I like the surface effects. Makes the game more interesting. The environment comes alive.
One of the reasons I like choosing chromatic orb as a spell is because of the versatility of damage types, more so than the amount of damage.
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As a side note, someone mentioned that cleric spells could be directly compared to wizard spells because both casters have the same number of spell slots, thus creating the intention of balance. I don't think that's a sound argument. Clerics can wear armor. They have a different number of hit points. They have different weapon proficiencies. Surely this stuff should factor into the overall balance. Just a thought.
