Ilbranteloth
Explorer
After all this discussion, nobody has mentioned what I think is the single most effective 1st level spell a Wizard has - Faerie Fire.
Cast before the party engages in melee, targets get a DEX save, but only in the first round. After that, all of the PCs attack with advantage against all targets who failed for up to a minute (and I have yet to run a combat that lasted 10 rounds). (Ranged) sneak attack every round from the rogue. No problem. The wizard can continue to blast away with cantrips or magic missile. Although I'd stick with chill touch, eldritch blast, fire bolt or ray of frost since they won't use spell slots and all are ranged spell attacks and you'll have advantage on the attacks, and they won't have saves. In addition it makes Hiding nearly impossible and even negates invisibility.
It's funny, because there have been discussions complaining that low level wizards are too powerful with their damage causing cantrips. I love it. It lets the wizards continue to use magic on a regular basis, but they don't do as much damage as the combat oriented classes. This is largely because they don't have any damage modifier.
Personally, as the DM I'd prefer for the player's to be a bit more inventive with their spell casting. But I can't imagine a real life group not developing that benefit into their standard tactics.
In one of my campaigns, the most damage is regularly caused by the rogue. Alarm is pretty much standard for them after a recent encounter, and it's become fairly common for the mage to cast mage armor and recover the spell slot as soon as they possibly can for other uses. Shield is essential too. None of the spellcasters picked Faerie Fire, although the first time they meet a spellcaster themselves they will.
The bard recently used Tasha's Hideous Laughter was extremely effective, the two rogues sneak attacked (due to the advantage) and the ranger finished the NPC off.
My daughter's playing a druid (4th level) and the ranger and barbarian managed to finish off a Hill Giant that somehow kept failing it's Strength saves. But any spell (entangle, web, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, sleep, etc) that can incapacitate for even a single round (at least) can turn a battle very quickly. The rest of the PCs can focus their attacks on the active targets and not have to worry about them until they escape their magical restraints.
I'm used to 1st to 3rd edition wizards, and magically speaking they were much weaker, and ran out of spellcasting sooner (even catrips had a limited number of uses). Maybe some of the lower level spells caused more damage at once (or casting multiple spells did), instead you might do less damage magically per round, but you can do magical damage every single round if you want to.
Ilbranteloth
Cast before the party engages in melee, targets get a DEX save, but only in the first round. After that, all of the PCs attack with advantage against all targets who failed for up to a minute (and I have yet to run a combat that lasted 10 rounds). (Ranged) sneak attack every round from the rogue. No problem. The wizard can continue to blast away with cantrips or magic missile. Although I'd stick with chill touch, eldritch blast, fire bolt or ray of frost since they won't use spell slots and all are ranged spell attacks and you'll have advantage on the attacks, and they won't have saves. In addition it makes Hiding nearly impossible and even negates invisibility.
It's funny, because there have been discussions complaining that low level wizards are too powerful with their damage causing cantrips. I love it. It lets the wizards continue to use magic on a regular basis, but they don't do as much damage as the combat oriented classes. This is largely because they don't have any damage modifier.
Personally, as the DM I'd prefer for the player's to be a bit more inventive with their spell casting. But I can't imagine a real life group not developing that benefit into their standard tactics.
In one of my campaigns, the most damage is regularly caused by the rogue. Alarm is pretty much standard for them after a recent encounter, and it's become fairly common for the mage to cast mage armor and recover the spell slot as soon as they possibly can for other uses. Shield is essential too. None of the spellcasters picked Faerie Fire, although the first time they meet a spellcaster themselves they will.
The bard recently used Tasha's Hideous Laughter was extremely effective, the two rogues sneak attacked (due to the advantage) and the ranger finished the NPC off.
My daughter's playing a druid (4th level) and the ranger and barbarian managed to finish off a Hill Giant that somehow kept failing it's Strength saves. But any spell (entangle, web, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, sleep, etc) that can incapacitate for even a single round (at least) can turn a battle very quickly. The rest of the PCs can focus their attacks on the active targets and not have to worry about them until they escape their magical restraints.
I'm used to 1st to 3rd edition wizards, and magically speaking they were much weaker, and ran out of spellcasting sooner (even catrips had a limited number of uses). Maybe some of the lower level spells caused more damage at once (or casting multiple spells did), instead you might do less damage magically per round, but you can do magical damage every single round if you want to.
Ilbranteloth
