So as I have watched countless GM videos on you tube to help coach me I have taken to the idea that Dragon magic should be a different (often unavailable to pcs, less artifacts) more powerful form of magic that manifests as two spells in one, figure Dragons have hundreds, if not thousands of years to craft the perfect spell.
My question is how to apply it, for example I like the idea of say, an invisible fireball, you don't see anything from the time it leaves the dragon's claw to when it hits the target. But how does this work, being that it is invisible should I nullify saves and it is just damage? After all you can't dodge, dip, dive, duck, and dodge what you can't see?
Or something like Cone of Cold that also can put you to sleep or fear you?
For the record, the fireball spell, per RAW, you point at a target location, and the fireball explodes at that spot. The fireball is not hurled from the caster. There is no travel time, no visible warning. The floor simply explodes in fire. In practice, that description is all fluff, but mechanically, I'd think that a thrown (invisible) fireball would yield no mechanical advantage over a normal point-boom fireball.
A cone of cold that, on a failed save, FROZE you for x number of turns would be cool. Try to keep it thematic...
My take on the invisibility + fireball combo: any target that fails its DEX save becomes visible until the end of the caster's next turn. If you're going to combine a beneficial condition and a harmful spell, might as well just negate the beneficial condition on your targets.
For the record, the fireball spell, per RAW, you point at a target location, and the fireball explodes at that spot. The fireball is not hurled from the caster. There is no travel time, no visible warning. The floor simply explodes in fire.
The spell's description says otherwise:
A bright streak flashes from your pointing finger to a point you choose within range and then blossoms with a low roar into an explosion of flame.
You'd still likely be able to see the heat shimmer in the air, if not the fireball itself. I'd make the Dex saves roll at Disadvantage.
RAW a blinded person succeeds on their DEX save just as easily as a non-blind one though.
Yes, but to a blind person, a regular fireball and an invisible fireball look pretty much the same. A sighted individual may be confused or unsure what the spell is doing and take longer to react until it is almost too late.
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
I have always looked at magic like physics, certain rules can't be broken. A fireball is a 3rd level spell if you add effects it becomes a 4th or 5th level spell, it uses more magic to cast.
To make dragons more powerful casters I would think you would give them sorcerer metamagic abilities. A sorcerer origin is draconic bloodline after all, and not being a expert in DNA I am still very certain a dragon would have a draconic bloodline.
I would give them a number of metamagic points based equal to hit dice, and let them amplify their magic. To me that goes more with the feel of a dragons magic being innate to them.
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So as I have watched countless GM videos on you tube to help coach me I have taken to the idea that Dragon magic should be a different (often unavailable to pcs, less artifacts) more powerful form of magic that manifests as two spells in one, figure Dragons have hundreds, if not thousands of years to craft the perfect spell.
My question is how to apply it, for example I like the idea of say, an invisible fireball, you don't see anything from the time it leaves the dragon's claw to when it hits the target. But how does this work, being that it is invisible should I nullify saves and it is just damage? After all you can't dodge, dip, dive, duck, and dodge what you can't see?
Or something like Cone of Cold that also can put you to sleep or fear you?
Thoughts?
You'd still likely be able to see the heat shimmer in the air, if not the fireball itself. I'd make the Dex saves roll at Disadvantage.
For the record, the fireball spell, per RAW, you point at a target location, and the fireball explodes at that spot. The fireball is not hurled from the caster. There is no travel time, no visible warning. The floor simply explodes in fire. In practice, that description is all fluff, but mechanically, I'd think that a thrown (invisible) fireball would yield no mechanical advantage over a normal point-boom fireball.
A cone of cold that, on a failed save, FROZE you for x number of turns would be cool. Try to keep it thematic...
Thematic makes sense, just trying to make something original and feel epic. I could be lazy and just combine spells to I suppose.
Chain Lightning that Blinds?
My take on the invisibility + fireball combo: any target that fails its DEX save becomes visible until the end of the caster's next turn. If you're going to combine a beneficial condition and a harmful spell, might as well just negate the beneficial condition on your targets.
The spell's description says otherwise:
RAW a blinded person succeeds on their DEX save just as easily as a non-blind one though.
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Yes, but to a blind person, a regular fireball and an invisible fireball look pretty much the same. A sighted individual may be confused or unsure what the spell is doing and take longer to react until it is almost too late.
I have always looked at magic like physics, certain rules can't be broken. A fireball is a 3rd level spell if you add effects it becomes a 4th or 5th level spell, it uses more magic to cast.
To make dragons more powerful casters I would think you would give them sorcerer metamagic abilities. A sorcerer origin is draconic bloodline after all, and not being a expert in DNA I am still very certain a dragon would have a draconic bloodline.
I would give them a number of metamagic points based equal to hit dice, and let them amplify their magic. To me that goes more with the feel of a dragons magic being innate to them.