Clint_L
Hero
I generally dislike temporary HP, but maybe that's because I briefly played a Twilight Cleric and completely abused them.
D&D (2024) How to balance the shield spell?
Justice and Rule
Hero
I get that, but I'm only really using the term "Temporary HP" to avoid confusion with the current "Resistance" mechanic. What I'm describing is really closer to classic Damage Resistance.
Shield
1 reaction (when hit by an attack or a magic missile spell)
Duration: 1 attack or spell.
effect: You gain a +5 bonus to AC against the attack as if you had a +3 Shield. If the triggering attack still hits, you have resistance to the damage. If the trigger was a magic missile spell, you take no damage from the spell.
If you have a Shield equipped, this spell increases the total AC you gain from the Shield to +5.
At higher levels: If you cast this spell using a 2nd or higher level spell slot, this spell lasts for 1 additional magic missile spell or 1 additional attack. You gain the AC bonus and the damage reduction for these additional spells or attacks. The spell ends at the end of your next turn regardless.
...
This doesn't stack with shields (so a bunch of insane-AC combos no longer work). It lasts for 1 attack (or magic missile spell) per slot level.
It can be used to protect against a critical hit. If you are using it to tank, you will want to use higher than 1st level slots.
1 reaction (when hit by an attack or a magic missile spell)
Duration: 1 attack or spell.
effect: You gain a +5 bonus to AC against the attack as if you had a +3 Shield. If the triggering attack still hits, you have resistance to the damage. If the trigger was a magic missile spell, you take no damage from the spell.
If you have a Shield equipped, this spell increases the total AC you gain from the Shield to +5.
At higher levels: If you cast this spell using a 2nd or higher level spell slot, this spell lasts for 1 additional magic missile spell or 1 additional attack. You gain the AC bonus and the damage reduction for these additional spells or attacks. The spell ends at the end of your next turn regardless.
...
This doesn't stack with shields (so a bunch of insane-AC combos no longer work). It lasts for 1 attack (or magic missile spell) per slot level.
It can be used to protect against a critical hit. If you are using it to tank, you will want to use higher than 1st level slots.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
I doubt you are unaware of the point. I don’t engage in tdiscussion if it becomes about nitpicking wording.
Spellcasters can replace spells. That is not the same thing as what I described, which is very much not how D&D classes work.
Le sigh…
Traditionalism really is terrible.
It wasn't really called resistance back then, might as well just go for clarity & say DR#/-, "resistance" was for elemental damage. DR was for physical damage. They also worked a little different from each other with DR#/thing where "thing" was the type needed to ignore the DR#. Resistance was the other way where resist#/fire applied resist# to fire damage but not cold or acid.
Justice and Rule
Hero
Oh no, I'm talking about the current Resistance mechanic that halves damage. Calling something "Resistance" and then having another mechanic called "Damage Resistance" is confusing. Might be better just to say "Ignore ## damage".
it wasn't confusing though, they had purpose. You my as well be saying hit points hit dice damage dice are confusing terms because they share words. Here's a good writeup from the 3.5mm
Behind the curtain: Spell Resistance & Damage Reduction
Too much spell resistance or damage reduction can' make a monster virtually unbeatable at the Challenge Rating you're aiming for. Too little, and the monster might as well not: have any at all. Since any character will have the caster level or magic weaponry necessary to penetrate the creature's defense.
Spell Resistance: If you choose to give your monster this ability. you'll probably want to set the resistance number equal to the creature's CR+11 Tim means that a character of a level equal to the creature's will have a 50%”: chance to overcome the monster's spell resistance (Barring Spell Penetration Feat). For example. a 12th-levecharacter has a 50% chance to overcome spell resistance 23, so 23 is
a good spell res-stance number for a CR 12 creature. You may need to adjust a creature's spell resistance number after
you finally settle on a CR {or the creature...
If you want a highly magic-resistant creature. set the monster's spell resistance higher than CR +11 For lesser resistance set the spell resistance lower. For each point of resistance. you'll change the change the chance of successfully overcoming spell resistance by 5%. For example. a 12tlevel caster has a 45% chance to overcome spell resistance 24. and no chance to overcome spell resistance 33
Damage Reduction: Assigning a damage reduction value can be tricky. Setting the value. too high can make a creature virtually immune
to physical attacks. On the other hand. most player characters carry some magic weapons. so setting the value too low can result in an ineffective ability.
Recommended
Target CR - Recommended Damage Reduction
0~2 - None
3—5 - 5
6—13 - 10
14-20 - 15
Remember. even if player characters can hurt the monster. lesser creatures in the game world often cannot hurt the creature. nor can the
player character's cohorts or any creatures their summon.
Too much spell resistance or damage reduction can' make a monster virtually unbeatable at the Challenge Rating you're aiming for. Too little, and the monster might as well not: have any at all. Since any character will have the caster level or magic weaponry necessary to penetrate the creature's defense.
Spell Resistance: If you choose to give your monster this ability. you'll probably want to set the resistance number equal to the creature's CR+11 Tim means that a character of a level equal to the creature's will have a 50%”: chance to overcome the monster's spell resistance (Barring Spell Penetration Feat). For example. a 12th-levecharacter has a 50% chance to overcome spell resistance 23, so 23 is
a good spell res-stance number for a CR 12 creature. You may need to adjust a creature's spell resistance number after
you finally settle on a CR {or the creature...
If you want a highly magic-resistant creature. set the monster's spell resistance higher than CR +11 For lesser resistance set the spell resistance lower. For each point of resistance. you'll change the change the chance of successfully overcoming spell resistance by 5%. For example. a 12tlevel caster has a 45% chance to overcome spell resistance 24. and no chance to overcome spell resistance 33
Damage Reduction: Assigning a damage reduction value can be tricky. Setting the value. too high can make a creature virtually immune
to physical attacks. On the other hand. most player characters carry some magic weapons. so setting the value too low can result in an ineffective ability.
Recommended
Target CR - Recommended Damage Reduction
0~2 - None
3—5 - 5
6—13 - 10
14-20 - 15
Remember. even if player characters can hurt the monster. lesser creatures in the game world often cannot hurt the creature. nor can the
player character's cohorts or any creatures their summon.
Sorcerers Apprentice
Hero
If you're concentrating on an important spell, then not getting hit at all is pretty useful.
mellored
Legend
It already exsist in heavy armor mastery. They just spell it out.
- While you are wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from nonmagical attacks is reduced by 3.
Jefe Bergenstein
Legend
I'd be fine with casters capping out at 3 spells total (1 highest, 2 next highest level), with partial recovery 1-2 times a day. As is, it's simply too much. The game has completely devolved into all casters, all the time.
Casters power needs to be dropped dramatically, as it has been made abundantly clear they aren't making non-casters relevant.
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