DM: In a crowded street?
Sorcerer: I then cast, “avert my gaze” and “willful ignorance” on myself.I didn’t ask if there’d be collateral damage, I said “I cast Fireball!”
Me: I cast fireball.
DM: In a crowded street?
Me: Did I stutter?
Sorcerer: Yes as I give a evil grin.
Who is this player who changes his mind to cast fireball? Ain’t no player I’ve ever played with.
First choice best choice. Go with your gut.
“On a crowded street?”
“Does my alignment say ‘good’ or ‘lawful’ anywhere?”
if its a crowded street then you cast level nine fireball
That will just turn the same dead commoners in that r=20’ sphere extra crispy. I don’t think there are any spells in 5e that increase their AoE when upcast and not the damage, duration, or number of targets.
(Either way, if the street is significantly narrower than 20’ then a lightning bolt is going to maximize the carnage.)
Selective fireball it is
Forget the innocent NPCs, who’s wasting an AOE spell on a single target?