D&D 5E Crimson Flame [Homebrew Spell]

[Ovarwa]

Hi,

If you don't want to participate, your presence is an instant fail. Unless you wish to elaborate, but given you already had that chance...

My presence is always an instant fail, but I'll elaborate: By creating a spell that uniquely has a 2-round casting time, you have not only created a spell but a new kind of game mechanic, with a new set of potential rules questions. (What happens if the wizard stops casting the spell after the first round? What happens if someone hits the wizard and causes damage?) This *breaks* the simplicity of existing mechanics. I'll call that an instant fail, because you have not created the game rules to support your brand new game mechanic. This spell is broken, in a way that the spell's doing significantly better damage than its competition is not. (Powerful != broken.) So, I've elaborated, which transforms my presence from being an instant fail to being a perpetual fail. Anyway, Ken

 

[Ovarwa]

Why? It's not like have to use it.

Well, great. Then a first level spell whose effect is to level a city and kill its inhabitants with no saving throw is also not an instant fail, since no one has to use it. (And if they do use it, it's an instant kill! That's clearly better than an instant fail.)

 

[cbwjm]

There are a number spells that take more than 2 rounds to cast. I think animate dead takes 10 minutes. Raise dead takes 1 hour. What happens if those casters stop casting. Spells casting times greater than 1 action aren't new.

 

[Yunru]

Hi, My presence is always an instant fail, but I'll elaborate: By creating a spell that uniquely has a 2-round casting time, you have not only created a spell but a new kind of game mechanic, with a new set of potential rules questions. (What happens if the wizard stops casting the spell after the first round? What happens if someone hits the wizard and causes damage?) This *breaks* the simplicity of existing mechanics. I'll call that an instant fail, because you have not created the game rules to support your brand new game mechanic. This spell is broken, in a way that the spell's doing significantly better damage than its competition is not. (Powerful != broken.) So, I've elaborated, which transforms my presence from being an instant fail to being a perpetual fail. Anyway, Ken

Not to shame, but you're wrong.

From Chapter 10: Spellcasting

Longer Casting Times
Certain spells (including spells cast as rituals) require more time to cast: minutes or even hours. When you cast a spell with a casting time longer than a single action or reaction, you must spend your action each turn casting the spell, and you must maintain your concentration while you do so (see “Concentration” below). If your concentration is broken, the spell fails, but you don’t expend a spell slot. If you want to try casting the spell again, you must start over.

All I've done is make one with a casting time longer than 1 action but still usable in combat.

 

[cbwjm]

Well, great. Then a first level spell whose effect is to level a city and kill its inhabitants with no saving throw is also not an instant fail, since no one has to use it. (And if they do use it, it's an instant kill! That's clearly better than an instant fail.)

Sorry, that should have been you don't have to use it. It's a homebrew spell for a homebrew game. Too many people will just on an idea without offering up any constructive criticism as if someone's homebrew item is somehow going to impact their own home game.

 

[Yunru]

Well, great. Then a first level spell whose effect is to level a city and kill its inhabitants with no saving throw is also not an instant fail, since no one has to use it. (And if they do use it, it's an instant kill! That's clearly better than an instant fail.)

Was- was that a reference to the Locate City nuke?

 

[Ovarwa]

Not to shame, but you're wrong. From Chapter 10: Spellcasting All I've done is make one with a casting time longer than 1 action but still usable in combat.

Hmm. I'm wrong, and no shame. There are no 2-round casting spells, yet it isn't unique, because the rules already cover this. If your 2-round spell requires concentration during casting, as the rule you cite suggests, then that's a severe limitation on the spell, because you cannot cast it while concentrating on some other spell. That's a real limitation, even at CharLevel3, which really does balance complaints about the spell being being too good for its level.

 

[Ganymede81]

Why is the area described as both a pillar and a sphere?

This spell uses a very poor type of balancing: make the spell really awkward to use most of the time, but balance it by making it unambiguously better in the rare instance where it works. In short, this spell is a super-fireball that only really shines in situations where you can afford the two-round windup time.

The spell also does nearly twice as much damage a multi-target second level spell should do, according to the DMG.

I do not like this spell and would never allow it in any of my games. I could maybe be talked into allowing it if you increased the spell to level 3, lowered the extra damage per spell level to 1d6, and reduced the casting time to one action.

 

[Yunru]

Why is the area described as both a pillar and a sphere?

This spell uses a very poor type of balancing: make the spell really awkward to use most of the time, but balance it by making it unambiguously better in the rare instance where it works. In short, this spell is a super-fireball that only really shines in situations where you can afford the two-round windup time.

The spell also does nearly twice as much damage a multi-target second level spell should do, according to the DMG.

I do not like this spell and would never allow it in any of my games. I could maybe be talked into allowing it if you increased the spell to level 3, lowered the extra damage per spell level to 1d6, and reduced the casting time to one action.

Then it'd be called Fireball.
Again, I provide a perfectly valid 2nd level spell that does a similar amount of damage for two-turns of investment for comparison.

As for being a pillar and a sphere... the pillar is a descending one, followed by an explosion. Although I could of worded it better.

 

[Duan'duliir]

Personally, I think the spell is pretty cool, and would allow it in my game

- Zynx, from the EN World mobile app