Holy. O_o Fire Seeds?

[Kantolin]

We have a cleric with the fire domain, how just got access to fire seeds, and noted... well, that fire seeds does a ridiculously large amount of damage. O_o

Relevant statement is holly berry bombs.

Holly Berry Bombs

You turn as many as eight holly berries into special bombs. The holly berries are usually placed by hand, since they are too light to make effective thrown weapons (they can be tossed only 5 feet). If you are within 200 feet and speak a word of command, each berry instantly bursts into flame, causing 1d8 points of fire damage +1 point per caster level to every creature in a 5-foot radius burst and igniting any combustible materials within 5 feet. A creature in the area that makes a successful Reflex saving throw takes only half damage.

Now, assuming the 'word of command' is a standard action... does that really mean that a 12th level caster, by default, does 8d8+96 damage (reflex half), with each use of this spell? O-o

Sure, the range is only 5ft, but you can cast them a couple hours in advance, and it doesn't take particular effort nor optimization to get it such that it doesn't blow you up (or at least doesn't kill you).

Geez. O_o

Edit: Mistake pointed out by Pharoah Fist; fixed to 8d8

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Damage would be 8d8+96 damage, not 12d8.

[Starbuck_II]

We have a cleric with the fire domain, how just got access to fire seeds, and noted... well, that fire seeds does a ridiculously large amount of damage. O_o

Relevant statement is holly berry bombs.



Now, assuming the 'word of command' is a standard action... does that really mean that a 12th level caster, by default, does 12d8+96 damage (reflex half), with each use of this spell? O-o

Sure, the range is only 5ft, but you can cast them a couple hours in advance, and it doesn't take particular effort nor optimization to get it such that it doesn't blow you up (or at least doesn't kill you).

Geez. O_o

Yes, I only got to use them twice as a Wu Jen, but the spell rocks.

[Temotei]

Considering the cleric doesn't get much in the way of offensive spells...

[Grushvak]

Dropping an item is a free action, right? So you could just always carry these babies in one of your free hands, drop them at your feet during a fight, 5ft-step back, move another 5-ft and blow everything to hell?

I think I'm going to use these on my blasty-spells deprieved Priest of Bahamut.

EDIT: Level 6 spell, ugh. For some reason, I thought it would be level 3-4.

[SurlySeraph]

The spell level and the required setup balanced them somewhat. But yes, they can be very powerful

[Vaynor]

The seeds themselves are too light, but perhaps you could place them in some kind of hollow projectile to throw them? I don't see why not.

[ericgrau]

If the projectile weighed something. Besides possibly breaking design intent, it's a standard action to throw them and another standard action to speak the command word. Best to have them already carried, drop them (free action), move (move action), and then make with the boom (standard action). EDIT: unless "word of command" is different from a typical command word.

[Sinfire Titan]

The spell level and the required setup balanced them somewhat. But yes, they can be very powerful

Setup? Just have an Unseen Servant or Floating Disk spell carry them over to the enemy. The Servant is undamaged, and the bombs go off the way you want them to.


Or use the Summon Elemental Reserve feat if you don't want to waste another slot. That gives them a 30ft range.

[Edge of Dreams]

Why not make more than eight with multiple castings?

[Aldizog]

Now, assuming the 'word of command' is a standard action... does that really mean that a 12th level caster, by default, does 8d8+96 damage (reflex half), with each use of this spell? O-o

Well, kind of. It does 8 instances of 1d8+12. Which means that anything with Resist Fire 20 is going to be unharmed. That actually makes for a nice tactic: stock up on as many as you like, cast Resist Energy, go into melee, and detonate them on yourself.

[Optimystik]

Considering the cleric doesn't get much in the way of offensive spells...

If you want offensive spells that badly, there are far better domains to take than Fire or Sun.

[Grushvak]

Why not make more than eight with multiple castings?

Unseen Servant carrying a bunch of these would be hilarious. The DM probably wouldn't fall for it more than once though.

[Surgo]

It's not bad, for level 11, but it's not really stepping on the Rogue's toes that much either (especially with that save).

[Temotei]

If you want offensive spells that badly, there are far better domains to take than Fire or Sun.

Agreed. Why ten characters...?

[SurlySeraph]

Setup? Just have an Unseen Servant or Floating Disk spell carry them over to the enemy. The Servant is undamaged, and the bombs go off the way you want them to.


Or use the Summon Elemental Reserve feat if you don't want to waste another slot. That gives them a 30ft range.

The first requires casting another spell and time; the second requires a feat that you may not want to take. I see your point, though.

And I like Aldizog and Vaynor's suggestions. Creativity always makes spells more entertaining.

[Demented]

Why not put them in a bag, along with some kind of heavy-ish object? Molotov feed bag!

Well, kind of. It does 8 instances of 1d8+12. Which means that anything with Resist Fire 20 is going to be unharmed. That actually makes for a nice tactic: stock up on as many as you like, cast Resist Energy, go into melee, and detonate them on yourself.

You can say goodbye to a number of your attended items.

[ericgrau]

Resist energy also protects your gear.

[Beorn080]

Give them/hide them on your groups rogue. Once he's finished sneak attacking, blow him up. He makes the save, and with Imp evasion takes no damage, and you get a ranged attack.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Well, kind of. It does 8 instances of 1d8+12. Which means that anything with Resist Fire 20 is going to be unharmed. That actually makes for a nice tactic: stock up on as many as you like, cast Resist Energy, go into melee, and detonate them on yourself.

Bwa ha ha...

[Kobold-Bard]

Give them/hide them on your groups rogue. Once he's finished sneak attacking, blow him up. He makes the save, and with Imp evasion takes no damage, and you get a ranged attack.

I love it. So simple, yet so hilarious

[jindra34]

Also remember each berry offers a seperate save. And it can be really nasty if you have a couple of days to prepare for defense.

[huttj509]

Drop em in a flask, then stopper the flask.

Vampire: What is that, more holy water? Hah.

Player: BURN WITH ME!

Edit: ooh ooh slip em in the victim's food!

[The New Bruceski]

Drop em in a flask, then stopper the flask.

Vampire: What is that, more holy water? Hah.

Player: BURN WITH ME!

Edit: ooh ooh slip em in the victim's food!

Create the berries, juice them, and slip it in someone's wine.

[MickJay]

If they're still berries (albeit exploding ones), you could cast the spell multiple times, press the juice out, ferment it, and you'd end up with a bottle of highly explosive (yet stable, until command word is spoken) wine. Think of all the possibilities.

[Signmaker]

If they're still berries (albeit exploding ones), you could cast the spell multiple times, press the juice out, ferment it, and you'd end up with a bottle of highly explosive (yet stable, until command word is spoken) wine. Think of all the possibilities.

Obligatory molotov cocktail reference.

[faceroll]

Also remember each berry offers a seperate save. And it can be really nasty if you have a couple of days to prepare for defense.

Since each berry has a separate save, the SD is going to be much closer to average.

[PhoenixRivers]

Dropping an item is a free action, right? So you could just always carry these babies in one of your free hands, drop them at your feet during a fight, 5ft-step back, move another 5-ft and blow everything to hell?

I think I'm going to use these on my blasty-spells deprieved Priest of Bahamut.

EDIT: Level 6 spell, ugh. For some reason, I thought it would be level 3-4.

It gets better than that. You're allowed to drop items in adjacent squares.

So, you're standing toe to toe with an enemy... Drop the handful of berries at his feet (in his square, 5 feet ahead of you). Then take a free 5 foot step back (you're now 10 feet from the berries). Now, standard action, command word boom. Now, they get a save for each berry, by the wording, but it's still a lot of damage.

Alternately? Drop em every 15 feet as you fly over a group. 13-20 damage to everything in a 15 foot wide, 120 foot long pass (8 berries). That's at CL 12.

[Sliver]

Now, they get a save for each berry, by the wording, but it's still a lot of damage.

But it is better then a spell with a single save that does the same amount of damage, on average. Against creatures with no evasion and 50% to save, it will do 75% of it's damage if it saves for half of them. It's like a 1d12 vs 2d6 damage weapons. And if the target has evasion, it increases the chances of it getting damaged at least a bit.

[Fiery Diamond]

Unseen Servant carrying a bunch of these would be hilarious. The DM probably wouldn't fall for it more than once though.

I would let players do that. In fact, I have a player who will probably try that when the party reaches that level (however, she is neither a Druid nor has the Fire or Sun domains, so she would have to ask the Druid to cooperate with her). I think it's clever.