D&D 5E Heat Metal Rules Interp / Minor Nerf

[Brandegoris]

This came up in our last game session.
My game is set in the jungles of Q'Barra, so the PCs can expect to bump into Lizardman Shamans with Heat Metal somewhat frequently.

The last battle, Heat Metal was cast on a PC and I realized just how powerful it is.

I generally want to play the RAW, but also don't want to unfairly pick on the Cleric, the only PC in Med/Hvy armor.

When I first read the rules quickly, I thought that Disadvantage on attack and skill rolls only applied if the affected item was a weapon or something "droppable". Not armor.
This made sense to me. Disadvantage makes the spell more powerful, but it is is counterbalanced by the affected PC/NPC always being able to drop the item if they so chose.

If Disadvantage applies all the time, Med/Hvy armor would almost always be the most advantageous target.

I wouldn't worry about this normally, but since the PC Cleric is likely to be the most frequent target, I want to avoid him feeling like he's getting unfairly punished.

I'm not sure if this is a (admittedly strained) rules interpretation, or a house rule.

In any case, what are your thoughts in terms of spell balance?

-Kusodareka

I don't think this should be Nerfed

My reasoning is that the cleric is wearing heavy metal Armor in the JUNGLE. that is a huge advantage considering how hot it must be, ( I hope you are using exhaustion rules). So If he wants to continue doing that then he should suffer the sad consequences.

 

[Oofta]

I don't think this should be Nerfed

My reasoning is that the cleric is wearing heavy metal Armor in the JUNGLE. that is a huge advantage considering how hot it must be, ( I hope you are using exhaustion rules). So If he wants to continue doing that then he should suffer the sad consequences.

Ok. Assume the cleric is wearing heavy armor in the arctic. Why is it balanced then?

The setting should not matter - the issue is being able to give someone disadvantage with no save or time limitation.

 

[Geeknamese]

Ok. Assume the cleric is wearing heavy armor in the arctic. Why is it balanced then?

The setting should not matter - the issue is being able to give someone disadvantage with no save or time limitation.

House rule that the target must continue to stay in range for the spell effects to continue. Give an Int (Arcana) check to see if target recognizes the spell (if they've never encountered it before). This means that if the target is in melee, they'll have to take an opportunity Attack to double move the heck away. This also opens up a lot of tactical options for the caster/NPCs to team up with party members to exercise some control options to prevent the target from escaping range. So teammates might want to use proning attacks, restrain attacks, hold person, etc.


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[Oofta]

House rule that the target must continue to stay in range for the spell effects to continue.

Range is 60 feet. Not sure how that makes a difference.

Personally, I just nerfed it. If you target someone's armor they get a save at the end of every turn. So 1st round it works, after that they get a save.

It's only 1 target, but if that 1 target is the BBEG it really throws off the balance of the encounter.

 

[Geeknamese]

Range is 60 feet. Not sure how that makes a difference.

Personally, I just nerfed it. If you target someone's armor they get a save at the end of every turn. So 1st round it works, after that they get a save.

It's only 1 target, but if that 1 target is the BBEG it really throws off the balance of the encounter.

Spell breaks if they get farther than 60 feet away.


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[cmad1977]

Eh. I wouldn't panic after one instance. If the party/cleric haven't learned to kill the shaman ASAP on sight after a few encounters. Maybe give it a bit of a nerf or allow the party mitigate it somehow.
But if this only happened once, or if your pre-emptively worried, let them suffer at least once before you do anything.


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[Oofta]

Spell breaks if they get farther than 60 feet away.


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Well, that's not the way spells work. Even so, you're talking about spending at least two whole rounds to get rid of the effect. Assuming the caster doesn't just follow you.

 

[Geeknamese]

Well, that's not the way spells work. Even so, you're talking about spending at least two whole rounds to get rid of the effect. Assuming the caster doesn't just follow you.

Once a spell is cast,its effects aren’t limited by its range, unless the spell’s description says otherwise.

So DM can say otherwise, instead of completely scrapping the spell. If caster is out of melee, they can definitely leave the cozy and safe back line to follow and open themselves up to getting dogpiled by enemies. Or if they're in melee, they can spend an action to disengage and try to follow where they'll also open themselves up to an enemy dogpile. *shrug*

Seems like a reasonable fix, creates all kinds of tactical options and play and doesn't remove a very effective spell from the short lists of the Bard and whoever else has this spell.


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[Oofta]

So DM can say otherwise, instead of completely scrapping the spell. If caster is out of melee, they can definitely leave the cozy and safe back line to follow and open themselves up to getting dogpiled by enemies. Or if they're in melee, they can spend an action to disengage and try to follow where they'll also open themselves up to an enemy dogpile. *shrug*

Seems like a reasonable fix, creates all kinds of tactical options and play and doesn't remove a very effective spell from the short lists of the Bard and whoever else has this spell.


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Changing spells so they no longer work if you leave the range is a pretty big change. I tend to make house rules as focused as possible. In addition, all it does is make the target waste a couple of rounds running away (assuming they can) instead of having disadvantage.

But to each his own.

 

[Geeknamese]

Changing spells so they no longer work if you leave the range is a pretty big change. I tend to make house rules as focused as possible. In addition, all it does is make the target waste a couple of rounds running away (assuming they can) instead of having disadvantage.

But to each his own.

The caster is targeting the armor to heat the metal. How is a saving throw from the target supposed to end an effect that is targeted on the armor? That amounts to the player having some sort of innate dispel magic ability. As it is, the target gets a save to ignore the pain and thus the disadvantage already.

Changing a spell so it no longer works if you leave range allows for strategies where the party can work some control, opp attacks or proning, etc. to keep the enemy within range. I consider it a pretty big change to allow a target to make a save on a spell that is not directly affecting it.


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