I think that this spell has been nerfed. First, in the PHB, it says that call lightning itself can be used indoors, or underground. For this reason I didn't nessecarily see a problem with having it in the module, but it got changed anyways to cave in for various reasons which all sounded reasonable. But I still take issue with it, because now you can only cast the spell in wilderness areas. 'Wilderness area' isn't a term that makes a whole heck of a lot of sense and is sort of oddly and inconsitantly applied to the areas in efu.

So here are some of my suggestions:

1. Get rid of the Wilderness area requirement for this spell. You can cave in the ceiling to a building, or the ruins of a crypt I'd think even more effectively then some open cavern or whatever.

2. Bring back Call Lightning. There's nothing wrong with the spell in theory! We're talking about magic here. If a wizard can shot fireballs out of his eyes or lightning out of his hands, how is that any different than lightning from the cavern ceiling or anywhere else?

3. Give druids a tool that tells them that the area is in fact wilderness. This is kinda silly, but its not always clear or consistant if the area is wilderness or not. Or better yet, a talus command that returns true or false.

Call Lightning is the druids most potent offensive spell and they have it for balance reasons. I think that restricting it too much can kind of unbalance their effectivness. They're supposed to get better offensive spells and all that than their cleric counterparts.

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I totally agree that this spell should of been left alone. I see no reason why you cannot call lightning underground. It also stinks for a cleric of Talos who cannot cast a lightning spell but can summon rocks.

Also, the visualization for Cave In is apocalyptic, and doesn't accurately reflect the spells area of effect which can be disorienting as meteors slam into your party harmlessly. I think there are some good dust / rock exploding visuals that could be used instead of the meteor shower visual.

Well, in support of the change, Call Lightning is just supposed to, ya know "call" a lightning bolt. It doesn't work if it's not overcast to the extent that there would be a cloud about where one druid can "call" the lightning down from. In theory, if you called lightning, and it happened to be overcast on the surface, the lightning would simply hit the surface above you, and possibly kill a farmer or two. The lightning isn't coming from the druid, it's coming from the cloud.

I'll say, I never understood why it got changed. When the books and rules all say you could use it where ever a druid was-be it underground or indoors.

Which is partially why the nwn version of call lightning is the 3.5e rather than the 3e version, which in 3.5 does work underground so I seem to remember, but is not as powerful as the 3e one. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling its closer to 3.5 than 3 because of the sense of it.

That change to the spell on COA was only for COA and you don't need clouds to call lighning down. A druid could in theory just conjure a cloud and then the lightning anyways.

Spell only got changed on CoA because of Air Domain actually and the vast number of priests with Air/Magic powergaming through Kantheas. Subsequent patches changed that problem years ago.

The team there just never really felt like changing the spell to what it should have been although it was often a pretty close debate.

According to the 3rd edition, Call Lightning can only be cast in a stormy area. As far as I'm concern, there rarely are any storms in the UD, and it would be more unnatural than not to have one. Hence, the spell would be useless.

In 3rd edition, druids can also use a spell to summon storms.

In NWN this isn't an option.

In 3.5 (druids still can cast a spell to summon storms or clouds) but the spell works underground, indoors, and underwater because WotC realized it wasn't sensible, balanced, or playable.

I've never seen why NWN can't follow the 3.5 version in light of:

1) Druids don't have any other damage dealing options for third level spells, which isn't an issue in PnP.

2) Druids can't summon storm clouds in NWN which is an option in NWN.

Whether the spell remains lightning or pulling in the roof hardly matters to me, but I still think the spell itself should be useable anywhere regardless of how its implemented.

A druid hardly needs to be touching a tree to cast Bark Skin (and there is no bark in the Underdark either naturally), so why need a cloud to magically create lightning? And there is ALWAYS rock over your head in the Underdark, no matter where you are.

I think it's mostly a matter of flavor. It's more interesting in the Underdark to call down rocks and things than it is to call lightning. The reason this is limited to certain areas is because you're essentially calling down large chunks of loose rocks and rubble from a cave ceiling, which may not be appropriate in a ruin or inn. I don't know exactly how it determines what area is appropriate and what isn't, maybe the tileset? However, I do think it's nice that it gives druids an edge in "natural" environments (as opposed to an interior area).

I agree the visual isn't quite right. A different visual might be better.

I don't really feel strongly one way or the other about the spell, though. If there is a strong feeling we should revert back to lightning I'd be cool with it.

I mostly have trouble with the spell when/if you want to be a cleric of Talos and you take air domain and you summon flying rocks and not lightning. It makes no sense and I have seen this suprise a few clerics of Talos. I think it could turn them off to the character because they cannot summon lightning for their god. But thats just my opinion really.

Well, I don't think that causing boulders to crash down from on high is that inappropriate for the deity of destructive force.

Now I've never played a druid but I've seen this spell so many times it's not funny.

Granted it's always impressive when it happens, but here are my two main comments and I'll be short.

1.) I think it's appropriate since there are no clouds in the underdark to summon lightening from. So I'm ok with 'cave-in' as it is.

2.) Though I love the size of it's damage radius, that's a damn dangerous spell to all PC's. I've seen that thing kill half a team if the aim is't just perfect on the Dunwarren stair quest. (course the same goes for piss poorly aimed seige weapons in other quests).

I really like the idea of a talus command for wilderness/not wilderness. This would be useful for alot of characters.

As for the visual effects, the visual of the druid spell 'Bombardment' might be a better option than that of Meteor Swarm. IIRC, it also has rocks falling down, but the AoE of the visual is smaller and not as apocalyptic.