D&D 5E Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother

[Eric V]

But he gets SA damage with advantage. I am assuming it was his only reliable way to get sneak attack damage.

 

[Paraxis]

The two ways to get sneak attack are:

1. Have advantage on the attack roll.
2. Have an ally adjacent to the target, who isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

At 2nd level a rogue can take a bonus action to hide before he attacks, every round. He just needs something to hide behind or in.

The best tactic 99% of the time is to focus fire, so there should almost always be an ally adjacent to an enemy.

So yes a rogue, all alone with no place to hide, could find himself in a position where true strike might be useful but it would be rare, and since he is in such a situation maybe fighting isn't the best course of action anyway.

True strike is just bad, concentration, doesn't kick in until the next round, and takes an action.
With so many other ways to get advantage it is just not a good option.

 

[PnPgamer]

Few things i want to clarify:
Rogue sneak attack works only with weapon attacks.
Friends cantrip cannot be used on already hostile targets. Which makes it useless against captured enemies that are interrogated.

 

[Saeviomagy]

What if you're the one playing good cop?

 

[PnPgamer]

What if you're the one playing good cop?

I am not sure what you mean. I think enemies that wanted to kill you do not change their minds, even if you are playing the good cop.

We discussed friends on a thread quite long ago, and we discovered that only good thing it is for is that if you want to frame somebody of violence, want to lead them to somewhere semi-forcefully (make them chase you). It leaves no bruises that a kick to the ass would.

 

[SirAntoine]

The more I look at spells the more I think, "Wow, that's amazing!" and then I find a spell of the same level and class list and think, "Why on earth would I even use that when that other awesome one is available?"

There seems to be more than just a few of these types of spells, at least to my delicate senses.

On the top of my list of bad choices would be Witch Bolt. It's just bad. There's virtually no reason to cast this. You're actually better off casting a damage cantrip after the second round of Witch Bolt since at least it has a chance to crit. "Oh, you managed to hit me for 3 points of damage. I guess I'll just move over here and... oh look, your puny spell has fizzled out."

Second would be Ray of Enfeeblement. It's just plain awful. First you have to hit with it, it's effect is considerably weaker than the effect of any other 2nd-level spell, and then on top of that the target gets a chance to save against it every turn. Why not just cast Hold Person?

On the amazing list would be Plant Growth. Yes, Plant Growth. Seriously, read it, it's amazing. 150-ft. range and can make a 100-ft. radius area instantly quadruply difficult terrain (4 squares of movement required for every square moved) with no saving throw

Then there's Plane Shift. Wow. Combines Banishment with multiple target instantaneous transport across all planes. Umm... ok? Thanks? I guess?

What other absolutely awful spells can you think of? What other amazing spells can you think of?

Wish is much too weak, and there are tons of missing spells that just aren't in the game.

 

[MistrOrnge]

Sneak Attack works with finesse and ranged weapons.
So without anyone near the enemies and an open field I was doing 1d6+3 or using TS I was doing 3d6+3 and had a higher chance to hit. Not sure how the math falls out on that but I think I was ahead.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Sneak Attack works with finesse and ranged weapons.
So without anyone near the enemies and an open field I was doing 1d6+3 or using TS I was doing 3d6+3 and had a higher chance to hit. Not sure how the math falls out on that but I think I was ahead.

Yes, that will work. If you are in a situation where you have no other way of getting sneak attack damage you will come out ahead.

 

[jayoungr]

I'm here to report that Witch Bolt won the day in the final encounter of Lost Mines of Phandelver at my table. That fight was the party versus a spellcaster boss, four spiders, and three bugbears (IIRC), in a largeish hall. The melee characters were tied up in combat with the spiders when the bugbears rushed in through another door and started beating on the ranged characters. The sorcerer cast witch bolt on the boss and a bugbear that was on her tail, and dropped them both in a couple of rounds.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I am not sure what you mean. I think enemies that wanted to kill you do not change their minds, even if you are playing the good cop.

The whole point of good cop, bad cop is that people actually do end up feeling grateful to the good cop and negotiating with them or even doing favors for them. That to me would qualify as not hostile.