I mean, it depends on the edition. In AD&D the damage of fireball increases faster than your HP: you deal 1d6 damage per level and you gain 1d4 HP per level (and you don’t get an automatic max roll at first level), so on average a fifth level caster has 12.5 max hp and deals 17.5 damage on a failed save.
Nowadays with higher hit dice and higher average Constitution scores and potentially larger Constitution-based hp bonuses, it’s more survivable for sure. It also doesn’t expand to fill its nominal volume if cast indoors, so it’s a lot easier to find space to cast it in dungeons without frying yourself.
I mean, it depends on the edition. In AD&D the damage of fireball increases faster than your HP: you deal 1d6 damage per level and you gain 1d4 HP per level (and you don’t get an automatic max roll at first level), so on average a fifth level caster has 12.5 max hp and deals 17.5 damage on a failed save.
Nowadays with higher hit dice and higher average Constitution scores and potentially larger Constitution-based hp bonuses, it’s more survivable for sure. It also doesn’t expand to fill its nominal volume if cast indoors, so it’s a lot easier to find space to cast it in dungeons without frying yourself.
True. That’s mage survivor bias, right there.