D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook preview: "New Spells"

[Stalker0]

So what?

Disengage from shielded character, Shield spell is not a WoW "taunt" so you must bash on it while it lasts.

if 22 AC tank is now 27 AC, I'm sure there are more squishier PCs to whack on for that round.

There are many reasons why this isn't always possible:

1) The creature doesn't have the speed to get to the backline. It either hits the tank in front or doesn't hit at all.
2) Narrow terrain, chokepoints, bottlenecks.
3) Grappling (this is what my party's fighter that uses shield does, grapple the monster, now it either spends effort breaking it, or just has to engage with the shielded tank)

Yes when possible don't engage the frontline, but in many fights you are pushed to do so.

 

[Horwath]

There are many reasons why this isn't always possible:

1) The creature doesn't have the speed to get to the backline. It either hits the tank in front or doesn't hit at all.
2) Narrow terrain, chokepoints, bottlenecks.
3) Grappling (this is what my party's fighter that uses shield does, grapple the monster, now it either spends effort breaking it, or just has to engage with the shielded tank)

Yes when possible don't engage the frontline, but in many fights you are pushed to do so.

so, working as intended?

if players are smart and they can control the frontline and prevent backline to be outflank, then they should be rewarded.

Or add decent ranged attackers to the monsters.

 

[Micah Sweet]

There are many reasons why this isn't always possible:

1) The creature doesn't have the speed to get to the backline. It either hits the tank in front or doesn't hit at all.
2) Narrow terrain, chokepoints, bottlenecks.
3) Grappling (this is what my party's fighter that uses shield does, grapple the monster, now it either spends effort breaking it, or just has to engage with the shielded tank)

Yes when possible don't engage the frontline, but in many fights you are pushed to do so.

That just sounds extremely frustrating from the GM's POV.

 

[TwoSix]

So what?

Disengage from shielded character, Shield spell is not a WoW "taunt" so you must bash on it while it lasts.

if 22 AC tank is now 27 AC, I'm sure there are more squishier PCs to whack on for that round.

The NPC has generally committed to the attack once Shield has been cast (the NPC has already rolled their attack), so disengaging won't generally be an option.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

so, working as intended?

if players are smart and they can control the frontline and prevent backline to be outflank, then they should be rewarded.

Or add decent ranged attackers to the monsters.

Yeah, you can bend around the game around one spell or bring the spell in line. Your choice.

My solution was making long rests taking a whole day, so resource cost (spell slot) was actually balancing it out.
But in most cases, if you change shield to work only against a single attack it will be fine.

 

[TwoSix]

That just sounds extremely frustrating from the GM's POV.

Eh, it's not really that bad. Having the tank hold onto several melee guys who can only hit him on a 20 makes the tank feel good, and the ranged attackers/blasters can do the real damage to everyone else.

If the entire party is cautious types with heavy armor AC 20+ and shield, silvery barbs, and absorb elements, then I guess they're just begging you as a DM to up the ante.

 

[Rabulias]

Don't only PCs get Death Saves? You like to double tap PCs with Magic Missile? You're a mean DM!

NPC Death Saving Throws are an option, but RAW NPCs do have to make Concentration checks...

 

[Horwath]

Yeah, you can bend around the game around one spell or bring the spell in line. Your choice.

My solution was making long rests taking a whole day, so resource cost (spell slot) was actually balancing it out.
But in most cases, if you change shield to work only against a single attack it will be fine.

how is using more than one melee enemy vs party bending the game around?

 

[CapnZapp]

While I agree it would be nice, extra elemental damage per attack is actually pretty strong in terms of DPR. Generally, a +1d4 and +1d6 damage die sits right on either side of getting a +2 magic weapon. The +1d4 is closer to the +2 weapon than the +1 weapon.

Not sure what you're calculating here.

A d4 averages +2.5
A d6 averages +3.5

A +d4 weapon is thus exactly between a +2 and a +3 weapon.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

how is using more than one melee enemy vs party bending the game around?

That is an assumption you made. I did not say that.

If you can't imagine scenarios where the shield spell is powerful against more than one enemy, thats on you.