D&D 5E Is witchbolt underated?

[doctorbadwolf]

After a lot of thinking this is my witch bolt fix:
3d10+1d10 per upcast level
No longer needs concentration (follow up unchanged at 1d12)

Reason: it should do more than chromatic orb given shorter range and lack of element flexibility. The automatic damage option is only used at low level, no conc just makes it slightly easier to do. Changes are simple so I don’t have to rewrite the spell.

I like that, though I’d probably go for restrained rather than more damage, personally.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Ok, so I admit I had my own homebrew version of Witch Bolt (which I actually broke up into 2 spells, Witch Bolt and Lightning Lasso). But after reading some of the comments here, I think I was inspired to write up a new version that I think is even better than what I previously came up with.

Witch Bolt​

1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (some iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target. Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. You have advantage if the target is wearing armor made of metal. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage. As long as you maintain concentration on the spell, on subsequent rounds you can use your action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically, even if the target gains total cover from you after the initial damage.

For the duration of the spell, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw in order to move beyond the range of the spell. On a success, the target can move normally. On a failure the target can still move normally, but until the start of their next turn they cannot attempt to willingly move beyond the range of the spell. This spell does not prevent the target from teleporting beyond the spell’s range, nor does it prevent forced movement such as being the target of the thunderwave spell.

The spell ends if the caster and target are ever farther from each other than the spell’s range.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.

***

So what changed?

1) The initial attack has advantage against creatures wearing metal armor. If it works for shocking grasp, then why not witch bolt?

2) The spell doesn't end if you use subsequent actions for other things, or if the target gains total cover after the initial casting. This is because I think maintaining concentration is enough of a tax to maintain the spell, and I like the idea of the spell continuing around corners or behind obstacles.

3) The target can't willingly move beyond 30ft without succeeding a Strength save. I think this is less complicated than and less powerful than grappling the target. It also makes me think of wizards engaged in spell duels while also being tied together. And meanwhile, the typical fighter will just walk away or decide to punch the caster in the face. Also good for locking down flying enemies that get too close.

4) Upcasting increases initial damage AND ongoing damage.

So cast at 1st level, this version offers some interesting battlefield control options, thus justifying the low damage. At higher levels, the damage potentially really gets up there, but given that the caster is basically tying themselves to whatever they have targeted, it puts an even bigger target on their back.

This witch bolt is basically the beam from a proton pack.

Update 1: Added that the Strength save can only be attempted once per round. Also in the wording it's implied (I hope clearly) that while the target can't move beyond the range of the spell, it doesn't prevent forced movement (such as being dragged by someone or blown back by something like thunderwave).

Update 2: Just a general re-wording. Hoping it is more clear while maintaining natural language as much as possible.

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

Not a fan of any spell that isn't save or half
Spending your turn AND a spell slot to wiff is rough. Might as well have just cast a cantrip

 

[NotAYakk]

Ok, so I admit I had my own homebrew version of Witch Bolt (which I actually broke up into 2 spells, Witch Bolt and Lightning Lasso). But after reading some of the comments here, I think I was inspired to write up a new version that I think is even better than what I previously came up with.

Witch Bolt​

1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (some iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target. Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. You have advantage if the target is wearing armor made of metal. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage. As long as you maintain concentration on the spell, on subsequent rounds you can use your action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically, even if the target gains total cover from you after the initial damage.

In addition, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw in order to use their movement to go beyond the range of the spell. On a failure, the target can still move normally, but must remain within the spell’s range from the caster. The spell ends if the caster and target are ever farther from each other than the spell’s range.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.

So what changed?

1) The initial attack has advantage against creatures wearing metal armor. If it works for shocking grasp, then why not witch bolt?

2) The spell doesn't end if you use subsequent actions for other things, or if the target gains total cover after the initial casting. This is because I think maintaining concentration is enough of a tax to maintain the spell, and I like the idea of the spell continuing around corners or behind obstacles.

3) The target can't willingly move beyond 30ft without succeeding a Strength save. I think this is less complicated than and less powerful than grappling the target. It also makes me think of wizards engaged in spell duels while also being tied together. And meanwhile, the typical fighter will just walk away or decide to punch the caster in the face. Also good for locking down flying enemies that get too close.

4) Upcasting increases initial damage AND ongoing damage.

So cast at 1st level, this version offers some interesting battlefield control options, thus justifying the low damage. At higher levels, the damage potentially really gets up there, but given that the caster is basically tying themselves to whatever they have targeted, it puts an even bigger target on their back.

This witch bolt is basically the beam from a proton pack.

Sequencing of your spell isn't clear. When do you you make the strength saving throw, how long do the results apply?

---

Here is a write up of my version:

Witch Bolt​

1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (some iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You form crackling, blue energy in your hands. When you cast this spell you can make a ranged spell attack at a creature within range; you have advantage on the attack roll if they are wearing metal medium or heavy armor. The creature takes 1d12 lightning damage if you hit, and is connected to you by lighting arcs until the spell ends, they leave range, or they gain total cover from you.

On subsequent rounds, you can spend one action to either repeat the initial ranged spell attack, or simply deal 1d12 lighting damage to every creature connected to you by lighting arcs. If you fail to spend an action on this spell on a round, the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.

1. Initial and additional round damage ramp up with higher level casting.
2. While concentrating on the spell, you can make an additional attack each round; so if your initial hit misses, try again.
3. Creatures can flee or hide to avoid the auto-damage. But that doesn't render the spell pointless like the baseline version; it is just stronger if they don't.
4. If you attack more than one creature with it, and they don't remove the connection, the auto damage applies to all of them. But you only add 1 target per round, so there are tactical considerations at play.
5. Advantage against medium/heavy metal armor included, as a bit of a ribbon.
6. Worded to avoid action surge double-tap.

I like making concentration spells with a duration be "you can try again next round if you miss".

 

[Hawk Diesel]

@NotAYakk I think it's pretty clear in my version. If the target tries to move outside the spell's range, they have to succeed on a Strength saving throw to do so. The spell ends if they move outside the spell's range, so in order to end the spell they need enough movement and to succeed on the save.

 

[Gladius Legis]

I wonder how the balance would work out if the additional rounds damage did upscale.

It'd at least be better than casting a cantrip every round. Which the current form ... isn't.

 

[NotAYakk]

@NotAYakk I think it's pretty clear in my version. If the target tries to move outside the spell's range, they have to succeed on a Strength saving throw to do so. The spell ends if they move outside the spell's range, so in order to end the spell they need enough movement and to succeed on the save.

So they are at the edge of the range.

They move 1' outside the range. Make a strength saving throw. Fail. Do they lose the 1' of movement? Do they keep it? Does their movement end? They try again and move 1' outside the range. Do they make another saving throw? What if they do it on another turn? Or is it "the first time they try to move out of range they must make a strength saving throw" and "until the spell ends"?

I could read it multiple ways. Hence, ambiguity.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

So they are at the edge of the range.

They move 1' outside the range. Make a strength saving throw. Fail. Do they lose the 1' of movement? Do they keep it? Does their movement end? They try again and move 1' outside the range. Do they make another saving throw? What if they do it on another turn? Or is it "the first time they try to move out of range they must make a strength saving throw" and "until the spell ends"?

I could read it multiple ways. Hence, ambiguity.

They need to make the save in order to move 1' outside of range of the spell. The spell prevents movement outside of range unless a save is made. The spell says nothing about the save itself costing movement (some spells do specify needing to spend an action to attempt a save or make a check. My spell does not). The spell also says nothing about preventing movement within the spell's range.

The one piece I think needs to be added to my version is clarifying that once you fail the Strength save, you cannot make another attempt until the start of your next turn. This prevents a character from just trying to repeatedly bounce off the edge of the spell like a fly against a window, triggering multiple Strength saves.

 

[NotAYakk]

Yes, "how long do the results apply?" was one of the problems with your spell description.

Which you said was "pretty clear".

 

[Hawk Diesel]

What do you mean by results? As long as the spell is maintained the target needs a check to move beyond the range of the spell. They can only make one save per round, and if they succeed it effectively ends the spell since they would move beyond the range, triggering the end of the spell.

I feel like that's pretty clear, especially with the revision that clarified only one save attempt per round.