At that point you’re basically forcing the wizard to spend that spell slot. They don’t want to (all the other wizards will laugh at something so basic) but they can’t let the party down.
The guys in plate mail stand in a line because if they’re not clumped up they’re getting a Heat Metal instead, which is infinitely worse and probably a war crime.
If you all are going to stand in a line wearing metal armor, you just have to expect a chain lightning. That’s just dungeoning 101.
At that point you’re basically forcing the wizard to spend that spell slot. They don’t want to (all the other wizards will laugh at something so basic) but they can’t let the party down.
The guys in plate mail stand in a line because if they’re not clumped up they’re getting a Heat Metal instead, which is infinitely worse and probably a war crime.
What planes do the Geneva Conventions apply on?
Mechanicus, most likely.