Chromatic orb is a low-level arcane spell which creates a weaponized sphere of colorful light, of four inches in diameter. Its effect varies considerably based on the color of orb which strikes the target.
Notable users and appearances[]
As a powerful low-level spell, chromatic orb has formed part of the repetoire of several mages, especially illusionists.
The spell's users include Durissa Thornion, of the village of Timindar;[1] Hulrick, agent of the Haratese warship Hippocampus;[2] Slade, advisor to the mayor of Slapdash;[3] the thief-illusionist Pierce Munday;[4] Korbus Brightjewel, gnomish jeweler of Daggerford;[5] Tela Vision, secretary to Colonel Sandpaper in Castle Greyhawk;[6] Binsi Berylbasher, gnomish illusionist/fighter;[7] Rath Modar, exile of the Red Wizards of Thay,[8] a group who have long been familiar with the spell;[9] Miraj Vizann, earth genasi of the Black Earth cult;[10] Yusdrayl, sorceress leader of the kobolds of the Sunless Citadel,[11][12] and Kakarol, kobold sorcerer serving Acererak;[13] Xandala, half-elf sorceress of a draconic bloodline;[14] Simon, the spellstealer;[15] and Grakhirt, thief-illusionist.[16]
It is often prepared by derro savants with an affinity for arcane magic,[17] blue abishai devils,[18] kobold sorcerers, sorcerers who embrace chaos and wild magic, illusionists, and transmuters. An illusionist's scroll off the spell appeared in the Temple of Elemental Evil alongside three other spells.[19]
Related items[]
White and black egg-shaped stones found in the crypt of Lyzandred the Mad possess the power to invoke this spell,[20] as do the cursed crystal of the Ebon Flame[21] and at least one wand of wonder.[22]
Related spells[]
The bard Morion of Faerûn possessed a spellbook containing two notable first-level bard spells: chromatic crown, which acts like a defensive version of chromatic orb; and chromatic rod, which creates a scintillating rod which hypnotizes enemies when struck.[23]
Publication history[]
AD&D 1st edition[]
Chromatic Orb first appeared in Dragon #66 (Oct 1982), p.22, and was reprinted in Unearthed Arcana (1e) (1985), p.66-67. It is a first-level spell of the Alteration and Evocation schools, but available specifically to illusionists.
It creates a small orb which appears as a gemlike color, starting with a white hue and progressing through the rainbow: pearly, ruby, flame, amber, emerald, turqoise, sapphire, amethyst, and finally ashen.
Casters gain the ability to use more colors as they increase in level, with each color having a unique effect and later colors dealing more damage. At the highest level, a black orb available to 12th level casters or higher, the spell can caust instant death, making this extremely powerful for a first-level spell slot.
The spell requires the expenditure of a gem worth at least 50gp and of the appropriate color, although a clear gem such as a diamond will work for all types.
It is speculated in Dragon #138 that using a moonstone may cause lunacy.[24]
The effect of the amethyst chromatic orb on a failed saving throw was question #69 in the article Adventure Trivia!, Dragon #117 (Jan 1987).
AD&D 2nd edition[]
Chromatic orb appeared in PHBR4 The Complete Wizard's Handbook (1990), p.95-96 as a first-level wizard spell. Player's Option: Spells & Magic (1996) notes it as an artificer spell.
It creates four-inch diameter sphere which can appear as one of a variety of colors, starting with white and ranging through seven colors (red, orange, yellow, green, turqoise, blue, violet) and finally black.
As in AD&D 1e, the spell has different damage and special effect for each color.
The spell requires a diamond worth 50 gp as a material component, which in AD&D 2nd edition are expended upon casting the spell.
D&D 3rd edition[]
Chromatic orb did not appear in any first-party product in D&D third edition.[25]
D&D 4th edition[]
Chromatic orb appears as a 1st-level sorcerer daily attack power appearing in Player's Handbook 2 (4e) (2009), p.139.[26]
In this edition of the game, the spell creates an orb of one of six colors, randomly chosen upon casting: yellow, red, green, turquoise, blue, or violet. Each deals a different type of damage and has a unique effect, such as a green orb dealing poison type damage plus ongoing poison damage.
The orb created by the spell is described as shifting between colors as it travels through the air, dealing a random effect based on the orb's current color at the time it hits the enemy. This suggests that the colors shift either randomly, or very quickly, as the caster cannot deliberately determine which color is active when the orb hits its target. This randomness is unique to the spell's D&D 4e version.
The spell deals 3d10 + Charisma modifier damage, and still does 1d10 plus the special effect on a miss. This high damage value is typical for the "striker" class role represented by the sorcerer in D&D 4th edition. Chromatic orb is exclusive to the sorcerer in this edition of the game, and unavailable to wizards.
D&D 5th edition[]
Chromatic orb appears in the Player's Handbook (5e) (2014), p.221, where it is a first-level evocation spell on both the sorcerer and wizard spell list. It creates a four-inch diameter ball which deals 3d8 damage of any of six damage types (acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder), chosen by the caster. The target receives no saving throw.
The spell is noteworthy example of how first-level wizard spells can deal considerably more damage than in previous editions. Its damage value of 3d8 is mostly reminiscent of its 4e incarnation.
However, it requires a non-expended material component of a diamond worth at least 50 gp, which prevents first-level characters from using the spell. This reflects the spell's requirement in AD&D 2e, except that material components in D&D 5e are no longer expended by default.
Reception and influence[]
In a review of PHBR4 The Complete Wizard's Handbook (1990) in Dragon #169 (May 1991), p.74, writer Ken Rolston praises the versatility of the chromatic orb spell:
- "The caster gains new powers with the orb at each new class level, not at new spell levels, so the character gets something new to play with every time he advances. Now, that's my ideal of a satisfying spells: modest but colorful powers, regular payoffs for advancement, and lots of different effects from one spell slot."
References[]
- ↑ I14 Swords of the Iron Legion (1988), p.26.
- ↑ I13 Adventure Pack I (1987), p.76.
- ↑ C6 The Official RPGA Tournament Handbook (1987), p.10.
- ↑ C6 The Official RPGA Tournament Handbook (1987), p.35.
- ↑ N5 Under Illefarn (1987), p.18.
- ↑ WG7 Castle Greyhawk (1988), p.85.
- ↑ REF4 The Book of Lairs II (1987), p.41.
- ↑ The Rise of Tiamat (2014), p.91.
- ↑ FR6 Dreams of the Red Wizards (1988), p.32.
- ↑ Princes of the Apocalypse (2015), p.198.
- ↑ Tales from the Yawning Portal (2017), p.248.
- ↑ In the D&D 3rd edition module of The Sunless Citadel (2000), Yusdrayl did not have this spell, which did not exist in that edition of the D&D rules.
- ↑ Tomb of Annihilation (2017), p.107,226.
- ↑ Tomb of Annihilation (2017), p.236.
- ↑ Polyhedron #74, p.19-20
- ↑ Road to Danger (1998), p.10.
- ↑ Out of the Abyss (2015), p.225.
- ↑ Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018), p.161.
- ↑ T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil (1985), p.110.
- ↑ Crypt of Lyzandred the Mad (1998), p.19.
- ↑ Reverse Dungeon (2000), p.51.
- ↑ Encyclopedia Magica Volume Four (1995), p.1500.
- ↑ Dragon #242 (Dec 1997), p.77.
- ↑ Methods to Your Madness, Dragon #138 (Oct 1988), p.38-41.
- ↑ Spell Index
- ↑ Chromatic orb, D&D Compendium.