The official Dungeons & Dragons movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is almost ready for its March 31st release date, and the fanbase is getting ready too. They're ready to see their favorite things about D&D play out on screen. With fun classes, races, and spells, the film seems to be trying to bring the game to life.
Of course, there is one spell that fans desperately need to see in live-action: Fireball. An incredibly powerful spell that quickly becomes the first instinct of any pure spellcaster, Fireball is an amazing spell that has proven itself as a versatile and amazing tool. It's why fans have been making so many memes about just how great Fireball is.
Differs Between Classes
In D&D, everything is variable. After all, one tip for new Dungeon Masters is that players should be able to modify the official text of a spell to add flavor in any way they like. After all, every class will have different ways of casting spells. When they have different styles, the spell should too.
While a Monk should be able to cast Fireball from their fists, a Wizard or Sorcerer might prefer to cast a glyph that shoots the ball of flame. It has no practical difference in effect, but the style really is substance in a game where players control the world.
Great For Taking Out Multiple Enemies
Inevitably, a player is going to stumble into what seems like an impossible decision. Hordes of NPCs are ready to bring them down and destroy an entire party. The responsibility of the player is to then default to the best spell in the game and shoot a mighty Fireball.
As one of the most powerful spells in D&D, a player can easily take out a horde with just a single casting. At the very least, they can severely weaken them, giving the rest of the party a chance to catch up and join the fight. It can turn a guaranteed Total Party Kill into an easy victory.
Burns Up Any Wizard Weaknesses
While some Wizard subclasses can be underwhelming, it is possible to build a strong Wizard. It takes careful planning, good rolls, and a hefty dose of Fireball to manage it, but it is possible. Of course, that tends to be the case for every class.
Fireball can help turn any Wizard into a threat. Yet strong and resilient Wizards tend to do even better when they have support from an amazing spell like Fireball. After all, what villain wants to go up against a Wizard who can summon flames at will?
Can Be Ridiculously Powerful
A Fireball is typically a simple roll of 8d6. That alone is incredibly powerful, given that it is an average damage roll of 28 on a failed save. Yet, when it is cast at a higher level, that number can rise quickly. With a ninth-level spell, players can roll 14d6, which is incredible.
Averaging 49 damage on a failed save, Fireball is incredible and can make a huge difference across a vast field of enemies. A carefully aimed Fireball can turn an entire fight around, but Fireball at the ninth level is something else entirely. After all, they can make or break combat.
Even The Enemies Fear It
Just the idea of shooting a ball of fire at a crowd of enemies is somewhat horrifying. After all, anyone casting that spell is well aware that they will be devastating their opposition. Just thinking of what those NPCs will go through in their last moments can be enough to make even the worst villains wince.
After all, the scariest D&D monsters will be able to relate to player characters who are willing to set their foes on fire. Fireball is terrifying both as a concept and in action, so villains can relate. Some villains may even be taken aback by the devastation.
Always Be Careful With Balancing Fireball
Trying to calculate effects can be difficult when considering Wild Magic Sorcerers. After all, the effects are random and can occur at any time. So the idea of giving a Sorcerer a roll that can give them triple damage is easy when Fireball doesn't throw a wrench into things.
A roll of 51d6 isn't just a hassle for players, who have to roll all those dice. It can also devastate an entire combat, as the average damage calculation for that will be 178. That much damage on multiple enemy NPCs is enough to turn a fight on its head.
Not The Stealthiest Spell
While Fireball is a versatile tool with seemingly limitless applications, there is still one limit: The spell isn't quiet. It isn't possible to launch a ball of fire at a crowd of enemies and hope to come out of that without everyone within 15 miles well aware of an explosion.
Rogues may often find themselves frustrated by the behavior of their spellcasters after a careful jaunt through a nobleman's home ends with a Fireball and the party running for their lives. Still, part of the fun of D&D is never knowing where the game will go.
Always The Default
For Wizards, few spells are more attractive than Fireball. After all, healing spells just mean sacrificing a turn to give other players the chance to have fun. Teleportation just means retreating from a fight. Charms can be attractive, but they aren't as satisfying as an explosion.
It is often a struggle for DMs to put their players in situations where they use anything other than their much-beloved Fireball. While it can get tiring to use the same spell over and over, it's still infinitely more interesting than most other spells the game offers.
Multiple Players Can Use It
Fireball doesn't need to be an individual effort either. Players can team up to increase the effects of Fireball by serving as support to increase the dexterity of the player or strength of the spell, or they can outright help the Wizard by casting Fireball themselves.
After all, the only thing more terrifying than one Fireball is two Fireballs. Even the game's powerful dragons can fall under the force of multiple Fireballs, especially when the rest of the party is tearing through them. There's a reason the spell is always the default.
Never The Bridesmaid
While some spells, like Compulsion or Telepathy, are often overlooked and underused, Fireball is the go-to for nearly every caster. After all, when a magic character isn't in a stealth operation, there is absolutely no reason to leave out such a powerful spell.
As long as the Wizard, Sorcerer, or other caster has the spell slots, they will almost always rely on their explosive powers. It takes careful work from the DM, party, and the player creating the backstory of their character to ensure that it isn't used repetitively.