The Adventures of Bobo the Flaming Sphere

When I used to play a wizard, I loved this spell and once used a persistent version to chase a group of marauding pirates from a port village (not all by myself of course). Luckily the village was made of stone and the buildings had tile roofs. The spheres ability to jump 30 feet and roll over obstacles less than 4 feet made it extremely useful. I made it hop from tiled roof to tiled roof dislodging pirates along the way. Nothing like being chases by a five foot rolling ball of flame.

For the game's purposes my character stayed in one central location while I moved a flaming sphere mini around the map. For some reason the sphere took over as the leader in the action, the rest of the party followed behind pushing the pirates before them. My DM at the time thought it was so funny that the sphere took on a personality of his own that he ruled that the rolling sphere was to have eyes, hands and a mouth. For some reason the sound he gave him as he rolled through the city was a guttural BOBO!

Flaming Sphere
Evocation [Fire]
Level:
Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2

Components:
V, S, M/DF
Casting Time:
1 standard action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: 5-ft.-diameter sphere
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

A burning globe of fire rolls in whichever direction you point and burns those it strikes. It moves 30 feet per round. As part of this movement, it can ascend or jump up to 30 feet to strike a target. If it enters a space with a creature, it stops moving for the round and deals 2d6 points of fire damage to that creature, though a successful Reflex save negates that damage. A flaming sphere rolls over barriers less than 4 feet tall. It ignites flammable substances it touches and illuminates the same area as a torch would.

The sphere moves as long as you actively direct it (a move action for you); otherwise, it merely stays at rest and burns. It can be extinguished by any means that would put out a normal fire of its size. The surface of the sphere has a spongy, yielding consistency and so does not cause damage except by its flame. It cannot push aside unwilling creatures or batter down large obstacles. A flaming sphere winks out if it exceeds the spell’s range.

Arcane Material Component
A bit of tallow, a pinch of brimstone, and a dusting of powdered iron.

The text used in this post is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.