Potent Cantrip: To "fix" or not to fix?

[shadowoflameth]

As was possible in past editions, consider allowing casters to create original spells. Make it take resources and time like making any other lasting magic item to use. A Cantrip or 1st level spell could be common and uncommon item costs. Then spell levels 2-4 Rare, 5-7 very rare, and 8-9 legendary.

 

[jaelis]

As was possible in past editions, consider allowing casters to create original spells. Make it take resources and time like making any other lasting magic item to use. A Cantrip or 1st level spell could be common and uncommon item costs. Then spell levels 2-4 Rare, 5-7 very rare, and 8-9 legendary.

Yeah but even so potent cantrip just isn't very good. Why should it work on non-evocation cantrips, and why should it discourage you from attack cantrips?

I think I like better letting you reroll one damage die for any evocation cantrip. Keeps it simple.

 

[Dausuul]

I think I like better letting you reroll one damage die for any evocation cantrip. Keeps it simple.

Just one die? That would mean the effect would fall off as you level up.

Allowing you to re-roll any number of damage dice yields a 20-23% damage bonus*, which is comparable to what Potent Cantrip does currently (could be a shade up or down, depending on how you estimate the monster's chance to fail the save). If you could only re-roll one, the fall-off wouldn't be quite linear, but it would certainly be a significant nerf from Potent Cantrip as it stands.

[size=-2]*Exact benefit depends on die size; larger dice benefit slightly more from rerolls.[/size]

 

[jaelis]

J but it would certainly be a significant nerf from Potent Cantrip as it stands.

Well, except you could use it on the spells you actually want to cast

Just for reference, I get that a single reroll is worth about +2 on 2d10 (22%), +2.5 on 3d10 (+19%), and +3 on 4d10 (17%).

 

[Dausuul]

Just for reference, I get that a single reroll is worth about +2 on 2d10 (22%), +2.5 on 3d10 (+19%), and +3 on 4d10 (17%).

+2 is an 18% increase on 2d10.
+2.5 is a 15% increase on 3d10.
+3 is a 14% increase on 4d10.

Compare to the 23% increase if you can re-roll all the dice, or the 21-27% increase for "by the book" Potent Cantrip on an applicable spell (assuming the target fails the save 65-70% of the time).

It isn't too big a nerf at levels 5-10, but it really starts to bite from level 11 onward.

 

[jaelis]

Oh yes, sorry, I accidentally compared to d8 numbers.

Anyway, I'm happy to trade off the bigger bonus in the current ability for a smaller bonus but broader applicability. YMMV!

 

[Jonathon Robinson]

In my opinion, the School of Evocation is the strongest school of magic for the wizard. I do not see a need to modify Potent Cantrip.

 

[cbwjm]

Potent cantrip would have been useful if I'd planned for it. As is, I didn't have a cantrip available to make use of it so it ended up being essentially a dead level.

 

[Dausuul]

In my opinion, the School of Evocation is the strongest school of magic for the wizard.

Unfortunately, you just rolled a 3 on your attempt to convince anyone else of this.

And I knew you would.

*goes back to studying divination spells*

 

[Caliban]

You could house rule Potent Cantrip so that it works similar to Great Weapon Style for fighters - have it allow you to re-roll 1's and 2's (once) on the damage roll.