles. Moreover, this blazing goop clings to the hostiles continuing to burn, dealing the same ongoing damage, even after leaving the area, and requiring an action to extinguish − like ‘stop, drop, and roll’ thus becoming prone. It deals damage, the ongoing damage is deadly, it disables hostiles, and it serves as meaningful barrier for ‘crowd control’. As an *8th-level* spell, Incendiary Cloud should look more like ‘Viscous Conflagration’.</blockquote>

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