D&D 5E OP Cantrip?

[Zardnaar]

I have a 3pp cantrip that is a Dex save or be blinded. It's also a bonus action to cast.

It's also a Sorcerer spell with the option to restrict it to Dragon Sorcerers only.

So you can try and blind someone and follow it up with a cantrip with advantage to hit.

I think it's OP as hell. But Sorcerers are often regarded as weak.

 

[bedir than]

Does the bonus action have a trigger to use?
What's the length of time for the blinding?

 

[Zardnaar]

Does the bonus action have a trigger to use?
What's the length of time for the blinding?

Start of your next turn, no trigger.

 

[Phazonfish]

My gut reaction is that it is overpowered. Probably not game-breaking, but a touch strong. In my experience non-Cleric casters often struggle to get consistent value out of their bonus action, so this cantrip is just free real estate any turn they don't opt to use quicken spell or use their action to cast something more impactful than 2 cantrips.

And if Sorcerers needed a buff this might be fine, but let's get off topic for a sec: Are Sorcerers actually weak, or are they just kinda plain because their one interesting feature can be stolen with a 3 level dip? They are full casters with a spell list that contains Wish. Metamagic lets you do tons of cool impactful things with already powerful spells like Haste. The Divine Soul subclass gives them access to the Cleric spell list (which IMO is easily one of the best two lists) on top of their own. They can use the sorcery point mechanic to make 5th level slots out of a bunch of lower level ones. Sorcerers have a lot going for them! They are just not super flashy about it.

 

[bedir than]

Without a trigger it enables self-combos, which I generally don't prefer.

It may activate more party cooperation by having it as a reaction and only last until the next attack role against the victim.

 

[Zardnaar]

My gut reaction is that it is overpowered. Probably not game-breaking, but a touch strong. In my experience non-Cleric casters often struggle to get consistent value out of their bonus action, so this cantrip is just free real estate any turn they don't opt to use quicken spell or use their action to cast something more impactful than 2 cantrips.

And if Sorcerers needed a buff this might be fine, but let's get off topic for a sec: Are Sorcerers actually weak, or are they just kinda plain because their one interesting feature can be stolen with a 3 level dip? They are full casters with a spell list that contains Wish. Metamagic lets you do tons of cool impactful things with already powerful spells like Haste. The Divine Soul subclass gives them access to the Cleric spell list (which IMO is easily one of the best two lists) on top of their own. They can use the sorcery point mechanic to make 5th level slots out of a bunch of lower level ones. Sorcerers have a lot going for them! They are just not super flashy about it.

Well if I let it in its restricted to dragon Sorcerers and probably won't allow it to be taken via magic initiate.

 

[MarkB]

If it was a 1st level spell, would you consider it underpowered?

 

[Dausuul]

So, basically, your best attack cantrip now has a rider that the target must make a Dex save or be blinded in addition to the normal damage? And the save is made before you roll to hit, so you can give advantage to yourself and the rest of the party and the target has disadvantage on its own attacks? All for the cost of one cantrip known (which sorcerers get extra of)?

Yeah, way OP.

If it were a regular action, and the effect ended early if the target took damage, I might be okay with it. I'd still keep an eye on it though. I would never allow it as written.

 

[Zardnaar]

If it was a 1st level spell, would you consider it underpowered?

Had that conversation with one potential user. I'm not sure. I've restricted the spell to dragon Sorcerers only and there is a dragon Empire.

 

[Phazonfish]

Well if I let it in its restricted to dragon Sorcerers and probably won't allow it to be taken via magic initiate.

My apologies for my poor phrasing, the fact that other casters will often have a free bonus action was irrelevant. My point was that even if it only occurs on Dragon Sorcerers, Firebolt + a good shot at blinding an opponent seems a touch too strong for someone to be able to do without expending resources. If we did want to consider other classes using it though, it can't be taken via Magic Initiate but it is only a one level dip in to Sorcerer to take it that way which could be an added bonus for casters that were already planning to dip for Metamagic, proficiency in Con saves, ect. Still probably not game breaking though, so maybe allow it if your player has their heart set on it and isn't likely to optimize this character to the limit.