Shatter

Level 2 Evocation spell available to Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. A burst of ringing sound for 3d8 Thunder damage in a 3m radius. It is the closest thing Level 2 has to a Fireball, and far fewer things resist Thunder than resist Fire.

Spell description: Generate a painfully intense ringing noise that deals 3d8 Thunder damage to all nearby creatures and objects. Affected creatures made of inorganic material such as stone have Disadvantage on their Saving Throws. On a successful save, creatures still take half damage.

Spell properties

• Range: 18m (60ft)
• Area: 3m (10ft)
• Save: CON save
• Damage: 3d8 Thunder
• Conditions applied: Creatures made of inorganic material such as stone have Disadvantage on their Saving Throw.
• Cost: Action + Spell Slot
• Recharge: Per action

Spell upcasting

Deals an extra 1d8 Thunder damage for each spell slot level above the 2nd.

How to obtain Shatter

• Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard at Class level 3

Source items: Markoheshkir, Sentient Amulet, Scroll of Shatter

When to cast Shatter

Two things make Shatter better than its damage number suggests. The first is the damage type. Almost nothing in the game resists Thunder, while Fire resistance is everywhere from Grymforge onward. A 3d8 Shatter that lands in full often beats an 8d6 Fireball that gets halved.

The second is the stone clause. Constructs, animated armour, and anything made of rock roll their save with Disadvantage. The things that shrug off the rest of your spellbook are exactly what this is for.

The 3m radius cuts both ways. It is much easier to catch a cluster without cooking your own frontline than it is with Fireball, but you do need them genuinely bunched. Save it for the moment three of them pile into the same doorway.

It damages objects, which includes every smokepowder barrel in Act 1. That is either the best thing that has ever happened to you or a very expensive mistake.