Shield cantrip

Quartz

Hero

• Jan 6, 2019

• #31

Yunru said:

Until the start of your next turn, you have a bonus to AC equal to your proficiency modifier. This includes the triggering attack. You also take no damage from Magic Missile.

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Not only no, but hell no. Imagine a high level PC with Plate +3, Shield +3 and +6 to AC from this via Magic Initiate. That's AC 32. Or a 20th level Barbarian with Dex 20 and Con 24 and a Shield +3 for AC 32 also.

Then it's better than the first-level spell as well.

 

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cbwjm

Seb-wejem

• Jan 6, 2019

• #32

LordEntrails said:

Agreed. But better than replacing an existing ability/spell with something more powerful than RAW.

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But if the point is to homebrew a cantrip version, you want it to be used. I'd rather create a more useful cantrip to replace the shield spell and try it out instead of creating what is essentially something that won't be taken because it is effectively worthless.

 

P

Pauln6

Hero

• Jan 6, 2019

• #33

Keep it +1 (maybe going to +2 when your proficiency goes to +4) but don't let it stack with a shield. You'll only use it where it actually makes a difference after all.

 

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

• Jan 6, 2019

• #34

Yunru said:

Until the start of your next turn, you have a bonus to AC equal to your proficiency modifier. This includes the triggering attack. You also take no damage from Magic Missile.

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I would suggest against a scaling bonus to AC.

5e scales toughness with HPs, not AC. Part of the bounded accuracy paradigm. A +X to AC will stop about the same ratio of attacks, but stop a lot more damage at high levels. Scaling the AC makes it exponential - it turns more hits into misses times the increase damage for each miss.

5e doesn't scale spells by caster level (cantrips are a different matter) and that's part of the solve for quadratic wizards.

And as a side note, going by proficiency means that any dip gets it at full scaling. I don't suggest scaling, but if you do please make it by class level or caster level.

 

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

• Jan 6, 2019

• #35

Yunru said:

Sure, but so are offensive cantrips at that point too (or even earlier in vanilla).

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Offensive cantrips scale vs. HP scaling. So the stay about the same effectiveness (X% of foe HPs). With bounded accuracy AC doesn't scale much, so spells that increase it shouldn't scale either in order to keep the same level of effectiveness.

 

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

• Jan 6, 2019

• #36

Is this cantrip supposed to use an action or a reaction?

 

GMforPowergamers

Legend

• Jan 6, 2019

• #37

I would make

Force Shield

Evocation cantrip
1 bonus action
1 min concentration

You create a shield of force that acts as a shield (granting your prof in it if you don't have prof) and allowing you to make a shield bash attack (d4 offhand weapon attack force damage) with it as long as you have it in your hand.

at level 5 you can substitute your caster stat for your str with the attack
at level 11 you add +1 to both the shield AC bonus and attack and damage
at level 17 you add +2 instead of +1

 

GMforPowergamers

Legend

• Jan 6, 2019

• #38

Pauln6 said:

Keep it +1 (maybe going to +2 when your proficiency goes to +4) but don't let it stack with a shield. You'll only use it where it actually makes a difference after all.

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using 1/2 prof would make it go from +1-+3 and never be as good as the +5 of the 1st level spell

 

P

Pauln6

Hero

• Jan 6, 2019

• #39

GMforPowergamers said:

using 1/2 prof would make it go from +1-+3 and never be as good as the +5 of the 1st level spell

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True - +3 to AC is still pretty high but if it doesn't stack with a shield then it's not too bad. FYI I don't let magical bonuses from armour, shields, and rings of protection to stack either - you just get the highest (and the save bonus from the ring).

 

bedir than

Full Moon Storyteller

• Jan 6, 2019

• #40

I might suggest limiting the defenses to only 1 type of attack. By type I mean melee weapon, range weapon, melee spell, range spell. Which ever attack roll is defended by the reaction is the one that increases the defense until the next turn.

This narrows the scope from what Shield Level 1 does.

Also, unless there is a cantrip version of Magic Missile this shouldn't defend against Magic Missile.