D&D 5E Blade Ward cantrip

[marcelos]

Hello.

Maybe I am missing something, but isn't this cantrip useless?

"Gives you resistance to bludgeoning/piercing/slashing damage from weapons until the end of your next turn."

It looks like a dodge action is better than this, and everyone can use.

I am avoiding making house rules, but I think this cantrip would usable if it was like this:

Gives you resistance to bludgeoning/piercing/slashing damage from weapons.
Duration: one minute (concentration).
If you take any damage, this spell is finished.

Another option would be putting it as a level one spell, with casting time: bonus action.

What do you guys think?

 

[Boarstorm]

Useless? Nah! Let's say it is of... (limited) situational use.

If something is likely to hit you, whether you dodge or not.

And it does enough damage on average to warrant giving up your turn.

And... and... and...

... yeah, I don't see many circumstances where it's worth casting.

 

[marcelos]

Useless? Nah! Let's say it is of... (limited) situational use.

If something is likely to hit you, whether you dodge or not.

And it does enough damage on average to warrant giving up your turn.

And... and... and...

... yeah, I don't see many circumstances where it's worth casting.

And remember - it must be from a weapon.

 

[Joe Liker]

And remember - it must be from a weapon.

Note that claws and bites and such do count as weapon attacks.

Even so, this cantrip is terrible. Do Not Use.

 

[Piratecat]

It would suck less if it were cast as a reaction, I suppose.

 

[SilverfireSage]

Uh, not sure how your houserule is any better. If they take any damage the spell is finished, so the instant they get hit, which is likely, the spell ends and they take normal damage from there on out. I can personally see a good use of this if there were a large number of attacks. Say you're being attacked by 5 bandits with light crossbows. They have a +3 to hit, and since you're a wizard, you only have about a 12 armor class. They'll hit you 55% of the time. This will deal over one round 13.75 damage. If you take dodge, your AC is essentially increased by 5, so you'll have a 17 armor class and they'll hit you only 30% of the time for damage of 7.5 damage. If you have resistance to all damage, you'll only take 6.88 damage, which, while a marginal decrease, only becomes better the more people are added. Not to mention dodge doesn't work if you can't see someone, so if you're running away you'll be taking the full damage, and if one of them grabs you after that you're a goner. This is basically little more than a delaying spell, which, as it is a cantrip, isn't really that bad.

 

[marcelos]

Uh, not sure how your houserule is any better. If they take any damage the spell is finished, so the instant they get hit, which is likely, the spell ends and they take normal damage from there on out. I can personally see a good use of this if there were a large number of attacks. Say you're being attacked by 5 bandits with light crossbows. They have a +3 to hit, and since you're a wizard, you only have about a 12 armor class. They'll hit you 55% of the time. This will deal over one round 13.75 damage. If you take dodge, your AC is essentially increased by 5, so you'll have a 17 armor class and they'll hit you only 30% of the time for damage of 7.5 damage. If you have resistance to all damage, you'll only take 6.88 damage, which, while a marginal decrease, only becomes better the more people are added. Not to mention dodge doesn't work if you can't see someone, so if you're running away you'll be taking the full damage, and if one of them grabs you after that you're a goner. This is basically little more than a delaying spell, which, as it is a cantrip, isn't really that bad.

With my houserule, it becomes a weak buff to use at the beginning of the combat, but still weak, I agree.

The situation you describe is unlikely to happen and the wizard would not know in advance that he would be attacked by all opponents. If you are attacked this way and you are low level, you are done, or you could use this round to cast sleep on the group. If you have some levels, there are a few good area spells which would be better to use than this weak cantrip.

Making this cantrip a reaction would make it too powerful to be a cantrip.

 

[keterys]

Do Sorcerers get it? They could Quicken a spell and also blade ward

But yes, it's a good example of an awful spell which probably largely exists to define how good a defensive cantrip is allowed to be.

 

[Stalker0]

I had forgotten it was weapons only...man that is bad.

At first I thought it was good for traps or for falling damage, but it wouldn't help on those.

 

[trentonjoe]

I have a dwarven warlock (blade pact) who I basically play as a melee character. I took this cantrip because I thought I would use it when I was far enough away that I couldn't charge in and fight. I haven't cast it in three sessions.