Chaosmancer
Legend
Which is why there are these rules for crafting and craftsmen and skilled labor, etc. Its not just wealth, its also time. And while changing the weather is cool and flavorful especially for a druid, its not as impactful for most adventures as having a precast leveled spell prepared on you at all times.
So why is there not a single spell that says "it takes you one year to learn this spell" if time til you can use it is part of the balance?
Why is it balanced for the DM to say "And a year passes, while you carve the statue of yourself" and then the spell can be used forever, but it isn't balanced for the DM to say "Okay, you spent the gold and got the statue" and then the spell can be used forever? The same amount of game time passed, and the impact on the story could be identical. Or are you going to try and claim that DM style is part of the balance now on top of time and gold?
Let's just agree to disagree on the power of an unenhanced EB. I still think being the best of the worst isn't a crowning acheivement.
Has this literally just been you think all damage cantrips are terrible?