Alcamtar
Explorer
I just noticed the "Damage Cap for Spell" table in the DMG (p.95), and in reading through it, realized that there are no exceptions listed: "For spells that deal damage, use [table 3-23] to determine approximately how much damage a spell should deal." (maybe some of you have been down this path before, but it's new to me 
)
Table 3-23 says that a 6th level divine spell should deal approximately 15 dice of damage to a single creature. For a clerical spell, that means 15d6 (or 8d8, since 2d8 counts as one die for clerical spells). 15d6 is roughly 50 points of damage, or an absolute maximum of 90 hp.
Harm is a damage-dealing spell, not a "death attack" like Slay Living. Therefore, it seems reasonable to cap the damage of Harm at 90-100 hp. This seems to compare reasonably well to spells like Circle of Doom and Fire Storm, considering that Harm is nearly "guaranteed" -- you can keep trying until you score a hit, and there is no save.
With a 100 hp cap it is pretty much unchanged against most NPCs and smaller monsters; against larger monsters (like dragons) it still deals an very effective attack without being an insta-kill.
Since this is in a section devoted to adjudication and variants I wouldn't consider it a hard-and-fast rule (so ignore it if you like Harm as-is), but I feel it provides reasonable justification and a guideline for those who feel Harm is broken as-written.
)Table 3-23 says that a 6th level divine spell should deal approximately 15 dice of damage to a single creature. For a clerical spell, that means 15d6 (or 8d8, since 2d8 counts as one die for clerical spells). 15d6 is roughly 50 points of damage, or an absolute maximum of 90 hp.
Harm is a damage-dealing spell, not a "death attack" like Slay Living. Therefore, it seems reasonable to cap the damage of Harm at 90-100 hp. This seems to compare reasonably well to spells like Circle of Doom and Fire Storm, considering that Harm is nearly "guaranteed" -- you can keep trying until you score a hit, and there is no save.
With a 100 hp cap it is pretty much unchanged against most NPCs and smaller monsters; against larger monsters (like dragons) it still deals an very effective attack without being an insta-kill.
Since this is in a section devoted to adjudication and variants I wouldn't consider it a hard-and-fast rule (so ignore it if you like Harm as-is), but I feel it provides reasonable justification and a guideline for those who feel Harm is broken as-written.
