favorite blasty spells?

[blelliot]

I'm in the process of making a staff for the blasty wizard of the group, and I was wondering, even though the forum is very down on most evocation spells, there have to be a few of you that enjoy blasting the crud out of things. So what are the forums favrite blasty evocation spells? Any wizards source only though.

[eggynack]

Well, blasty non-evocation spells can be alright. Orb of fire, for example, is quite a powerful spell. Non-blasty evocation spells can also be alright. Wall of force, gust of wind, resilient sphere, and wind wall are all good examples of that, and there are others (Contingency doesn't feel like a staff thing). Blasty evocation spells are really the problem. Scorching ray and seeking ray (PHB II, 124) are halfway decent though. Boreal wind (Frost, 89) is quite good, though I only really like it on a druid, due to the fact that it's a 4th on their list, while it's a 5th for pretty much everyone else

[Yuki Akuma]

(Lesser) Orb of X are nice. They're also not Evocation.

The problem with Evocation blasting is that it usually allows spell resistance, so it simply doesn't work sometimes. It also doesn't work in an antimagic field, while the Orb of X spells do, due to being Conjuration (Creation) spells with an instantaneous duration.

Now, Evocation isn't as "Oh God horrible never cast anything from this school ever" as some may lead you to believe, but it's horrible for blasting.

[Amphetryon]

Streamers: 5th level Evocation Spell from Shining South. Many call it the best Evocation Spell there is.

[Greenish]

Fireball is a classic. Long range, large area, decent damage, offers save, offers SR, deals the most often resisted elemental damage… well, I still like it.

This (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1152046) might come in handy.

[blelliot]

It also doesn't work in an antimagic field, while the Orb of X spells due, due to being Conjuration (Creation) spells with an instantaneous duration

.can I get a copy of where the rules say that, I sure as heck can't find it. Id appreciate it :-)

[eggynack]

.can I get a copy of where the rules say that, I sure as heck can't find it. Id appreciate it :-)
Check this out (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#creation). To be specific, the relevant line is, "If the spell has an instantaneous duration, the created object or creature is merely assembled through magic. It lasts indefinitely and does not depend on magic for its existence."

[Yuki Akuma]

End of the third paragraph. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antimagicField.htm)


Summoned creatures of any type and incorporeal undead wink out if they enter an antimagic field. They reappear in the same spot once the field goes away. Time spent winked out counts normally against the duration of the conjuration that is maintaining the creature. If you cast antimagic field in an area occupied by a summoned creature that has spell resistance, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the creature’s spell resistance to make it wink out. (The effects of instantaneous conjurations are not affected by an antimagic field because the conjuration itself is no longer in effect, only its result.)

So you can blast Orbs of X into or through an antimagic field just fine, whereas a Fireball wouldn't work.

Whether you can cast them in an antimagic field is a contentious question, and the staff certainly won't work. But a shaped antimagic field that doesn't affect your square, or an antimagic field cast by an enemy, is totally okay.

[Gavinfoxx]

.can I get a copy of where the rules say that, I sure as heck can't find it. Id appreciate it :-)

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10104

That's the anti antimagic hahandbook.

[Yuki Akuma]

Now, I want to make something clear.

If you come across a situation where a Fireball would be perfect? Lots of low-HP minions you need to kill right the hell now bunched up within a 20 foot radius area? Cast that Fireball! It's just not as much of an any situation blasting spell like the Orbs are.

If you're tricking out your staff with a bunch of spells, I'd still consider putting Fireball into it. You won't use it as often as the Orbs, but when you do use it you'll feel like a badass.

[JeminiZero]

Abjuration has a few blasty spells as well. In Core, Explosive Runes can be stockpiled into an insta-kill bomb. Outside of it, there is Maw of Chaos [SpC].

Transmutation has Launch Bolt [SpC], Giant's Wrath [SpC], Lightning Leap [CM] and of course, Disintegrate. Note tha Launch Bolt can be cheesed in the sense that the spell does not specify bolt size. So you can use it to launch colossal bolts.

Necromancy has Avasculate, Mass Avasculate [SpC] and Horrid Wilting.

Besides the famous Orb of X series, Conjuration also has Ice Darts [Frostburn], Melf's Unicorn Arrows [PHB2], Mudslide [Stormwrack], Deadly Lahar [CM], and Sphere of Ultimate Destruction [SpC].

For evocation, I like Lingering Flame [CM] and Vortex of Teeth [SpC] when combined with Battlefield Control of some sort to keep the enemy in the damage area. Boreal Wind [Frostburn] can be used to push enemies back.

[Chronos]

My favorite is Control Winds. Any old barbarian can do damage to one target; what makes blasting what it is is the ability to hit a bunch of things at once. And Control Winds has an absolutely insane area of effect.

Not much good for a wizard, though.

[Fax Celestis]

I like splinterbolt, sudden stalagmite, vortex of teeth, and ice lance. Also a fan of targeting ray and cloud of knives, though those don't exactly fit the category.

[eggynack]

My favorite is Control Winds. Any old barbarian can do damage to one target; what makes blasting what it is is the ability to hit a bunch of things at once. And Control Winds has an absolutely insane area of effect.

Not much good for a wizard, though.
Well, any blasting spell can be good if it doesn't really have to do any damage. The only damaging effects of control winds are blown away, which deals trivial and non-lethal damage, and coming into direct contact with the funnel cloud of a tornado, in which case you probably care a lot more about the enemy's lack of actions, though the damage is a nice side effect. It's an amazing spell, don't get me wrong, but calling it a blasting spell seems like a stretch. It's really much closer to a defense/BFC spell. Sandstorm (Sand, 119) deals a bit more damage, but even that spell doesn't have damage as the core engagement. Call avalanche (Frost, 90) is probably the spell to go with for the "overpowered druid evocation spell with damage as a major aspect of its power" category.

Edit:
I like splinterbolt, sudden stalagmite, vortex of teeth, and ice lance. Also a fan of targeting ray and cloud of knives, though those don't exactly fit the category.
Sudden stalagmite seems really nice. I'm surprised I didn't have that one on my list. It's not the best blasting spell of its level, which is an award that I'd give to boreal wind, but you've gotta love an instantaneous conjuration, with no energy damage, that has a debuff effect. The fact that it can't hit flying creatures is a big problem though. That could easily keep it from toppling blast of sand (Sand, 112) as the best instantaneous conjuration blasting spell of its level.

[Fax Celestis]

Yeah. And not only does sudden stalagmite have a debuff, it's an atypical debuff, so no one has type-based immunities to it.

[Chronos]

The only damaging effects of control winds are blown away, which deals trivial and non-lethal damage, and coming into direct contact with the funnel cloud of a tornado, in which case you probably care a lot more about the enemy's lack of actions, though the damage is a nice side effect.
It's pretty easy to make the enemy come into direct contact with the funnel cloud when the funnel cloud is hundreds of feet in radius. Control Winds doesn't restrict you to just one or two tiny tornadoes in the area; you can make the entire area tornado-force winds.

[eggynack]

It's pretty easy to make the enemy come into direct contact with the funnel cloud when the funnel cloud is hundreds of feet in radius. Control Winds doesn't restrict you to just one or two tiny tornadoes in the area; you can make the entire area tornado-force winds.
Well, yeah, but by that point the damage barely matters. The enemy is trapped for 1d10 rounds, which is a lot of rounds. Also, tornado force winds are pretty late in your career, though I can see someone pulling it off consistently by level 12 or so.

[Urpriest]

Melf's Unicorn Arrow is pretty nice. Static bonus damage, so goes great with Empower.

Edit: Plus, y'know, shooting unicorns at your enemies.

[Aegis013]

Well, yeah, but by that point the damage barely matters. The enemy is trapped for 1d10 rounds, which is a lot of rounds. Also, tornado force winds are pretty late in your career, though I can see someone pulling it off consistently by level 12 or so.

I had a Wizard/Rainbow Servant in one of my games take out an ambush of Mind Flayers and co. (the whole group) with that one spell.

There was an Ulitharid with bonus Psion levels (he caused the party to flee twice, so I advanced him), a Mindflayer Cleric with at least 5ths, a low level Beholder Mage tailored to try to counterspell the Wizard, and a Mindflayer Sorcerer in the room with 15 vanilla Mindflayers. The baddies knew the party was coming, so when they busted open the door they got barraged by 15 mind-blasts in the surprise round, and were distracted by an illusion of the four big bads who were Greater Invis'd inside the room.

Then the Ulitharid Psion killed the stunned Cleric (only one that got stunned) with crystal rays from his fissioned/schismed selfs. At that point the Wizard just cast Control Winds after screaming for everybody to get to the Cleric's body where he was going to make the eye.

It killed every enemy in the room. He then proceeded to Revenance/Revivify the Cleric.

Edit: All this to say 2nd on Control Winds. It's an incredible spell.

[Vedhin]

Well, I'm fond of Elemental Dart and Dalamar's Lightning Lance, both from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting. They scale quadratically with regards to damage. Plus, Elemental Dart allows you to pick one of the four main energy types for damage.
Combine Elemental Dart with the Reserves of Strength feat from the same book, and enjoy the carnage.
Snilloc's Snowball from Unapproachable East is another quadratic spell.

[Fax Celestis]

A flurry of magic snowballs erupts from a point you select.

The swarm of snowballs deals 2d6 points of cold damage to creatures and objects within the burst.

For every two caster levels beyond 3rd, the snowballs deal an extra die of damage, to a maximum of 5d6 at 9th level or higher.
I see nothing quadratic about this.

[Vedhin]

I see nothing quadratic about this.

I'm talking about Snilloc's Snowball, not Snilloc's Snowball Swarm.
Yeah, Snilloc wasn't very creative naming his spells.

[ngilop]

gonna go off topic here for a bit before I give my answer

1) Orb of X is just WoTC thinking 'conjuration needs more good things'
2) and how orb of X is able to ignore spell resistance and anti-magic stuff.. let all remember that Orb of Force is a non magical ball of magical force.. yeah explain that LOL


that being said evocation is only thought of as
Oh God horrible never cast anything from this school ever as somebody said earlier in this forum as I think most everybody comes from an optimizing standpoint where anything form conjuration is better than anything frome vocation which tends to be Xd6 damage in y type and Z shape.

but in the end im a stickler for the classcs Magic missle (or Chain missles even) and fireball.. in the end I don't think there are too many problems that cannot be solved if you cast fireball enough times..

[Fax Celestis]

Chain missles

Funny story: chain missile is a valid spell target for Chain Spell.

[Pex]

Prismatic Spray

Rainbow Blast from Spell Compendium, even better when you can Sculpt it.

I like the concept of killing your enemies with rainbows.

[eggynack]

that being said evocation is only thought of as

Oh God horrible never cast anything from this school ever
I rather disagree. It's an underpowered school, yes, but it's not a school with nothing to offer. Evocation offers several defensive options that aren't really offered by any other school, and it even has some utility lurking around. The problem is that evocation based blasting isn't generally all that good. It's decent in certain situations, don't get me wrong, but it's outclassed by other options. Thus, evocation's big struggle is that it's strongly associated with blasting, and its blasting isn't that good, so it's viewed in a negative light. Blasting isn't exactly viewed as optimal to begin with, so suboptimal blasting is problematic, and shadow evocation isn't doing evocation any favors either. Evocation isn't a bad school, but it is one of the worst schools. I'd probably ditch enchantment before I'd lose evocation, though I'd also probably lose both at the same time.

[Fax Celestis]

Yeah, Snilloc wasn't very creative naming his spells.

Snilloc wasn't very creative in naming himself either (Collins). It's up there with Melf (Male Elf), Zagyg (Gygax), Drawmij (Jim Ward), Vecna (Vance), and Tenser (Ernest).

[Chronos]

You'd think I would have learned by now that whenever I see a silly fantasy name, I should check to see what it spells backwards.

[Brookshw]

Melf's Unicorn Arrow is pretty nice. Static bonus damage, so goes great with Empower.

Edit: Plus, y'know, shooting unicorns at your enemies.

Definitely a good route though throw in some prismatics. What's better than killing your foes with unicorns? Killing them with unicorns and rainbows:smalltongue:

Edit: how have disintegrate and polar ray not come up yet?

[CTrees]

Streamers: 5th level Evocation Spell from Shining South. Many call it the best Evocation Spell there is.

I would only agree with that if you used the interpretation that it hits every time the targets take an action, until it's duration expires. I'm inclined to believe that "whenever the target next takes an action" means that each streamer only applies its damage once, regardless of how many total actions are taken. In which case... it's okay, but not amazing.

[Talya]

Definitely a good route though throw in some prismatics. What's better than killing your foes with unicorns? Killing them with unicorns and rainbows:smalltongue:



This is ... so wrong. Although I'm sure the bronies will love it.

[Radar]

Streamers: 5th level Evocation Spell from Shining South. Many call it the best Evocation Spell there is.
And rightfuly so. This spell is immensly effective in bringing pain and punishment.

From things yet to be mentioned, I'd like point Defenestrating Sphere. The damage might not be high, but it is one of the more amusing spells, since it allows you to hurl enemies into the air and bump them around the environment.

[Brookshw]

This is ... so wrong. Although I'm sure the bronies will love it.

if that's wrong I don't want to know what right is:smallbiggrin:

[eggynack]

This is ... so wrong. Although I'm sure the bronies will love it.
Don't forget alicorn horn from the silver marches web enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020719a). Also, unicorn horn, blood, and heart, though those are less interesting. Ya gotta always be prepared with a decently sized list of pony themed spells, lest tragedy befall you.

[Keldrin]

You'd think I would have learned by now that whenever I see a silly fantasy name, I should check to see what it spells backwards.

Sometime in the early '80s our DM had a npc join us with the the name "Nomed". I misheard and thought it was Nomad...

That'll larn' ya. Real good.

[Baroknik]

Not necessarily the most powerful, but I really like Flaywind Burst from Sandstorm. Peel the flesh from their bones!

[Kelb_Panthera]

Ignoring, for a moment, how utterly sub-optimal it is as a blasting spell, I'm nuts about cone of cold, particularly once it's been metamagicked to hell and back.

At the very least I almost always widen it. 120ft cone of icy death? Yes please. Fired at the ground from above it describes a circle 170ft in diameter.

What? I -like- collateral damage.

[TuggyNE]

Definitely a good route though throw in some prismatics. What's better than killing your foes with unicorns? Killing them with unicorns and rainbows:smalltongue:

Not so, but far otherwise: killing them with unicorns rainbows and sunshine, so add sunbeam to the list, especially for undead. :smallamused:


Don't forget alicorn horn from the silver marches web enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020719a).

What.

No, seriously, what. Is there really something called "alicorn horn" in there? :smalleek:

[eggynack]

No, seriously, what. Is there really something called "alicorn horn" in there? :smalleek:
It seems to actually be alicorn lance, which is not really substantially different for pony related purposes, especially now that the use of the term "alicorn" is canon. It's actually a pretty good spell, dealing 3d6 force damage on a touch attack, and possessing a secondary faerie fire effect. Seems roughly comparable to splinterbolt, which is a good thing to be compared to. Don't know how I misread it as horn every single time I read it though, to the point where I actually had it written down that way. Weird.

[Setra]

Greater Fireburst.

Is it good? Eh, you probably shouldn't be that close, but I rather enjoy it, what with the d10s. I should look for more spells that use a d10. Oooh I wonder if there are any d12 or even d20 damage spells.

[Bullet06320]

im a fan of lightning bolts personally, they make decent hallway clearers, sewers, tunnels and similar spaces

skeletal hand is a good utility spell in evocation

and sumtimes an old fashioned magic missle just does the trick

[eggynack]

Alicorn lance is actually really weird/interesting. For some reason, instead of just making the whole spell a standard action, they made it a standard action for a rounds/level buff that you expend as a free action for the effect. That makes it functionally equivalent to the theoretical normal version of the spell, if you want it to work that way, but if you can get the drop on your opponents you can cast it as a pre-combat buff, which reduces the action cost to zero. I rarely count on the ability to catch an opponent by surprise when considering the power level of spells, because if you do that then you've probably already won, but the spell is actually reasonable when you cast it in combat, so it's a factor worth considering. I'ma do a quick pros/cons with splinterbolt.

Pros

Uses a ranged touch attack instead of a ranged attack
Can be cast before combat to remove action cost
Doesn't get reduced by DR
Has a secondary faerie fire effect
Deals force damage, for the purposes of interacting with incorporeal creatures


Cons

Deals 1d6 less damage
Doesn't scale up
No chance of critical hit
Interacts with SR and AMF's

I think that covers most of it. Overall, it looks like alicorn lance is the superior spell at low levels, and splinterbolt is superior later on. Most of the advantages of splinterbolt, like the scaling and SR thing, come into play more at later levels, while the advantages of alicorn lance, like the ranged touch attack, are more relevant early. The breakpoint is probably at 7th, when splinterbolt gets its second bolt, especially because that's around where you can start really pumping dexterity through wild shape, which mitigates the disadvantage of the ranged attack. That seems like a fair evaluation in general. I'm somewhat surprised alicorn horn doesn't get tossed around more often (No, I'm not. This source is crazy obscure, and the effect isn't substantially different enough from what's available to justify the obscurity cost). Nifty.

[Brookshw]

Not so, but far otherwise: killing them with unicorns rainbows and sunshine, so add sunbeam to the list, especially for undead. :smallamused:
:

I stand corrected and will raise you a glitter dust.:smalltongue:

[Talya]

Don't forget alicorn horn from the silver marches web enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020719a). Also, unicorn horn, blood, and heart, though those are less interesting. Ya gotta always be prepared with a decently sized list of pony themed spells, lest tragedy befall you.

I can't believe I've never seen that enhancement.

Worse yet, I can't believe you didn't link it to me when I told you about my unicorn-focused Lurue-worshipping VOP druid. :)

[eggynack]

I can't believe I've never seen that enhancement.

Worse yet, I can't believe you didn't link it to me when I told you about my unicorn-focused Lurue-worshipping VOP druid. :)
Yeah, those two things do rather go together. I think I found it in Darrin's list of druidzilla spells (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12183941&postcount=4). I think it has some real potential as one of the top 2nd level druid blasting spells. Now I just have to figure out a way to condense that whole pros/cons chart into a spell description, cause you know that no spell description is complete without a massive explanation of its advantages and disadvantages in comparison to the most commonly used spell of its type and level.

[Talya]

Yeah, those two things do rather go together. I think I found it in Darrin's list of druidzilla spells (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12183941&postcount=4). I think it has some real potential as one of the top 2nd level druid blasting spells. Now I just have to figure out a way to condense that whole pros/cons chart into a spell description, cause you know that no spell description is complete without a massive explanation of its advantages and disadvantages in comparison to the most commonly used spell of its type and level.

Well, the fact that two of the three spells in the web enhancement are specifically druid spells that require the druid to worship Lurue...makes them kindof a nobrainer for my Lurue-worshipping Druid.

One of the spells grants wings and Pegasus flight for 10 minutes/level to a unicorn. My druid has a unicorn animal companion!

I've gone 8 levels without knowing about these spells!

[eggynack]

And now ya do. Huzzah, for the mighty force of druid optimization has been propelled forward by one step. Also, separately, I'm strongly considering creating a whole section for good/exalted stuff. It's just gotten so ridiculously tangled and complicated, like shifter stuff did. You have all of the crazy spells, and the vague optimization work that goes into actually using them, and all of the feats, and exalted companion based optimization (pretty much just VoP, as it applies to an animal companion), and even a prestige class. Also would make a nice place for a lengthy argument about optimal druid alignment choice.

Edit: Also, if I'm being serious about stuff, I pretty much evaluated alicorn horn's viability in real time during this thread, which is basically the best way to do anything. I probably wouldn't have recommended it to folks prior to that.

[Talya]

And now ya do.

Get this... Now I do, exactly as I have to choose my spells for the day.

We've been dealing with an incorporeal undead that is playing with hit and run tactics, appearing, attacking stragglers, then disappearing when we get close.

Alicorn Lance is a force spell that negates invisibility...muahahahaha.

[eggynack]

I think the lesson we must all take from this is that druids are cool. There're certainly other solutions to that problem, though alicorn horn may be among the most perfectly suited.

[Brookshw]

Get this... Now I do, exactly as I have to choose my spells for the day.

We've been dealing with an incorporeal undead that is playing with hit and run tactics, appearing, attacking stragglers, then disappearing when we get close.

Alicorn Lance is a force spell that negates invisibility...muahahahaha.

I think you just got an Xmas gift =D

Now go get those undead mooks!

[Deox]

Bigby's Slapping Hand (CM).

Apply metamagics to taste. Who wouldn't enjoy saying, "Sir / Madam, you forget yourself!" and pimp slap them down a few levels for their insolence.

[Talya]

Bigby's Slapping Hand (CM).

Apply metamagics to taste. Who wouldn't enjoy saying, "Sir / Madam, you forget yourself!" and pimp slap them down a few levels for their insolence.

This spell is better in Pathfinder (though it's third party there.)

A 1 point of Force damage cantrip.

The nice thing in PF is cantrips are unlimited. You take the metamagic reducing trait "Magical Linneage" and apply it to this cantrip. Then you take metamagic feat "Toppling Spell." Now your pimp-slap knocks people on their ass. And you can do it at will.

[NeoPhoenix0]

My favorite blasty spells are:

Boreal Wind: because a very memorable CE sorcerer of mine used it to be a glorious bastard
Earth Reaver: because it just works... as long as they are on the ground (see earthbind)
Zone of Glacial Cold: I somtimes combine this with walls


Edit: said CE sorcerer also used an enlarge rod and widen feat with metamagic reducers with it to spread mass destruction, for fun. That makes it 40ft. by 40ft. by 1200 + 120ft / level. i think.

[Seffbasilisk]

Kelgore's Fire Bolt
Burning Hands
Lightning Bolt
Blast of Sand
Splinterbolt

Ice Knife (not because it's effective, just because it's fun to shout, and always does SOMETHING)

I liked to pair Burning Blade and Whirling Blade on warmage to get double-edge on a flaming sword that dodged allies while slashing at foebeasts.

Explosive Anything is fun.

Deadfall, for when you don't want them to dodge.

[Dalebert]

When people say "blasting" do they mean single target? In that case, I'd say evocation isn't so great compared to conjuration, but it seems pretty important if you want AoE damage and if you want to use Sculpt Spell a lot.

[Greenish]

Not to disappoint the bronies, but from the spell description it seems that the Alicorn Lance refers to the earlier sense of alicorn, meaning unicorn horn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn_horn), not to a winged unicorn.

[eggynack]

Not to disappoint the bronies, but from the spell description it seems that the Alicorn Lance refers to the earlier sense of alicorn, meaning unicorn horn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn_horn), not to a winged unicorn.
That's actually what I figured, given that the spell grants a horn but no wings. I don't even think alicorn has any real relationship to the idea of a winged unicorn outside the brony fandom. Still, a unicorn horn is enough on its own, and the term "alicorn" helps with theming, so it works out alright.

[Talya]

That's actually what I figured, given that the spell grants a horn but no wings. I don't even think alicorn has any real relationship to the idea of a winged unicorn outside the brony fandom. Still, a unicorn horn is enough on its own, and the term "alicorn" helps with theming, so it works out alright.

Favor of Yathaghera (in the same web enhancement) provides a unicorn with wings, but they don't call it an Alicorn.

[eggynack]

Favor of Yathaghera (in the same web enhancement) provides a unicorn with wings, but they don't call it an Alicorn.
Indeed so. You can get an alicorn, as long as it's not called an alicorn, and you can get something called an alicorn, as long as you're not actually getting an alicorn. Some form of combination of the two seems to be the ideal path.

[ericgrau]

Fireball. Classic but one of the best. Multi-target, and enough damage that even when foes are resistant you still usually do more damage than other spells. Fire immune is rare and that's what backup spells are for. Resistance of any kind is uncommon, even for fire. Level 4 has explosive cascade (SpC) which helps you avoid allies.

Single target anything isn't that great, and there are usually better SR:no options than the orbs. If you want high level single target damage they are nice, but usually that's not what you want. They irk me more for making no sense and making it easier to work around a banned school than raw power. If you want blasting to be one of your main things and not just a side thing you pretty much need evocation. Or I dunno maybe a looot of splatbooking digging might finally get you enough mischooled substitutes.

For higher levels I like chain lightning for making it easier to avoid allies, but then you can also get special abilities or feats for that, along with changing energy types. For getting past the level 2-4 hump flaming sphere is good, and at level 5 it's still an ok backup. Empowered magic missile is important for incorporeal and hard to hit foes in general. And of course the orbs are good for reliability against small numbers of foes with spell resistance. Against large numbers I'd rather switch to SR:no crowd control like wall of force or mass buffs like haste or mass bear's endurance. Even for small numbers you might use resilient sphere or web. You don't have to be a one trick pony.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

Ah, Defenestrating Sphere, or as I like to call it, bowling for baddies! Not the most damaging spell by any means, but what fun! And it has a duration, so its not a one shot spell. it doesn't require concentration, and it uses a move action, so you can still cast other spells while its up. Not the free damage Cloud of Knives is, but darn close.

Cloud of Knives seems to be a great spell. It takes no action to use, does untyped damage, but is affected by DR. Being as it is a ranged touch, this seems like a great spell for a caster.

[Kelb_Panthera]

When people say "blasting" do they mean single target? In that case, I'd say evocation isn't so great compared to conjuration, but it seems pretty important if you want AoE damage and if you want to use Sculpt Spell a lot.

Blasting generally refers to the delivery of direct HP damage; single target or AoE. Unfortunately most AoE's offer a number of ways to avoid them; typically a ref save, energy resistance or immunity, and/or SR; while single-targets tend offer far fewer; the exemplar being orb of X which requires only a ranged touch attack and offers no other defense save energy resistance or immunity.

[Hida Reju]

My favorite spell was 3.5 Channeled Pyroburst (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/channeled-pyroburst--2967/) from Spell compendium.

Not the most powerful by far but I loved dropping Sneak attacks with a full 2 round casting while under invisibility for 10D10 fire damage to start the fight off right.

It also has uses when picking off a retreating enemy as a swift action for 10D4 damage on a snap shot.

[CRtwenty]

Ice Storm is one of my favorite blasting spells. I have no idea why, but I love that thing.

[Hida Reju]

Ice Storm is one of my favorite blasting spells. I have no idea why, but I love that thing.

I love the fact that its great for fliers, slows movement, lasts one whole round, no saving throw, and I can throw it though a spyglass most days.

If it was a lvl 3 spell it would be perfect. At lvl 4 its decent but I don't use it for damage as much.

[Vedhin]

I just found an absurdly awesome spell in Secrets of Sarlona: Stored Lightning Bolt.

7th level Sorcerer/Wizard Evocation [electricity]; Reflex half; SR Yes. d6/CL damage, caps at 20d6.
Area is a 120ft line. You can also choose to store energy in a 5ft-square stone of metal surface in range. Energy is stored 1 damage die at a time, reducing the lightning bolts damage. You can store from 0 to all damage. Damage stored is released up to 5 rounds later (you choose the delay, if any), in a 60ft radius spread, centered on the storage square. As is, it is just a semi-shapable blast. But the awesome part:


If the storage surface is an unbroken wall, damage extends in a semicircle from the wall. However, the blast passes or burns through doorways and other portals into areas on the other side of a wall, and wraps around free-standing surfaces such as columns. If the surface is touched by any creature before the delay time is up, the stored bolt is discharged automatically, with the touching creature taking double the stored damage and all other creatures in the blast area taking half damage.

2d6/CL damage to a single target, and 1d6/2 CL to everything else in a huge area.

If a creature is touching the storage area when the spell is cast, it detonates immediately (for the altered damage). If multiple creatures are touching the storage area when the spell is cast, it detonates immediately, but no double/half damage.


So it's a shapable, delayable, large area, high damage spell, that can have the damage focused on a single target. Very versatile, decent damage type (and something like Archmages' Master of Elements fixes the damage type), good damage.

[Amphetryon]

I just found an absurdly awesome spell in Secrets of Sarlona: Stored Lightning Bolt.

7th level Sorcerer/Wizard Evocation [electricity]; Reflex half; SR Yes. d6/CL damage, caps at 20d6.
Area is a 120ft line. You can also choose to store energy in a 5ft-square stone of metal surface in range. Energy is stored 1 damage die at a time, reducing the lightning bolts damage. You can store from 0 to all damage. Damage stored is released up to 5 rounds later (you choose the delay, if any), in a 60ft radius spread, centered on the storage square. As is, it is just a semi-shapable blast. But the awesome part:



2d6/CL damage to a single target, and 1d6/2 CL to everything else in a huge area.

If a creature is touching the storage area when the spell is cast, it detonates immediately (for the altered damage). If multiple creatures are touching the storage area when the spell is cast, it detonates immediately, but no double/half damage.


So it's a shapable, delayable, large area, high damage spell, that can have the damage focused on a single target. Very versatile, decent damage type (and something like Archmages' Master of Elements fixes the damage type), good damage.
Combine with a Dungeoncrasher ally and watch the fun.

[HaikenEdge]

I don't always blast, but when I do, I prefer disintegrate.

Mostly because it's basically one of two blasty spells I pick up consistently (the other being Magic Missile).

[Osiris]

Who the heck is this snilloc guy? There is a Snowball Swarm exactly like that, but without the word Snilloc in it, in the SC. Maybe it got adapted?

Either way, Snowball Swarm is a fun spell. You are the KING of snowball wars!:smallbiggrin:

[LordHenry]

My favorite spell was 3.5 Channeled Pyroburst (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/channeled-pyroburst--2967/) from Spell compendium.

Not the most powerful by far but I loved dropping Sneak attacks with a full 2 round casting while under invisibility for 10D10 fire damage to start the fight off right.

It also has uses when picking off a retreating enemy as a swift action for 10D4 damage on a snap shot.

Is it possible to Sneak Attack when the spell does not havr an attack roll?

[Yuki Akuma]

Is it possible to Sneak Attack when the spell does not havr an attack roll?

No.4567890

[Urpriest]

Who the heck is this snilloc guy? There is a Snowball Swarm exactly like that, but without the word Snilloc in it, in the SC. Maybe it got adapted?

Either way, Snowball Swarm is a fun spell. You are the KING of snowball wars!:smallbiggrin:

Most SC spells that were based on spells with someone's name on them removed that name when they were printed in the SC.

[Eldan]

Iceberg. Is it worth a ninth level slot? Psh. 20d6 damage is so much easier to achieve, and in a larger area too. No save is nice. But "elephant-sized blocks of ice"?`Hells yes. I never knew what my life was missing before I read that phrase.

You are burying your enemies under an iceberg.


Defenestrating sphere is the next best.

[Vedhin]

Combine with a Dungeoncrasher ally and watch the fun.

Or anything foolish enough to be ground-bound at this level.

Note to self: find easy way of getting 5ft square of metal/stone for use with this spell.

[Captnq]

Who the heck is this snilloc guy? There is a Snowball Swarm exactly like that, but without the word Snilloc in it, in the SC. Maybe it got adapted?

Snilloc = Collins.

[Phelix-Mu]

Can I get a book reference for 3.x versions of the Snilloc spells? These were some of my favorite spells back in the days of yore 2e.

[Thurbane]

Not technically "blasty" (as in damage dealing), but I love Great Thunderclap (SC p.107).

It is Evocation, but does not allow spell resistance. It also forces three saves (one each of Will, Fortitude, and Reflex) to avoid being stunned, deafened, and/or knocked prone. :smallbiggrin:

[Kelb_Panthera]

Can I get a book reference for 3.x versions of the Snilloc spells? These were some of my favorite spells back in the days of yore 2e.

According to dndtools.eu snilloc's snowball is in unapproachable east and snowball swarm was updated to 3.5 in the SpC.

[Thurbane]

I love the fact that its great for fliers, slows movement, lasts one whole round, no saving throw, and I can throw it though a spyglass most days.

If it was a lvl 3 spell it would be perfect. At lvl 4 its decent but I don't use it for damage as much.
Ice Storm is a level 3 spell for Warmages, as one of the players in my game recently discovered up hitting level 6, much to his delight. :smallsmile:

[Brookshw]

Snilloc = Collins.

Out of curiosity does anyone know if Snilloc was originally one of the dev's characters, possibly Dave Collins? I'm curious who that one traces back to.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

Note to self: find easy way of getting 5ft square of metal/stone for use with this spell. Fabricate?

[Phelix-Mu]

According to dndtools.eu snilloc's snowball is in unapproachable east and snowball swarm was updated to 3.5 in the SpC.

Many thanks.

A moment while I rant about them removing creator names from the stuff in the SpC. Changing names of things removes clarity, something that was already largely absent after all the level changes and renaming of the 3.0->3.5 move. Furthermore, if I, as DM, want to whitewash setting flavor out of the spells provided, that is certainly within my capabilities. They always seem to waste effort doing stuff that is most likely to irritate me. *shakes fist at the sky*

[Vedhin]

Looking through Stored Lightning Bolt to figure out how to get the 5ft square easily, I realized something: The "somebody touches the storage area and triggers a double damage attack" thing doesn't seem to allow a save at all. Nor for the half-damage spread associated with it.

This spell is definitely the best blasting spell I'm aware of.

[eggynack]

Looking through Stored Lightning Bolt to figure out how to get the 5ft square easily, I realized something: The "somebody touches the storage area and triggers a double damage attack" thing doesn't seem to allow a save at all. Nor for the half-damage spread associated with it.

This spell is definitely the best blasting spell I'm aware of.
I'm pretty sure it's a reflex save for half, even with that section. The damage is calculated as above, and the damage calculation as above includes a reflex save for half. It's a decent spell, but it's a bit high level for me to consider it the best blasting spell around. I generally hand that spot over to boreal wind, because it deals good damage, in a wide area, over a duration, and has multiple other effects. Anyways, I was searching for information on stored lightning bolt, and I found raptor cloud, so that's a pretty awesome thing. I don't even know if it's a good spell, but it's called raptor cloud, and the things it does are at least decent. Spell based concealment is pretty nice, especially when it's one way. Raptor cloud is right up there with dinosaur stampede in terms of awesome spell names.

[Popertop]

I was working on a Reduce Object specializing Wizard architect who would craft elaborate contraptions, then reduce them down to a paperweight.

Stuff like a huge metal block suspended 10 feet above a collapsible frame. Just drop that puppy as a free action right in front of you, and cast away. Dropped item damage (from whatever height you can allow for your object) plus immediate unavoidable Stored Lightning Bolt damage, doubled.

Bonus of being all completely rules-tight.

[Hida Reju]

Is it possible to Sneak Attack when the spell does not havr an attack roll?

Poor choice of words, I meant Ambushing from stealth or invisibility.

[Vedhin]

I'm pretty sure it's a reflex save for half, even with that section. The damage is calculated as above, and the damage calculation as above includes a reflex save for half.

I'll write it down as unclear, and avoid looking a gift horse in the mouth.



It's a decent spell, but it's a bit high level for me to consider it the best blasting spell around. I generally hand that spot over to boreal wind, because it deals good damage, in a wide area, over a duration, and has multiple other effects.

The damage on Boreal Wind is a mediocre d4/CL, and Fortitude negates-- targets the standard good save for monsters, and can completely fail. The other effects are okay, but aren't blasting. The duration is rather iffy also. It's a good spell, but isn't a good blasting spell.
The high level on SLB is a disappointment, but the versatility and damage potential is stellar for a blast.



Anyways, I was searching for information on stored lightning bolt, and I found raptor cloud, so that's a pretty awesome thing. I don't even know if it's a good spell, but it's called raptor cloud, and the things it does are at least decent. Spell based concealment is pretty nice, especially when it's one way. Raptor cloud is right up there with dinosaur stampede in terms of awesome spell names.

It's my opinion that Secrets of Sarlona is filled with awesome things. Some are just awesome flavor, while others are awesome crunch. There are also things that are both.

[Raimun]

Sound Lance.

Single target, D8 damage per level and the save for half damage is Fort, not Ref. Plus it deals sonic damage, which goes through most defenses.

Not to mention, the spell is as cool as it is deadly. I kind of like the image of blasting a foe with a coherent beam of sound. Kind of like a laser but made of sound instead of light.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

Sound Lance.

Single target, D8 damage per level and the save for half damage is Fort, not Ref. Plus it deals sonic damage, which goes through most defenses.

Not to mention, the spell is as cool as it is deadly.It is a good spell, but the Fort save and it being single target actually count against it. Fort being the usual monsters good save.

Edit: I love your sig, too funny!

[eggynack]

The damage on Boreal Wind is a mediocre d4/CL, and Fortitude negates-- targets the standard good save for monsters, and can completely fail. The other effects are okay, but aren't blasting. The duration is rather iffy also. It's a good spell, but isn't a good blasting spell.
The damage isn't that mediocre, only falling 1/CL behind an average d6 spell. Meanwhile, you get a massive area damage spell that also forces enemies away from you. Moreover, the duration exists without your concentration, and it's not actually that low. We're talking about at least three straight rounds of that damage, and even if fortitude negates, you still have a good chance at getting a hit in, given the duration/area. At 20*20*680-1800, boreal wind can cover a reasonably sized battlefield with windy death.

As for the other effects being not-blasting, that's the point. Boreal wind is a strong blasting spell because it's also your 4th level gust of wind, and can control a battlefield to some extent. The primary aspect of boreal wind is blasting, but it can do other things, so you haven't utterly wasted the slot in the situations where AoE blasting is mediocre. Those are the biggest failings of typical blasting. They do nothing when they don't kill the enemy, and they're too situational. Boreal wind fails in neither place.

[Raimun]

It is a good spell, but the Fort save and it being single target actually count against it. Fort being the usual monsters good save.

Edit: I love your sig, too funny!

But rogues and mage types are vulnerable. Rogues don't get Evasion and mage types have generally so low hps that one sound lance might do the job.

Also, single target is useful when your target is locked in melee and you want to avoid shooting your buddies.

Plus you can usually tell which monsters have good fort and low will and plan accordingly.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Poor choice of words, I meant Ambushing from stealth or invisibility.

Those circumstances don't negate the need to make an attack roll. The only instance of automatically hitting a target without rolling is the coup-de-gras special maneuver which requires a helpless opponent.

[Balbanes]

Crushing Sphere is one of my more often used damage spells. Effectively 3d6 / level is reasonably hard hitting. My all time favorite blasty spell is 2E's Lance of Disruption, which I updated for use in the games I run. You can't get more "PEW PEW LASER!" than a 60 foot beam of force.

[Dr. Azkur]

Greater Fireburst.

Is it good? Eh, you probably shouldn't be that close, but I rather enjoy it, what with the d10s. I should look for more spells that use a d10. Oooh I wonder if there are any d12 or even d20 damage spells.

Dance of Ruin does 2d20 damage to all non-demon creatures in a certain area. (BVoD)

[NeoPhoenix0]

Greater Fireburst.

Is it good? Eh, you probably shouldn't be that close, but I rather enjoy it, what with the d10s. I should look for more spells that use a d10. Oooh I wonder if there are any d12 or even d20 damage spells.

For d12 spells, there is rainbow beam from the spell compendium. I rather enjoy using it at lower levels.

[Chronos]

Quoth Kelb_Panthera:

Those circumstances don't negate the need to make an attack roll.
I think you misunderstand. Hida Reju meant that he wasn't referring to the game mechanic called Sneak Attack at all; he was just referring to an attack made sneakily, in the generic sense of those terms.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I think you misunderstand. Hida Reju meant that he wasn't referring to the game mechanic called Sneak Attack at all; he was just referring to an attack made sneakily, in the generic sense of those terms.

I see now. I followed the quote trail. "Surprise attack" would've been much clearer.