Sorcerers, do you use chain lightning?
Myrag
Member Posts: 328
Do you guys use chain lightning?
It is very often considered very weak spell, and for a good reason. 10d6 at level 20 and half if target made successful save. This means it's around 15 average damage per cast. Pretty weak right? But a sorcerer with Vecna and AoP can cast this instantly and with Reaching Ring and HLA (extra level 6 slot) you can cast 8 of them. Combined with Improved Alacrity you can drop average 120 damage on everyone with party friendly AOE. 240 on failed save.
Considering Dragon's breath does 50 average damage this means you have ~x2.5 dragons breath in your pocket with instant cast. Of course they don't ignore magic resistance but there are few enemies quite vulnerable to this type of damage which is also nice. Those values are quite decent even on LoB.
Sorcerer Project Image under IA expends spellbook really fast but often his level 6 isn't very valuable offense wise.
I was wondering if other people use it since one chain lighting is pretty bad but 8 are already decent.
It is very often considered very weak spell, and for a good reason. 10d6 at level 20 and half if target made successful save. This means it's around 15 average damage per cast. Pretty weak right? But a sorcerer with Vecna and AoP can cast this instantly and with Reaching Ring and HLA (extra level 6 slot) you can cast 8 of them. Combined with Improved Alacrity you can drop average 120 damage on everyone with party friendly AOE. 240 on failed save.
Considering Dragon's breath does 50 average damage this means you have ~x2.5 dragons breath in your pocket with instant cast. Of course they don't ignore magic resistance but there are few enemies quite vulnerable to this type of damage which is also nice. Those values are quite decent even on LoB.
Sorcerer Project Image under IA expends spellbook really fast but often his level 6 isn't very valuable offense wise.
I was wondering if other people use it since one chain lighting is pretty bad but 8 are already decent.
1
Comments
Level 6 doesn't have many good direct damage spells. Death Fog (or Death Spell, as one prefers) is a bit more decent than Chain Lightning due to it's summon banishing properties, but there are more save or die type offensive spells here (besides the vast collection of summoning spells).
But sometimes I do take Limited Wish instead of PFME since it gives globe (shorter duration but for entire party) and take something on lvl 6 instead. I find lvl 7 choices a bit lackluster comapred to lvl 6. You can also then use globe for mass intoxication debuff which is FUN!
But I do find skull trap + ADHW + dragons breath being enough of damaging spells but I wondered if anyone does find chain lightning anywhere near useful. I never took it so far.
I am quite pleased with it.