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

[Yaarel]

It looks like most of the spells mentioned are getting an upgrade.

Mostly low slot spells, but slot 5 Flame Strike got a needed boost.

Any significant nerfs?

Only few nerfs, but unspecified.

Any change to the rules for concentration?

Yes. A few had Concentration and now dont. A few didnt and now do.

 

[Horwath]

Even without magic items, a single level dip for heavy armor, shield / shield spell is 25 AC. For level 1-10 that means most monsters you fight will barely have a chance of hitting you.

that only works if your party is fighting brain-dead meat sacks of HPs.

 

[Aldarc]

It just become a useless spell, at low level +2 won't do much cause only 10% chance per attack it can turn a hit to miss; at high level +6 also won't do much due to 5e character's AC don't increase much, but monster's attack bonus increase A LOT cause monster ability score can be 20+ and their CR often higher than party's level so their PB is also higher.

EDIT: So it will only be useful when used by optimizars who make AC already very high to impossible to hit without crit. I know its current form already is, but change it to +PB hurt normal player more than optimizars.

I'm okay with the consequences of the change.

 

[Nadan]

I'm okay with the consequences of the change.

What gain? Optimizars still use it to make absurd number of AC with only some step change, only normal player can enjoy one less spell than before.

 

[Aldarc]

What gain? Optimizars still use it to make absurd number of AC with only some step change, only normal player can enjoy one less spell than before.

You're going to have to deal with the fact that we have a difference of opinion on this matter and move on.

 

[mellored]

It just become a useless spell, at low level +2 won't do much cause only 10% chance per attack it can turn a hit to miss;

You only use it when it helps.

at high level +6 also won't do much due to 5e character's AC don't increase much,

It gets used all the time at higher levels.

Not that I agree with it scaling by proficiency.

It should be strongest for low level wizards, and then have it fall off as you level, unless you use higher level slots.

So either

1: reduce damage by X, increase by spell slot.

2: set AC to X, increase by spell slot. (+2 if you also have mage armor)

3: something I haven't thought of.

 

[OB1]

Again, even if you aren't playing at that level on a regular basis or your high level group doesn't do it, in every Critical Role campaign, the moment the characters get to that level, they cast it at the start of every single adventuring day. It's not even a question -- it's just an assumption that they're paying a 1k adventuring tax every day for an expansive list of benefits.

This is not correct. The parties in CR are constantly limited in their casting of Heroes Feast due to the difficulty in acquiring the material component. Mercer rarely allows them to purchase more than 1 at a time from any given major city (and sometimes requires a day or two to find one or have it made), and if they are out in the wilderness, they can't just trade in 1000 gp to get another.

The result is that they are very careful about when to deploy the spell, trying to save it for right before fighting a major enemy.

It's BG3, where the material competent is ignored, that the spell get's cast every day once you hit 11th level, typically by someone you won't be using for the adventuring day so as to still have the 6th level spell for a summoning or other spell. But even that shows the cost of casting HF every day though it goes away after a long rest, which makes the casting of it the night before like is popular in TT play not a viable tactic.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Id make shield replicate the effect of a normal shield for 8h to go with your usual mage armor, with some added benefits.

• require no hands to hold.
• grants 1/2 cover instead of a static bonus (+2 AC and dex saves).
• blocks magic missile.

I think that would be more in line with what a 1st level spell should be.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I would potentially go with another option:

4. Shield's AC bonus = Proficiency Bonus. This means at low level, the bonus from Shield will only be +2, which can still help in a pinch.

Spells should never scale with caster level (except for cantrips).

It will take until level 13 for it to reach the usual +5 AC bonus. At upper levels, it can reaches at most +6, which is only +1 better than it presently is.

 

[sevenbastard]

I run 5e without cleric cantrip. They still have access and can cast any cantrip they want but it takes a 1st level spell slot.

Trust me it's better. No guidance every round, no laser clerics, no spare the dying.

Sure it nerfs some builds but I like my clerics less magical and the gods have better things to do than gran guidance 1,000,000 times a day.