D&D General In defense of Shocking Grasp

[Clint_L]

I like shocking grasp - it's both flavourful and situationally useful.

It's just a victim of cantrip scarcity. You only have a few cantrips, and is it going to be in your top 3? First priority for most folks is a ranged attack spell of some kind. Then there's often a signature cantrip for your class - guidance, prestidigitation, vicious mockery, mage hand, etc. Then you might look at situational spells, and you have to ask yourself which is more likely to come in handy, shocking grasp or message, mending, friends, etc.

So I don't think it's so much that shocking grasp is underrated as that characters don't get enough cantrips.

 

[AlViking]

They're definitely not qualified to tank, but a flying familiar dive bombing a target with Shocking Grasp and then flying out of range should keep them safe for the most part.

Casting a spell through your familiar does use up your reaction though which limit other options.

 

[Silam]

Casting a spell through your familiar does use up your reaction though which limit other options.

No, it uses the familiar’s Reaction + whatever action (of yours) the spell’s casting time requires.

 

[Staffan]

I like shocking grasp - it's both flavourful and situationally useful.

It's just a victim of cantrip scarcity. You only have a few cantrips, and is it going to be in your top 3? First priority for most folks is a ranged attack spell of some kind. Then there's often a signature cantrip for your class - guidance, prestidigitation, vicious mockery, mage hand, etc. Then you might look at situational spells, and you have to ask yourself which is more likely to come in handy, shocking grasp or message, mending, friends, etc.

So I don't think it's so much that shocking grasp is underrated as that characters don't get enough cantrips.

To be honest, I think characters should get their "class flavor" cantrips for free: prestidigitation, thaumaturgy, or druidcraft.

 

[Rabulias]

Unless they use Counterspell to cancel out your cantrip first … (which is a very expensive use of a 3rd level spell, but a funny one every once in a while…)

Yes, and that's a trade I will gladly make as a player most times.

 

[Silam]

To be honest, I think characters should get their "class flavor" cantrips for free: prestidigitation, thaumaturgy, or druidcraft.

Yeah… I don’t know…

On one hand, the only time I would pick any of these cantrips is if they were foisted upon me "for free" (nothing is ever free in this dog eat dog world, but if I have no choice then so be it).

On the other hand, I find it shoddy design to give specific spells as part of class features. HM for Rangers, DS for Paladins… I feel like it’s neither here nor there. If those classes cannot possibly function without these spells, then perhaps those should be class features, and exclusive to them, rather than spells that can be wrangled one way or another.

Mostly, my overall preference is to have spells rather than features, but let the spells be good enough on their own that classes need not force players to have them. Players should feel sufficiently enticed to pick them in the first place, because they’re good on their own.

 

[Charlaquin]

One of my favorite Sorcerer/Wizard spells is Shocking Grasp. But whenever I read people’s spells rankings, it always seems to rank low on the Cantrip tier lists. So, I will attempt to make a case for it.

The biggest criticism I’ve read is that it’s a Touch spell and squishy characters don’t want to be in melee combat. True. However, sometimes melee combat comes to you, like it or not. In those instances, people typically recommend casting something like the Level 2 spell Misty Step to flee from your enemies.

But I feel it’s better to save the 2nd Level Spell Slot by casting a Cantrip, causing some damage to your enemy (1d8 per tier of play), and running away without provoking an Opportunity Attack. And since the enemy can’t make an Opportunity Attack until the start of their next turn, it might also allow for other squishy party members and/or NPCs to run away as well. I basically like to use it as an “oh %#*>” spell.

So there’s my argument in favor of an oft maligned Cantrip. I’m sure I’m overlooking something obvious (low number of Cantrips known, or something), so I look forward to the counter arguments to come.

I agree with you. It’s a great emergency button. It’s like Disengaging and attacking with the same action.

 

[Charlaquin]

I like it because if I walk a special way on the carpet I can cast it on my kids.

With the right character in the right campaign this would actually be a great way to narrate the spell.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Notably, toll the dead is a save rather than an attack and thus works equally well in melee as it does at range.

For me as a player of clerics, there is an important distinction to be made between cantrips with a save vs. those with an attack roll. Yes, those with a save are more versatile. At the same time, they are (unless the DM remedies it) less fun to play, since the DM rolls the effect of your attack, and you don't get to throw a d20.

This is a long-standing hobby horse of mine, that 2024 remedied with the easy possibility of attack cantrips at level 1 through origin feats. Any cleric if they wish can now start with pretty much any attack cantrip, and if they want an attack to roll, they can have one.

Builds and designs often do not take the experiential elements in to account, and the possiblity of start feats where you can roll is (in my mind) a big boost for clerics in 2024.

 

[Zardnaar]

For me as a player of clerics, there is an important distinction to be made between cantrips with a save vs. those with an attack roll. Yes, those with a save are more versatile. At the same time, they are (unless the DM remedies it) less fun to play, since the DM rolls the effect of your attack, and you don't get to throw a d20.

This is a long-standing hobby horse of mine, that 2024 remedied with the easy possibility of attack cantrips at level 1 through origin feats. Any cleric if they wish can now start with pretty much any attack cantrip, and if they want an attack to roll, they can have one.

Builds and designs often do not take the experiential elements in to account, and the possiblity of start feats where you can roll is (in my mind) a big boost for clerics in 2024.

Iurc Mearls talked about that in 5.0. Rolling dice is generally fun.