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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 9152421" data-attributes="member: 58197">First, shield is notoriously one of the best 1st-level spells in the game, ranging from "very very good" to "absolute no-brainer must-have" depending on playstyle and level. So this is not exactly making the case that the new blade ward is fine.Second, even if shield weren't borderline (or not so borderline) OP, you can't just compare a cantrip to a 1st-level spell, say "Oh, the cantrip is weaker," and be done. Cantrips need to be evaluated against other cantrips. And one of the biggest red flags for any cantrip is if it doesn't use a regular action to cast. That means picking up that cantrip is a pure power boost.If you have fire bolt and you get ray of frost, you get only incremental value; every ray of frost you cast means sacrificing a chance to cast fire bolt (and vice versa), so you only benefit to the extent that ray of frost is superior in a given situation. But if you get the new blade ward, it isn't competing with fire bolt -- you get the full value of the defensive buff and don't give up any offense to get it.See previous. Cantrips must be compared to each other, not leveled spells. Advantage on Charisma checks, usable at will, is a big deal. This one has enough limitations fencing it in that it might be okay... or it might not. As I say, I'd want to see it in play.(I might add that even if the new friends is technically balanced, the reliance on nitpicky restrictions to do the balancing gives me pause. It's the same problem I have with guidance in the current edition. Guidance isn't too strong if you rigorously enforce all of its limitations -- require the player to have declared casting and target before you called for a skill check, enforce concentration, touch range, etc. But it gets pretty tiresome having to go down this list on every freakin' skill check, because players read the spell and think "Oh, the party just gets +1d4 on all skills, sweet.")</blockquote>

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