D&D 5E Heat Metal Spell. Unfair to Heavy Armor Wearers?

[Reynard]

You didn't answer anything. Just stated an insult that, in effect, people that have a problem with the spell are "making the weirdest projection".

Now you need to reread what they wrote. The part I was responding to was their certainty that if the spell targeted light or no armor characters instead, there would be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. In context it reads very clearly as the usual "fighters get the shaft" argument that some people lean on any time magic is discussed.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

I think we need a "Heat Mage Armor" spell to balance it out.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Obviously WotC hates Strength martials.

Right?

 

[J.Quondam]

I think we need a "Heat Mage Armor" spell to balance it out.

I think fireball the great equalizer in all things heat-related.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I think fireball the great equalizer in all things heat-related.

The only thing missing is a damage multiplier when used in confined spaces.

"Since the rogue just did all that damage to the knight with an arrow, does that mean there's a hole in the knight's armor?"
"Um...yeah, I guess so."
"Great. That's where I send my fireball."

 

[Voadam]

I don't think there is an equivalent spell that works on the light/no armour crowd. I imagine that a significant amount of screaming would ensue if one was introduced.

Most spells for targeting the no/light armor crowd would involve either attack rolls or targeting something like con for poison type effects which most of them are not good at.

Not a lot of no save/attack roll attack spells out there period.

 

[Oofta]

I think fireball the great equalizer in all things heat-related.

Fireball is an equal opportunity damage dealer that doesn't impose additional nerfs to the target.

If heavy armor gave you some kind of benefit or the ability to ignore fireballs, then it would be similar. It does not.

 

[Oofta]

Now you need to reread what they wrote. The part I was responding to was their certainty that if the spell targeted light or no armor characters instead, there would be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. In context it reads very clearly as the usual "fighters get the shaft" argument that some people lean on any time magic is discussed.

PCs in heavy armor do get the shaft in multiple ways by the rules and by many DMs I've had over the years.

If there was a similar spell to heat metal that was blocked by medium or heavy armor, I do think it would be called out as unfair.

 

[J.Quondam]

Fireball is an equal opportunity damage dealer that doesn't impose additional nerfs to the target.

If heavy armor gave you some kind of benefit or the ability to ignore fireballs, then it would be similar. It does not.

It was a joke.

 

[Reynard]

Just out of curiosity, I checked Wall of Thorns, which used to do more damage to lesser armored characters in previous editions. In 5E it does not: the damage is the same regardless of what the person is wearing. In addition, Heat Metal is MUCH more effective than the 3rd edition version, which not only did less damage overall for a shorter period, but also had its damage explicitly mitigated by cold damage. I wonder what the motivation was to book these two spells (probably two among many).