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Delayed Blast Fireball

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Delayed Blast Fireball
  • Level: 7
  • School: Evocation
  • Class: Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: 150 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A beam of yellow light flashes from your pointing finger, then condenses to linger at a chosen point within range as a glowing bead for the duration. When the spell ends, either because your Concentration is broken or because you decide to end it, the bead blossoms with a low roar into an explosion of flame that spreads around corners. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on that point makes a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 12d6 Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

The base damage increases by 1d6 for each turn the bead has existed.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The base damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 7.

Tactical Usage​

Devastating Area Damage: Delayed Blast Fireball creates an escalating explosive threat with massive damage potential. This 7th-level evocation spell excels at area denial and tactical bomb placement.

Optimal Timing: Most effective when you can predict enemy movement, need area denial, or can maintain concentration for maximum damage escalation.

Resource Management: Uses a 7th-level spell slot - available from character level 13+. Requires concentration but provides tremendous damage potential.

Target Selection: Position for maximum enemy coverage while avoiding allies. Consider timing and enemy movement patterns.

Spell Combinations​

Synergistic Spells:

  • Battlefield Control: Combine with movement-restricting spells to trap enemies near the bead
  • Concentration Protection: Layer with defensive magic to maintain concentration
  • Damage Enhancement: Pair with vulnerability effects to maximize explosive damage

Class Feature Interactions:

  • Evocation Mastery: Wizards gain sculpting capabilities to protect allies
  • Metamagic: Sorcerers can extend range, twin targets, or enhance damage
  • Spell Critical: Features that enhance spell damage improve explosion effectiveness

Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple delayed explosions can create devastating area denial or sequential damage.

Material Component Details​

Component Acquisition: Tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur - guano from caves or alchemists, sulfur from volcanic areas or suppliers.

Component Handling: Component consumed during casting. Stock multiple components for repeated use.

Roleplay Opportunities: Different explosive materials might reflect magical traditions or regional availability.

Economic Considerations: Relatively inexpensive components make this viable despite high spell slot cost.

Creator Notes​

Encounter Balancing: Extremely high damage potential that can end encounters or dramatically alter battlefield dynamics.

NPC Usage: High-level wizards or sorcerers can use this for area denial, siege warfare, or desperate final tactics.

Environmental Considerations: 20-foot radius explosion affects large areas. Consider structural damage and collateral effects.

Campaign Integration: Excellent for climactic battles, siege scenarios, or encounters where tactical positioning matters.

Environmental Interactions​

Terrain Effects: 150-foot range allows flexible positioning. Explosion spreads around corners, affecting hidden enemies.

Weather Influence: Unaffected by weather but explosion can ignite flammable materials or interact with environmental elements.

Structural Interactions: Massive damage can destroy structures, create obstacles, or reshape battlefield terrain.

Elemental Interactions: Fire damage particularly effective against cold-vulnerable creatures. Can ignite combustible materials.

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Timing Questions: Action to cast, concentration up to 1 minute. Damage increases each turn the bead exists.

Target Limitations: 20-foot radius sphere explosion. 150-foot initial range. Spreads around corners.

Duration Interactions: Concentration required. Can detonate early by choice or losing concentration.

Mechanical Interactions: 12d6 base + 1d6 per turn + 1d6 per upcast level. Dexterity save for half damage.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses: Demolition work, mining operations, clearing obstacles, or creating dramatic displays.

Social Encounters: Demonstration of power, intimidation tactics, or controlled destruction for negotiations.

Exploration Applications: Clearing blocked passages, destroying barriers, or creating new paths through obstacles.

Utility Functions: Siege warfare, fortification destruction, large-scale construction, or emergency demolition.

Same School: Other evocation spells like fireball (3rd level instant explosion), meteor swarm (9th level multiple explosions), wall of fire (4th level area control).

Similar Effects: fireball (3rd level immediate), delayed blast fireball (7th level escalating), meteor swarm (9th level ultimate area damage).

Progression Options: fireball (3rd level basic area), delayed blast fireball (7th level enhanced), meteor swarm (9th level maximum destruction).

Complementary Magic: counterspell (protect concentration), misty step (escape blast radius), shield (protect from damage).

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression: Peak effectiveness in high-level play (13+) where massive damage becomes necessary.

Upcast Benefits: Additional 1d6 damage per slot level above 7th significantly increases destruction potential.

Campaign Phases: Most valuable in late-game encounters where large-scale destruction is tactically appropriate.

Comparative Value: Exceptional damage potential that justifies 7th-level slot for major encounters.

Narrative Flavor​

Casting Description: A brilliant bead of condensed explosive energy forms at your target point, pulsing with increasing power as magical energy accumulates.

Effect Manifestation: The bead grows brighter and more unstable each moment before erupting in a devastating explosion of flame and force.

Personal Style: Wizards create precise magical constructs while sorcerers channel raw destructive energy into concentrated explosive force.

World Integration: Represents ultimate destructive magic available to arcane masters, often associated with war magic, siege capabilities, or apocalyptic magical traditions.