Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="kerbarian" data-source="post: 4849659" data-attributes="member: 40393">Wizard dailies, more than just about any other powers in the game, do have the ability to change the battlefield.  But they usually won't defeat anything by themselves.  They need to be combined with other powers and usually other characters' actions for full effect.If you just cast Stinking Cloud and try to chase enemies around with it, you'll do a fair amount of damage, but it's a clumsy tool, and the monsters will be able to avoid it to some degree, as you've seen.For full effect, you might try things like:Cast Icy Rays to immobilize two enemies, then use an action point to cast Stinking Cloud on them, so they'll be stuck in it for at least two rounds.  Or have your allies use immobilizing powers on enemies before you drop the cloud on them.After the enemies move out of the cloud, instead of moving the cloud back on top of them, move it right behind them and then use Thunderwave to knock them away from your melee buddies and into the cloud -- they'll take damage for entering it and then again at the starts of their turns.You can also position the cloud so your melee buddies can knock enemies into it for the same effect, with powers like Tide of Iron, Thundertusk Boar Strike, Positioning Strike, etc.If enemies are backing out of the cloud... let them.  If you can split up the enemy force and only fight half at a time, that's a great use of a daily spell, even if it doesn't do any damage.  Also note that you can use area powers like Scorching Burst without penalty on creatures you can't see, since concealment (even total) doesn't help against bursts.  If you don't have line of sight to creatures, you still know which squares they're in, unless they're also hiding from you (check out the new rules for "Targeting What You Can't See" at the end of the PHB2 if you haven't already).If the entire enemy force is going to hide on the other side of the cloud and run away faster than you can chase them with the cloud... then maybe that's not a good encounter in which to use Stinking Cloud.  Not every daily power will be effective in every encounter.  You also mentioned enemies that could slide each other and your party around a lot.  Most monsters can't do that -- when you're fighting ones that can, that's another time when it's probably not a great encounter for Stinking Cloud.Overall, I'd say that the way to make large area powers work isn't by trying to find feats that can reshape the area (though those are great when you can get them), but rather by working with your allies to move yourselves and the enemies around in a way that fits them into the area.  Also, don't expect that a large area means that you should always hit lots of enemies with it.  Sometimes a large area just means that it's easier to hit two enemies with the power, since they don't have to be standing as close to each other.</blockquote>

Verification