D&D 5E Levitate is a save-or-die spell

[Flamestrike]

They float useless mid-air while the party deals with the rest of enemies. After that we have fun pelting it to death. Since most encounters often get done by round 5 or 6, that gives the whole party 5-4 rounds to focus down the target before the spell ends.

It has a duration of 10 minutes, not 10 rounds doesn't it?

Had a PC caster drop this on an Ogre once.

He felt pretty good about himself until the Ogre pelted his club at him (improvised weapon), hitting him and forcing a Con save to maintain concentration.

I dont see it much because many critters in 5E come with ranged attacks, breath weapons, spells or whatnot. So it's reasonably situational, and few casters have the slots to spare on it (other than Wizards).

 

[FrogReaver]

Unlike other save-or-suck spells, Levitate doesn't allow for saves past the first save.
Levitate becomes a save or die spell under the following conditions:

• The target has no or a weak ranged attack
• They can't reach the ceiling nor the floor 20' away
• They don't have a fly speed

If they fail their Con save then they float useless mid-air while the party deals with the rest of enemies. After that we have fun pelting it to death. Since most encounters often get done by round 5 or 6, that gives the whole party 5-4 rounds to focus down the target before the spell ends.

On a Sorcerer twinning it, you dramatically affect the difficulty of an encounter with few foes in it.

Am I missing something? Do most monsters have a ranged attack past level 7?

I think there is also a weight limit on levitate?

But yes, when it works (the right enemies - no or weak ranged attacks, no high con etc) - at those times it's an absolutely amazing spell.

I think at one point I had created a chart detailing the actions saved of a large variety of control spells. I'll try to dig it up at some point.

 

[jaelis]

It has a duration of 10 minutes, not 10 rounds doesn't it?

That is correct.

I think there is also a weight limit on levitate?

Yup, 500 lbs. One of the reasons I kind of wish they spec'd monster weights in the MM.

 

[FrogReaver]

That is correct.

Yup, 500 lbs. One of the reasons I kind of wish they spec'd monster weights in the MM.

LOL, well I wish that spiders, mice and owls weren't all the same size category...

 

[Maxperson]

To me that means the target can only move itself if there's something to grab on to. There's nothing at all about external forces e.g. a breeze or someone giving the person a push. Same as a paralyzed target being thrown in a river: the target can't move itself but the river can carry it along just like any other bit of debris.

Sure. The wind moving the target is a common and probably ruling if there's wind. The victim needs to hope he doesn't float over something that's even worse, though. Just like the paralyzed person had best hope he's not in armor and paralyzed with his mouth open.

 

[Maxperson]

It has a duration of 10 minutes, not 10 rounds doesn't it?

Had a PC caster drop this on an Ogre once.

He felt pretty good about himself until the Ogre pelted his club at him (improvised weapon), hitting him and forcing a Con save to maintain concentration.

I dont see it much because many critters in 5E come with ranged attacks, breath weapons, spells or whatnot. So it's reasonably situational, and few casters have the slots to spare on it (other than Wizards).

Ogres weight almost double the weight limit of the spell. Adult ones anyway.

 

[FrogReaver]

Ogres weight almost double the weight limit of the spell. Adult ones anyway.

Does 5e actually give their weight?

 

[Fenris-77]

The weight limit really puts a damper on how encounter ending this spell is. It gets better the bigger the target, but a lot of the targets you really want to use it on are too heavy. It should shine against dangerous melee humanoids I suppose. Or things like the orc chieftain. It's a cool use of the spell, but I think it's situational enough that it's not OP, IMO anyway. In a general way, I'd probably rule it doesn't work on anything 10' or taller, or anything shorter than that that seems obviously massy, like bigger quadrupeds or especially burly doodes and that sort of thing. Heck, PC centaurs are 1000lbs.

 

[Maxperson]

Does 5e actually give their weight?

Yes.

 

[Guest 6801328]

This does make me think that Levitate + Gust cantrip might be perfect for dropping enemies over cliffs, into wells, etc. I'd rule that since a creature on the ground can make a saving throw to avoid being moved 5', one floating in the air automatically moves that 5'.