D&D 5E Chill touch vs Troll regeneration

[CapnZapp]

Hello from the future

Just to ask - the previous comments regarding Chill Touch risks vs reward, having to get close and personal -

- was perhaps Chill Touch a "touch spell" once in the playtest?

In the final PHB, its range is 120 ft, making it an excellent regeneration-shutter-down for any monsters, not just Trolls (which are relatively low CR).

After all, the more epic threat, the more reason you have to stay at a healthy distance away...

And if you include two warlocks in your party, they can alternate between Chill Touch and Repelling Blast to ensure the foe never gets close, and never gets to use its regeneration. That's a good start right there, if you want a cheesy win.

 

[Staffan]

Hello from the future

Just to ask - the previous comments regarding Chill Touch risks vs reward, having to get close and personal -

- was perhaps Chill Touch a "touch spell" once in the playtest?

The final playtest document has it as a touch spell, yes.

 

[CapnZapp]

The final playtest document has it as a touch spell, yes.

Playtest ok.

But final test you say - So the change to long range happened with no chance for tester input then?

 

[Guest 6801328]

I imagine it was tested internally, just not publicly.

As a previous poster pointed out, it makes the fight itself a little bit easier, but can also simply be reserved for coup de grace.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

And if you include two warlocks in your party, they can alternate between Chill Touch and Repelling Blast to ensure the foe never gets close, and never gets to use its regeneration. That's a good start right there, if you want a cheesy win.

Regeneration is excellent for hit-and-run tactics like vampire strafing, and Repelling Blast does not prevent running away, at all.

The vampires/trolls can hide behind partial cover until they are fully recovered, and then try to gain surprise a few minutes or hours later, when the party's spells have run out.

 

[Celtavian]

Chill touch pretty much ruined regeneration. So regeneration in any group that has even a bare minimum understanding of the rules is useless for another edition. Very disappointing.

 

[Ganymede81]

Chill touch is a ranged cantrip, y'all, not a melee cantrip.

But yeah, in my group I break against the consensus here and only allow chill touch to prevent external sources of healing - healing spells, second winds, etc. I allow things like regeneration to continue working as normal.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

But final test you say - So the change to long range happened with no chance for tester input then?

False.

Final open playtest packet =/= had no tester input

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

Chill touch pretty much ruined regeneration. So regeneration in any group that has even a bare minimum understanding of the rules is useless for another edition. Very disappointing.

That's an over-reaction, as not every party will actually have a character with chill touch, even if your group happens to decide to always include such a character because they specifically want to spend literally every round making sure no enemies get to regain any hit points.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Chill touch pretty much ruined regeneration. So regeneration in any group that has even a bare minimum understanding of the rules is useless for another edition. Very disappointing.

Two trolls?