This spell causes a blazing ray of red-hot fire, 1-foot long, to spring from the caster's hand. This bladelike ray is wielded as if it were a dagger. If the caster successfully hits with the flame dagger in melee, the creature struck suffers 1d4+1 points of damage, with a damage bonus of +1 if the creature is undead or is especially vulnerable to fire. If the creature is protected from fire, the damage inflicted is reduced to 1d4. Fire dwellers and those using fire as an innate attack form suffer no damage from the spell.
The flame blade can ignite combustible materials such as parchment, straw, dry sticks, cloth, etc. However, it is not a magical weapon in the normal sense of the term, so creatures (other than undead) struck only by magical weapons are not harmed by it. This spell does not function underwater.
The material component is a pinch of iron mixed with a pinch of sulphur.
Notes: Restricted to the Red Wizards of Thay and those trained by them.