D&D 5E An idea for a cantrip

[ccooke]

I'm considering offering one of my players this cantrip, if something equivalent isn't included in the PHB. What do people think?

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[size=+2]Channeled Blow[/size]
Conjuration cantrip

Casting time: 1 action
Range: Special (5', or 10' if the weapon has the

Reach property)​

Components: V, S, M (a one or two handed weapon

you are proficient with)​

Duration: Instantaneous

As you swing your weapon, you channel your magic into
it making it harder, sharper and heavier. Make a melee spell
attack against the target using your Strength (or Dexterity,
if the weapon has the finesse property) modifier.
If you hit and the weapon's damage die is less than 1d8,
replace the damage die with 1d8 for this attack, adding your
Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage as normal.
Half of the damage dealt by this spell is Force damage. This
is a spell attack, not a weapon attack.

At Higher Levels: When you reach level 5, attacks​

with this spell gain 1d8 extra damage. This bonus
increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 17th level.

Requirement: You must be holding a one or two​

handed melee weapon which you swing as part of casting
this spell.
[/section]

Edited to add: Preventing the use of things like sneak attack is tricky. Making it a melee spell attack should mean that only things that should make cantrips more powerful will stack with it.

 

[Gargoyle]

The metal requirement precludes the use of staves; I wouldn't require it to be made of metal.

What if they were using a finesse weapon? I wouldn't mention the Strength modifier, just change the damage die.

I would also make this knock them back five feet as long as the target is the same size as the attacker or smaller. My reasoning is that as written it's just worse than the ranged cantrips and needs something extra.

 

[ccooke]

The metal requirement precludes the use of staves; I wouldn't require it to be made of metal.

What if they were using a finesse weapon? I wouldn't mention the Strength modifier, just change the damage die.

I would also make this knock them back five feet as long as the target is the same size as the attacker or smaller. My reasoning is that as written it's just worse than the ranged cantrips and needs something extra.

The metal requirement mostly comes from fluff around the person I'm considering it for, admittedly.
Good point on finesse weapons, though - I'll edit it.
I think knocking people back would be too much - I'm balancing it against Shillelagh, which does 1d8 damage at 10' range. Converting half the damage to force means it will get through more resistances, which is quite powerful.

 

[jadrax]

Your using the Next cantrip scaling rather than the 5e scaling.

It should probably be 'At Higher Levels: This spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).'

 

[cpendlet]

You probably should have something to prevent this from stacking with things like Divine Strike(cleric Life domain ability).

 

[Tormyr]

Even though it specifically calls for making an attack roll as part of the cantrip's action, in essence, the player is getting two actions, one for the cantrip and one for the attack roll. You might want to look at making this a bonus action which might fit in the action economy a bit better. That way the weapon is imbued with power and the weapon attack is made. Perhaps set it up so the attack has to be made the same turn as the cantrip so that it limits what the character can do (i.e. no charging it and then using it later).

I agree that knockback would probably be a bit too powerful here, but its possible this cantrip itself is a bit too powerful as other spells do equivalent effects and they are level one instead of cantrips.

 

[ccooke]

You probably should have something to prevent this from stacking with things like Divine Strike(cleric Life domain ability).

Good point. A blanket prohibition on modifying the attack is best, I think. Goes to edit.

 

[ccooke]

Even though it specifically calls for making an attack roll as part of the cantrip's action, in essence, the player is getting two actions, one for the cantrip and one for the attack roll. You might want to look at making this a bonus action which might fit in the action economy a bit better. That way the weapon is imbued with power and the weapon attack is made. Perhaps set it up so the attack has to be made the same turn as the cantrip so that it limits what the character can do (i.e. no charging it and then using it later).

I agree that knockback would probably be a bit too powerful here, but its possible this cantrip itself is a bit too powerful as other spells do equivalent effects and they are level one instead of cantrips.

I think the new wording clarifies the "two actions" criticism - it's now a melee spell attack that uses the weapon as a required material component. The fluff that you're swinging a weapon masks the fact that it should be balanced in effect with any other cantrip.