D&D 5E Is witchbolt underated?

[jgsugden]

That's flavorful but:

1. Not as bad as original witchboolt, but the target just has to dash to get out of range, assuming it cares about 1d8 damage, which isn't a lot for an action.

2. Sure you're causing advantage against the target (good) , but you, a spellcaster, have also put a literal glowing target on yourself which enemies have advantage to hit (extra super bad) !?!

Correct on both counts, and intentional on both accounts.

This spell primarily encourages them to flee out of your range/line of sight to stop the advantage. The extra damage on subsequent turns is a side note, primarily a legacy addition. The advantage is the benefit - and it comes with a cost, intentionally. You're putting a target on your head in exchange for putting a target on the enemy. Given that you choose when and how to put the target on the enemy, you get to use it strategically.

It sees use, but it is not a no-brainer spell.

 

[NotAYakk]

What do you mean by results? As long as the spell is maintained the target needs a check to move beyond the range of the spell. They can only make one save per round, and if they succeed it effectively ends the spell since they would move beyond the range, triggering the end of the spell.

I feel like that's pretty clear, especially with the revision that clarified only one save attempt per round.

Yes, you clarified. You clarified after you said it was already clear.

I'm just saying the version you first posted needs a rewrite.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I guess I'm just struggling to understand where the clarification is needed. Maybe if you could provide a better example of where the ambiguity is, or an example of how you might improve my wording?

 

[Helldritch]

Our version of witch bolt is almost identical to the PHB save for two things.
Continuous uses you bonus action.
While chanelling with bolt, you can only cast cantrips. Using an object or casting a 1st or higher level spells ends the witch bolt.

1d12 is not over powered. It is still concentration and it limits the caster to a cantrip. Casting anything else will end the spell as well as using any item. This limits pretty much its usage.

A bit better than Hex on the damage at low levels but the concentration part makes it so that defensive options are quite limited. Also, it also means that offensive options are limited to cantrips. I think it is a good balance between her and the original spell.

We have used this version for 3 years now and everyone is happy with it. It is good for low to mid levels but around level 11+ most of the time 1st level spells are used for defensive purposes and the witch bolt falls into the abyss. Only hexe and hunter's mark as damage spells see much use anyways.