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What is the most powerful spell?
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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7233776" data-attributes="member: 58172"><p>2nd-Level Single Target Damage Spells</p><p></p><p>[CODE][FONT=Courier New]</p><p>[COLOR=#0000cd][B]2nd-Level Spells[/B][/COLOR]</p><p></p><p>[B]Lower Level[/B]</p><p>Acid Arrow • 4d4 acid (AC ) Target in S • next turn 2d4</p><p></p><p>[B]Eldritch Knight[/B]</p><p>−[I]Lower Level[/I]</p><p>Magic Weapon • W +1 (AC ) Hostile in W • conc; +1 attack/damage</p><p>−[I]Less Useful[/I]</p><p>Flame Blade • 3d6 fire (AC ) Hostile in MW • conc</p><p>−[I]Not Bad[/I]</p><p>Branding Smite • 2d6 radt, W (AC ) Hostile in W • conc; neg invis; dim</p><p></p><p>[B]Good[/B]</p><p>Heat Metal • 2d8 fire (auto hit ) Hostile with obj in S • conc; your later bon, v Con or sunder/dis</p><p>Earthen Grasp • 2d6 blud (Str ) Hostile in M of C 5 sq • conc; restrained; your action 3d6 v Str ½ ends; action move sq</p><p>Scorching Ray • 2d6 x3 fire (AC ) Hostile •</p><p></p><p>[B]Excellent[/B]</p><p>Spiritual Weapon • d8 forc +Abl (AC ) Hostile in S MW • min; bon move 20 to attack</p><p>Phantasmal Force • d6 psyc (Int Investig) Hostile • conc; 10 cube subjective hallucenation</p><p>[/FONT][/CODE]</p><p></p><p><strong>Magic Weapon</strong> (not to be confused with Spiritual Weapon) is highly problematic because of the way its hour duration interacts with its requirement of concentration. It makes it impossible to cast decent spells (requiring concentration) for the next hour. Despite the value of a +1 attack that stacks, it is rarely worth the loss of casting.</p><p></p><p>If instead the hour-long enchanted weapon allowed the caster to drop concentration whenever the weapon was unneeded and then reactivate concentration whenever the weapon was needed, it would be a decent 2nd-level spell. However as it is now, Magic Weapon seems so situational as to be rarely worth the expense of a spell slot.</p><p></p><p>Given the description of Magic Weapon, as-is, it tentatively positions as a 1st-level Excellent spell in the Eldritch Knight category. As such, at the level that this spell becomes available, the melee caster is less likely to have many spell slots that can compete for its requirement for concentration, thus making its 1-hour duration more useful. At the same time, at the lowest tier, bonused magic weapons are scarce (at least in my campaigns they are), making the bonus relatively more precious.</p><p></p><p><strong>Acid Arrow</strong> seems Less Useful even if it was listed as a 1st-level spell. It is comparable to the Not Bad Chromatic Orb, albeit Acid Arrow takes two rounds to deal the same amount of damage that Chromatic Orb deals in a single round. About 6 hit points, accounting for the possible miss. Acid Arrow is of less worth for a 2nd-level spells. ... When I realized that I would rather have the Communicate With Animals spell, rather than have Acid Arrow, it became clear that Acid Arrow is of less worth than a 1st-level spell.</p><p></p><p><strong>Flame Blade</strong> seems decent but Less Useful. The spell creates a melee weapon made out of fire. Its 3d6 damage is decent. Successive actions can repeat this damage. The question is, why arent you using the melee weapon that you are proficient with, and choosing a spell to enhance it? And if you dont have a weapon, why not? Why waste spell slots just to have a weapon? And if you need to deal heavier damage, why arent you using a high damage spell to eliminate a single opponent? The usefulness of Flame Blade seems situational, but if you happen to be in one of these situations, it might be effective.</p><p></p><p><strong>Branding Smite</strong> is Not Bad for a 2nd-slot spell. Note, the spell cant work unless you hit the invisible hostile first, and normally you have a disadvantage against it. So there is that difficulty. But if you hit, spend the bonus action to cast the spell, to force the creature to become visible, no save. And some extra damage too.</p><p></p><p><strong>Heat Metal</strong> is a Good spell. Its main use is disabling an attended item (as long as it is metal). For example, cast it to force a hostile to drop a powerful magic sword, or else cast it to inflict disadvantage if targeting armor. Heat Metal deals auto-hit 2d8 damage. After the initial action, future bonus actions deal this damage automatically, in addition to the damage you deal with your action. The spell is tactically versatile.</p><p></p><p><strong>Earthen Grasp</strong> with its Strength save compares to <strong>Hold Person</strong> with its Wisdom save. They are Good, and their saves make it worthwhile to know both. Hold Person paralyzes the hostile to negate all of its actions. Earthen Grasp only restrains the hostile, but this immobility keeps the hostile away from the caster, grants allies advantage, causes the hostile disadvantage, and the spell deals some damage too. It can neutralize a dexterous melee attacker. Future actions can try again to restrain the same or different hostile.</p><p></p><p><strong>Scorching Ray</strong> deals the most damage available at 2nd slot level, potentially 6d6 fire, which looks impressive yet averages about 10 hit points, accounting for a hypothetical 50% miss. Luckiest rolls have a chance of dealing upto 36 damage. For ‘focus fire’, when the team tries to eliminate a single dangerous hostile, this spell is Good to have handy. </p><p></p><p><strong>Spiritual Weapon</strong> is an Excellent way to reliably add bonus action damage to attack action damage, without requiring concentration.</p><p></p><p><strong>Phantasmal Force</strong> is an Excellent illusion, but can optionally inflict minor psychic damage too.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 7233776, member: 58172"] 2nd-Level Single Target Damage Spells [CODE][FONT=Courier New] [COLOR=#0000cd][B]2nd-Level Spells[/B][/COLOR] [B]Lower Level[/B] Acid Arrow • 4d4 acid (AC ) Target in S • next turn 2d4 [B]Eldritch Knight[/B] −[I]Lower Level[/I] Magic Weapon • W +1 (AC ) Hostile in W • conc; +1 attack/damage −[I]Less Useful[/I] Flame Blade • 3d6 fire (AC ) Hostile in MW • conc −[I]Not Bad[/I] Branding Smite • 2d6 radt, W (AC ) Hostile in W • conc; neg invis; dim [B]Good[/B] Heat Metal • 2d8 fire (auto hit ) Hostile with obj in S • conc; your later bon, v Con or sunder/dis Earthen Grasp • 2d6 blud (Str ) Hostile in M of C 5 sq • conc; restrained; your action 3d6 v Str ½ ends; action move sq Scorching Ray • 2d6 x3 fire (AC ) Hostile • [B]Excellent[/B] Spiritual Weapon • d8 forc +Abl (AC ) Hostile in S MW • min; bon move 20 to attack Phantasmal Force • d6 psyc (Int Investig) Hostile • conc; 10 cube subjective hallucenation [/FONT][/CODE] [B]Magic Weapon[/B] (not to be confused with Spiritual Weapon) is highly problematic because of the way its hour duration interacts with its requirement of concentration. It makes it impossible to cast decent spells (requiring concentration) for the next hour. Despite the value of a +1 attack that stacks, it is rarely worth the loss of casting. If instead the hour-long enchanted weapon allowed the caster to drop concentration whenever the weapon was unneeded and then reactivate concentration whenever the weapon was needed, it would be a decent 2nd-level spell. However as it is now, Magic Weapon seems so situational as to be rarely worth the expense of a spell slot. Given the description of Magic Weapon, as-is, it tentatively positions as a 1st-level Excellent spell in the Eldritch Knight category. As such, at the level that this spell becomes available, the melee caster is less likely to have many spell slots that can compete for its requirement for concentration, thus making its 1-hour duration more useful. At the same time, at the lowest tier, bonused magic weapons are scarce (at least in my campaigns they are), making the bonus relatively more precious. [B]Acid Arrow[/B] seems Less Useful even if it was listed as a 1st-level spell. It is comparable to the Not Bad Chromatic Orb, albeit Acid Arrow takes two rounds to deal the same amount of damage that Chromatic Orb deals in a single round. About 6 hit points, accounting for the possible miss. Acid Arrow is of less worth for a 2nd-level spells. ... When I realized that I would rather have the Communicate With Animals spell, rather than have Acid Arrow, it became clear that Acid Arrow is of less worth than a 1st-level spell. [B]Flame Blade[/B] seems decent but Less Useful. The spell creates a melee weapon made out of fire. Its 3d6 damage is decent. Successive actions can repeat this damage. The question is, why arent you using the melee weapon that you are proficient with, and choosing a spell to enhance it? And if you dont have a weapon, why not? Why waste spell slots just to have a weapon? And if you need to deal heavier damage, why arent you using a high damage spell to eliminate a single opponent? The usefulness of Flame Blade seems situational, but if you happen to be in one of these situations, it might be effective. [B]Branding Smite[/B] is Not Bad for a 2nd-slot spell. Note, the spell cant work unless you hit the invisible hostile first, and normally you have a disadvantage against it. So there is that difficulty. But if you hit, spend the bonus action to cast the spell, to force the creature to become visible, no save. And some extra damage too. [B]Heat Metal[/B] is a Good spell. Its main use is disabling an attended item (as long as it is metal). For example, cast it to force a hostile to drop a powerful magic sword, or else cast it to inflict disadvantage if targeting armor. Heat Metal deals auto-hit 2d8 damage. After the initial action, future bonus actions deal this damage automatically, in addition to the damage you deal with your action. The spell is tactically versatile. [B]Earthen Grasp[/B] with its Strength save compares to [B]Hold Person[/B] with its Wisdom save. They are Good, and their saves make it worthwhile to know both. Hold Person paralyzes the hostile to negate all of its actions. Earthen Grasp only restrains the hostile, but this immobility keeps the hostile away from the caster, grants allies advantage, causes the hostile disadvantage, and the spell deals some damage too. It can neutralize a dexterous melee attacker. Future actions can try again to restrain the same or different hostile. [B]Scorching Ray[/B] deals the most damage available at 2nd slot level, potentially 6d6 fire, which looks impressive yet averages about 10 hit points, accounting for a hypothetical 50% miss. Luckiest rolls have a chance of dealing upto 36 damage. For ‘focus fire’, when the team tries to eliminate a single dangerous hostile, this spell is Good to have handy. [B]Spiritual Weapon[/B] is an Excellent way to reliably add bonus action damage to attack action damage, without requiring concentration. [B]Phantasmal Force[/B] is an Excellent illusion, but can optionally inflict minor psychic damage too. [/QUOTE]
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