D&D 5E Ranking 1st level spells

[Stoutstien]

The guidelines using treasure hoards is over 2800gp by the end of level 4.

Each level from 5-10 is over 12 000 per level.

I'd rather be alive and have less gold than have a TPK.

so you expect a party to find a horde before lv 5 and I might have 1-2 of that in reasonable grabbing range but they have to work for them. i wouldnt count it as "base" treasure. its a bonus.
i do think 90% of the math in the DMG is made up.

 

[ad_hoc]

so you expect a party to find a horde before lv 5 and I might have 1-2 of that in reasonable grabbing range but they have to work for them. i wouldnt count it as "base" treasure. its a bonus.
i do think 90% of the math in the DMG is made up.

The guideline in the DMG is 7 0-4 CR hoards before level 5.

I agree that that is probably a bit high for most games.

Still, I've never seen a gold shortage.

At the very early levels spell slots are very precious. As the levels go up the 1st level slots become less important but gold also becomes plentiful.

I don't think there is any point when those healing spells are actually good. That's not to say that all of them are bad. On a particularly tough/damaging day a Prayer of Healing might be worth spending a level 2 slot on. Cure Wounds and Goodberry just simply isn't enough to make a big impact compared to the opportunity cost.

That may sound contradictory but I didn't say Healing Potions are unlimited. Just that they are plentiful if the party needs them to be. I'd much rather spend 50 GP and have a level 1 slot. Spending 500 GP for a level 2 slot's worth of healing starts to get expensive.

 

[Stoutstien]

The guideline in the DMG is 7 0-4 CR hoards before level 5.

I agree that that is probably a bit high for most games.

Still, I've never seen a gold shortage.

At the very early levels spell slots are very precious. As the levels go up the 1st level slots become less important but gold also becomes plentiful.

I don't think there is any point when those healing spells are actually good. That's not to say that all of them are bad. On a particularly tough/damaging day a Prayer of Healing might be worth spending a level 2 slot on. Cure Wounds and Goodberry just simply isn't enough to make a big impact compared to the opportunity cost.

That may sound contradictory but I didn't say Healing Potions are unlimited. Just that they are plentiful if the party needs them to be. I'd much rather spend 50 GP and have a level 1 slot. Spending 500 GP for a level 2 slot's worth of healing starts to get expensive.

its comes down to gear cost/needs. for a party buying arrows and saving for H armor upgrades buying those extra potions may seem like a huge setback. obviously if your stocking up to reach a horde then i'd buy anything i can to make it. still going to prepare a few healing spells. nothing is more moronic than a party getting near the end goal.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Bane just doesn't force save failures the way you are representing it.

The Bane + Hypnotic Pattern combo was just used two sessions ago, in a crazy fight the players picked.

It knocked a flying Black Dragon out of sky! Which looked cool, but the impact on the ground negated the Hypnotic Pattern. Since the Dragon was not the Dangerous Thing(TM),they picked a fight with, Bane + Hypnotic Pattern+ Cutting Words ensured Hypnotic Pattern took hold on the thing worse then the dragon. This was so they could use Teleport to make a tactical retreat.

A Bane + Levitate combo, absolutely, saved the party from a TPK against a Oversized Two Headed Hell Hound at 4th level.

 

[ad_hoc]

its comes down to gear cost/needs. for a party buying arrows and saving for H armor upgrades buying those extra potions may seem like a huge setback. obviously if your stocking up to reach a horde then i'd buy anything i can to make it. still going to prepare a few healing spells. nothing is more moronic than a party getting near the end goal.

I think we may be focusing too much on Cure Wounds vs Healing Potion vs Heavy Armour.

I'd rather have that crucial Dissonant Whispers or Entangle or even Shield.

I think a good effective 1st level spell can prevent a lot more damage than 1d8+modifier.

And if you need combat healing then Healing Word is great but a Healing Potion can be used by anyone and is just as effective as Cure Wounds.

 

[ad_hoc]

The Bane + Hypnotic Pattern combo was just used two sessions ago, in a crazy fight the players picked.

It knocked a flying Black Dragon out of sky! Which looked cool, but the impact on the ground negated the Hypnotic Pattern. Since the Dragon was not the Dangerous Thing(TM),they picked a fight with, Bane + Hypnotic Pattern+ Cutting Words ensured Hypnotic Pattern took hold on the thing worse then the dragon. This was so they could use Teleport to make a tactical retreat.

A Bane + Levitate combo, absolutely, saved the party from a TPK against a Oversized Two Headed Hell Hound at 4th level.

I never said Hypnotic Pattern or Levitate were bad spells.

You keep saying 'ensured' but I don't think that word means what you think it means.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Right, you are impugning Bane.

The Bane Spell is like the old BASF commercial.

Bane might not be the effect you want, but Bane makes those effects, BETTER by causing failed saves.

Beyond that, it also adds, what is functionally, an AC boost.

Spell DC’s are relatively static, anything that helps make opponents fail against Saving Throws, is a huge boon, even the Bane spell.

 

[Dausuul]

Thoughts:

1. Tasha's hideous laughter is S-tier in my book. It's a 1st-level spell that can remove a target from combat for multiple rounds! Alternatively, you can use it to knock a flying enemy out of the sky (most flyers fall if knocked prone); they get a save with advantage from the falling damage, so the incapacitation probably won't stick, but often the mere fact of putting them in reach of your melee warriors is more than enough to justify the cost. Versatile, potent, and retains its value at high level: That's a good 1st-level spell right there.

2. Cause fear is also very potent. Frightened is a powerful debuff, combining direct damage reduction (disadvantage on attacks) with battlefield control (can't move toward you). Not as good as Tasha's, but certainly above average.

3. Goodberry provides you with a supply of 10 "pick-me-ups" that you can distribute to the entire party, which any PC can use as an action to revive a fallen comrade. They're like turbocharged healer's kits that can actually get people on their feet instead of merely stabilizing them. The PCs in my campaign cast it every day and get plenty of use out of it... and they are 9th level. I'd call it A-tier.

4. Hellish rebuke as S-tier? Really? I would not rank any 1st-level direct-damage spell that high, certainly not a single-target spell that does a mere 2d10 damage and requires you to take damage before you can use it. The only thing it has going for it is that it doesn't cost an action, which is not insignificant, but I'd much rather use that reaction (and spell slot) on shield and not take damage in the first place. Shield can stave off a lot more than ~11 damage if used at the right moment, and it can also save your concentration.

 

[Shiroiken]

I don't think the OP considers the ritual tag at all. Several of the D tier spells are admittidly terrible to cast with a spell slot, but as a ritual are amazing. A few of these in the C tier spells, plus Goodberry is amazing for providing sustenance and filling in missing HP without overhealing (only downside is that it doesn't upcast). Cure Wounds is only a C tier spell assuming the DM allows the infinite purchase of Potions of Healing (which no DM I know does). Find Familiar is only an A tier spell if the DM permits the CharOp shenanigans I've seen bandied about (again, no DM I know would).

 

[FrogReaver]

Problem with Bane is that you'll never cast it over Bless if you have a choice.

Bane has one decent use. In a large party it can help setup the other casters. For a level 1 spell that actually makes it viable throughout the game.