Playing with fire? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Playing with fire?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
redshellhead
Mar 28, 2009 19:02:41 Hello there,

I've read a few comments on these forums that seem to indicate that playing as a character that uses a lot of fire-oriented damage spells is a risky proposition, if not outright unwise, due to the number of monsters that have fire resistance.

Is this actually the case? I know there are a small number of feats such as Surging Flame or Irresistible Flame, but I'm not sure how they measure up. I'd very much like to build a fire-oriented Wizard, or an Inferal fire-slinging Warlock, without feeling like a great number of monsters are going to just shrug off my damage.
#2
merchant_of_shadows
Mar 28, 2009 19:06:19 Go with fire-oriented dragon sorcerer then, they have the best means to deal with fire resistance to their flames.
#3
JayM
Mar 28, 2009 19:54:27
Is this actually the case?

Any character who builds elemental attacks around one element will occasionally have problem with foes that resist that element. It's the inherent trade off in building a single element character. You can take the element enhancing bonuses and get more out of them because you only have one element, but against a resistant foe you have a problem.

At low level, just make sure you have at least one at-will from a different element, so you can always do something. At paragon and higher you can usually work around it one way or another. Stack multiple elements on your attack or get feats/powers/items that bypass resistance.

Jay
#4
moonglum
Mar 28, 2009 20:12:33 At heroic tier, the problem can be mitigated if you have gloves of piercing, a the relatively cheap item. They will work against tieflings of up to 10th level, magma creatures, genasi, firebats, and some demons. They will not work against devils, red dragons, high level tieflings, fire giants, etc., though. But those should be rare at the heroic tier. At heroic tier (mid level) would take 1 non-fire daily, and something like magic missile or cloud of daggers.
#5
pigknight
Mar 28, 2009 20:15:18 Or the DM could not throw red dragons at them every other fight.
#6
daidojitaidoru
Mar 28, 2009 20:22:48
Or the DM could not throw red dragons at them every other fight.

To be fair the red dragon only needs to eat you once for that encounter to totally suck.
#7
doneisi
Mar 28, 2009 20:56:30 What ever you do make sure you tell your DM or things could get messy. If she has time to prepare for you then you won't end up with encounters where you are useless.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 redshellhead Mar 28, 2009 19:02:41	Hello there, I've read a few comments on these forums that seem to indicate that playing as a character that uses a lot of fire-oriented damage spells is a risky proposition, if not outright unwise, due to the number of monsters that have fire resistance. Is this actually the case? I know there are a small number of feats such as Surging Flame or Irresistible Flame, but I'm not sure how they measure up. I'd very much like to build a fire-oriented Wizard, or an Inferal fire-slinging Warlock, without feeling like a great number of monsters are going to just shrug off my damage.
#2 merchant_of_shadows Mar 28, 2009 19:06:19	Go with fire-oriented dragon sorcerer then, they have the best means to deal with fire resistance to their flames.
#3 JayM Mar 28, 2009 19:54:27	Is this actually the case? Any character who builds elemental attacks around one element will occasionally have problem with foes that resist that element. It's the inherent trade off in building a single element character. You can take the element enhancing bonuses and get more out of them because you only have one element, but against a resistant foe you have a problem. At low level, just make sure you have at least one at-will from a different element, so you can always do something. At paragon and higher you can usually work around it one way or another. Stack multiple elements on your attack or get feats/powers/items that bypass resistance. Jay
#4 moonglum Mar 28, 2009 20:12:33	At heroic tier, the problem can be mitigated if you have gloves of piercing, a the relatively cheap item. They will work against tieflings of up to 10th level, magma creatures, genasi, firebats, and some demons. They will not work against devils, red dragons, high level tieflings, fire giants, etc., though. But those should be rare at the heroic tier. At heroic tier (mid level) would take 1 non-fire daily, and something like magic missile or cloud of daggers.
#5 pigknight Mar 28, 2009 20:15:18	Or the DM could not throw red dragons at them every other fight.
#6 daidojitaidoru Mar 28, 2009 20:22:48	Or the DM could not throw red dragons at them every other fight. To be fair the red dragon only needs to eat you once for that encounter to totally suck.
#7 doneisi Mar 28, 2009 20:56:30	What ever you do make sure you tell your DM or things could get messy. If she has time to prepare for you then you won't end up with encounters where you are useless.