Lightning Bolt

{{Spelldescription
 * icon		= LightningBolt.png
 * school		= Evocation
 * type1		= Electricity
 * type2		=
 * type3		=
 * type4		=
 * artificer	= 3
 * sor n wiz	= 3
 * cost		= 12
 * components	= {{V}}, {{S}}, {{M}}
 * metamagic	= {{Empower}}, {{Eschew}}, {{Heighten}}, {{Maximize}}, {{Quicken}}
 * range		= Double
 * target		= Foe, Breakable, Directional
 * duration	= Instantaneous
 * save		= Reflex save takes half damage (2 saves if it forks)
 * sr		= No
 * cooldown	= 4 seconds (Art), 3 seconds (Wiz), 2 seconds (Sor)
 * description	= You release a powerful bolt of electrical energy that deals 1d3+3 points of electricity damage per caster level (Maximum damage 10d3+30.) to each target in its path. A successful Reflex save reduces the damage by half. For each enemy this spell strikes it has a 50% chance to fork, replicating the spell's effect on that target. This can only happen once. This spell is a bolt and has double range.

Tips

 * In DDO, it is quite difficult to hit more than one target at a time with a lightning bolt, which makes other 3rd level spells much better choices for area damage. The best way to hit multiple targets in a line is to target the creature farthest away, or even aim without targeting using the mouse.
 * On the other hand the 50% chance to fork and cause double damage can make Lightning Bolt a potentially very high single-target damage spell for a 3rd level spell. If a maximized and empowered Lightning Bolt forks and the enemy fails his saving throw, it is not uncommon for specialized casters to destroy most enemies (including named monsters) of equal level with a single cast.
 * The potential for very high damage makes enemy casters with Lightning Bolt very dangerous, and often warrant the use of an Resist Energy or Protection from Energy spell, or consider those enemies as primary targets to avoid sudden death of party members.

Wands

 * Olvod Alorum  in The Marketplace Bazaar - 1,125pp (CL:5)

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