D&D (2024) 2024 Spell Changes

[Horwath]

Good news! Multiclassing is no longer optional in 5.24, it's allowed by default.

problem with multiclassing was 1-2 level dips, now that some features have been moved to 3rd level, that is less of a problem.

honestly, best way to multiclass would be even split, but having 6/6 character next to 12th level single class would be bad in 99% of the cases.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Hey, Sleep is "any creature of your choice in a 5ft radius sphere within 60ft must succeed on a Wisdom Save or have the Incapacitated condition...". I'm not sure the rest, though it's Concentration up to 1 minute.

I'm conflicted on the new Sleep. I know Sleep's always been an auto-pick in every edition (except 4e), but I never had problems with it in 5e, because I don't run encounters with dozens of 4hp critters (especially when bounded accuracy means that amount of actions gets lethal fast).

Old Sleep has an awkwardly large AoE, but new Sleep is a precision-targeting tool.
Old Sleep affects weak targets, but new Sleep can now affect absolutely anyone, at any level.
(and because of the latter, it now has to have Concentration, obviously, to limit higher-level applicability)

It just seems like a weird departure from how the spell's been so far. I don't think a straight-up action-denial feels like someone falling asleep, rather than the obvious Slowed -> Asleep progression.

 

[Nijay]

The Command spell now restricts you to a fixed list of commands. I think this is a terrible change, as creative uses of spells is one of the great things about D&D. I think they did this just to make it more easily adapted for Project Sigil.

Animate Objects changed, too, in a similar creativity-sucking way. Now you can't animate objects fastened to a surface, and no gargantuan objects. Nothing flies anymore - all targets grow legs. You get a number of points equal to your spellcasting modifier, with bigger objects taking more points, so you can animate medium/small (1 point, 10hp, 1d4+3 damage), Large (2 points, 20hp, 2d6+3+mod damage) or Huge (3 points, 40 hp, 2d12+3+mod damage) objects.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

The Command spell now restricts you to a fixed list of commands.

I didn't imagine they'd change that. It might be because some languages might need more than one word for their imperatives, but... that's not great.

 

[mellored]

The Command spell now restricts you to a fixed list of commands. I think this is a terrible change, as creative uses of spells is one of the great things about D&D. I think they did this just to make it more easily adapted for Project Sigil.

Are you sure it's not to lower the power of a top tier spell that could do too many things? "Fogive", "confess", "resign", "regret", "convert".

Or to stop people from saying "Undress", "masterbate", "defecate", "rape" or other perverted stuff?

I can think of plenty of creative reasons that don't have to do with Project Sigil.

 

[TiQuinn]

Are you sure it's not to lower the power of a top tier spell that could do too many things? "Fogive", "confess", "resign", "regret", "convert".

If a player is smart enough to pick the right word and use it at the right time in the right situation, why not let them use it? Also, in a social situation, those are not ongoing effects. Likely, they’re going to create some confusion and the target will know they’ve been coerced regardless. And if it’s a real problem, those are pretty non-specific as to the subject and could be outmaneuvered. Forgive who? Confess to what?

Or to stop people from saying "Undress", "masterbate", "defecate", "rape" or other perverted stuff?

That’s a problem for the table if it’s inappropriate, not for the game to solve.

 

[Nijay]

Are you sure it's not to lower the power of a top tier spell that could do too many things? "Fogive", "confess", "resign", "regret", "convert".

Or to stop people from saying "Undress", "masterbate", "defecate", "rape" or other perverted stuff?

I can think of plenty of creative reasons that don't have to do with Project Sigil.

I am obviously not in the minds of the people who made this change, but all of that was covered with "You might issue a command other than one described here. If you do so, the DM determines how the target behaves."

 

[mellored]

Likely, they’re going to create some confusion

The DM will very likely be confused.
And making the game fun for the DM is part of the redesign goal.

And if it’s a real problem, those are pretty non-specific as to the subject and could be outmaneuvered. Forgive who? Confess to what?

So the solution is make the spell completely useless?

Drop what?
Flee from what?
Grovel to who?

Don't think that's a good solution either.

 

[FlipaDex]

They improved Counterspell


They stopped some of the Spirit Guardian Shenanigans.

Can you expand on these 2?

 

[TiQuinn]

The DM will very likely be confused.
And making the game fun for the DM is part of the redesign goal.

I would say removing the free form aspect of the spell is making the game less fun as opposed to presuming the DM can’t figure out how to apply a one word command to a situation.

So the solution is make the spell completely useless?

Drop what?
Flee from what?
Grovel to who?

Don't think that's a good solution either.

No, that’s not the solution, and no one would expect that to occur with those obvious examples you give. That’s only a possible solution if what the player is expecting out of the spell is completely silly like expecting a king to abdicate his throne or some such.