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Fire Bolt

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Fire Bolt
  • Level: Cantrip
  • School: Evocation
  • Class: Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: 120 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You hurl a mote of fire at a creature or an object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 Fire damage. A flammable object hit by this spell starts burning if it isn't being worn or carried.

Cantrip Upgrade. The damage increases by 1d10 when you reach levels 5 (2d10), 11 (3d10), and 17 (4d10).

Tactical Usage​

Reliable Ranged Damage: Fire Bolt provides consistent ranged damage with excellent scaling. This evocation cantrip excels as a primary ranged attack option for spellcasters.

Optimal Timing: Use as primary ranged attack, when consistent damage is needed, or when fire damage provides tactical advantages.

Resource Management: Cantrip - unlimited use without spell slot expenditure. Available from character level 1+.

Target Selection: 120-foot range allows tactical positioning while maintaining effective damage output.

Spell Combinations​

Synergistic Spells:

  • Enhancement Magic: Combine with elemental adept for improved fire damage consistency
  • Positioning Magic: Layer with misty step for optimal casting positions
  • Detection Magic: Pair with detect magic to identify magical defenses

Class Feature Interactions:

  • Spell Attack Bonuses: Higher spellcasting ability improves accuracy for consistent damage
  • Cantrip Enhancement: Features that improve cantrip damage enhance fire bolt effectiveness
  • Elemental Affinity: Sorcerers with fire bloodline gain damage bonuses

Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple fire bolt users can focus fire on priority targets.

Material Component Details​

Component Acquisition: No material components required - only verbal and somatic components needed.

Component Handling: Simple V, S casting allows quick deployment in combat situations.

Roleplay Opportunities: Different fire manifestations reflect magical traditions, elemental connections, or personal fire magic style.

Economic Considerations: No costs make this economically viable as primary ranged combat option.

Creator Notes​

Encounter Balancing: Reliable scaling damage affects encounter balance throughout all character levels.

NPC Usage: Spellcaster NPCs frequently use fire bolt as primary ranged attack option.

Environmental Considerations: 120-foot range provides excellent tactical positioning. Can ignite flammable objects.

Campaign Integration: Essential damage cantrip that defines spellcaster ranged combat effectiveness.

Environmental Interactions​

Terrain Effects: 120-foot range allows tactical positioning across most encounter areas.

Weather Influence: Unaffected by weather conditions, providing reliable damage regardless of environment.

Structural Interactions: Can ignite flammable objects and materials within the environment.

Elemental Interactions: Fire damage interacts with creature resistances and environmental flammability.

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Timing Questions: Action casting time with instantaneous effect. Spell attack roll required.

Target Limitations: Single creature or object within 120 feet. Ranged spell attack required.

Duration Interactions: Instantaneous damage with potential ongoing fire effects on flammable materials.

Mechanical Interactions: 1d10 base damage, scaling to 2d10 at 5th, 3d10 at 11th, 4d10 at 17th level.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses: Lighting fires, igniting torches, creating light sources, or demonstrating magical capabilities.

Social Encounters: Intimidation displays, lighting ceremonial fires, or demonstrating spellcasting abilities.

Exploration Applications: Lighting torches from distance, igniting flammable materials, or creating emergency light sources.

Utility Functions: Fire creation, lighting assistance, intimidation tool, or general utility fire magic.

Same School: Other evocation cantrips like ray of frost (cantrip cold damage), sacred flame (cantrip radiant damage), eldritch blast (cantrip force damage).

Similar Effects: ray of frost (cantrip cold damage), acid splash (cantrip acid area), sacred flame (cantrip radiant damage).

Progression Options: fire bolt (cantrip reliable damage), burning hands (1st level area fire), fireball (3rd level area fire).

Complementary Magic: prestidigitation (minor fire effects), light (illumination), misty step (positioning).

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression: Scales excellently throughout campaigns with character level progression rather than spell slots.

Upcast Benefits: No spell slot usage - instead scales automatically with total character level.

Campaign Phases: Remains competitive throughout all levels as primary ranged damage option.

Comparative Value: Excellent damage cantrip that provides unlimited reliable ranged attacks.

Narrative Flavor​

Casting Description: Flames gather at your fingertip as you launch a mote of fire toward your target with precision and force.

Effect Manifestation: A bright streak of fire arcs toward the target, exploding in flames upon impact.

Personal Style: Wizards create controlled fire through precise magical formulae, while sorcerers manifest instinctive flame through raw magical power.

World Integration: Represents fundamental fire magic available to most spellcasting traditions, often associated with elemental magic, war magic, or basic evocation training.