D&D (2024) How to balance the shield spell?

[The Myopic Sniper]

Full spellcasters may have too many low-level spells. If there were fewer spell slots per day casting shield might be a less attractive option if it is competing with your big encounter ending spells that you might want to use later.

 

[CleverNickName]

Like so many other things, the problems I've seen with the Shield spell are actually problems with multiclassing...but fixing that would be a very difficult chore for someone with my skill-set.

If I were going to make any changes at all, I'd just add a caveat to the spell description: "This spell fails if you are wearing armor of any kind." Not perfect, but it would keep it out of the hands of multiclassed Fighters and Paladins while leaving monoclass casters unaffected.

 

[MarkB]

I think the only way to balance shield is to cap the bonus so that gish type characters that already have good AC can't use it to get 25+. Something like "Shield: increase your AC by +5 up to a maximum of 20 until the start of your next turn"

How about we combo this to address the low-level-spell-slots issue by having that cap increase by 1 for each level when you use a higher-level spell slot.

 

[Horwath]

Not if OneDnD has anything to say about that!

I feel that EK will get 6th or 10th level feature to work around that.

 

[Horwath]

Eldritch Knight Fireball - Action Surge - Fireball.

so, that is two tickles.

56 damage, let's say 60% fail on dex save; 33,6 damage average.

6 longsword attacks, 69(noice) damage, 60% hit rate, 41,4 damage. That is with normal weapon. without crits.

Like I said, fireball ain't that good. Sure, once in a blue moon you will fight BBEG with 50 mooks around, and then it will be great, but most of the time, you are better of spending that slot on disable/utility spells. Something that will be useful at all levels.

Fireball-action surge-fireball is great at 7th level as multuclass, but it fades quickly.

 

[S'mon]

so, that is two tickles.

56 damage, let's say 60% fail on dex save; 33,6 damage average.

6 longsword attacks, 69(noice) damage, 60% hit rate, 41,4 damage. That is with normal weapon.

Like I said, fireball ain't that good. Sure, once in a blue moon you will fight BBEG with 50 mooks around, and then it will be great, but most of the time, you are better of spending that slot on disable/utility spells. Something that will be useful at all levels.

Fireball-action surge-fireball is great at 7th level as multuclass, but it fades quickly.

It's usually 6-12 mooks IME. It's not so great vs hordes of 84 hp trolls, but for gangs of eg 45 hp Wights it's great.

 

[Neonchameleon]

The big thing to do is prevent it from stacking with shields just as Mage Armour can't stack with normal armour. On a wizard it's still fine. On an EK or Paladin (thanks new warlock rules!) they need to go in two points of AC lower because they don't carry a shield.

 

[Horwath]

The big thing to do is prevent it from stacking with shields just as Mage Armour can't stack with normal armour. On a wizard it's still fine. On an EK or Paladin (thanks new warlock rules!) they need to go in two points of AC lower because they don't carry a shield.

that is my idea with this version, you need free hand or an spell focus in hand to benefit from extra +2 AC.
Thus preventing usage of 2Handed weapons or shields.

Maybe it needs clarification that it does not stack with shield bonus to AC.

 

[S'mon]

that is my idea with this version, you need free hand or an spell focus in hand to benefit from extra +2 AC.
Thus preventing usage of 2Handed weapons or shields.

Maybe it needs clarification that it does not stack with shield bonus to AC.

War Caster

Source: Player's Handbook
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
You have practiced casting spells in the midst of combat, learning techniques that grant you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage.
• You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.
• When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only that creature.

My son's level 15 EK uses a two-handed weapon plus Warcaster feat. His Base AC is 19, soon to be 20. He usually has Blur up, so with Shield I'm needing a 24 > 25 with disadvantage to actually hit him. He likes to point out that per RAW he could legally use a shield (probably a +2 shield at his level) for base AC 23>24, going to 28>29 with Shield. If he really wanted he could get his AC to 30 (I cap AC at 30) with Shield, with disad to be hit.

If he does get hit, he normally has a 1 in 400 chance to fail the CON save to lose Concentration on Blur.

Currently he & another PC are farming a tribe of mutant mine trolls in Stonehell for practically free XP.

 

[Stalker0]

Make it a two way barrier, like a mini resilent sphere, that trades offense for defense.

Shield
Until the end of your next turn, you have +5 to AC against enemy attacks, and enemies have +5 to AC against your attacks.

Now for a wizard slinging saves, no big deal. For the gish using sword attacks, it’s a bigger penalty