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<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 7135858" data-attributes="member: 996">They're two major alternatives to which the very significant 5e resource of spell slots can be dedicated, and, as is so often the case, lend themselves to simplistic hp-denominated comparisons.&nbsp; There're more pro-active forms of defense, but they suffer from varying degrees of needing to predict the future (as does healing an ally before he drops), there're less direct forms of offense.&nbsp; There's never any telling what just might work at a given table, too.&nbsp; :shrug: &nbsp;Y'know, for all that you mention it in two posts in a row, I can't say I recall anyone ever casting a Resilient Sphere defensively like that - I suppose because it's protective but also cuts off the ally from contributing.And, like healing, all of those options sacrifice the focus-fire-DPR that wins the race to 0 hps in the game's most basic/obvious tactical approach.&nbsp;Dozens of creative/DM-may-I/off-label ways are less helpful than a few clearly viable ones more directly supported by the rules (especially rules that aren't spells!).&nbsp; Sure, if you happen to have certain spells or be in certain circumstances you can declare an action that the DM might allow to help you protect an ally...&nbsp; ...whom the enemy may or may not have attacked next, anyway....&nbsp;5e allows a fair bit of mobility, it should't be too often that a conscious ally can't get himself out of trouble, but can simply be grabbed/pulled/shoved out of trouble.&nbsp; Paralysis, I guess.&nbsp;Likely.&nbsp; Not every table is a well-oiled machine, a lot of players approach the game as an exercise in showing off - or showing up.&nbsp;&nbsp; Some players just don't immerse/empathize/invest enough to feel fear for their characters.&nbsp;&nbsp; A PC can be little more than a game token that can move as long as it has a hp.&nbsp; And treating it dispassionately like that can be part of gravitating to a fairly dogmatic set of tactics (like 'don't bother healing until they drop'), that, while valid and efficient enough, might not be the most fun every time....</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 7135858, member: 996"] They're two major alternatives to which the very significant 5e resource of spell slots can be dedicated, and, as is so often the case, lend themselves to simplistic hp-denominated comparisons. There're more pro-active forms of defense, but they suffer from varying degrees of needing to predict the future (as does healing an ally before he drops), there're less direct forms of offense. There's never any telling what just might work at a given table, too. :shrug: Y'know, for all that you mention it in two posts in a row, I can't say I recall anyone ever casting a Resilient Sphere defensively like that - I suppose because it's protective but also cuts off the ally from contributing. And, like healing, all of those options sacrifice the focus-fire-DPR that wins the race to 0 hps in the game's most basic/obvious tactical approach. Dozens of creative/DM-may-I/off-label ways are less helpful than a few clearly viable ones more directly supported by the rules (especially rules that aren't spells!). Sure, if you happen to have certain spells or be in certain circumstances you can declare an action that the DM might allow to help you protect an ally... ...whom the enemy may or may not have attacked next, anyway.... 5e allows a fair bit of mobility, it should't be too often that a conscious ally can't get himself out of trouble, but can simply be grabbed/pulled/shoved out of trouble. Paralysis, I guess. Likely. Not every table is a well-oiled machine, a lot of players approach the game as an exercise in showing off - or showing up. Some players just don't immerse/empathize/invest enough to feel fear for their characters. A PC can be little more than a game token that can move as long as it has a hp. And treating it dispassionately like that can be part of gravitating to a fairly dogmatic set of tactics (like 'don't bother healing until they drop'), that, while valid and efficient enough, might not be the most fun every time.... [/QUOTE]

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