Pyromania?

[NeoSeraphi]

Okay, so I really want to make a hypothetical fire-based caster. I want all the power of fire rolled into one little package. I know that fire spells have the best and most support, but I wanted to hear the Playground's opinion.

What are the best fire spells? A comprehensive list, one that could fill up a specialist evoker's spell slots for the day? All 9 levels, if possible. And please, list your sources. I know all the SRD ones, I'm looking for exotic non-Core [fire] spells.

What about feats? I know about Searing Spell and Blistering Spell, are there any other Fire-based goodies that can help?

And base class and races! What base class gets access to the best fire spells? Are there any flavorful firey races with 0 LA/RHD?

Is there a prestige class for people who want to burn everything?

[Duskranger]

There is a planetouched race (Azer??) of firedwarfs which could wrok, or else something like Fire elves from the SRD.

Beste Spells:
lvl1: Burning Hands
lvl2: Scorcing Ray
lvl3: Fireball
lvl4:FireShield
lvl5:Maximized Scorching ray (because you can :smallbiggrin:)
lvl6:
Lvl7:
Lvl8:
lvl9: Meteor Swarm

Or else look at the Domain wizard variant and take the Fire Domain.

0—flare; 1st—burning hands; 2nd—scorching ray; 3rd—fireball; 4th—wall of fire; 5th—cone of fire (as cone of cold, but deals fire damage instead of cold damage); 6th—summon monster VI (fire creatures only); 7th—delayed blast fireball; 8th—incendiary cloud; 9th—meteor swarm

[NeoSeraphi]

Hm, the Fire Domain is nice, but it doesn't really give me anything the normal wizard doesn't already have. (One cool homebrew spell and a +1 CL to all those spells, in exchange for not being able to specialize (or Focused Specialize) in evocation).

Plus, you know, all those spells are cool, but they're Core-Wizard, I can get those off the SRD. No offense, I appreciate the help, but I was looking for more of a comprehensive list of non-Core spells with the [Fire] descriptor.

What book is the Azer in?

[Duskranger]

Hm, the Fire Domain is nice, but it doesn't really give me anything the normal wizard doesn't already have. (One cool homebrew spell and a +1 CL to all those spells, in exchange for not being able to specialize (or Focused Specialize) in evocation).

Plus, you know, all those spells are cool, but they're Core-Wizard, I can get those off the SRD. No offense, I appreciate the help, but I was looking for more of a comprehensive list of non-Core spells with the [Fire] descriptor.

What book is the Azer in?

If you wanted non-core you should have said so. I could not pick it up from the OP.

Good question. Azers are in the MM. They are not planetouches, but outsiders though with LA and RHD sadly.
Another race is maybe the Celadrin from Dragon Magazine 350 pag 52 if I'm correct. They are elves that mated with Firre Eladrin. They get scorching ray 1/day at your character level.

And it does give you something, all those spells will be in your spellbook for free. It's not much, but at least it helps.

Orb of Fire springs to mind but is Conjuration.

You can search here, type as descriptor fire and you can see all those lovely fire spells.
Spellsearcher (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/SearchList.php)

[candycorn]

Personal Favorite Level 1 spell: Kelgore's Firebolt. It has good range, good damage at low levels, and doesn't require an attack roll (and let's face it, low levels are where you're most likely to miss touch attacks).

[NeoSeraphi]

If you wanted non-core you should have said so. I could not pick it up from the OP.

Good point. I clarified the OP



Good question. Azers are in the MM. They are not planetouches, but outsiders though with LA and RHD sadly.
Another race is maybe the Celadrin from Dragon Magazine 350 pag 52 if I'm correct. They are elves that mated with Firre Eladrin. They get scorching ray 1/day at your character level.

Alright, I'll check out the Azer. Thanks.


And it does give you something, all those spells will be in your spellbook for free. It's not much, but at least it helps.

Hmm...that is true.


Orb of Fire springs to mind but is Conjuration.

Well, I think if I was a focused specialist evoker I'd ban Abjuration, Necromancy, and Enchantment, unless I can find some decent [fire] Necromancy spells (I don't think I will).



You can search here, type as descriptor fire and you can see all those lovely fire spells.
Spellsearcher (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/SearchList.php)

Oh wow! Bookmarked, thank you very much.

[Duskranger]

You're welcome. I am not the best in bookknowledge and optimisation, but I have some sources at least to help everyone out :smallbiggrin:

[Codemus]

What about Psionics? All the 'attack' powers that I can think of are of variable type. You can just stick with fire, plus there is that neat Pyrokinetic prestige class (though the requirements to get in are so loose you don't even have to be psychic to get in :smallwink:).

[Duskranger]

And about the PrC Elemental Savant (Fire) seems to be a firebased class

[NeoSeraphi]

Wow, backblast from Lost Empires of Faerun is amazing! Resist Fire 10, and functions as spell turning for any spell with the [fire] descriptor that is cast on you...as a 3rd level spell...nice!

And I forgot about fire spiders...that's going to be a fun spell...

Thanks a lot, Duskranger, I'll be able to compile a decent spell list with this.

[DoctorGlock]

Has streamers been mentioned yet? I think those deal fire. Consider War Mage from age of mortals for some tasty damage boosts

Burning Blood is fire/acid combo but also considered a good one

Orb of Fire needs mention yet again for the sheer awesome

I'd strike meteor from the list because it is just bad, especially for a 9th level spell.

Feat wise grab yourself some reserves of strength to make those low level spells really shine.

[Darth_Versity]

Domain wizard provides as many spells/day as a specialist wizard but with no restricted schools. The only disadvantage is your domain slots must be filled with your domain spells. Well since they're all fire spells I think that's strictly superior to a specialist wizard.

Also remember to get the fiery burst feat. Unlimited mini fireballs and a +1 CL on fire spells. Yes please.

[Morph Bark]

Domain wizard provides as many spells/day as a specialist wizard but with no restricted schools. The only disadvantage is your domain slots must be filled with your domain spells. Well since they're all fire spells I think that's strictly superior to a specialist wizard.

Also remember to get the fiery burst feat. Unlimited mini fireballs and a +1 CL on fire spells. Yes please.

Is it possible to combine Domain Wizard with Focused Specialist Wizard?

Also, when it comes to Specialists, I always ask the DM if "Specialist Sorcerers" are allowed. You could easily pump their list of spells known full with all the spells you want, cast them spontaneously and have more spells per day to boot. (I highly doubt if anyone ever would allow Focused Specialist Domain Sorcerers though.)

[Duskranger]

Is it possible to combine Domain Wizard with Focused Specialist Wizard?

Also, when it comes to Specialists, I always ask the DM if "Specialist Sorcerers" are allowed. You could easily pump their list of spells known full with all the spells you want, cast them spontaneously and have more spells per day to boot. (I highly doubt if anyone ever would allow Focused Specialist Domain Sorcerers though.)

Domain Wizards are not allowed to specialize, it's one of the things generalists get.

Sorcerors that specialize would seem strange, as if you could pick what kind of magic is in your blood. But if your DM's allow it, well, more win for you :smallsmile:

[Feytalist]

I know it's not quite what the OP asks for, but with Energy Substitution, all the best energy-based spells can deal fire damage.

Spells like ball lightning (fire substituted), firebust or firebrand are fun too.

The feat Spell Thematics from FRCS (or PGtF, I forget) is also useful. Even if it doesn't deal fire damage, you can make it look like it does. Even magic missile could look like little balls of flame. Fun for concepts such as this, and slightly useful as well.

[Greenish]

Dragon Magazine #350 has Azerblood, which are sort of scaled down azers. Only +1 LA, and as planetouched you might wrangle a lesser version (as per PGtF) for 0 LA. Fire Resistance 10, Heat Metal as SLA 1/day, scaling bonus to saves vs. fire and heat effects and so forth. Fiery goodness.

Good ol' fireball isn't actually a terribad spell. It has decent damage (at least until it stops scaling), good range and a nice big area. Mow down mooks with style!

[Lonely Tylenol]

Combust is a must for lower levels. Combined with Spectral Hand (or even on its own), it can make a great finisher, and its damage scales well enough (1d8/level up to 10d8, plus secondary damage, with no
save to half the primary) that it remains strong well after it caps, especially for a second-level spell. It's also useful for Spell Storing in later levels (in fact, if you're banning Necromancy and taking Vampiric Touch and all the cool touch-range debuffs off the table, it's basically your only option).

Fireburst, and later Greater Fireburst, make effective panic buttons, as they can wipe out a whole mess of enemies near you. Fireburst can be overlooked (for the same level as Combust, it only caps at 5d8 and, if I recall, has Reflex half, so it is only ever as good when you're mobbed by many minor mooks), but Greater Fireburst scales at 1d10/level all the way up to 15d10, and has a 15-foot range, making flying into a densely packed area and letting fly so devastating to your enemies as NOT to be suicidal. It's also a perfect Sculpt Spell or Widen Spell target, though I'd advise against the latter unless you have metamagic mitigators.

Firebrand is basically what would happen if you Sculpted a Fireball. It does (if I recall) 1d6/level to 15d6, Reflex half, but you select a number of 5-foot cubes equal to your level and only set fire to those cubes. Good for clearing a wider range of smaller mooks all at once.

All of these spells are in the Spell Compendium.

If I had to give you a complete run-down of my favorite fire spells, it would have to be:

1: Kelgore's Fire Bolt (PHBII), Lesser Orb of Fire (SpC)
2: Combust (SpC), Scorching Ray (PhB), Flaming Sphere (PhB), Fireburst (SpC)
3: Fireball (PhB)
4: Orb of Fire (SpC), Channeled Pyroburst (SpC), Fire Shield (PhB)
5: Greater Fireburst (SpC), Firebrand (SpC)
6-9: Empowered, Maximized, Quickened, and MaxiPowered versions of the above

The big winners are level 2 and 4. 2 is perhaps the most useful level for its diversity: Scorching Ray is a Evoker staple that lets you focus fire or spread out, Fireburst is a neat panic button, Combust is THE early-game finisher, and Flaming Sphere is great battlefield control for the early levels (and a good use of spare actions until you start getting technical). Level 4 contains your best damage spells per value in the game: Orb of Fire is your standard 1d6/level controlled killer, but the round of stun offered against enemies that fail their Fort save is indispensable. Channeled Pyroburst is your swift action for quite a few levels, as it can become something MUCH greater if you don't need swift actions.

Losers are level 3 and everything past level 5. Level 3 really only has Fireball, which is useless in a crowded room. I spent most of my level 3 spell slots on buff spells, as this is Abjuration and Transmutation's finest hour, in my opinion. (Since you're banning Abjuration for some reason, fill up on Haste, Slow, and maybe Fly.) After level 5, the pickings get REAL slim, REAL quick, and some aren't even worth mentioning except as a warning. A fireball that is in every way similar to the original, except I can give enemies the chance to run away if I'd like? And it's HOW many levels higher? Yeah, I could Maximize the other Fireball for cheaper. In fact, that's what you'll be doing a lot of in order to stay competitive: metamagicking up your earlier spells to give them some extra oomph. I mean, the 15dX cap that every one of your lower-level spells has is a drag (if it's even that far), but an Empowered Orb of Fire is still better than Polar Ray, and it's cheaper. Remember though: Empower, Maximize, Twin, Chain and Quicken are all your friends, but none of them come cheap.

[Qwertystop]

Use the reserve feat for infinite mini-fireballs if you have a spare feat slot. Not the most optimal for damage-dealing, but it's fun to be able to set stuff on fire whenever you want without using up your spell slots.

[DoctorGlock]

Also worth considering is Spellfire Wielder, a FR feat. While it is only half fire damage, at low levels it is rather impressive and even beyond that it lets you counter spells even without abjuration. Flavor wise, it turns you into Natsu, which is about as fire themed as you can get without being the sun.

[zimmerwald1915]

The feat Spell Thematics from FRCS (or PGtF, I forget) is also useful. Even if it doesn't deal fire damage, you can make it look like it does. Even magic missile could look like little balls of flame. Fun for concepts such as this, and slightly useful as well.
Spell Thematics is in Magic of Faerun.

[Darrin]

What are the best fire spells? A comprehensive list, one that could fill up a specialist evoker's spell slots for the day? All 9 levels, if possible. And please, list your sources. I know all the SRD ones, I'm looking for exotic non-Core [fire] spells.


1st:
Blades of Fire (Spell Compendium). Swift action, add 1d8 fire damage to all your melee attacks for 1 round. Great spell to put in a Wand Chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape).

Jet of Steam (Complete Mage). Essentially burning hands but as a 30' line.

Kaupaer's Quick Blast (Kaupaer's Quick Book (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050112a)). Free/swift/immediate action to cast (3.0, so ask your DM how to interpret casting time). It's transmutation, can do either cold/electricity/fire damage, and autohits with a Ref save half, so no precision damage, but can be fun to add on some metamagic debuffs, such as Fell Drain.

2nd:
Boiling Blood (Complete Mage). 2d6 fire damage for at least one round, or more rounds if they fail a Fort save.

Burning Sword (Spell Compendium). Adds the flaming burst property to any weapon (+1d6 fire damage and Xd10 on crits), and contrary to the name of the spell, this includes ranged weapons. Duration is also quite decent (1 min/level), as opposed to frost weapon (Frostburn, 1 round/level).

Fire Shuriken (Spell Compendium). Very difficult to get this spell onto your class list (Assassin 2), but if you can manage it... take a look at the "Duration: Instantaneous". So, yeah, in your down-time convert all your 2nd-level spell slots into a bunch of permanent one-shot magic weapons that deal 3d6 fire damage.

4th:
Channeled Pyroburst (PHBII). The swift-action option is nice, but even better is taking two full-round actions to cast it into a Glyph Seal (MIC p. 161) that can be triggered later.

Firestride Exhalation (Dragon Magic). Combines an area effect (8d6 damage, 30' cone) with a teleportation effect.

5th:
Daltim's Fiery Tentacles (Shining South). Absolutely filthy good spell. It's conjuration, but Evard's Black Tentacles is an encounter-ender that kills any creature that can't beat a CL+8 grapple check. And all those tentacles that are making that one player with the massive hentai collection giggle? Now those tentacles are on fire.

Earth Reaver (Spell Compendium). Area effect with no-save damage (4d6 from exploding rocks, 3d6 from fire) for smug little rogues that think Evasion protects them from all area effects. Unfortunately, the damage doesn't scale at all.

6th:
Scalding Mud (Sandstorm). Pretty much all of the lava-based spells allow a Ref save for half. Except for this one, which is essentially transmute rock to mud + fire damage. Actually, the targets get a Ref save for half from just the bludgeoning damage if you cast it above them and the scalding mud drops on their heads, but after that they're stuck with 5d6 fire damage or 10d6 if they're completely submerged. Even if they get out, the mud sticks to them for another 1d6 damage for the next 3 rounds (no save).

9th:
Detonate (PHBII). There are much better 9th level spells out there, but this one is immensely satisfying: target creature must save or die, plus all his pals standing next to him take up to 20d6 fire damage. For even more fun, summon a bunch of 1HD minions, and chain it for an orgy of 20d6 explosions.



And base class and races! What base class gets access to the best fire spells? Are there any flavorful firey races with 0 LA/RHD?


Fire Elves from the Unearthed Arcana section of the SRD: +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha. The gold standard for fire-based wizards/evokers.



Is there a prestige class for people who want to burn everything?

Silver Pyromancer in Five Nations, but it requires 3rd level arcane spells and turn undead.

[Qwertystop]

9th:
Detonate (PHBII). There are much better 9th level spells out there, but this one is immensely satisfying: target creature must save or die, plus all his pals standing next to him take up to 20d6 fire damage. For even more fun, summon a bunch of 1HD minions, and chain it for an orgy of 20d6 explosions
Wow. This is what a 9th level Evocation should be.

Actually it's not that good for 9th level, but it's hard to get a wish-equivalent effect without saying "no-save-just-die".

[CodeRed]

Silver Pyromancer in Five Nations, but it requires 3rd level arcane spells and turn undead.

Silver Pyromancer if you take it to level 2 is pretty damn awesome. Being able to make any fire spell do untyped sacred damage is really good. Ignore any and all fire resistance or immunity that you ever desire! The only sad part is the 2 lost caster levels. (1 from getting Turn Undead, 2nd from the first lost level at Silver Pyro 1.)

Personally, I would go with Elemental Savant first for a fire-themed spellcaster as its capstone of becoming a Fire Elemental just oozes flavor. It may not be the most optimized of prestige classes but auto-turning every energy typed spell into fire works for me. Add Searing Spell from Sandstorm (or is it burning? always get those two confused) to ignore any fire resist and still deal half to fire immunes.

[Alefiend]

Sorcerors that specialize would seem strange, as if you could pick what kind of magic is in your blood. But if your DM's allow it, well, more win for you :smallsmile:

Not to hijack, but I'd prefer sorcerers if they had some kind of thematic guidance for their spells, beyond their bloodlines. It makes far more sense to me for the "magic in your blood" to express a unifying concept than to be chosen a la carte from the class list.

[Swooper]

Make sure you grab the Bloodline of Fire feat from Player's Guide to Faerûn if you can. +2CL on all [fire] spells.

[RagnaroksChosen]

I agree with swooper.

Generally when I build strait fire guys id go something like this

1. Bloodline of fire.
3. The fire reserve feat

Scorching ray is one of the best I know its SRD.
pyrotechnics I think is another good spell.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Make sure you grab the Bloodline of Fire feat from Player's Guide to Faerûn if you can. +2CL on all [fire] spells.

I would qualify this with "if your adventure is a low-level one." Otherwise, since most of the better [Fire] spells have low damage caps, the +2 is only useful for opposed counterspell rolls after a certain point.

Fiery Burst (the fire reserve feat) does a piddling amount of damage, and so it isn't a reliable outlet for the higher levels, but it's fun to use in the lower levels (from, I'd say, about 3-8), and the +1 level is very useful when some of your lesser spells that scale well haven't capped yet, like Combust, or Scorching Ray.

Being able to just wantonly set fire to things out of combat is nice, too. Keep in mind that it doesn't say it ignites flammable surfaces--though this shouldn't stop you from, say, using flammable oil or flash powder or gunpowder, or something else that has a flash point, to create the desired effect.

[Kenneth]

here is a list of fire spells per level mostly from the spell compendium with some thouhgts beside specific spells

1st Blades of Fire, Lesser Orb of Fire, Wall of Smoke ( while it may not be technically Fire.. im pretty sure somehting buring is the only way smoke exists)Ray of Flame

2nd Burning Sword, Flame Dagger, Scorch, fire burst (prob the best fire spell for its level in teh game) Balor Nimbus

3rd flashburst

4th Blast of Flame, Orb of Fire, BListering Radiance, Explosive Cascade, Fire stride, Flame whips

5th Firebrand ( a crap ton of mini fireballs! me likey!), greater fireburst, shroud of flame

6th fire spiders, fire of purity

7th emerald flame fist

I m not sure if this was a homebrewed PrC or if it was official.. but the group that I played with back in my (later) college days had a PrC called simply enough the Pyromancer, I can only remember a couple of things about it and will tell you what they are. it was a 5 level prestige class and at first levle every fire spell had a chance to set things on fire at teh same DC of teh spell. at 2nd and 4th level all fire dmg was increased by +1 per die, while all cold based spells were reduced by teh same amount ( min 1 still) at 5th level they ignored fire immunity with their fire spells. I do not remmer what they got at 3rd level or even close to what the pre reqs were so :(

[Olo Demonsbane]

With any build that relies on spell damage, be sure to at least do a little bit of metamagic stacking; you can keep your lower level spells vastly more useful that way. Arcane Thesis (your favorite fire spell)+Incantatrix+Searing Spell, Maximize Spell, Invisible Spell, and Empower Spell gives you your normal spell at its normal level, breaking fire resistance and immunity, doing maximum and +50% damage, and being invisible, just for the hell of it.

[Lonely Tylenol]

With any build that relies on spell damage, be sure to at least do a little bit of metamagic stacking; you can keep your lower level spells vastly more useful that way. Arcane Thesis (your favorite fire spell)+Incantatrix+Searing Spell, Maximize Spell, Invisible Spell, and Empower Spell gives you your normal spell at its normal level, breaking fire resistance and immunity, doing maximum and +50% damage, and being invisible, just for the hell of it.

Not really "just for the Hell of it"--Arcane Thesis would make Invisible Spell a net -1 adjustment.

Combine a non-[Fire] spell with energy descriptors with Energy Substitution (Fire) and Arcane Thesis and you're casting it as a [Fire] spell better than you ever were as a [non-Fire] spell.

Invisible works, too, though. ;)