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<blockquote data-quote="schnee" data-source="post: 7195995" data-attributes="member: 16728"><p>Treantmonk wrote about this in his Wizard guide, but I'll repeat it here - the thing with 5E is that buffs, debuffs, and control spells are more effective than direct damage spells. </p><p></p><p>Older D&D had a steeper AC / to hit progression, so multiple low level opponents posed less of a threat. This new edition, the 'bounded accuracy' means more hits and spells are connecting each round, so the real way to optimize is to remove their actions or create more for yourselves. Opponents with 1hp are more deadly than one with full HP that is stuck in a Hold Person or Entangle. </p><p></p><p>It also means that buffs that add a +1 or more are MUCH bigger than 3E and feel closer to AD&D in power. Three members of your party swinging melee weapons with Bless will be doing a LOT more damage over the life of the combat than that Cleric jumping in immediately and swinging a mace. It will also end the combat fast enough that you will spend fewer spells healing later.</p><p></p><p>So, spell choice should be less Thunderwave and more Entangle. And, since Concentration spells are the most powerful and those are limited to 1 at a time for each caster, the characters should ideally be memorizing spells in cooperation with each other, with different scenarios in mind.</p><p></p><p>--</p><p></p><p>Example: Faerie Fire has saved our butts more than anything else - Advantage is HUGE. Opponents that get it in pack combat, like giant rats or wolves, can chew through your front line incredibly quickly. When we run into one of those types of opponents, we Faerie Fire immediately and then they fall quickly.</p><p></p><p>Entangle is another example - when we face multiple opponents, our Druid the Entangle in a place where it will trap as many people as possible, and put the rest behind the 'difficult terrain'. So, we effectively take several opponents out for several rounds, force others to use their entire turn only moving, while we gang up on the ones that are left standing nearby. We just took it from 8 attacks against us this round to 2-3. If we're lucky, we finish off everyone standing and then the Entangled ones are easy pickings.</p><p></p><p>Since our Bard knows Faerie Fire, my Druid chooses Entangle. Your spellcasters should coordinate similarly. There are some really effective multi-caster combos, and a caster-heavy party like this can be wicked.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="schnee, post: 7195995, member: 16728"] Treantmonk wrote about this in his Wizard guide, but I'll repeat it here - the thing with 5E is that buffs, debuffs, and control spells are more effective than direct damage spells. Older D&D had a steeper AC / to hit progression, so multiple low level opponents posed less of a threat. This new edition, the 'bounded accuracy' means more hits and spells are connecting each round, so the real way to optimize is to remove their actions or create more for yourselves. Opponents with 1hp are more deadly than one with full HP that is stuck in a Hold Person or Entangle. It also means that buffs that add a +1 or more are MUCH bigger than 3E and feel closer to AD&D in power. Three members of your party swinging melee weapons with Bless will be doing a LOT more damage over the life of the combat than that Cleric jumping in immediately and swinging a mace. It will also end the combat fast enough that you will spend fewer spells healing later. So, spell choice should be less Thunderwave and more Entangle. And, since Concentration spells are the most powerful and those are limited to 1 at a time for each caster, the characters should ideally be memorizing spells in cooperation with each other, with different scenarios in mind. -- Example: Faerie Fire has saved our butts more than anything else - Advantage is HUGE. Opponents that get it in pack combat, like giant rats or wolves, can chew through your front line incredibly quickly. When we run into one of those types of opponents, we Faerie Fire immediately and then they fall quickly. Entangle is another example - when we face multiple opponents, our Druid the Entangle in a place where it will trap as many people as possible, and put the rest behind the 'difficult terrain'. So, we effectively take several opponents out for several rounds, force others to use their entire turn only moving, while we gang up on the ones that are left standing nearby. We just took it from 8 attacks against us this round to 2-3. If we're lucky, we finish off everyone standing and then the Entangled ones are easy pickings. Since our Bard knows Faerie Fire, my Druid chooses Entangle. Your spellcasters should coordinate similarly. There are some really effective multi-caster combos, and a caster-heavy party like this can be wicked. [/QUOTE]
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