D&D 5.5e 2024 Blaster Caster Analysis... not as strong as olden days

 https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-new-direct-damage-spells-you-should-be-using.712915/

Zardnaar has a lot of good points. 

Once you hit level 5 you have a 25% exploding dice chance. Also you don't have to use fire damage. Also if you crit with sorcerous burst any of those extra d8s also potentially explode.

That's how I'm seeing damage into the 30s with it. You can also empower it rerolling damage dice.

At higher levels I've seen twinned hold monsters used followed up by quickened sorcerous burst and true strikes. Automatic 6d8 damage plus exploding dice.

. Am extra +1 off firebolt rarely matters and is fire. Exploding thunder damage matters more and I've seen crits just drop enemies.

. It's not a massive drastic this is amazing type thing but it's better than firebolt most of the time imho. Not fire damage alone makes it good. Charisma to damage as well. Firebolt only gets that as a fire sorcerer. On paper sure at the table I'm picking Sorcererous Burst and not fire

(((8 year old version of exploding dice was keep on rolling forever, but now it's capped at your ability modifier or something. So if you roll 3d8, and get 8 8 8... now you can roll 3d8 again and add that dmg to the total, assuming your ability modifier is +3 or better, if I understand)))

In summary, 2024 has these strong dmg dealing spells... some continue from 5e:

• 1. True Strike
• 2. Sorcerous Burst
• 3. Chromatic Orb
• 4. Hex, for warlock.
• 5. Scorching Ray.

Yeah Mind Slivers probably the best cantrip overall competing with Eldritch blast. I lije the magic initiate feats a lot so it's an easy pick up. 

Main problem is how many attack cantrips you need. I have a Warlock build that has 13 odd cantrips low level. Think it gas 6 or 7 attack ones for every situation (starry burst radiant, EB go to, Sorcererous Burst for hunter ranger combo, toll the dead for a save required vs attack, true strike).

Quote: May be excessive. True strike+ ranged is really all you need most of the time imho. 

My comment. SooOOooo. Yeah, I still have to give loot that buffs spells to make them fun + dangerous, IMO. I mean the cantrip dmg angle is pretty good, but you play magic users for that variety in doing damage (at least for me)... and casting one cantrip over and over is not that. So how to make things better.

1. Could always buff fireball/lightning bolt/etc. 
• At the least, do what I do and give an item that allows you to once a day max out your dice rolls on certain types of spells. 
• Or an item that gives you an extra 1 or 2 dice for free, once a day on certain spells. 
2. The DM could make it a point to have more fodder monsters. OK, but ... ... ... feels like they are trash if done incorrectly. 
3. DM creates monsters with specific super duper weaknesses against certain spell types. 
4. Cantrip changes... just tweaks:
• How about... some other effect. We already have push/pull with eldr. blast.
• If you roll a nat 19 or 20, pick from options:
• monster can't move one round. 
• monster takes extra one type of dmg of these types (make them make sense)... to be used when it would do extra damage due to weaknesses, like skeletons take extra from bludgeoning
• Bludgeoning (works for eldr. blast and firebot)
• Piercing (works for ray spells)
• Slashing (also works for ray spells? Not sure here, but you see where I'm going with it)
5. What else?