D&D 5E Spell Idea: Endanger (formerly, Soften Armor )

[CleverNickName]

@Bacon Bits , @dnd4vr : I think I prefer having the spell affect multiple targets, rather than reducing armor lower and lower. As it was originally written, there isn't much reason to use a spell slot higher than 3rd level (since so few monsters have an AC that high.)

See the revised version in the OP. Thanks for the input; keep it coming!

 

[DND_Reborn]

Maybe I should call it "soften" or "endanger."

Maybe something like Endanger Defense?

Of course, no one wants to get hit by E.D....

 

[Leatherhead]

Faerie Fire is better. By a lot.

And by that I mean this spell is severely underpowered.

 

[CleverNickName]

Faerie Fire is better. By a lot.

And by that I mean this spell is severely underpowered.

Hmm...I see your point. Any advice on how to fix it?

 

[DND_Reborn]

Hmm...I see your point. Any advice on how to fix it?

1. Extend the range to 60 feet.
2. Have it affect up to 3 targets at level 1.
3. Remove the concentration aspect.
4. Have the penalty not only affect AC, but saving throws.

Any or all of the above could help it.

 

[MarkB]

One issue with the spell is that it lasts only so long as the target lasts, and its variable effect is fixed once it's cast. So, if you happen to roll a 1, you're basically spending your concentration upon providing an extremely marginal advantage - and if the next person to attack the target scores a critical hit and kills it, you've expended a spell slot accomplishing precisely nothing.

Compare to Bless, which provides effectively the same benefit by boosting your allies' attack rolls, but which will average out over the course of a combat, and which remains useful even as your allies work their way through the entire pack of enemies.

For this spell to be competitive, it needs to be consistently useful. If you're not going to be averaging out the AC penalty through re-rolling, then average it out by making it a fixed penalty in the first place. And allow the effect to be transferred to a new target as a bonus action if the first one drops.

EDIT: Missed the revised version. That fixes the variable penalty, but my point about it only lasting as long as the target still stands.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I love it, but I would not give it to bards: a spell named Endanger screams Ranger to me!

 

[Lanefan]

I think I need to take the word "armor" out of the title...it's giving everyone the wrong idea about what this spell is supposed to do. This is not a spell that targets armor; it targets armor CLASS. Maybe I should call it "soften" or "endanger."

How can you target armour class without also targeting armour, and have it make any sense?

For example, I'd say a spell like this should have no effect at all on someone whose armour class is all coming from dexterity. And having it affect someone whose AC is all coming from dexterity and devices (ring of protection, bracers, etc.) means it's working like a targeted - if imperfect - Dispel Magic on those devices, which is way too powerful for a 1st-level spell.

I think you were on the right track in the first place: it's a spell specifically to weaken heavily-armoured creatures and melee tanks, and in those terms I quite like it.

 

[Lanefan]

Further thought: a 2nd-level version of a spell like this might also give a big penalty (or straight disadvantage?) to any saving throws the armour has to make while this spell is in effect: it really has become brittle or soft.

 

[Leatherhead]

Hmm...I see your point. Any advice on how to fix it?

Well, that depends mostly on whom the spell is supposed to counter.

For what it's worth, it sounds like it was supposed to take out brutes and soldiers (you know the monster roles), but I could be wrong about that.

My first thought was to make it deny reactions, but that made me realize that Slow also existed.
The next idea was maybe the saving throw penalty, but that's basically just Bane.
Then, I thought about how to expand the fluff of what the spell currently does: Why not make the creature deal half damage (as if the target of the affected creature's attacks had resistance to them?) But that's Ray of Enfeeblement.

So for now, I am leaning maybe: "The target does not gain the benefit of resistance against weapon attacks."

Kind of niche, but also really good for when your party really needs to take down a lycanthrope (or something like that) at low levels. On the other hand, those kinds of creatures tend to have better than average constitution scores so it is still risky.

Also here is a spitball for the spell name: Nemesis