Immolation: Nothing to Get Fired Up About
Spell Level: 5
School: Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Components: V
Flames wreathe one creature you can see within range. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 7d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the target also burns for the spell’s duration. The burning target sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the saving throw. It takes 3d6 fire damage on a failed save, and the spell ends on a successful one. These magical flames can’t be extinguished through nonmagical means.
If damage from this spell reduces a target to 0 hit points, the target is turned to ash.
Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold
“The wicked lich raises his fist; deep red flames erupt around his fist before an explosion of brimstone erupts around you, immolating with the fires of hell! Take… wait, just 8d6 damage? That’s it?” - A DM, actually reading Immolation for the first time
Damage over time effects are rare in 5e, and not typically very good. Immolation is no exception. A single target damaging effect needs to deal a LOT of damage to make it worth it over its area of effect counterparts. Immolation, in its best case scenarios, is somewhere around 16d6 damage over three turns and three saves. Sometimes you’re just getting 4d6 damage; sometimes you’re just getting 8d6, sometimes 12d6 damage. None of those numbers are worth a 5th level spell slot when you’ve got Fireball you can up-cast.
The main question here then is how often is something going to live long enough AND fail enough saves to take 16d6 damage. Most of the time, that isn’t happening. Conceptually Immolation is nifty; long duration fire effects seem super cool. In practice, with how save or dies work in 5e, Immolation just isn’t regularly going to do enough when you’ve got a whole suite of other options at the ready. For just one spell level higher, you can get Disintegrate which is potentially dealing 10d6 + 40 damage (22d6ish worth of damage).
If you’re not super worried about the numbers and love the fantasy, Immolation can get you the damage over time burn mage you’re looking for. If your goal is to do the most powerful stuff you can, this asks for way too many things to go right to be worth it.
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