D&D 5E A Homebrew Cleric Cantrip discussion

[Chaosmancer]

Shillelagh is a druid cantrip, and signature one at that. Cleric having their own, slightly worse, version is fine by me. Actually, in context, this would become the only combat cantrip based on an attack roll for cleric; both toll the dead and sacred flame are save-based. Against high wisdom targets; cleric is out of luck (as far as cantrips go). magical damage is nice but niche; what it needs is another rider. Something like...



This may be an over-correction toward too good however.

I already have a cantrip that does that rule for invisibility unfortuantely. Got it from a 3pp supplement. It is called Stardust. I could copy it, but I'd prefer not to.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I could see making it range touch, @DND_Reborn , but I'm afraid doing that would just lead to them casting it on the fighter, instead of the cleric using it on themselves.

I would see that more as a feature than a bug, but I understand it goes against your design intentions, so no worries.

Blessed Weapon
transmutation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a sprinkle of holy water and a melee weapon)
Duration: 1 minute
The melee weapon you are holding becomes infused with holy energy. The weapon sheds a bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet, and becomes magical, if it isn't already. The weapon loses this enchantment if it leaves your grasp.

When you make a melee attack with this weapon, you can choose to deal 1d8 radiant damage instead of the weapon's normal damage dice.

At 5th level, the weapon does an additional 1d8 radiant damage (2d8 optional) and increases to 2d8 (3d8 optional) at level 11 and 3d8 (4d8 optional) at level 17.

This is way TOO good IMO!!!

It combines the weapon-cantrips such as GFB, but lasts 1 minute so you don't have to cast it each turn like GFB.

It would also stack with divine smite, making it so in tier 4 you could do 6d8 damage every hit because of a cantrip with no concentration. You would rival the damage of a Paladin who must spend slots for that type of damage (although Paladin's get Extra Attack).

 

[Chaosmancer]

I would see that more as a feature than a bug, but I understand it goes against your design intentions, so no worries.


This is way TOO good IMO!!!

It combines the weapon-cantrips such as GFB, but lasts 1 minute so you don't have to cast it each turn like GFB.

It would also stack with divine smite, making it so in tier 4 you could do 6d8 damage every hit because of a cantrip with no concentration. You would rival the damage of a Paladin who must spend slots for that type of damage (although Paladin's get Extra Attack).

Oh, you mean Divine Strike. Confused me for a moment because this is for clerics not paladin.

Do you think making it an action cast would be more balanced, instead? Or do you have a different suggestion? Because it seemed people were leaning into this being a GFB or BB style cantrip.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Oh, you mean Divine Strike. Confused me for a moment because this is for clerics not paladin.

LOL yeah, sorry for any confusion.

Do you think making it an action cast would be more balanced, instead? Or do you have a different suggestion? Because it seemed people were leaning into this being a GFB or BB style cantrip.

As a GFB clone it would be fine, so 1st would be making it 1 action casting time, and then you make an attack as part of casting the spell, like the others. 2nd would be making the duration 1 round instead of 1 minute, so you have to recast it if you want to keep the magic going--just like GFB.

GFB does extra damage to a second target, then adds damage to both the primary while increasing damage to the secondary at the power-up levels. BB only does extra damage as a rider.

So, how would you want this to function?

Narratively, I think it would be interesting if this spell created light and then transferred the light on the hit. Maybe this would cause the next attack against the target to have advantage, sort of like guiding light?

While not causing additional damage directly, the increase of another hit does add some in a fashion.

 

[CreamCloud0]

What about this?

Blessed Weapon
transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a sprinkle of holy water and a melee weapon)
Duration: 1 minute

The melee weapon you are holding becomes infused with holy energy. The weapon sheds a bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet, The damage this weapon deals gains the Radiant property, at 5th level this spell adds an additional 1d4 Radiant damage to attacks made with the weapon, 2d4 at 11th level and 3d4 at 17th. The weapon loses this enchantment if it leaves your grasp.

 

[DND_Reborn]

What about this?

Blessed Weapon
transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a sprinkle of holy water and a melee weapon)
Duration: 1 minute

The melee weapon you are holding becomes infused with holy energy. The weapon sheds a bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet, The damage this weapon deals gains the Radiant property, at 5th level this spell adds an additional 1d4 Radiant damage to attacks made with the weapon, 2d4 at 11th level and 3d4 at 17th. The weapon loses this enchantment if it leaves your grasp.

Better, but still feels too strong compared to something like Shillelagh.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Better, but still feels too strong compared to something like Shillelagh.

Hmmm....

The melee weapon you are holding becomes infused with holy energy. The weapon sheds a bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet, The damage this weapon deals gains the Radiant property and you add additional Radiant damage equal to your WIS modifier when you hit with it. The weapon loses this enchantment if it leaves your grasp.

Is that 10/10 of bright/dim light a bit excessive for a secondary effect? Even if it was just 5/10...

 

[Laurefindel]

What about this?

Blessed Weapon
transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a sprinkle of holy water and a melee weapon)
Duration: 1 minute

The melee weapon you are holding becomes infused with holy energy. The weapon sheds a bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet, The damage this weapon deals gains the Radiant property, at 5th level this spell adds an additional 1d4 Radiant damage to attacks made with the weapon, 2d4 at 11th level and 3d4 at 17th. The weapon loses this enchantment if it leaves your grasp.

This is better than the 1st level spell divine favor (which use concentration and no light/dim light rider). Divine favor isnt a very good spell, but it shouldn’t be worse than a cantrip…

 

[Chaosmancer]

This is better than the 1st level spell divine favor (which use concentration and no light/dim light rider). Divine favor isnt a very good spell, but it shouldn’t be worse than a cantrip…

I mean, it is only better than Divine Favor by level 5. Is that fine or should it always be worse than Divine Favor?

 

[Chaosmancer]

LOL yeah, sorry for any confusion.


As a GFB clone it would be fine, so 1st would be making it 1 action casting time, and then you make an attack as part of casting the spell, like the others. 2nd would be making the duration 1 round instead of 1 minute, so you have to recast it if you want to keep the magic going--just like GFB.

GFB does extra damage to a second target, then adds damage to both the primary while increasing damage to the secondary at the power-up levels. BB only does extra damage as a rider.

So, how would you want this to function?

Narratively, I think it would be interesting if this spell created light and then transferred the light on the hit. Maybe this would cause the next attack against the target to have advantage, sort of like guiding light?

While not causing additional damage directly, the increase of another hit does add some in a fashion.

What I find interesting about your suggestion is that it would look like this.

Blessed Weapon
transmutation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a sprinkle of holy water and a melee weapon)
Duration: 1 round

The melee weapon you are holding becomes infused with holy energy. The weapon sheds a bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light for another 10 feet, and becomes magical, if it isn't already. The weapon loses this enchantment if it leaves your grasp.

As part of casting this spell, make a weapon attack, if that attack hits, the next attack against the target has advantage.

At 5th level, the weapon does an additional 1d8 radiant damage and increases to 2d8 at level 11 and 3d8 at level 17.

-
Which still allows for an at-will 6d8 attack every turn, which was your initial concern. So, does this feel more balanced to you?