Partially Used: Meteor Swarm

Meteor Swarm.... ahhh yes.....

That most gimped of 9th level spells.

Its *supposed* to be the big KABOOM for non-epic
casters.

In reality, mechanically.... it does less damage, and is easier to
avoid said damage than even some 8th level spells.

I reference Horrid Wilting and Glacius' Hypothermia.... both
which can do 25d8 damage... while poor piddly meteor
swarm sits a full level above them and maxxes out
at only 20d6.

Add to this that horrid wilting and hypothermia allow
fort saves, which negate evasion.... and that horrid
also does magical damage which cant be resisted...
and suddenly it comes clear that you are actually
*better off* using a metamagic silent or stilled
horrid or hypothermia in your 9th level spell slot
than actually casting meteor swarm.

Heck, even an empowered Delayed Blast Fireball
will outdamage Meteor Swarm (30d6).

The only advantage to meteor swarm is a slightly
bigger area of effect and a couple points higher DC.
Unfortunately, it also has a 5 foot "dead zone"
so even enemies can automatically totally avoid it
without even needing to make a save if they just
rush to melee.

I have felt for a long time that this is a *travesty*....
I am not sure why I haven't spoken up before now.

Meteor Swarm needs to be *both* harder to
avoid and *also* do more damage than any
8th level spells.

I suggest the following:

1. dmg cap be upgraded to 30d8
2. Instead of a save, the caster makes a ranged
touch attack to hit (much like phoenix's frigid bolts)
making the spell party-friendly.
3. the dead zone be removed.

This would simulate the caster designating targets
whom he wishes to have incinerated in a hail
of falling meteors.... but he would still need to aim
them.

alternatively, i think it would also be viable to have the dmg cap be 25d8, but give the caster a +10 on the touch attack.

Bump

this spell seriously needs a buff.... its a level higher than the divine equivalanet, firestorm.... and does the same dmg...

firestorm is actually better because half its dmg is divine, and it has no deadzone.

pardon me if i am way off base here... but when it comes to offensive spells.... arcane magic was always supposed to be better at doing dmg than divine magic of the same level... in this example, the arcane spell is worse and is a level *above* the closest divine counterpart.

Don't worry, I haven't dismissed this one.

There will be a flood of suggestion considerations and bug fixes and such after I get done with this student teaching. It ends this week, then I get some sleep, then I get things done.

Not rushing you... please dont take it that way....

I just like to record my thoughts and reasoning each time I have new ideas about old suggestions (otherwise I forget them), and it also helps to keep them from falling to the back of the list