D&D 5E Necromancy Cantrip Idea

[Todd Roybark]

Create Bonfire
Conjuration
Level: Cantrip
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a bonfire on ground that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the magic bonfire fills a 5-foot cube. Any creature in the bonfire’s space when you cast the spell must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage. A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
The bonfire ignites flammable objects in its area that aren’t being worn or carried.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).


If you would be fine with a Necromatic themed Cantrip, reskining Create Bonfire to Necrotic damage, would be easy. Maybe drop the damage die to d6, due to the Necrotic type damage, and keep the igniting flammable objects rule only with ghostly necrotic damage flames!
(Frankly, I don't even think you need to drop the die).

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I appreciate that. For a cantrip, it might be best if you built a stat block like for the summoning spells in Unearthed Arcana Spells and Magic Tattoos (but that have the abilities get stronger as you level up instead of casting a higher level spell), and then have a designated target, so the wraith will only attack the 3rd goblin on the left (makes the spell weaker than a higher level spell, since you can't control it), and will disappear once the goblin is done (or 1 minute passes).

Just giving it hit points makes it weaker, so that might work.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Create Bonfire
Conjuration
Level: Cantrip
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a bonfire on ground that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the magic bonfire fills a 5-foot cube. Any creature in the bonfire’s space when you cast the spell must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage. A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
The bonfire ignites flammable objects in its area that aren’t being worn or carried.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).


If you would be fine with a Necromatic themed Cantrip, reskining Create Bonfire to Necrotic damage, would be easy. Maybe drop the damage die to d6, due to the Necrotic type damage, and keep the igniting flammable objects rule only with ghostly necrotic damage flames!
(Frankly, I don't even think you need to drop the die).

I like that too, flavored perhaps as grasping spectral hands, swap catching fire with losing speed?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Didnt 4e had a necromancy at-will called ''restless dead'' that could be translated to 5e that you could appreciate?

EDIT: Got it! Here's a 5e take:

Restless Dead
Necromancy
1 Action
Range: 1 target within 60

Corpses are rarely still in the presence of a necromancer. This spell animates bones already in the soil, tasking them to lash out at the enemy. Sometimes the bones are skeletal claws, but more often they are flailing bird skeletons, skittering mouse bones, or the remains of another woodland or field animal. On the rare occasion that an area is devoid of corpses, spectral claws rise from the ground to do your bidding.

Choose a single target within 60 ft of you. The target take 1d4 necrotic damage and the terrain within 5 ft of the target is difficult terrain until for non flying creatures until the start of your next turn. The damage increases to 2d4 at 5th level, 3d4 at 11th level and 4d4 at 17th level.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I appreciate that. For a cantrip, it might be best if you built a stat block like for the summoning spells in Unearthed Arcana Spells and Magic Tattoos (but that have the abilities get stronger as you level up instead of casting a higher level spell), and then have a designated target, so the wraith will only attack the 3rd goblin on the left (makes the spell weaker than a higher level spell, since you can't control it), and will disappear once the goblin is done (or 1 minute passes).

For scaling, would it be too much to give it more attacks like Eldritch Blast?

Also, I think maybe the designated target only works as a restriction if you have to land a hit to summon the thing in the first place.

So, Wisdom save for the target, on a fail the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage and the wraith has HP equal to twice the damage dealt. It has AC 10+mod+prof, speed 30, and acts on your initiative. It can move on its own,
but uses your actions to attack, dealing 1d6 necrotic on a hit. It can take Opportunity Attacks using your reaction. It can only target the original target of the spell.

I almost feel like it’s too restricted at that point, with concentration?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Didnt 4e had a necromancy at-will called ''restless dead'' that could be translated to 5e that you could appreciate?

EDIT: Got it! Here's a 5e take:

Restless Dead
Necromancy
1 Action
Range: 1 target within 60

Corpses are rarely still in the presence of a necromancer. This spell animates bones already in the soil, tasking them to lash out at the enemy. Sometimes the bones are skeletal claws, but more often they are flailing bird skeletons, skittering mouse bones, or the remains of another woodland or field animal. On the rare occasion that an area is devoid of corpses, spectral claws rise from the ground to do your bidding.

Choose a single target within 60 ft of you. The target take 1d4 necrotic damage and the terrain within 5 ft of the target is difficult terrain until for non flying creatures until the start of your next turn. The damage increases to 2d4 at 5th level, 3d4 at 11th level and 4d4 at 17th level.

That’s cool as hell. If nothing else, I’d also add this to my game. Might bump it to either more difficult terrain, or more damage, or more targets (all creatures within 5ft of the target?), though.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

That’s cool as hell. If nothing else, I’d also add this to my game. Might bump it to either more difficult terrain, or more damage, or more targets (all creatures within 5ft of the target?), though.

The damage was 1d8 in 4e, I had a hard time evaluating the value of difficult terrain in a small zone at-will. Maybe 1d6 could be fair.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

" spiritual construct made of necrotic energy" and "cantrip that creates a necromantic critter that hits things" is pretty much the description of Chill Touch.
The side effects seem suitably necromanty as well.

Currently, multi-target cantrips have very severe targeting limitations: Either very short range and adjacent targets, or within 5 ft and targets Constitution saves. Reducing the damage doesn't always mitigate effects like this since the risk would be that someone would abuse it by exploiting Potent Spellcasting or similar.

Some tightening up of the concept might also be worthwhile. If it is a psychic construct pulled from an opponent, then psychic damage could be more appropriate. If it is a minor undead spirit, then the other posters' suggestions of it manifesting from the ground or the necromancer themselves may fit better.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

" spiritual construct made of necrotic energy" and "cantrip that creates a necromantic critter that hits things" is pretty much the description of Chill Touch.
The side effects seem suitably necromanty as well.

Currently, multi-target cantrips have very severe targeting limitations: Either very short range and adjacent targets, or within 5 ft and targets Constitution saves. Reducing the damage doesn't always mitigate effects like this since the risk would be that someone would abuse it by exploiting Potent Spellcasting or similar.

Some tightening up of the concept might also be worthwhile. If it is a psychic construct pulled from an opponent, then psychic damage could be more appropriate. If it is a minor undead spirit, then the other posters' suggestions of it manifesting from the ground or the necromancer themselves may fit better.

Obviously Chill Touch isn’t doing it, or I’d not have started the thread.

As for the concept, it’s much more fun and nightmarish to summon a spirit of pain from the victim’s own body, fueled by necromantic energy. I won’t be changing that.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Another idea, taken from 4e at-will:

Phantom Cage
Necromancy
1 action
Range: 1 creature within 60 ft

By summoning an howling spirit of pain that completely surrounds your foe, you give it no opportunity to escape. In its mind, the enemy sees itself hemmed in by a spinning mass of deadly blades, perceiving grievous wounds that your magic translates to pure pain. Pick a target within range. The target must make an Athletic or Acrobatic check against your spell DC or take 1d6 cold damage and is grappled until the end of your next turn. Each time the target fail to escape the wraith icy grip, it takes 1d6 cold damage. The damage increases to yadayadayada...