D&D 5E Is witchbolt underated?

[Mort]

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.

This one I like a lot.

Using the spell save DC is a good thought so the grapple check is not often laughably bad.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I wonder how the balance would work out if the additional rounds damage did upscale.

 

[TwoSix]

I wonder how the balance would work out if the additional rounds damage did upscale.

Then it might actually be decent, especially if you can combo it with something. Distant Spell metamagic, maybe, or an ally who can grapple or restrain in some way.

 

[aco175]

Witch Bolt might be better for a warlock with the upcasting built in. A 5th level warlock would deal 3d12 lightning initially and 1d12 while concentrating as long as target is in 30ft and not 100% concealed. 30ft is a bit of short distance, but it takes the monster out of the combat for a couple rounds if it runs away and you are not following it. 100% concealment is more up to the DM and strange arguments about jumping behind a corner, walking behind a column, or hiding behind the fighter to stop the damage.

Chromatic Orb deals 3d8 whatever element you choose and an extra 1d8 when upcasting. Changing the damage type is good and many may take the spell for this. There is no concentration, which limits the potential damage from being higher than Which Bolt, as long as the caster is allowed to concentrate for several of the rounds. Both have a spell attack for all or none damage. A minor problem with Chromatic Orb is the 50gp material component. Some tables skip this and it only limits low-level casters starting off. Finally this is not a warlock spell and a sorc/wiz only.

I would think Which Bolt may be better for lower-level wizards and then swap it to Chromatic Orb around 5th level. My groups tend to not upcast a lot and the versatility of Chromatic Orb at higher levels makes it more useful when dealing with higher level monsters with DR and such. Some of this may need a talk with the DM on how he handles concealment.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

This one I like a lot.

Using the spell save DC is a good thought so the grapple check is not often laughably bad.

There's a few spells that would benefit from a small rewrite to had more intesresting function and make them on par with other spells:

Barkskin: +1 AC, damage reduction 3 from non-magical B/S/P, resist thunder/lightning, vulnerable to fire. (concentration), 2nd level.

Stoneskin: resist B/S/P, +4d10 THP. (concentration), 4th level, does not consume the component.

Grasping Vine: Grappled vs spell DC. Automatically deals 2d10 B damage to grappled creatures. Upcast: 1 more vine per spell lost above 4th. (Concentration), 4th level.

Truestrike: Advantage on next hit, deals +1d6/tier force damage on a hit. (Concentration), Cantrip

Shillelagh: Action, attack roll to hit, deals 1d8 magical B damage/tier, push 5 ft. Cantrip

 

[Benjamin Olson]

If it upcast for the ongoing rounds it would be decent. I still wouldn't rank it as particularly good because the unusually high demands of maintaining the spell (must use action, target must remain in range and not gain full cover, and the usual concentration requirement to boot). But it would have some niche value for Warlocks, multiclassed casters, and other builds where getting the best bang from upcasting is important.

Honestly much of the hatred for Witch Bolt probably comes because it seems to be designed with limitations to frustrate every place where it might have some significant niche power. If it upcast for the later rounds it would have some serious niche value. If it could continue doing the damage after the target escaped the range or took cover it would have some serious niche value. If, since it uses your action every round, it didn't also require concentration it would have some serious niche value. But instead it just wipes out all possible ways it might excel in favor of having as many limitations as possible.

 

[Mort]

There's a few spells that would benefit from a small rewrite to had more intesresting function and make them on par with other spells:

Barkskin: +1 AC, damage reduction 3 from non-magical B/S/P, resist thunder/lightning, vulnerable to fire. (concentration), 2nd level.

That works, though I actually like the 16 AC - makes it useful for shapeshifting druids.

Stoneskin: resist B/S/P, +4d10 THP. (concentration), 4th level, does not consume the component.

Works, but personally, I prefer resist B/S/P and nonconcentration but does consume the component.

Grasping Vine: Grappled vs spell DC. Automatically deals 2d10 B damage to grappled creatures. Upcast: 1 more vine per spell lost above 4th. (Concentration), 4th level.

Works, That strengthens it enough.

Truestrike: Advantage on next hit, deals +1d6/tier force damage on a hit. (Concentration), Cantrip

I prefer making it a bonus action and done. With rogues now getting steady aim, it doesn't up the power all that much

Shillelagh: Action, attack roll to hit, deals 1d8 magical B damage/tier, push 5 ft. Cantrip

Good but can be abused by many builds because cantrips scale with character not class level. I find Shillelagh fine as a great low level Cantrip that outlives its usefulness.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Good but can be abused by many builds because cantrips scale with character not class level. I find Shillelagh fine as a great low level Cantrip that outlive its usefulness.

Its more or less a different take on Primal Savagery. Its an Action melee spell attack, so its not usable with extra attacks and such, and you do not add your mod to damage. I dont play with feats or multiclass, so I dont really know how much it can be abused by mix-matching features.

My biggest gripe with the original one its that it is better in the hands of said multi-class/feat character than for the druid which does not gain extra attack or +mod to cantrip damage. The land druid really got shafted in terms of at-will damage progression.

 

[Mort]

Its more or less a different take on Primal Savagery. Its an Action melee spell attack, so its not usable with extra attacks and such, and you do not add your mod to damage. I dont play with feats or multiclass, so I dont really know how much it can be abused by mix-matching features.

My biggest gripe with the original one its that it is better in the hands of said multi-class/feat character than for the druid which does not gain extra attack or +mod to cantrip damage. The land druid really got shafted in terms of at-will damage progression.

To be fair, ALL the other druid subclasses got shafted when compared to the moon druid (at least at levels groups typically play at).

 

[Steampunkette]

Yes it is.

Also no. It really isn't.

If your goal is to expend every spell slot to it's maximum potential and metagame the whole game down to a complex series of math equations, Witch Bolt is pretty bad.

If your goal is to use cool and interesting spells because it fits your character, or your villain, then Witch Bolt is flat out amazing.

It's an amazing spell for villainous Torture Sequences like the throne room in Return of the Jedi. Got your victim tied down? Witchbolt while you demand answers to your questions and they suddenly have a VERY REAL timer on how long they have to answer before you're done frying them. Any round he gives you a straight answer, don't shock him. Any round he chooses to test you, zap him again! It doesn't end if you don't use your action for anything on a given round, only if you use your action for "Something Else".

Grab a few levels of Rogue (Or be a Rogue with a little spellcasting ability) to become a Thief and suddenly "Cunning Action" becomes pretty much everything you can use your action for that isn't violent. So pour yourself a drink (Use an Object Action) as a bonus action, then curl your left hand at the victim to zap him as an action, in one of the most dreadful sort of encounters a player can find themself in.

Thematically amazing. Mechanically fairly "Meh".