Homebrew Converting WotC spells to A5E

[SongOfSisyphus]

So in a similar vein to my quest to port third party classes, I figured it'd probably be useful for me to start work on a community Spell compilation based on all the WotC spells that either haven't yet made it into A5E or got dropped due to design changes. Here's a document that will likely communicate general progress on my approach to the data:

Purpose of this is mainly just to bring already-published spells up to the new design standards that A5E champions, particularly with regards to spells. However, we will absolutely be making changes to spells that are either too bad or too good to fit into this new paradigm.

So along with the opening post, I ask you all the question: Are there any spells already published by WotC that could do with a balance pass? Even spells already published under A5E that seem like they could do with a little more tweaking are fair game here.

I can tell from the outset that in particular I'm going to have to think long and hard about the smite spells (on account of the regular smite mechanic having been changed up in A5E, making the design of the old smite spells pretty inapplicable) and the former ranger spells, if those are to be re-added.

The plan, once I'm done filling out this spreadsheet, is to make another homebrewery document entitled A5E - Community Spell Conversion Project (or A5E - CSCP for short) compiling all the relevant meta-tags and changes made to these spells.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

it's probably worth noting that compelled duel has been effectively replaced by the gaze of conviction maneuver, and the paladin's smite spells are largely replicated by the herald's (greater) empowered smite feature(s?). zephyr strike is also replicated by stride and seek's swift feet from the ranger, and there might be spells like conjure volley or booming blade that would be better served as maneuvers then as spells (as well as other spells that are effectively replicated by maneuvers or class features that i missed).

edit: though all that said, this idea is pretty great, and i wish you good luck!

 

[VanguardHero]

In general a lot of those 'Class specific' Spells just aren't spells anymore because Level Up has systems for cool stuff that aren't just making them spells

 

[Tessarael]

I'd argue that 5E D&D spells are compatible with A5E, and that most require little translation.

For example, the Booming Blade and Green-Flame cantrips are good for gish character builds. I'm assuming that those two cantrips were not included as they were not part of core 5E D&D Player's Handbook material or were not part of the 5E D&D SRD as a result. No worries. They are still good cantrips to permit for such character builds. The Warlock's Eldritch Scythe option for Eldritch Blast is a good equivalent of Green-Flame Blade, but other gish builds without Warlock don't have that option.

I'd be most interested in which 5E D&D spells should not be permitted with A5E. As an example, in the case of the 1st level spell Hellish Rebuke (range 60'), it was intentionally replaced by Arcane Riposte (melee only) and the Eldritch Riposte invocation (range 30'). So for that one, no need for an A5E equivalent spell - it has already been converted over. And my understanding is that Hunter's Mark should no longer be needed due to the A5E updates to the Ranger class.

 

[Faolyn]

I had converted a lot from 2e to LU here.