Why does Ice Storm suck?

[Caliban]

Isn't it impact damage? So DR would effect it? Like dropping a wall of stone on something with DR. DR would absorb some of the damage right?

Creeping Doom is another example. It specifically says DR reduces the damage from the bugs.

The damage is from a spell, and spells ignore DR. That's the ruling the Sage made in the case of Blade Barrier, and this would seem to be a similar case.

On the other hand, The wall of stone created by the spell is not magical in nature, and would be subject to DR as normal.

 

[Stalker0]

DR doesn't apply against magic spells, no matter the type.

 

[Nail]

DR doesn't apply against magic spells, no matter the type.

Really?

I hate to get all "where's the quote?" on you, but: "Where's the quote?"

If so,...well, that seems to contradict how magical/mundane physical damage works in other cases. After all , a +1 shocking, flaming keen vorpal weapon can't get it's physical damage through DR (right?) so it's the "plus" that seems to be making the difference, not whether or not the physical damage is "magical".

But then again: since when is 3e "rational"? (shrug)

 

[der_kluge]

Not sure if there is anything official on "impact" damage. It's not a damage type I'm all that familiar with.

As far as the "cold" damage is concerned, casting Ice Storm on a fire elemental, the cold damage would be doubled, but not the impact damage.

You'd be better off casting something like snowball (variant fireball) than ice storm against a fire elemental, anyway.

 

[Xarlen]

The rule of thumb is, if it effects SR, then it doesn't effect DR. If it effects DR, it doesn't effect SR.

Yes, the spell can't be resisted. But it's only 5d6 points of damage. Which is how much someone would take from a saved Fireball at 10th level (even if you can cast it starting at 7th level).

This spell is a little weak for a 4th level spell (Take a look at Acid Orb, 15d6 damage, plus effect, or spread out). Polymorph Other (Save or die), Phantasmal Killer (Dual save or die).

 

[Dr. NRG]

Is it good for every situation? No. Is it good for some situations? Yes.

These situations, as has been pointed out, are hitting creatures with high saves, evasion, fire resistance, cold weakness, or several types of elemental resistance. Whether it "sucks" depends on how often you run into those circumstances.

As for the argument that direct damage in general is weak, I'd say that applies more broadly than the topic at hand warrants. The question really seems to be whether this spell is better than others in the same category (be that category 4th level arcane spells or direct damage spells).

Sculpt spell works pretty well with this one, as well as doing a nice job on flame strike...

NRG

 

[Plane Sailing]

Perhaps the simplest fix to Ice Storm would be to reinstate it's secondary casting effect from 2e:

"or driving sleet falls in a 40ft radius area for one round per caster level. The sleet blinds creatures within its area for the duration of the spell and causes the ground in the area to be icy, thus slowing movement by 50% and making it slippery {I'd suggest treat as grease spell}. The sleet also extinguishes torches and small fires".

A neat alternative might be to include this effect at the same time as the impact and cold damage, so it blinds for that round and the area remains slippery for 1r per level. That would be a 4th level spell that would stand up nicely against polymorph/stoneskin/etc

 

[Xarlen]

A neat alternative might be to include this effect at the same time as the impact and cold damage, so it blinds for that round and the area remains slippery for 1r per level. That would be a 4th level spell that would stand up nicely against polymorph/stoneskin/etc

Me snitch.

 

[Staffan]

Perhaps the simplest fix to Ice Storm would be to reinstate it's secondary casting effect from 2e:

"or driving sleet falls in a 40ft radius area for one round per caster level. The sleet blinds creatures within its area for the duration of the spell and causes the ground in the area to be icy, thus slowing movement by 50% and making it slippery {I'd suggest treat as grease spell}. The sleet also extinguishes torches and small fires".

That's a separate spell in 3e, sleet storm. 3rd level Wizard spell or 4th level Druid spell.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Now I wonder why they did something stupid like that?