Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Gadget" data-source="post: 7116388" data-attributes="member: 23716"><p>[MENTION=6786252]Mephista[/MENTION]<strong> - </strong><em>Crown of Madness</em> is a bad spell because it is very niche, all the target has to do is move away from other allies and the spell is basically a one round duration if the first save is failed. Not to mention a save every round plus costing the caster their action every round can be quite restrictive. That being said, it is not as bad as others on the list, and can be useful in certain situations (force a dragon rider to attack his mount, or some such), I just find it overly finicky and restrictive while not really matching the fiction. Admittedly, this type of spell at this level is tricky to balance.</p><p></p><p>As for <em>Ray of Enfeeblement</em>, I just find the spell incredibly--pardon the pun--feeble. A ranged spell attack (which can miss), save every round, concentration using spell all for half damage on Strength (and only strength based) weapon attacks. Once again fairly niche, can be used against the occasional rampaging brute to mitigate damage, but at the very least should work against all weapon attacks, strength based or no, along with all strength and dex based ability checks. Should help with things like grappling and pinning an adversary, but does not really match the fiction. </p><p></p><p>And <em>Phantasmal Killer</em> - Basically a poor man's fear (single target and a level higher than the actual <em>Fear</em> spell that targets multiple victims) that requires a target to fail not one but two Saving Throws before taking a point of not-that-great-damage-for-a-fourth-level-spell. I can see the damage not being that great due to the fact that it is potentially every round until the save is made, but the spell should at least have the target take damage every round <em>before</em> the save to end. And even then I'm not sure it is worth it as a 4th level spell. <em>Weird</em> is basically a <em>Mass Phantasmal Killer</em>, and if it wasn't worth it at 4th level, it sure ain't worth it at 9th, area effect or not. </p><p></p><p> oh and about <em>Mordenkainen's Sword</em>, it is even worse than what you say, look at <em>Spiritual Weapon</em>, now look at <em>Mordenkainen's Sword</em>. Now back to <em>Spiritual Weapon</em>, cast using a sixth level slot, now back to <em>Mordenkainen's Sword</em>. See what I mean? </p><p></p><p><em>Jump</em> - Kind of weak for even a first level spell, especially in this edition with strong cantrips. The real kicker is that it does not give you additional movement, you're still restricted by your movement speed. Sure, it could help you with that "difficult jump". It could also help you place in the local track meet. It should take a page from <em>Expeditious Retreat</em> and allow the recipient to jump x feet as a bonus action each turn. No calculating what your jump height and distance is according to your strength score, etc, just pure bionic man action every round. </p><p></p><p><em>True Strike</em> - For martials, it only works on your first attack <em>next</em> turn. So even if you have Battle Magic or Quicken Spell, or something else that may let you cast this as a bonus action or attack as a bonus action, you still have to wait until next turn to benefit. And it is Concentration and therefore subject to disruption. For pure spell casters, many of the spells you want to use this to setup and make sure you hit with are also concentration and therefore cannot be used in conjunction with this spell.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Gadget, post: 7116388, member: 23716"] [MENTION=6786252]Mephista[/MENTION][B] - [/B][I]Crown of Madness[/I] is a bad spell because it is very niche, all the target has to do is move away from other allies and the spell is basically a one round duration if the first save is failed. Not to mention a save every round plus costing the caster their action every round can be quite restrictive. That being said, it is not as bad as others on the list, and can be useful in certain situations (force a dragon rider to attack his mount, or some such), I just find it overly finicky and restrictive while not really matching the fiction. Admittedly, this type of spell at this level is tricky to balance. As for [I]Ray of Enfeeblement[/I], I just find the spell incredibly--pardon the pun--feeble. A ranged spell attack (which can miss), save every round, concentration using spell all for half damage on Strength (and only strength based) weapon attacks. Once again fairly niche, can be used against the occasional rampaging brute to mitigate damage, but at the very least should work against all weapon attacks, strength based or no, along with all strength and dex based ability checks. Should help with things like grappling and pinning an adversary, but does not really match the fiction. And [I]Phantasmal Killer[/I] - Basically a poor man's fear (single target and a level higher than the actual [I]Fear[/I] spell that targets multiple victims) that requires a target to fail not one but two Saving Throws before taking a point of not-that-great-damage-for-a-fourth-level-spell. I can see the damage not being that great due to the fact that it is potentially every round until the save is made, but the spell should at least have the target take damage every round [I]before[/I] the save to end. And even then I'm not sure it is worth it as a 4th level spell. [I]Weird[/I] is basically a [I]Mass Phantasmal Killer[/I], and if it wasn't worth it at 4th level, it sure ain't worth it at 9th, area effect or not. oh and about [I]Mordenkainen's Sword[/I], it is even worse than what you say, look at [I]Spiritual Weapon[/I], now look at [I]Mordenkainen's Sword[/I]. Now back to [I]Spiritual Weapon[/I], cast using a sixth level slot, now back to [I]Mordenkainen's Sword[/I]. See what I mean? [I]Jump[/I] - Kind of weak for even a first level spell, especially in this edition with strong cantrips. The real kicker is that it does not give you additional movement, you're still restricted by your movement speed. Sure, it could help you with that "difficult jump". It could also help you place in the local track meet. It should take a page from [I]Expeditious Retreat[/I] and allow the recipient to jump x feet as a bonus action each turn. No calculating what your jump height and distance is according to your strength score, etc, just pure bionic man action every round. [I]True Strike[/I] - For martials, it only works on your first attack [I]next[/I] turn. So even if you have Battle Magic or Quicken Spell, or something else that may let you cast this as a bonus action or attack as a bonus action, you still have to wait until next turn to benefit. And it is Concentration and therefore subject to disruption. For pure spell casters, many of the spells you want to use this to setup and make sure you hit with are also concentration and therefore cannot be used in conjunction with this spell. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother
Top