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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7229084" data-attributes="member: 58172">Here is a closer look at low level damage spells. Fireball at 3rd spell slot level sets the standard for all higher levels. But 1st and 2nd slots benefit from more attention.Starting with the 1st slot multi-target damage spells:[CODE][FONT=Courier New][B][COLOR=#0000CD]1st Spell Slot Level[/COLOR][/B][B]Eldritch Knight[/B]Arms of Hadar&nbsp; • 2d6 necr&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ( Str ½&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ) creatures in M&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; • no reaction for turnHail of Thorns • 1d10 pier; RW&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ( AC; Dex ½ ) creatures in RW, 5 rad •Earth Tremor&nbsp;&nbsp; • 1d6 blud&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ( Dex&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ) creatures in M&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; • prone; diffic terrBurning Hands&nbsp; • 3d6 fire&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ( Dex ½&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ) creatures in M 15 cone •Thunderwave&nbsp; &nbsp; • 2d8 thun&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ( Con ½&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ) creatures in M 15 cube • push 10[B]Not Bad[/B]Ice Knife&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; • d10 pier; 2d6 cold ( AC; Dex&nbsp;&nbsp; ) creatures in S 5 rad&nbsp;&nbsp; •RangeM: Melee (15 feet or less)C: Close (upto 30 feet)RW: Ranged WeaponS: Short Range (upto 300 feet)[/FONT][/CODE]At 1st slot, multi-target damage has mainly two area types. About 10 feet radius in Melee around the caster, or about 5 feet radius at range.The 5 feet radius at range is seldom of use, counting moreso as a single-target attack, with the possibility of one or more other targets as a situational perk. Thus Ice Knife is roughly comparable to the single target damage of Chromatic Orb and Catapult. Similarly, Hail of Thorns equates to Ranged Weapon damage + 1d10 on a single target, which is Not Bad for a spell slot if the Ranged Weapon damage itself is excellent.For the Melee range, the effects tend to be more valuable than the minor extra damage. Thus Thunderwave with its push effect is slightly better than Burning Hands with its extra 1 hit point damage.Possibly Earth Tremor despite its negligible damage could be slightly better than both, because its prone effect grants advantage; except it is tactically awkward for allies to attack the prone creatures because the allies, if present, would be knocked prone too.Arms of Hadar is Less Useful, less helpful unless surrounded by several very-low hit point hostiles.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 7229084, member: 58172"] Here is a closer look at low level damage spells. Fireball at 3rd spell slot level sets the standard for all higher levels. But 1st and 2nd slots benefit from more attention. Starting with the 1st slot multi-target damage spells: [CODE][FONT=Courier New] [B][COLOR=#0000CD]1st Spell Slot Level[/COLOR][/B] [B]Eldritch Knight[/B] Arms of Hadar • 2d6 necr ( Str ½ ) creatures in M • no reaction for turn Hail of Thorns • 1d10 pier; RW ( AC; Dex ½ ) creatures in RW, 5 rad • Earth Tremor • 1d6 blud ( Dex ) creatures in M • prone; diffic terr Burning Hands • 3d6 fire ( Dex ½ ) creatures in M 15 cone • Thunderwave • 2d8 thun ( Con ½ ) creatures in M 15 cube • push 10 [B]Not Bad[/B] Ice Knife • d10 pier; 2d6 cold ( AC; Dex ) creatures in S 5 rad • Range M: Melee (15 feet or less) C: Close (upto 30 feet) RW: Ranged Weapon S: Short Range (upto 300 feet) [/FONT][/CODE] At 1st slot, multi-target damage has mainly two area types. About 10 feet radius in Melee around the caster, or about 5 feet radius at range. The 5 feet radius at range is seldom of use, counting moreso as a single-target attack, with the possibility of one or more other targets as a situational perk. Thus Ice Knife is roughly comparable to the single target damage of Chromatic Orb and Catapult. Similarly, Hail of Thorns equates to Ranged Weapon damage + 1d10 on a single target, which is Not Bad for a spell slot if the Ranged Weapon damage itself is excellent. For the Melee range, the effects tend to be more valuable than the minor extra damage. Thus Thunderwave with its push effect is slightly better than Burning Hands with its extra 1 hit point damage. Possibly Earth Tremor despite its negligible damage could be slightly better than both, because its prone effect grants advantage; except it is tactically awkward for allies to attack the prone creatures because the allies, if present, would be knocked prone too. Arms of Hadar is Less Useful, less helpful unless surrounded by several very-low hit point hostiles. [/QUOTE]

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