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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next How much damage to a single target is fair at 3rd level?



Alias
2014-10-08, 01:39 PM
Consider this...

Incinerate
3rd level shunran evocation
Casting time: 1 action
Range: 120’
Components: V, S, M ( a piece of obsidian less than one year old )
Duration: Instantaneous

An orb of lava forms in you head which you direct to a creature which it then immolates dealing 8d8 fire damage with a dexterity saving throw for half. A creature that fails its saving throw is also set on fire and must take an action, or an ally must take an action, to put out the flames (dexterity save to succeed) or take 1d8 fire damage each time it ends its turn on fire. Immersion in water puts the fire out immediately, no save required. Creatures resistant to fire can't be ignited this way. A character reduced to 0 hit points fails death throws automatically if on fire from this spell. If this spell kills someone outright they are reduces to ash and only resurrection or stronger magic will restore the character.

If you use an obsidian stone that is less than a week old collected from an ongoing eruption, the damage dice increases to d10’s.

At higher levels: When you cast this spell from a 4th level slot you increase the damage by 2d8 for each level above 3rd.

When it really needs to die, kill it with fire. My balancing thoughts though are scorching ray, cast as a 3rd level spell, deals 8d6 if all 4 rays hit. Fireball is also 8d6, but hits multiple foes. So I shifted the die up one step, and let it go up 2 dice a level like scorching ray. The set on fire bit could end up doing a lot if the foe lets it. The d10's bit is a fluff throw in that can be pulled. Also the fact the spell is extra hard to come back from the dead against is there for the fluff, but is it ok?

Ramshack
2014-10-08, 01:46 PM
Consider this...

Incinerate
3rd level shunran evocation
Casting time: 1 action
Range: 120’
Components: V, S, M ( a piece of obsidian less than one year old )
Duration: Instantaneous

An orb of lava forms in you head which you direct to a creature which it then immolates dealing 8d8 fire damage with a dexterity saving throw for half. A creature that fails its saving throw is also set on fire and must take an action, or an ally must take an action, to put out the flames (dexterity save to succeed) or take 1d8 fire damage each time it ends its turn on fire. Immersion in water puts the fire out immediately, no save required. Creatures resistant to fire can't be ignited this way. A character reduced to 0 hit points fails death throws automatically if on fire from this spell. If this spell kills someone outright they are reduces to ash and only resurrection or stronger magic will restore the character.

If you use an obsidian stone that is less than a week old collected from an ongoing eruption, the damage dice increases to d10’s.

At higher levels: When you cast this spell from a 4th level slot you increase the damage by 2d8 for each level above 3rd.

When it really needs to die, kill it with fire. My balancing thoughts though are scorching ray, cast as a 3rd level spell, deals 8d6 if all 4 rays hit. Fireball is also 8d6, but hits multiple foes. So I shifted the die up one step, and let it go up 2 dice a level like scorching ray. The set on fire bit could end up doing a lot if the foe lets it. The d10's bit is a fluff throw in that can be pulled. Also the fact the spell is extra hard to come back from the dead against is there for the fluff, but is it ok?

Seems ridiculously strong especially when combined with the set on fire aspect.

Alias
2014-10-08, 02:17 PM
Seems ridiculously strong especially when combined with the set on fire aspect.

It's also 1 target only. Scorching ray from a 3rd level slot is up to 4 targets so it's more flexible. Fireball rarely gets used on fewer than 2 targets, and it's not unknown for it to get quite a few more. The die shift from d6 to d8 means that, on average, this will deal 4 more points than fireball, but only hit one creature. The set on fire part may gather 1 or 2 more dice, but it's spread over time.

The special material component part could be dropped and was a last minute throw in anyway.

The difficulty of reviving and raising the victim may need modification. At the least, the spell should block revivify forcing raise dead to be used. I could see the blocking of raise dead to requiring the use of a 5th level slot.