Empower vs. Maximize
- Thread starter Grog
- Start date
Assuming you can only apply either feat once, it seems to depend on whether you like to take chances.
I look at it this way: which would you rather use, if you only have time to cast one spell? An unlucky Empowered Fireball could possibly do as few as 15 points. A Maximized Fireball always does 60 points, never less.
I know which I'd rather have, if I were about to be crushed by a rampaging dragon who had 30 hp left.
I look at it this way: which would you rather use, if you only have time to cast one spell? An unlucky Empowered Fireball could possibly do as few as 15 points. A Maximized Fireball always does 60 points, never less.
I know which I'd rather have, if I were about to be crushed by a rampaging dragon who had 30 hp left.
Maitre Du Donjon
First Post
On a stricly mathematical viewpoint v.2... ALL EDITED
Normal fireball 10d6 (lvl3)
avg damage = 35
11.7 damage per spell level
Empowered fireball (lvl5)
avg damage = 35 X 1.5 = 52.5
10.5 damage per spell level
Maximized fireball (lvl6)
avg damage = 60
10 damage per spell level
Double empowered fireball (lvl7)
avg damage = 35 X 2 = 70
10 damage per spell level
Maximized, empowered fireball (lvl8)
avg damage = 60 + 35 X 0.5 = 77.5
9.7 damage per spell level
Triple empowered fireball (lvl9)
avg damage = 35 X 2.5 = 87.5
9.7 damage per spell level
Edit: AAAARGH i'm have a bachelor's degree in statistics and i can't calculate a freakin' average for christ's sake...
corrected the averages. For some crazy reason, i thought min(10d6) = 6 :\
Now where is that hole so i can crawl in it...
Normal fireball 10d6 (lvl3)
avg damage = 35
11.7 damage per spell level
Empowered fireball (lvl5)
avg damage = 35 X 1.5 = 52.5
10.5 damage per spell level
Maximized fireball (lvl6)
avg damage = 60
10 damage per spell level
Double empowered fireball (lvl7)
avg damage = 35 X 2 = 70
10 damage per spell level
Maximized, empowered fireball (lvl8)
avg damage = 60 + 35 X 0.5 = 77.5
9.7 damage per spell level
Triple empowered fireball (lvl9)
avg damage = 35 X 2.5 = 87.5
9.7 damage per spell level
Edit: AAAARGH i'm have a bachelor's degree in statistics and i can't calculate a freakin' average for christ's sake...
corrected the averages. For some crazy reason, i thought min(10d6) = 6 :\
Now where is that hole so i can crawl in it...
Last edited:
ruleslawyer
Registered User
Does your DM tell you your foes' hp?
Maximize, IMHO, is better for sorcerers than for wizards, but I'm still not fond of it all that much. It depends too greatly on knowing the odds, and players in D&D don't generally have that much information about same.
As far as average damage goes, a Maximized fireball (60 hp) inflicts only 7.5 hp damage, or less than 15%, more than an Empowered fireball (52.5 hp). Is that worth the extra spell level? I'd rather prepare all my fireballs Silent and Empowered than Maximized.
Maximize, IMHO, is better for sorcerers than for wizards, but I'm still not fond of it all that much. It depends too greatly on knowing the odds, and players in D&D don't generally have that much information about same.
As far as average damage goes, a Maximized fireball (60 hp) inflicts only 7.5 hp damage, or less than 15%, more than an Empowered fireball (52.5 hp). Is that worth the extra spell level? I'd rather prepare all my fireballs Silent and Empowered than Maximized.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Maitre Du Donjon said:
On a strictly D&Dish viewpoint - subsequent multipliers always add, so a double empowered is x2, not x2.25 (and a triply empowered is x2.5)
Thus as 7th level it is 66 damage (avg 9.4)
at 9th level it is 82.5 damage (avg 9.16)
Which rather reverses the conclusion by your maths
Maitre Du Donjon
First Post
Plane Sailing said:
On a strictly D&Dish viewpoint - subsequent multipliers always add, so a double empowered is x2, not x2.25 (and a triply empowered is x2.5)
Thus as 7th level it is 66 damage (avg 9.4)
at 9th level it is 82.5 damage (avg 9.16)
Which rather reverses the conclusion by your maths
oops? i've been cheating for a couple of games now and didn't even know it!
Where can I find the confirmation of this crunchy bit of information, please?
Maitre D
Zhure
First Post
Normal fireball 10d6 (lvl3)
avg damage = 35
11 2/3 damage per spell level
Empowered fireball (lvl5)
avg damage = 35 X 1.5 = 52.5
10.5 damage per spell level
Maximized fireball (lvl6)
avg damage = 60
10 damage per spell level
Double empowered fireball (lvl7)
avg damage = 35 X 2 = 70
10 damage per spell level
Maximized, empowered fireball (lvl8)
avg damage = 60 + 35 X 0.5 = 77.5
9.6 damage per spell level
Triple empowered fireball (lvl9)
avg damage = 35 X 2.5 = 87.5
9.7 damage per spell level
... corrected for averages.
I'm not sure average damage per spell level is the best way to rate these comparisons, as it makes it look like a normal fireball is best. In my gaming experience as a caster, I've found a hasted mage can drop two normal fireballs for 6 levels of spells for an average of 70/6 = 11 2/3 hit points per spell level. That seems to work well on anyone save those with evasion.
Greg
avg damage = 35
11 2/3 damage per spell level
Empowered fireball (lvl5)
avg damage = 35 X 1.5 = 52.5
10.5 damage per spell level
Maximized fireball (lvl6)
avg damage = 60
10 damage per spell level
Double empowered fireball (lvl7)
avg damage = 35 X 2 = 70
10 damage per spell level
Maximized, empowered fireball (lvl8)
avg damage = 60 + 35 X 0.5 = 77.5
9.6 damage per spell level
Triple empowered fireball (lvl9)
avg damage = 35 X 2.5 = 87.5
9.7 damage per spell level
... corrected for averages.
I'm not sure average damage per spell level is the best way to rate these comparisons, as it makes it look like a normal fireball is best. In my gaming experience as a caster, I've found a hasted mage can drop two normal fireballs for 6 levels of spells for an average of 70/6 = 11 2/3 hit points per spell level. That seems to work well on anyone save those with evasion.
Greg
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