Chain Fireball [Archive] - Wizards Community

Chain Fireball [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
def_mornahan
09-12-04, 02:43 PM Here's a spell I've always wanted to see.

Chain Fireball
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level); see text
Targets: One 20 ft. burst, plus one burst/6 levels (each burst in the series must be within medium range [100 + 10 ft./level] of the previous burst)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell creates a series of bursts similar to the fireball spell. The caster selects the target locations and a bead just like that of the fireball spell streaks to the first target. It detonates, dealing 1d6 fire damage per level (maximum 20d6) within a 20 ft. radius, but then streaks to the next target location in the series and repeats until it reaches the end of the series. If the bead impacts something, it detonates at that point and the spell ends.
Material Component: A tiny ball of bat dung and brimstone for every burst.
Emir
09-12-04, 03:10 PM No dude.
Sacrusha
09-12-04, 03:14 PM If you clarify that every creature or object can only be affected by one of the spreads, it's fine. If you want to do ~60d6 damage to a single target, try twin meteor swarm, a level 13 spell.
def_mornahan
09-13-04, 01:10 PM True, I forgot the addendum that the areas can't overlap. With that, does it need to be a ninth-level spell or does it work at eighth? It could also be toned down by making the successive bursts less powerful (like 2nd edition chain lightning) but I left that out to make the spell less complicated. It could lose, say, 6 dice per burst:
e.g. 17th level caster:
1st burst - 17d6
2nd burst - 11d6
3rd burst - 5d6
Would that keep it at 8th level?
VolkorTheRed
09-13-04, 01:17 PM True, I forgot the addendum that the areas can't overlap. With that, does it need to be a ninth-level spell or does it work at eighth? It could also be toned down by making the successive bursts less powerful (like 2nd edition chain lightning) but I left that out to make the spell less complicated. It could lose, say, 6 dice per burst:
e.g. 17th level caster:
1st burst - 17d6
2nd burst - 11d6
3rd burst - 5d6
Would that keep it at 8th level?

Look at the spell "firebrand" from magic of faerun, its a bit similar to yours, although yours is more powerful :D
But it also has the limitation of one burst affecting only once and don't overlap.
Basicly yor spell is now better than meteor swarm, so what i would do is tone the damage down a bit and add in the note of "not overlapping" ... Maybe make each burst maximum 15d6 or 10d6.
Its basicly one heck of a good battlefield spell :) My Fire Wizard would love to have it, but i don't think my DM would allow it :D
def_mornahan
09-13-04, 09:32 PM All right, what if one did something more like this:
Each burst does 6d6 damage (like meteor swarm).
The areas can't overlap (so it's obviously weaker than meteor swarm).
You get one burst/four levels (three at 15th, four at 16th-19th, five at 20th).
Now that seems really weak to me. Is it?
smrtgmp
09-14-04, 06:52 AM Its not just you. I think your original version would be fine if overlapping fireballs didnt stack their damage. Then all you have is the ability to target several targets. I think a different name might be a bit more appropriate, however. I'm a bit to tired to suggest one, however. My apologies. :embarrass
Lord of Dorkness
09-14-04, 09:30 AM sounds like enlarged fireball to me...
or energy substitution: chain lightning[fire]
or empowered billowing cloud...

why not try something like that?
Tjaeden
09-14-04, 05:15 PM What would happen if an Archmage with Mastery of Shaping cast a Chained Fireball?
def_mornahan
09-16-04, 12:17 PM Tjaeden: Jeezopeets, I wish you wouldn't ask questions that are more interesting than working on my papers...
I would think that the effect would be that you could hollow out holes in each burst at will. For example, if the rest of your party is spread out surrounded by flunkies, you could center a burst on each party member, excluding their personal space from the effect of the spell but catching all the creatures in all the squares around them. Sort of an archmage Great Cleave (which is really the idea of the spell anyway).

Lord of Dorkness: All those ideas are good. They're not as amusing to me as this one, for whatever absurd reason.

smrtgmp: I like the idea of successive bursts losing damage...if they don't overlap, I think the spell fits as 8th level...clearly better than delayed blast fireball, nowhere as good as meteor swarm...(assuming I'm reading the 3.5 description properly, that you can now beat the rogue directly with all four meteors for...ummm...32d6 total fire+bludgeoning, bypassing his improved evasion, and laugh maniacally as they explode for 24d6 total damage in a 40' spread? Like, absolutely killer compared to the 3.0 version, and it's a good thing too, maybe even a tad much, although there's that out of hand distintegrate spell to compare with? Okay, run-on sentences are out of my system. I'm sure this has been posted and I missed it. Just ignore me.)

As far as a name, what about "multiple fireball"? Ummm..."Def-marius' Path of Destruction"? "Geraden's Smoldering Battlefield"? I just like the name "chain fireball", and the way it sent shivers up the player's spines when I said that was the spell's name that X the NPC was casting.
def_mornahan
09-16-04, 12:18 PM Ummm...sorry...mistake...
Razorblade Smile
09-16-04, 12:21 PM Take Fireball. Apply the Chain Spell feat to it. Look at the modified spell level. Turn it into a spell of that level, maybe with one minor little perk to differentiate it (like Delayed-Blast Fireball). Voila.
def_mornahan
09-17-04, 12:25 PM Where in God's green earth is THAT feat? Sorry, my small disposable income has more sinks than bookstores...
Tjaeden
09-18-04, 09:03 AM Chain Spell [Metamagic]
Prereq: any other MMF
Benefit: "Chain" a spell that has a single target with a range greater than touch. (So no fireball... :bigeyes: , UNLESS it is modified by Mastery of Shaping first). The chained spell hit the original target then arcs to a number of targets equal to ahlf your level.

The damage is reduced by half and DC's are reduced by 4 for all secondary targets... plus they all have to be w/in 30; of eachother.

Tome & Blood (p39) -- my paraphrasing :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
def_mornahan 09-12-04, 02:43 PM	Here's a spell I've always wanted to see. Chain Fireball Evocation [Fire] Level: Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level); see text Targets: One 20 ft. burst, plus one burst/6 levels (each burst in the series must be within medium range [100 + 10 ft./level] of the previous burst) Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes This spell creates a series of bursts similar to the fireball spell. The caster selects the target locations and a bead just like that of the fireball spell streaks to the first target. It detonates, dealing 1d6 fire damage per level (maximum 20d6) within a 20 ft. radius, but then streaks to the next target location in the series and repeats until it reaches the end of the series. If the bead impacts something, it detonates at that point and the spell ends. Material Component: A tiny ball of bat dung and brimstone for every burst.
Emir 09-12-04, 03:10 PM	No dude.
Sacrusha 09-12-04, 03:14 PM	If you clarify that every creature or object can only be affected by one of the spreads, it's fine. If you want to do ~60d6 damage to a single target, try twin meteor swarm, a level 13 spell.
def_mornahan 09-13-04, 01:10 PM	True, I forgot the addendum that the areas can't overlap. With that, does it need to be a ninth-level spell or does it work at eighth? It could also be toned down by making the successive bursts less powerful (like 2nd edition chain lightning) but I left that out to make the spell less complicated. It could lose, say, 6 dice per burst: e.g. 17th level caster: 1st burst - 17d6 2nd burst - 11d6 3rd burst - 5d6 Would that keep it at 8th level?
VolkorTheRed 09-13-04, 01:17 PM	True, I forgot the addendum that the areas can't overlap. With that, does it need to be a ninth-level spell or does it work at eighth? It could also be toned down by making the successive bursts less powerful (like 2nd edition chain lightning) but I left that out to make the spell less complicated. It could lose, say, 6 dice per burst: e.g. 17th level caster: 1st burst - 17d6 2nd burst - 11d6 3rd burst - 5d6 Would that keep it at 8th level? Look at the spell "firebrand" from magic of faerun, its a bit similar to yours, although yours is more powerful :D But it also has the limitation of one burst affecting only once and don't overlap. Basicly yor spell is now better than meteor swarm, so what i would do is tone the damage down a bit and add in the note of "not overlapping" ... Maybe make each burst maximum 15d6 or 10d6. Its basicly one heck of a good battlefield spell :) My Fire Wizard would love to have it, but i don't think my DM would allow it :D
def_mornahan 09-13-04, 09:32 PM	All right, what if one did something more like this: Each burst does 6d6 damage (like meteor swarm). The areas can't overlap (so it's obviously weaker than meteor swarm). You get one burst/four levels (three at 15th, four at 16th-19th, five at 20th). Now that seems really weak to me. Is it?
smrtgmp 09-14-04, 06:52 AM	Its not just you. I think your original version would be fine if overlapping fireballs didnt stack their damage. Then all you have is the ability to target several targets. I think a different name might be a bit more appropriate, however. I'm a bit to tired to suggest one, however. My apologies. :embarrass
Lord of Dorkness 09-14-04, 09:30 AM	sounds like enlarged fireball to me... or energy substitution: chain lightning[fire] or empowered billowing cloud... why not try something like that?
Tjaeden 09-14-04, 05:15 PM	What would happen if an Archmage with Mastery of Shaping cast a Chained Fireball?
def_mornahan 09-16-04, 12:17 PM	Tjaeden: Jeezopeets, I wish you wouldn't ask questions that are more interesting than working on my papers... I would think that the effect would be that you could hollow out holes in each burst at will. For example, if the rest of your party is spread out surrounded by flunkies, you could center a burst on each party member, excluding their personal space from the effect of the spell but catching all the creatures in all the squares around them. Sort of an archmage Great Cleave (which is really the idea of the spell anyway). Lord of Dorkness: All those ideas are good. They're not as amusing to me as this one, for whatever absurd reason. smrtgmp: I like the idea of successive bursts losing damage...if they don't overlap, I think the spell fits as 8th level...clearly better than delayed blast fireball, nowhere as good as meteor swarm...(assuming I'm reading the 3.5 description properly, that you can now beat the rogue directly with all four meteors for...ummm...32d6 total fire+bludgeoning, bypassing his improved evasion, and laugh maniacally as they explode for 24d6 total damage in a 40' spread? Like, absolutely killer compared to the 3.0 version, and it's a good thing too, maybe even a tad much, although there's that out of hand distintegrate spell to compare with? Okay, run-on sentences are out of my system. I'm sure this has been posted and I missed it. Just ignore me.) As far as a name, what about "multiple fireball"? Ummm..."Def-marius' Path of Destruction"? "Geraden's Smoldering Battlefield"? I just like the name "chain fireball", and the way it sent shivers up the player's spines when I said that was the spell's name that X the NPC was casting.
def_mornahan 09-16-04, 12:18 PM	Ummm...sorry...mistake...
Razorblade Smile 09-16-04, 12:21 PM	Take Fireball. Apply the Chain Spell feat to it. Look at the modified spell level. Turn it into a spell of that level, maybe with one minor little perk to differentiate it (like Delayed-Blast Fireball). Voila.
def_mornahan 09-17-04, 12:25 PM	Where in God's green earth is THAT feat? Sorry, my small disposable income has more sinks than bookstores...
Tjaeden 09-18-04, 09:03 AM	Chain Spell [Metamagic] Prereq: any other MMF Benefit: "Chain" a spell that has a single target with a range greater than touch. (So no fireball... :bigeyes: , UNLESS it is modified by Mastery of Shaping first). The chained spell hit the original target then arcs to a number of targets equal to ahlf your level. The damage is reduced by half and DC's are reduced by 4 for all secondary targets... plus they all have to be w/in 30; of eachother. Tome & Blood (p39) -- my paraphrasing :)