Player's Handbook

Fireball

A 3rd-level wizard spell.

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At a glance

Level3
SchoolEvocation
Range10 yds. + 10 yds./level
ComponentsV / S / M
DurationInstantaneous
Casting time3
Area of effect20-ft. radius
Saving throw1
ReversibleNo
SourcePHB p. 191

Description

A fireball is an explosive burst of flame, which detonates with a low roar and delivers proportional to the of the wizard who cast it—1d6 points of damage for each level of experience of the spellcaster (up to a maximum of 10d6). The burst of the fireball creates little pressure and generally conforms to the shape of the area in which it occurs. The fireball fills an area equal to its normal spherical volume (roughly 33,000 cubic feet—thirty-three 10-foot × 10-foot × 10-foot cubes). Besides causing damage to creatures, the fireball ignites all combustible materials within its burst radius, and the heat of the fireball melts soft metals such as gold, copper, silver, etc. Exposed items require vs. magical fire to determine if they are affected, but items in the possession of a creature that rolls a successful saving throw are unaffected by the fireball. The wizard points his finger and speaks the range (distance and height) at which the fireball is to burst. A streak flashes from the pointing digit and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range, blossoms into the fireball (an early impact results in an early detonation). Creatures failing their saving throws each suffer full damage from the blast. Those who roll successful saving throws manage to dodge, fall flat, or roll aside, each receiving half damage (the DM rolls the damage and each affected creature suffers either full damage or half damage [ fractions down], depending on whether the creature saved or not). The of this spell is a tiny ball of bat guano and sulphur.