Good blasting spells

[Brock Samson]

Hey there, I was just wondering if there was a list of the good blasting spells that a Wizard could make use of. Currently I'm a Beguiler 1/Wizard 4/UM 2, I've got plenty of utility so far but the last (only) 3 sessions I've been apart of blasting and melee is what's gotten the job done.

So far I've used a LOT of magic missile spells and it's not half-bad, when you consider that most of my party is Extremely low optimization.

Anyway, I want to blast just a little bit more. We can only use what books we have at hand, which include the PH and all the Completes. This means NO SPELL COMPENDIUM SPELLS.

I've got the Lesser Orbs of X, and eventually will pick up the regular Orbs of X, and have Fireball and Lightning bolt.

What other blasting spells are worth it if you really just want to blast the crap out of some people?

[Mystify]

scorching ray is a good 2nd level blasting spell. Well,good for a blasting spell, at least.

[dextercorvia]

Combust is touch range, but if you can get around that is pretty good. Streamers is pretty awesome.

I like Frost Breath -- it is damage and debuff.

[candycorn]

Frankly, I'm a fan of acid arrow. Yes, it can be negated by resistance, but at low levels, that's not likely, and 2 rounds of 2d4 isn't bad... Especially since it bypasses SR, and doesn't allow a save. Good for putting a concentration check on enemy casters.

Summon Monster 2 can also get medium monstrous spiders, which can poison and entangle, or bombadier beetles, which can acid spray every round.

Summon Monster 3 can get a hellhound, which has a fire breath weapon, or a dretch, for stinking cloud fun.

[Brock Samson]

Where are Streamers and Frost Breath?

Yep, Scorching Ray is a pretty standard blast spell. Almost forgot about that.

[Brock Samson]

Where are Streamers and Frost Breath?

Yep, Scorching Ray is a pretty standard blast spell. Almost forgot about that.

[DoctorGlock]

Hmmmmmmm, your source selection is very limited so I cannot pimp out Elemental Dart for once. Without using good spells you need a way to pump CL or stack metamagic. You cannot get reserves of strength it looks like, so your low level spells will be pretty useless, so metamagic seems like a good bet.

for general bread and butter, scorching ray, fire bolt and the like are fairly good. Grab fell drain to really make them count though. Turn magic missile into a debuff of doom, if anyone knows any low level single ray spells with actual damage output you can start splitting those

[candycorn]

Fell Drain is from a source outside their list.

[Ernir]

With those sources and your claimed optimization level? I think I'd actually take Fireball. Pewboom!

And/or just the Fiery Burst reserve feat from CMage. Works nicely with Orb of Fire, which you should get soon.

[DoctorGlock]

Fell Drain is from a source outside their list.

well darn. Looks like it is. Not much to work with here is there? Have there been any good blasty spells put out in web enhancements?

[Brock Samson]

I do have Fireball, but most of our fighting is taking place inside of a train that we're protecting. Of course it won't always, but fairly often does.

[Acanous]

Burning Hands is pretty good. Cone of Cold as well.

[dextercorvia]

Where are Streamers and Frost Breath?

Yep, Scorching Ray is a pretty standard blast spell. Almost forgot about that.

Sorry, I didn't notice your sources in the first post. Streamers is from Shining South, and Frost Breath is in the Spell Compendium.

[candycorn]

I'd like to also suggest Ray of Exhaustion and stinking cloud. Neither are blasting, but the first will nerf a melee enemy, and the second will nerf large groups approaching you.

[Darrin]

Anyway, I want to blast just a little bit more. We can only use what books we have at hand, which include the PH and all the Completes. This means NO SPELL COMPENDIUM SPELLS.


How about online content?

Ball of Fangs (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20030423a)

Kaupaer's Quickblast (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050112a)

Mordenkainen's Force Missiles (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20030423a)

Vortex of Teeth (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20030423a)

[Brock Samson]

Sorry, no web enhancements either. PH, PH2, or Completes.

Stinking Cloud is a fantastic idea!

[candycorn]

PH2 has Kelgore's Firebolt, which is excellent at low levels. 5d6 fire damage, reflex half, no attack roll required. Level 1 spell.

PH2 is really a treasure trove of good spells for this.

Cloud of knives (Sorc/Wiz 2). 1 knife every round as a free action. Attack bonus is caster level + Int (for wizards) + 1/3 levels. Assuming your wizard CL is 5, that's an attack bonus of 6+int, and it deals 1d6+1(threat on 19-20).

That's a free attack every round of most fights, for modest damage.

Kelgore's Grave Mist Sorc/Wiz 2 - creates a 20 ft radius spread that doesn't block vision, but deals 1d6 nonlethal and fatigues anything living inside (no save to either effect).

Melf's Unicorn Arrow Sorc/Wiz 3 - ranged touch attack deals 1d8+8 damage, and bull rushes (DC 21 to resist).

Scattering Trap Sorc/Wiz 3 - pick one square per 2 caster levels (find a choke point, like a door between train cars). Anyone crossing those squares makes a save or teleports 1d6 squares in a random direction. Useful for teleporting people off the train, lol.

Seeking Ray Sorc/Wiz 2 - Ranged touch, ignores cover and concealment, deals 4d6 electric damage, and gives you +4 to hit the target with ray spells for 1 round/caster level.

All of those could be useful.

[Cwymbran-San]

Shocking Grasp, Cold Hands and every other touch spell doing decent damage are nice - provided you took the Ranged Touch Spells Feat form Complete Devine.
Our Cleric mixes that up with Cause X Wounds Spells.

So, at 5th level of casting, you would have a 30'-range electric touch attack with no save for 5D6 dmg.

[candycorn]

Shocking Grasp, Cold Hands and every other touch spell doing decent damage are nice - provided you took the Ranged Touch Spells Feat form Complete Devine.
Our Cleric mixes that up with Cause X Wounds Spells.

So, at 5th level of casting, you would have a 30'-range electric touch attack with no save for 5D6 dmg.

Reach spell adds +2 to the slot it takes. For a 3rd level slot, I'd expect more than 5d6 at 30 foot range. Heck, Seeking Ray from PHB2 does 4d6 electric at 100+10/level, ranged touch, ignores cover and concealment, and gives a +4 to hit with other rays for 1 round/level... And it's level 2.

Kelgore's Firebolt is 5d6, no attack roll, reflex half, at 100 +10/level, and it's level 1.

5d6 on a ranged touch at 30' is not worth a 3rd level slot.

[DoctorGlock]

though i think PhB2 had searing ray in it for 1d6/lvl (5) as a 1st level spell, so at 5th you can split it for 10d6

[candycorn]

though i think PhB2 had searing ray in it for 1d6/lvl (5) as a 1st level spell, so at 5th you can split it for 10d6

And if that's following a seeking ray, both are almost guaranteed to hit.

[Brock Samson]

Lesser Orb still wins overall I think, as I'm CL 7 so it's 4d8, in 2 levels will be 5d8 damage, no save no spell resistance, versus Kelgore's Firebolt.

Still, I only have a +6 to hit ranged, so all these rogue-y characters that jumped on the train had a pretty good touch AC, at least 14 or 15, so I stuck with magic missle instead of missing nearly 50% of the time.

[dextercorvia]

Lesser Orb still wins overall I think, as I'm CL 7 so it's 4d8, in 2 levels will be 5d8 damage, no save no spell resistance, versus Kelgore's Firebolt.

Still, I only have a +6 to hit ranged, so all these rogue-y characters that jumped on the train had a pretty good touch AC, at least 14 or 15, so I stuck with magic missle instead of missing nearly 50% of the time.

That's why you want something without a RTA or Reflex save.

[candycorn]

Lesser Orb still wins overall I think, as I'm CL 7 so it's 4d8, in 2 levels will be 5d8 damage, no save no spell resistance, versus Kelgore's Firebolt.

Still, I only have a +6 to hit ranged, so all these rogue-y characters that jumped on the train had a pretty good touch AC, at least 14 or 15, so I stuck with magic missle instead of missing nearly 50% of the time.

In that case, stinking cloud has a down side (it provides concealment for hiding). Granted, most rogues will be nauseated in it, but still.

I'd honestly use Web + Kelgore's Grave Mist. Cuts down movement, and deals 1d6 cold per round, no attack, no save, on top of fatigue (lowering chances of making the strength/escape artist checks to move in the web).

Chances are, it's 7d6 damage to everything, at CL 7.

[erikun]

Scorching Ray has served me well as a 2nd level spell. Good damage/level ratio, no reflex save, and the ability to dump damage on one target or spread attacks out.

Necromancy might be worth looking into, if you're in cramped spaces and want to avoid blowing up the party. Ray of Exhaustion comes to mind as a good debuff; -6 Str/Dex and half speed will help out a lot with a tough enemy.

There is always Explosive Runes + Mage Hand to get a sign into range of the targets. Glitterdust can be another nice "fire and forget" spell, although one that leaves enemies for the melee to easily clean up.

If you don't mind non-blasting, Stinking Cloud is a good way to loosen up a group of targets.


Next level, you will have access to Resilient Sphere, Enervation, Shout, Shadow Conjuration (for versatility) and the ever popular Polymorph.

[DoctorGlock]

good point on the polymorph, is a cryohydra's breath SU or EX? That qualifies as a blast spell

[erikun]

good point on the polymorph, is a cryohydra's breath SU or EX? That qualifies as a blast spell
Good question. It actually does not say (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/hydra.htm) in the SRD, although the breath weapon for dragons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm) are all Su abilities. I would assume it is the same, and the actual MM may specify one way or another.

[kme]

In general, try to avoid single target spells unless they also add some status effects or the damage is exceptional.


lvl 1:
Jet of steam CM- 30ft line, better then burning hands.

lvl2:
Flaming Sphere - decent, better then firing a crossbow in fights where not much else is required.
Boiling blood CM - ok damage, but if you extend it (with a rod, it's cheap) it deals guaranteed 4d6 and may be 12d6 over 6 rounds. Cast twice and you sicken them too.
Luminous swarm CM - Irresistible 20% miss chance and may deal damage each round (saving doesn't end it).
Acid arrow PHB - Was already mentioned but just want to add that it is a nice extend candidate too.

lvl 3:
Caustinc smoke CM - good followup after web or stinking cloud. But even if they only stay 1-2 rounds its still solid debuff (Extend may make the after effect last 4 rounds. See with the dm (great if he approves))

lvl 4:
Wall of Fire PHB - Battlefield control, and damage isn't that bad. Against undead is great (especially the mindless type).

Burning blood CA - the damage is not that great but the debuff is pretty good.

[ericgrau]

Cascading fire is a 4th level spell that is like fireball but it's more selective in its targets and has a higher damage cap. It might be in complete mage, I forget.

I wouldn't use flaming sphere to replace a crossbow, when you have no other spells. Usually that lasts 1 or 2 rounds so it's not conserving spell slots very well. I'd open with flaming sphere to get the most out of its damage-over-time, then continue by casting other spells at the same time. It's pretty good until about level 7 when you get that double ray scorching rays and your attack bonus is higher allowing more rays. At level 5 you of course use 3rd level spells when possible, but it's a good backup for single targets or the 2nd fight of the day or etc.

[Cwymbran-San]

Reach spell adds +2 to the slot it takes.

I am sorry, but this, sir, is incorrect.

According to my Complete Devine, ed 3.5, converting a spell with the range of touch to a ray for 30' requires no adjustment of the spellslot whatsoever.

So i still mean to say that 5D6 on a ranged touch attack without a save is decent damage.

Disclaimer: as i am playing with german books, the level adjustment might have been lost in translation, but those are the rules as written (in my language, heh, heh...)

[dextercorvia]

I am sorry, but this, sir, is incorrect.

According to my Complete Devine, ed 3.5, converting a spell with the range of touch to a ray for 30' requires no adjustment of the spellslot whatsoever.

So i still mean to say that 5D6 on a ranged touch attack without a save is decent damage.

Disclaimer: as i am playing with german books, the level adjustment might have been lost in translation, but those are the rules as written (in my language, heh, heh...)

Is it listed as a metamagic feat? What sort of slot does it say it uses? That is default wording? Is your Quicken also free?

[Cwymbran-San]

Yes, it is listed as metamagic. There is no wording as to a level adjustment. No, Quicken Spell has a +4 adj.

Also, the text says nothing about any need to prepare that spell with a higher slot in advance, so i took it for the same category as Enhanced Healing (is that the english expression? It says "Verstärktes Heilen" in german), it powers up healing spells without level adjustments.

[Ernir]

good point on the polymorph, is a cryohydra's breath SU or EX? That qualifies as a blast spell

Breath weapons are supernatural unless otherwise noted. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#breathWeapon)

[TypoNinja]

Yes, it is listed as metamagic. There is no wording as to a level adjustment. No, Quicken Spell has a +4 adj.

Also, the text says nothing about any need to prepare that spell with a higher slot in advance, so i took it for the same category as Enhanced Healing (is that the english expression? It says "Verstärktes Heilen" in german), it powers up healing spells without level adjustments.

Page 84


A reach spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

Very last line in the feat description.

Also, that's probably "Augment Healing" in the English version (Plus 2 healing per spell level).

[Cwymbran-San]

Page 84 Very last line in the feat description.

Found it, in the english version as well as mine. Yes, the mentioned line is missing in the german version (lucky me)



Also, that's probably "Augment Healing" in the English version (Plus 2 healing per spell level).

That was exactly the feat i was referring to.

So, even in D&D, lost in translation :smalltongue: