Level
2nd
Casting Time
1 Action
Range/Area
120 ft
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
School
Evocation
Attack/Save
Ranged
Damage/Effect
Fire
You create three rays of fire and hurl them at targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several.
Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 fire damage.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you create one additional ray for each slot level above 2nd.
I'm trying to visualize how one "hurls" a ray. Is it meant literally or metaphorically, are the attacks simultaneous or sequential for narrative purposes?
If they're rays are they visually similar to a radiant damage attack only more orange??
Hurl: transitive verb to send or thrust with great vigor (in other words, "PEW PEW, buckaroo!")
@S_McMahon617 "Scorching ray is a sequence of attacks, with each attack getting its own damage roll." @mikemearls
https://twitter.com/jeremyecrawford/status/611007135946686464?lang=en
I think you can probably use your imagination here. I always visualize my Warlock's scorching ray as a series of superman style eye beams.
My monk who is a way of the four elements Monk cast this and the way he does it is he punches and a flame burst out and hits his Target and he does this three times two with his fist and one with his leg
...but there is no elemental disipline for casting scorching ray? did you multiclass, or have you simply homebrewed some more spells for him to take
pro tip: three levels into assasin rouge or an hold person spell can make this spell a lot better than what it already is with the abillity to garatee crits, and wands of the war mage only improves attack rolls, not saving throws so they benefit a lot more from those than they usually do.
all arround an great, powerful spell
I assumed he was using this item.
who you talking about, and you mean the circlet of blasting or whatever it is called
Is it just me, or is Scorching Ray, a 2nd Level Spell, worse than Fire Bolt, A Cantrip
In tier 1, firebolt does 1d10, scorching ray does 3 attacks, each doing 2d6. If all hit against the same subject that is 6d6 vs 1d10.
I think you're thinking of Fangs of the Fire Snake.
This ^. Not to mention at its lowest level you can target 3 seperate creatures at once, which is highly beneficial for multiple reasons. Against a horde, effectively gaining splash damage is preferable compared with overkilling a single target, against a few spellcasting enemies it gives you the chance to break multiple enemy concentrations. Even at higher tiers when firebolt reaches 3d10 and 4d10, that is still only ever going into 1 target, causing 1 concentration save. If all three scorching rays hit the same target, it has to make 3 concentration saves.
With max levelled 4d10 on firebolt, the average damage is 22, which causes a DC 11 concentration save... would you rather force 3 DC 10 saves or 1 DC 11 save? And granted the damage from firebolt conceivably could reach 40 and cause a DC 20 save, its unlikely. Having the minimum be 10 as opposed to half damage means that yes firebolt can only ever be 10 or higher when Scorching ray's saves will always be 10, but you also have to take into account that firebolt is hit or miss. You get one chance, that is very likely to be a DC 10-12 save. Scorching ray, at level 2, gives you 3 chances to hit and give a DC 10 save.
As DVDMaster points out, the damage is actually higher at low tiers, and then also they near even out at high tiers based on the multiple chances to hit. But asides damage there are many reasons (I know I have mainly highlighted concentration) why having 3 separate rays minimum beats 1 firebolt at any level.
So, basically, no.
Just realized Scorching Ray doesn't specify sight. I wonder if it works like the other spells in this regard, where so long as you know there's enemies there, it works?
Interesting point. Does that mean they can go around a corner if you can see through a familiar or something similar?
Newish to using DnD Beyond and have a mechanical question.
In the DnD Beyond character sheet, Scorching Ray populates as both a spell and an attack action. Does that mean I can use it at will in combat, like Eldritch Blast? Or do I have to burn spell slots to use it? Seems to me I need to burn spell slots, but then I don't know why it populates as an attack action when other spells do not.
I think the way it is designed is to allow you to attack invisible creatures, since you can't see them, but it would make sense for you to still be able to hurl bolts of fire in thier general direction. Spells that rely on seeing the targets makes it impossible to target invisible creatures, sicne you have to be able to see them. Similar spells include things liek ray of frost. I'm pretty sure it's just a way to make sure spellcasters can use some higher-level spells on invisble creatures.
Although... I do love the idea of sending out an arcane eye 120 feet down a twisting corridor to find some guards, then hurling a scorching ray that twists down the corridor until it hits them...
Casting word is:
Ignitium Ravonicus
Maybe they're like Zues' lightning bolts.
"You create three rays of fire and hurl them at targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several."
nah my Light Cleric just starts shooting lasers out of his eyes
Managed to get 30d6 fire damage over three rounds with this thing and Melf's minute meteors. 10/10 would nova again.