D&D 5E Is witchbolt underated?

[ECMO3]

As a first level spell witchbolt really isn't very good, but I think it upcasts very, very well and I think it is worth having because of this. I can't think of a single spell that upcasts better.

If cast at 3rd level it will do 20ish on the first turn and another 20 or so every turn thereafter, automatically for 10 turns without using another spell slot. Further if you can crit with it you can make that 40 on the first turn and depending on your DM another 20 or 40 every turn thereafter. This is a lot of damage from one spell.

Cast at 5th level it can do 33 per turn, that is more damage than bigby's hand and you only need one attack roll hit to do it.

 

[J-H]

Only the initial damage goes up on upcasting. The base damage stays the same.

 

[Sacrosanct]

My shadow sorcerer used it to great effect. Granted, it become much more effective when you twin it, so I admit I might have circumstantial bias...

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

No, it's not underrated. Upcasting it only affects the damage it deals on the first turn, so it is still a really bad spell.

 

[Shiroiken]

The extra damage is only to the first roll. Every turn after that is only 1d12, regardless of spell level. It's garbage.

 

[Mort]

My shadow sorcerer used it to great effect. Granted, it become much more effective when you twin it, so I admit I might have circumstantial bias...

Well sure twin spell is great.

Compare whitch bolt to chromatic orb. Which bolt loses in every category.

Range: chromatic orb's is triple.

Damage type : witch bolt, you're stuck with lightning (not a bad damage type but still), chromatic orb you have lots of choices.

Damage : chromatic orb 's is about double. Sure you can, in theory get more rounds out of whitch bolt but the damage is awful. If you chromatic orb then cast a few cantrips you still come out ahead (granted, with twin spell it might cost an extra sorcery point or two). And frankly, nothing prevents the whitch bolt target from moving out of range and foiling the spell on later rounds anyway.

Now if whitch bolt had some kind of rider that the target couldn't move more than 30' from the caster (or at least needed a saving throw or ability check to do so) then it might be worth something.

 

[jgsugden]

For one action it does 6.5 damage. A d6 cantrip from a 5th level caster does more. Then, you have to use an action to continue it, and the target gets to end it by moving behind complete cover, even if just for a millisecond, or by moving 30 feet away from you.

I have a homebrew equivalent that combines Witch Bolt with a single target Faerie Fire. One player has used it a lot.

Level 1 Evocation
Range 60 feet
Duration 1 Minute (Concentration)

A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target.

Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 lightning damage. On each of your turns for the duration, you can use an action to deal 1d8 lightning damage to the target automatically.

Also for the duration, you, the affected creature, and the arc of lightning shed dim light out to 10 feet. Any attack roll against you or the affected creature has advantage if the attacker can see the target, and you and the affected creature can't benefit from being invisible. The spell ends if the target is outside the spell’s range, or if it has total cover from you.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Concentration is the major issue with the spell. (Although the short range is unpleasant as well).

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

My own homebew goes like this:

Witchbolt
Level 1 Evocation
Range 60 feet
Duration 1 Minute (Concentration)

A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target.

Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage. and the target is grappled until it use its action to succeed at a Dex (Acrobatic) or Str (Athletic) check against your spell DC. On each of your turns for the duration, you can use an action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically and pull it 10 ft toward you.

The spell ends if the target is outside the spell’s range, or if it has total cover from you.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the both damage instances increase by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.

 

[Mort]

For one action it does 6.5 damage. A d6 cantrip from a 5th level caster does more. Then, you have to use an action to continue it, and the target gets to end it by moving behind complete cover, even if just for a millisecond, or by moving 30 feet away from you.

I have a homebrew equivalent that combines Witch Bolt with a single target Faerie Fire. One player has used it a lot.

Level 1 Evocation
Range 60 feet
Duration 1 Minute (Concentration)

A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target.

Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 lightning damage. On each of your turns for the duration, you can use an action to deal 1d8 lightning damage to the target automatically.

Also for the duration, you, the affected creature, and the arc of lightning shed dim light out to 10 feet. Any attack roll against you or the affected creature has advantage if the attacker can see the target, and you and the affected creature can't benefit from being invisible. The spell ends if the target is outside the spell’s range, or if it has total cover from you.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

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) !?!