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Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother
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<blockquote data-quote="Chocolategravy" data-source="post: 6402749" data-attributes="member: 6778085"><p>There are several better non-cantrip spells. People are using cantrips as an example because they're ALSO better and don't even use up a slot. Those spells not only do more damage but are better in every way. Yes, as you say, you are doing so little damage that breaking off to attack you is a tactical error. You've pretty much lost everyone here by saying running around casting different cantrips at various ranges at different targets while also keeping a second concentration spell up is somehow boring while standing there round after round using Witch Bolt on the same target and hoping it doesn't step out of range for a second or run behind an object or just die early is somehow fun. Wizards can do plenty of damage, so what you're saying is that it's okay to take horrible spells even though better ones are available. Sure. But that is really what your argument is, that you like the spell and that is why you want to cast it, despite it being horrible. No, it isn't. Ray of Frost with it's slow effect is a minor control spell. Chill Touch with it's no heal is a minor debuff spell. Witch Bolt is a disadvantage the caster spell with the penalty of costing concentration and limiting the caster's movement! You are literally CCing yourself for the enemy. Doing the LEAST amount of damage in a party DISCOURAGES enemies from attacking you. Something like Ray of Frost's slow might annoy something enough to want to deal with the wizard, but the wizard doing ineffectual damage sure won't. Again, could have used Ray of Frost and used NO slots AND provided some CC, *or* used Sleep or Burning Hands and been far more effective. We don't like the spell because it has bad range, uses concentration, does slow damage, ends when the target dies, ends when the target runs past an object or out of range for a second, CC's the caster by restricting their range of movement AND despite all those drawbacks which SHOULD mean the spell gets a DPR boost, it instead has bad DPR. We get it, you like the spell, keep using it. It has FAR too many drawbacks and no positives given it's bad DPR for me to load.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Chocolategravy, post: 6402749, member: 6778085"] There are several better non-cantrip spells. People are using cantrips as an example because they're ALSO better and don't even use up a slot. Those spells not only do more damage but are better in every way. Yes, as you say, you are doing so little damage that breaking off to attack you is a tactical error. You've pretty much lost everyone here by saying running around casting different cantrips at various ranges at different targets while also keeping a second concentration spell up is somehow boring while standing there round after round using Witch Bolt on the same target and hoping it doesn't step out of range for a second or run behind an object or just die early is somehow fun. Wizards can do plenty of damage, so what you're saying is that it's okay to take horrible spells even though better ones are available. Sure. But that is really what your argument is, that you like the spell and that is why you want to cast it, despite it being horrible. No, it isn't. Ray of Frost with it's slow effect is a minor control spell. Chill Touch with it's no heal is a minor debuff spell. Witch Bolt is a disadvantage the caster spell with the penalty of costing concentration and limiting the caster's movement! You are literally CCing yourself for the enemy. Doing the LEAST amount of damage in a party DISCOURAGES enemies from attacking you. Something like Ray of Frost's slow might annoy something enough to want to deal with the wizard, but the wizard doing ineffectual damage sure won't. Again, could have used Ray of Frost and used NO slots AND provided some CC, *or* used Sleep or Burning Hands and been far more effective. We don't like the spell because it has bad range, uses concentration, does slow damage, ends when the target dies, ends when the target runs past an object or out of range for a second, CC's the caster by restricting their range of movement AND despite all those drawbacks which SHOULD mean the spell gets a DPR boost, it instead has bad DPR. We get it, you like the spell, keep using it. It has FAR too many drawbacks and no positives given it's bad DPR for me to load. [/QUOTE]
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