D&D 5E (2024) Is the new spell Transfixed overpowered?

[dave2008]

I don't have a problem at all. That's just the way the game plays. You clearly either throw the rulebook out the window or have players who are completely tactically inept.

Those are not the only 2 options.

 

[Stalker0]

I disagree. There should be no spells that are auto wins. Every spell needs to have a save each turn.

I fully respect that mentality, and if you house rule the spells in your game towards that idea I 100% understand.


But in these balance discussions we should be basing new spells compared to the capabilities of old ones. And in the core there are plenty of 7th level spells that absolutely rock someone's world with the failure of a single save. Compared to those, this spell is not that bad. If you want to argue 7th level spells are OP in general again I understand, but based on the baseline of spell power presented to us, this spell is just fine.

 

[ECMO3]

I disagree. There should be no spells that are auto wins. Every spell needs to have a save each turn.

I disagree with that. Most high level spells should "win" if the enemy fails a save.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I disagree with that. Most high level spells should "win" if the enemy fails a save.

This is one of the things make high level games unatractive for martials and which makes legendary resistances as they are necessary.

 

[Mort]

This is one of the things make high level games unatractive for martials annld which makes legendary resistances as they are necessary.

In fairness, 5.5 has given martials more ways to deal with saves. High level fighters, for example, are unlikely to fail saves that they need to make.

 

[ECMO3]

This is one of the things make high level games unatractive for martials and which makes legendary resistances as they are necessary.

High damage "always wins" and is a heck of a lot more reliable than a failed save, especially against high-level enemies who typically have Magic Resistance, Legendary resistance and high saving throws. Casters don't have enough spell slots to even get a single fail reliably. Orcus for example rolls saves against spells with advantage and has +8/+5/+10/+13/+15/+7, 3 legendaries and immunity to a bunch of conditions. A 20th level PC only has 4 spell slots 7th level or above. Even with 3 full casters throwing spells at him every round, your chance of landing even one high level save or suck during a combat is low, so if you do manage to do that then IMO the fight should be over.

In 5.5E high-level martials are extremely powerful and reliable in combat. To date the most dominant PC in combat I have seen played in 5.5E was a 20th level single-class Champion. He fought with a Maul doing 4 attacks (8 with action surge) and being able to select one of 4 mastery options on every single hit. The most powerful PC I have played personally is a 12 Fighter/8 Warlock who was doing a lot more with weapons than she was with spells.

This is why when casters get to high level they tend to concentrate on things that buff/protect the party or do damage in boss fights. When it comes to damage casters have some really great AOEs that are situationally awesome and better than anything a martial can do in a round when those situations arise, but they are outclassed by martials most of the time.

You can complain about a lot of things with respect to martials, but as long as you get average rolls on your abilities, martials being weak in a high-level game is not really a thing in 5.5E.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Failing a save and bring out is just no fun.
And legendary resistances just to prevent that is no fun either.
You really missed my point.

 

[ECMO3]

Failing a save and bring out is just no fun.
And legendary resistances just to prevent that is no fun either.
You really missed my point.

I think a bad guy failing a save against a spell and ending a fight is pretty darn fun, just like failing a save against a Rogue using Knock Out is fun, or a Fighter rolling a 20 with a Vorpal Blade once or twice every fight is fun.

Legendary resistance should not logically make high-level games unattractive for martials. While enemies can use Legendary resistance to prevent things like Topple or Knock Out or Stunning Strike, martial classes still have a lot they can do that bypasses saves all together.

 

[FrogReaver]

in actually play I don’t think it’s OP.

I arrive at this conclusion by looking for its use case. When do I want to cast this spell?

Against many monsters. There’s better aoe control. Against a solo boss - only one without magic/legendary resistance - otherwise I’d rather just use non save spells or use alot of low level slots to spam at them till an effect lands.

Against 2-3 enemies without magic/legendary resistance something like hold monster or banish is likely much better.

So what’s the proposed use case where this spell is so powerful?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

High damage "always wins" and is a heck of a lot more reliable than a failed save, especially against high-level enemies who typically have Magic Resistance, Legendary resistance and high saving throws. Casters don't have enough spell slots to even get a single fail reliably. Orcus for example rolls saves against spells with advantage and has +8/+5/+10/+13/+15/+7, 3 legendaries and immunity to a bunch of conditions. A 20th level PC only has 4 spell slots 7th level or above. Even with 3 full casters throwing spells at him every round, your chance of landing even one high level save or suck during a combat is low, so if you do manage to do that then IMO the fight should be over.

In 5.5E high-level martials are extremely powerful and reliable in combat. To date the most dominant PC in combat I have seen played in 5.5E was a 20th level single-class Champion. He fought with a Maul doing 4 attacks (8 with action surge) and being able to select one of 4 mastery options on every single hit. The most powerful PC I have played personally is a 12 Fighter/8 Warlock who was doing a lot more with weapons than she was with spells.

This is why when casters get to high level they tend to concentrate on things that buff/protect the party or do damage in boss fights. When it comes to damage casters have some really great AOEs that are situationally awesome and better than anything a martial can do in a round when those situations arise, but they are outclassed by martials most of the time.

You can complain about a lot of things with respect to martials, but as long as you get average rolls on your abilities, martials being weak in a high-level game is not really a thing in 5.5E.

Your perception of the game is so fascinating.

I do not even know where to begin....

Suffice to say, for now, that your experience is...alien, to my own.