Firestorm/Flame Strike/Ice Storm

[Raj]

I'd like for these spells to do full fire/cold dmg, instead of split between two dmg types (with the same kb/dr issues bfm/dsm had).

[hackenslay]

I'm not casting my vote either way, but I'd like to point out that the split damage types for Ice Storm and Flame Strike are very useful as lootbreakers because of this. Try using a fireball to break rocks and then an ice storm/flame strike...ice storm/flame strike is waay more effective.

The added physical damage component also almost guarantees that foes take some damage, as you can't evade the physical damage(my rogue hates these spells for this reason.)

[jeanhelixü]

Ice storm has no save so cannot be evaded.

[Yojimbo]

It would be nice to have it as single packet damage but I wouldn't really want to lose one of the damage types right now.

[evilkittenofdoom]

I'm very much leaning towards the desire of having these spells do elemental damage only rather than the split, mostly because I don't like double kickback and because I almost never want it for the physical component, it's just there.

That being said, I don't really mind how it is right now either. It's just a quirk of the spell in my opinion, and one that I easily live with.

If a change were to be made, I'd say make the Physical Component of the other two spells (not Ice Storm) be immune to the saving throw's effects to bring them in line with each other if this hasn't been done already.

I cannot stand behind changing Ice Storm to have a saving throw, as it's the spells defining trait, but if it's needed for balance, so be it =P

[chammernick]

and think about it this way imo, the flame strike ok i can maybe see the losing phys damage, whats gunna cause it? but ice storm should do cold/bludge as it does now becuz big pieces of ice are FALLING ON YOU!!!! lol sounds fairly logical to me...

[Raj]

Try to think at it from a balance perspective, then check how many times those spells are cast in end game runs.

[chirality]

Aesthetically and "feeling"-wise I wouldn't want the change, well at least not to Ice Storm. However I definitely have to agree with Rajah here on both the reasoning and the intent.

Bottom line is split damage is just not good most of the time; of course it IS when it is and I would not want to be without it when you want it.

However in my mind this goes along with changing Herald clouds to full mono-damage like the spell for everyone else; maybe it has its uses but ultimately it's a bit of a nerf.

Ice Storm, well especially with my D&D backing, I wouldn't want to change it just because it should be and always has been dual type. Consider of course the fact that in PnP there is a TOTALLY different way of looking at damage and stuff--multi damage type effects are the norm here on HG, whereas in D&D Ice Storm was cool *because* it was dual type. Here, the total opposite.

I have to say the same applies to Flamestrike except...not really, because div/fire, which the whole spell concept is based upon...is not the same as phys/fire like here on HG.

Flavor-wise I don't want to say yes but meh .... logically I can't say no.

In the end, I would like to see this changed per Rajah's suggestion. I don't think arcanes are missing Ice Storm not doing full cold but I know clerics would actually cast these spells to kill not just to burn trees...