D&D 5E Suggested nerf to the Shield spell

Gavin O.

First Post
In my opinion, Shield is one of the strongest spells in all of fifth edition. For a level 1 spell slot and your reaction, it grants you +5 AC for a whole round, and since you cast it after you know you've been hit, it's not wasted unless the roll beats your AC by 5 or more. In the campaign I play, we have 3 people with 18 or more armor class and 4 slots of Shield, and it basically amounts to dodging four hits (and being almost invulnerable for the remainder of those rounds) per long rest. So I propose to change Shield's casting time to:

One reaction, which you take when you are targeted by an attack or by magic missile.

This means that when an enemy attacks you, you have to choose whether to cast shield or not before you see what they roll. This means that the spell could be wasted if the attack would have missed anyways, and it makes it harder to guess what the enemy's attack bonus might be.
 

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In my opinion, Shield is one of the strongest spells in all of fifth edition. For a level 1 spell slot and your reaction, it grants you +5 AC for a whole round, and since you cast it after you know you've been hit, it's not wasted unless the roll beats your AC by 5 or more. In the campaign I play, we have 3 people with 18 or more armor class and 4 slots of Shield, and it basically amounts to dodging four hits (and being almost invulnerable for the remainder of those rounds) per long rest. So I propose to change Shield's casting time to:

One reaction, which you take when you are targeted by an attack or by magic missile.

This means that when an enemy attacks you, you have to choose whether to cast shield or not before you see what they roll. This means that the spell could be wasted if the attack would have missed anyways, and it makes it harder to guess what the enemy's attack bonus might be.

I have no issue with this spell, it only lasts a round for a spell slot, will probably turn a hit to miss, but it is 'magic' I have never considered that this needs nerfing.
 

ccs

41st lv DM
(shrugs) I've never seen it to be a problem in any game I've run.

If you have? Then change it & let us know how it turns out.
 

Satyrn

First Post
In my opinion, Shield is one of the strongest spells in all of fifth edition. For a level 1 spell slot and your reaction, it grants you +5 AC for a whole round, and since you cast it after you know you've been hit, it's not wasted unless the roll beats your AC by 5 or more. In the campaign I play, we have 3 people with 18 or more armor class and 4 slots of Shield, and it basically amounts to dodging four hits (and being almost invulnerable for the remainder of those rounds) per long rest. So I propose to change Shield's casting time to:

One reaction, which you take when you are targeted by an attack or by magic missile.

This means that when an enemy attacks you, you have to choose whether to cast shield or not before you see what they roll. This means that the spell could be wasted if the attack would have missed anyways, and it makes it harder to guess what the enemy's attack bonus might be.

How will your players take it when you implement this?
 




ad_hoc

(she/her)
I think we need a lot more information to judge whether the issue is with Shield or something else in your game.

My bet is that something else is contributing to Shield being a stand out.
 


Stalker0

Legend
So...to actually help the OP instead of just telling them their wrong.

If you find Shield to be OP in your game, I think your house rule is a fine adjustment to reduce its power a bit.
 

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