Now I may be missing something, but I've been looking at this spell and am not seeing any redeeming features for it.
Let me sum up: a 2nd level spell that deals 6d4 damage over two rounds, or 2d4 on a miss. For comparison, a level 1 slot for Chromatic Orb (acid) is still an attack roll and deals 3d8 damage, in other words exactly the same max damage from a level 1 slot. Furthermore, Chromatic Orb is front-loaded with damage rather than dealing damage over time and can switch between damage types to be effective against practically anything, neither of which apply to acid arrow.
Now before reading the spell fully I was foolish and thought: Well, I suppose that if you had an acid bloodline dragon sorcerer with extend spell to buff it out to 4 rounds you're exponentially increasing the damage and getting to apply your charisma to damage 4 times for one spell. At that point it becomes highly damaging if taking a while to take full effect. However no, it's an immediate duration and thus cannot be extended. At best, some classes can add their ability modifier twice with it, once per turn. That's still crap.
The final nail in the coffin for me is Magic Missile. Cast with a second level slot magic missile does an average of 14 damage, a measly 1 point less than Acid Arrow's average 15. However, when you factor in stuff like chance to miss, likelyhood of resistance, ect. Magic Missile comes out way on top due to its reliability!
I could be entirely missing the point, and I'd love someone to show me how wrong I am because I'm an old fan of the spell (Persistent acid arrow from 3.5: 2d4 damage a round for 24 hours makes for one of the most damaging spells in the game, if you've got the patience and they can't dispel it). It's just that in this edition it seems completely worthless, even when throwing it a bone and only comparing it to 1st level spells
Let me sum up: a 2nd level spell that deals 6d4 damage over two rounds, or 2d4 on a miss. For comparison, a level 1 slot for Chromatic Orb (acid) is still an attack roll and deals 3d8 damage, in other words exactly the same max damage from a level 1 slot. Furthermore, Chromatic Orb is front-loaded with damage rather than dealing damage over time and can switch between damage types to be effective against practically anything, neither of which apply to acid arrow.
Now before reading the spell fully I was foolish and thought: Well, I suppose that if you had an acid bloodline dragon sorcerer with extend spell to buff it out to 4 rounds you're exponentially increasing the damage and getting to apply your charisma to damage 4 times for one spell. At that point it becomes highly damaging if taking a while to take full effect. However no, it's an immediate duration and thus cannot be extended. At best, some classes can add their ability modifier twice with it, once per turn. That's still crap.
The final nail in the coffin for me is Magic Missile. Cast with a second level slot magic missile does an average of 14 damage, a measly 1 point less than Acid Arrow's average 15. However, when you factor in stuff like chance to miss, likelyhood of resistance, ect. Magic Missile comes out way on top due to its reliability!
I could be entirely missing the point, and I'd love someone to show me how wrong I am because I'm an old fan of the spell (Persistent acid arrow from 3.5: 2d4 damage a round for 24 hours makes for one of the most damaging spells in the game, if you've got the patience and they can't dispel it). It's just that in this edition it seems completely worthless, even when throwing it a bone and only comparing it to 1st level spells
