D&D 5E Homebrew cantrip help

[WizardOfFrobozz]

I've got a player who's running a Lvl 1 5E wizard with a pretty non-traditional build & backstory. He's looking for a cantrip that will buff his strength stat and/or bonuses. We've gone back and forth iterating on what it might look like to knock a 3.5E-style Bull's Strength spell down to a cantrip power level, but I'm not sure that anything really useful can be shoehorned into an appropriately balanced cantrip. Here's the spell/effects under discussion:

Casting time: 1 action
Range: self only
Duration: 1 min, Concentration
Effect: For the duration of the spell, the caster gains +2 to her Strength ability modifier as long as she is unarmored. (Donning any armor immediately ends the spell.)

Even with the range reduction to SELF and the unarmored restriction, I think this still packs too much punch for a cantrip. I'm also not sure how to squeeze it down further without making it uninteresting. For example, knocking the bonus down to +1 and changing the duration to 1 round might qualify, but who would give up an action this round for a +1 to-hit/damage next round only? Ditto for limiting the bonus to unarmed attacks only - maybe a cool cantrip, but not what he's looking to do.

I'd love to encourage the RP concept of the buff guy who's kind of a wizard under protest, but I'm not sure how to find a good compromise on this one. Any thoughts?

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I would just reword Guidance to allow it to add to STR checks (including grapples). If the character wants to be just a strong wizards, let them switch around some stat points to be a strong wizard all the time.

As far as the cantrip posted goes, its a little too strong, as most of the "buff a roll" cantrips last for 1 minute UNTIL USED, not the whole time.

 

[ART!]

Off the top of my head I can't think of any spells that add a bonus to an ability modifier. Take a look at Enhance Ability, which basically gives you advantage on ability score checks, which of course includes related skills. The only spells I can think of that do this are shapechanging type spells like Polymorph, but they raise ability scores, not just the modfiers. If you want a temporarily stronger wizard so that they can do more damage with a weapon (that either doesn't have the finesse feature or the character has a not-great DEX)...there's really no precedent for that in 5E other than spells that add a damage type to the damage done by a weapon.

That said, I think the concentration requirement you have is a good call. I'd say the cantrip can raise STR by 2, thus granting a +1, and then at a higher level it raises STR by 4. giving you a +2, with the usual cap at 20. Look at other cantrips with damage that goes up with levels, to see at what levels the damage usually goes up.

Or something.

 

[Mistwell]

I think it's OK. I'd try it out. I don't think it would unbalance anything. He risks losing it from concentration checks, and it's for a wizard. I think this is going to work OK.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Its effectively a +1 to hit and damage that requires you to maintain concentration and takes full action to cast. Given that Strength bonuses are generally best in melee, which is not the place that a wizard really wants to be, I have no problem with it. I'd probably say no to the equivalent Dexterity boost however.

It is considerably less powerful than a melee cantrip. Burning an action to cast is also a big downside provided the DM does not allow the player to get away with "I'm always casting X every thirty seconds while I'm awake" shenanigans.

Noting the armour restriction, but is it the intent to allow the wizard to make full use of Mage Armour and Shield spells without interfering with the spell?

 

[clearstream]

I've got a player who's running a Lvl 1 5E wizard with a pretty non-traditional build & backstory. He's looking for a cantrip that will buff his strength stat and/or bonuses. We've gone back and forth iterating on what it might look like to knock a 3.5E-style Bull's Strength spell down to a cantrip power level, but I'm not sure that anything really useful can be shoehorned into an appropriately balanced cantrip. Here's the spell/effects under discussion:

Casting time: 1 action
Range: self only
Duration: 1 min, Concentration
Effect: For the duration of the spell, the caster gains +2 to her Strength ability modifier as long as she is unarmored. (Donning any armor immediately ends the spell.)

Even with the range reduction to SELF and the unarmored restriction, I think this still packs too much punch for a cantrip. I'm also not sure how to squeeze it down further without making it uninteresting. For example, knocking the bonus down to +1 and changing the duration to 1 round might qualify, but who would give up an action this round for a +1 to-hit/damage next round only? Ditto for limiting the bonus to unarmed attacks only - maybe a cool cantrip, but not what he's looking to do.

I'd love to encourage the RP concept of the buff guy who's kind of a wizard under protest, but I'm not sure how to find a good compromise on this one. Any thoughts?

How about something like this -

Casting time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (chalk dust)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Effect: Until the spell ends, you gain +2 to your Strength ability score

Adding components reduces the power of the cantrip. Adding to Strength ability score instead of modifier does a couple of things. It increases most of what you might expect with strength: carrying capacity, jump distance, raising portcullises (in published adventures, usually just a strength total needed, rather than a check). The benefit to Athletics, attack and damage is still there, but halved.

Another possibility might be to use the casting time to control it, like this

Casting time: 1 hour
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (chalk dust)
Duration: 10 minutes
Effect: Until the spell ends, you gain +2 to your Strength ability score

Or this

Casting time: 10 minutes
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (chalk dust)
Duration: 1 minute
Effect: Until the spell ends, you gain +2 to your Strength ability score

 

[tetrasodium]

I'd rework guidance or Shillelagh

 

[Rune]

I’d do a version of Enlarge without the physical growth (or with – it would be fine) that only lasts for a turn. Specifically, 1 action to cast, lasts until end of next turn, requiring concentration.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Why not base the cantrip off of the Friends cantrip? Turn it into a transmutation spell and instead of advantage on Charisma checks, it gives advantage on Strength checks.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I've got a player who's running a Lvl 1 5E wizard with a pretty non-traditional build & backstory. He's looking for a cantrip that will buff his strength stat and/or bonuses. We've gone back and forth iterating on what it might look like to knock a 3.5E-style Bull's Strength spell down to a cantrip power level, but I'm not sure that anything really useful can be shoehorned into an appropriately balanced cantrip. Here's the spell/effects under discussion:

Casting time: 1 action
Range: self only
Duration: 1 min, Concentration
Effect: For the duration of the spell, the caster gains +2 to her Strength ability modifier as long as she is unarmored. (Donning any armor immediately ends the spell.)

Even with the range reduction to SELF and the unarmored restriction, I think this still packs too much punch for a cantrip. I'm also not sure how to squeeze it down further without making it uninteresting. For example, knocking the bonus down to +1 and changing the duration to 1 round might qualify, but who would give up an action this round for a +1 to-hit/damage next round only? Ditto for limiting the bonus to unarmed attacks only - maybe a cool cantrip, but not what he's looking to do.

I'd love to encourage the RP concept of the buff guy who's kind of a wizard under protest, but I'm not sure how to find a good compromise on this one. Any thoughts?

What about a Shillelaghs type effect?