For a Sorcerer: Vitriolic Sphere or Mordenkainen's Force Missiles?
Rik_Kirtaniya
Member Posts: 1,742
So I've been playing a Solo Dragon Disciple run of IWD:EE, and it's turning out pretty well. I've got access to the Level 4 spells, and tried out both Mordenkainen's Force Missiles and Vitriolic Sphere (by changing them using EEKeeper, of course, I'd never take two same level spells of the same type for a Sorcerer) as the general offensive spell for that level. It appears to me that Mordenkainen's Force Missiles takes a lot of time to scale upto the proper power level, while Vitriolic Sphere gives you a high damaging option almost as soon as you get it.
The spells are provided below within Spoiler tags for ease of reference:
Level: 4
Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 9-ft. radius
Saving Throw: Special
This spell conjures a sphere of glowing emerald acid that the caster can direct to strike any target within range. When it reaches its target, the sphere explodes and drenches the victim in potent acid. The victim suffers 1d4 points of acid damage per caster level, to a maximum of 12d4 points of damage. After the initial damage, the victim must make a Saving Throw to avoid more damage. If unsuccessful, the victim continues to suffer acid damage in the following rounds, sustaining two less dice of damage each round. For example, an 8th-level wizard inflicts 8d4 damage with this spell on the first round, 6d4 on the second round, 4d4 on the third round, 2d4 on the fourth round, and the spell ends on the fifth round. Each round after the first, the victim is entitled to a Save vs. Spell to avoid further damage.
The vitriolic sphere also splashes acid in a 9-ft. radius around the primary target. Any creatures within the splash radius must save vs. Petrification/Polymorph or suffer a splash hit that inflicts 1d4 points of damage per every five levels of the caster. Splash hits do not cause continuing damage.
Level: 4
Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: Instant
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 5-ft. radius
Saving Throw: Special
This spell creates a brilliant globe of magical energy that streaks forth from the caster’s hand to unerringly strike its target, much like a Magic Missile spell. The wizard creates one missile at 7th level and an additional missile at every third level after 7th—in other words, two missiles at 10th level, three at 13th, four at 16th, and so on, to a maximum of seven missiles at 25th level. Each missile inflicts 2d4 points of damage to the target and then bursts in a 5-ft. radius concussive blast that inflicts 1 point of damage per level of the caster—for example, a 12th-level wizard could conjure two force missiles, each of which strikes for 2d4+12 points of magic damage. Creatures taking damage can attempt a Save vs. Spell to negate the concussion damage, but the impact of the missile itself allows no Saving Throw. The 1st-level wizard spell Shield will absorb the force missiles harmlessly, including the concussion damage.
If you were to choose between one of them, which one would you take?
The spells are provided below within Spoiler tags for ease of reference:
Vitriolic Sphere
(Conjuration)Level: 4
Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 9-ft. radius
Saving Throw: Special
This spell conjures a sphere of glowing emerald acid that the caster can direct to strike any target within range. When it reaches its target, the sphere explodes and drenches the victim in potent acid. The victim suffers 1d4 points of acid damage per caster level, to a maximum of 12d4 points of damage. After the initial damage, the victim must make a Saving Throw to avoid more damage. If unsuccessful, the victim continues to suffer acid damage in the following rounds, sustaining two less dice of damage each round. For example, an 8th-level wizard inflicts 8d4 damage with this spell on the first round, 6d4 on the second round, 4d4 on the third round, 2d4 on the fourth round, and the spell ends on the fifth round. Each round after the first, the victim is entitled to a Save vs. Spell to avoid further damage.
The vitriolic sphere also splashes acid in a 9-ft. radius around the primary target. Any creatures within the splash radius must save vs. Petrification/Polymorph or suffer a splash hit that inflicts 1d4 points of damage per every five levels of the caster. Splash hits do not cause continuing damage.
Mordenkainen’s Force Missiles
(Invocation)Level: 4
Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: Instant
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 5-ft. radius
Saving Throw: Special
This spell creates a brilliant globe of magical energy that streaks forth from the caster’s hand to unerringly strike its target, much like a Magic Missile spell. The wizard creates one missile at 7th level and an additional missile at every third level after 7th—in other words, two missiles at 10th level, three at 13th, four at 16th, and so on, to a maximum of seven missiles at 25th level. Each missile inflicts 2d4 points of damage to the target and then bursts in a 5-ft. radius concussive blast that inflicts 1 point of damage per level of the caster—for example, a 12th-level wizard could conjure two force missiles, each of which strikes for 2d4+12 points of magic damage. Creatures taking damage can attempt a Save vs. Spell to negate the concussion damage, but the impact of the missile itself allows no Saving Throw. The 1st-level wizard spell Shield will absorb the force missiles harmlessly, including the concussion damage.
If you were to choose between one of them, which one would you take?
- For a Sorcerer: Vitriolic Sphere or Mordenkainen's Force Missiles?20 votes
- Vitriolic Sphere35.00%
- Mordenkainen's Force Missiles65.00%
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Comments
not only it takes cares of trolls but it's also gigantic burst dmg.
force missiles only shine in IWD2 if i remember right
Edit: I just read that apparently Vitriolic Sphere also has splash damage
**Need to save each round. Damage continues till save.
Once save is made, successive damage is negated.
Total = 30d4.
Splash Damage = 6d4 (1d4/5 levels).
A single save negates full damage.
Effective secondary Total = 36d4 (Max =144)
A single save negates entire damage.**Need to make a separate Save for every missile's concussion damage.
Max = 192
Max = 266
*100% Acid Damage Resistance
*Spells like Protection from Acid
*100% Magic Damage Resistance
*Spells like Shield, Protection from Magic Energy (maybe Entropy Shield too, need to confirm)
(Max Damage at just Level 12 is 176 which is 92% of Grand Total)
*Need to save each time against secondary damage, until successful.
*Greater Splash Damage Radius (9 ft.)
(Max Damage at Level 12 is just 40 which is only 15% of Grand Total!)
*A single successful save negates all damage.*Need to make a separate Save for every missile's concussion damage.
*Smaller Splash (Concussion) Damage Radius (5 ft.)
I guess it's a choice between quicker scaling up and larger final gains. It is also to be considered that while playing with a 6-member party, one may not be able to utilize the full power of Mordenkainen's Force Missiles (not so in case of Vitriolic Sphere which scales up faster).
This is because in certain cases, the Save vs. Spell statement doesn't appear at all in the message box, and in those cases, the opponent takes NO secondary concussion damage at all, although the missile was targetted directly at him. Strange.
Now, if the separate save for each missile is true, then Mordenkainen's Force Missiles is undoubtedly better than Vitriolic Sphere. (Wish it was in BG2 as well, since there's no decent level 4 offensive spells there.)