AD&D 2e Deep Dive: Burning Hands

1st Level Spells, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Old School, Spell Deep Dive, Wizard Spells

Burning Hands (Alteration)

Level: 1
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 1
Area of Effect: Spellcaster
Saving Throw: Halves (see below)

In the early levels of AD&D 2e, a wizard in melee range is usually a dead wizard. However, Burning Hands provides the ultimate “get off me” button. While many view it as a weak damage spell compared to the iconic Magic Missile, its true power lies in its utility as a defensive countermeasure and its ability to wreak havoc on an opponent’s gear.

Functional Overview

By touching their thumbs together and spreading their fingers, the wizard unleashes a fan-like sheet of flame.

  • Extinguishing Flames: A character whose gear catches fire must spend their next round dealing with it. They can extinguish one item by forgoing an attack, or two items if they forgo both attack and movement.
  • Scaling Damage: The spell deals 1d3 hit points + 2 points per level of the caster. This caps at a maximum of 1d3 + 20 damage.
  • The Dexterity Factor: Because the spell requires physical aiming and a specific hand gesture, a common and logical house rule/interpretation is to apply the caster’s Dexterity modifier as a penalty to the targets’ saving throws.
  • Material Destruction: The flames ignite flammable materials. This isn’t just flavor—it’s a mechanical threat to an enemy’s capability.

Tactical Insights & Observations

1. Equipment Sabotage

The real danger of Burning Hands isn’t the 1d3+2 damage; it’s the fact that it can melt a fighter’s bowstring, ignite a rival wizard’s scroll case, or burn through the straps of a shield.

  • Paper/Fabric: Cloaks, spellbooks, and quivers are primary targets.
  • Thin Wood: Weapon handles, bows, and arrow shafts can be rendered useless.
  • Backpacks: While leather or reinforced packs might survive, standard cloth packs are destroyed, potentially spilling contents or igniting internal oil flasks.

2. Defensive Close-Quarters Countermeasure

With a Casting Time of 1, Burning Hands is incredibly fast. It is designed to be cast the moment an enemy closes the gap. If you can ignite the enemy’s weapon or clothing, you force them to choose between continuing the attack (taking more damage/losing the item) or stopping to put out the fire, giving you a chance to retreat.

3. The “Fan” Geometry

The 120-degree horizontal arc is wider than most players realize. At a 5-foot range, a wizard can potentially catch three medium-sized enemies standing side-by-side in a corridor, making it an efficient “cleave” spell for low-level encounters.

4. Synergies with Equipment Knowledge

For DMs and players looking to deep-dive into the durability of items, the DMGR3 Arms and Equipment Guide (2e) provides excellent context for how different materials withstand heat and fire.

Research & Acquisition

Burning Hands is an Alteration spell, often favored by transmuters or those who prefer “elemental” magic over pure force.

  • Research Time: 1d10 + 1 weeks.
  • Financial Investment: 100–1,000 gp.
  • Components: Verbal and Somatic only. No material components make this an excellent “backup” spell if the wizard has been stripped of their gear.

Theoretical Variants

Advanced research (as detailed in the Wizard’s Handbook) can evolve this fan of flames into something much more terrifying:

  • Burning Circle (Level 2): A variant where the arc encompasses a full 360-degree radius around the caster. This is the ultimate “panic button” when surrounded by a swarm of small creatures like kobolds or giant rats.
  • Nova Blast (Level 3): This version maintains the 360-degree arc but increases the damage to 1d6 + 2 per level, and crucially, removes the maximum damage cap.

The Verdict

Burning Hands is the wizard’s insurance policy. It is a fast, aggressive, and highly disruptive spell that punishes enemies for getting too close. If you can’t outrun them, burn their equipment and make them regret the proximity.