D&D 5E Levitate on an unwilling creature

[Harzel]

An unwilling creature gets only one save against Levitate. For control purposes, this seems to make it better than Telekinesis (5th level, save each round). Seems OP for a 2nd level spell. Am I missing something?

And for bonus points - if the unwilling creature has the ability to fly, can it fly while subject to Levitate? RAW would appear to be no, but that seems wrong to me, too.

 

[clearstream]

An unwilling creature gets only one save against Levitate. For control purposes, this seems to make it better than Telekinesis (5th level, save each round). Seems OP for a 2nd level spell. Am I missing something?

And for bonus points - if the unwilling creature has the ability to fly, can it fly while subject to Levitate? RAW would appear to be no, but that seems wrong to me, too.

What in RAW prevents a creature from propelling itself - if it has means - under the effects of levitate?

 

[Sadras]

An unwilling creature gets only one save against Levitate. For control purposes, this seems to make it better than Telekinesis (5th level, save each round). Seems OP for a 2nd level spell. Am I missing something?

And for bonus points - if the unwilling creature has the ability to fly, can it fly while subject to Levitate? RAW would appear to be no, but that seems wrong to me, too.

Levitate
Requires concentration
Duration limited to 10 Minutes
Casting range 60 feet
Material component required (-)
Requires standard action
Creature not restrained (-)
Limited to one target (-)
One constitution saving throw
Creature can only be moved up or down 20 feet (-)
Creature must weigh 500 pounds or less (-)
Cannot move objects - versatility (-)
Creature can fly out of levitate spell (-) - I'm with @vonklaude on this

Telekinesis
Requires concentration
Duration limited to 10 Minutes
Casting range 60 feet
Requires standard action
Requires ability contest every round, casting ability vs strength check (-)
Move a creature 30 feet in any direction
Unlimited targets, but only one per action
Creature must be of Huge or smaller size
5th level spell slot (-)


The (-) reflect the negative aspects of the one spell when compared to the other.

 

[clearstream]

Levitate
Requires concentration
Duration limited to 10 Minutes
Casting range 60 feet
Material component required (-)
Requires standard action
Creature not restrained (-)
Limited to one target (-)
One constitution saving throw
Creature can only be moved up or down 20 feet (-)
Creature must weigh 500 pounds or less (-)
Cannot move objects - versatility (-)
Creature can fly out of levitate spell (-) - I'm with @vonklaude on this

Telekinesis
Requires concentration
Duration limited to 10 Minutes
Casting range 60 feet
Requires standard action
Requires ability contest every round, casting ability vs strength check (-)
Move a creature 30 feet in any direction
Unlimited targets, but only one per action
Creature must be of Huge or smaller size
5th level spell slot (-)


The (-) reflect the negative aspects of the one spell when compared to the other.

If a levitated creature is not restrained, I would rule that it can move itself if it can find a means of propulsion. Fly spell. Pushing off a wall. Etc.

 

[Sadras]

If a levitated creature is not restrained, I would rule that it can move itself if it can find a means of propulsion. Fly spell. Pushing off a wall. Etc.

Exactly this as per the spell.

The target can move only by pushing or pulling against a fixed object or surface within reach (such as a wall or a ceiling), which allows it to move as if it were climbing.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

The ability to choose which direction the target moves in is huge. When there are battlefield hazards then Telekinesis really shines, but with levitate unless the hazard is directly up (which is a rather uncommon scenario) then it can't be abused as much.

The save every round is also probably a consequence of being able to switch targets, which is also a powerful. When your first target is taken care of you don't lose the spell and can continue using it against other foes.

 

[Celebrim]

All of that is true, but, as written, for most low level creatures Levitate is a save or die spell. Most D&D foes at low level can neither fly nor do they have effective ranged weapons. Most D&D parties have a considerable amount of ranged weapons. It's basically a win button against any low level brute weighing under 500lbs.

If I were a DM, I'd consider it a spell that imposed design constraints on encounters and craft encounters accordingly.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Powerful. Yes. But hold person is not a lot worse. Especially brutes without ranged weapons tend to have good constitution and bad wisdom. Also you don't impose all those terrible conditions that make hold person so powerful. If you want to compare it, compare it to phantasmal force which is about as dangerous as levitate. And then I'd say, both are rather powerful spells if used right.

 

[jaelis]

Do note a levitating creature can still dodge. I wouldn't call it save or die, I'd call it "save or be sidelined." Which is powerful no doubt, but not out of line IMO.

Also doesn't work as well in a typical dungeon with a low ceiling

for most low level creatures Levitate is a save or die spell.

whereas magic missile is a "no save and die" spell for many-low level creatures

 

[Barolo]

All of that is true, but, as written, for most low level creatures Levitate is a save or die spell. Most D&D foes at low level can neither fly nor do they have effective ranged weapons. Most D&D parties have a considerable amount of ranged weapons. It's basically a win button against any low level brute weighing under 500lbs.

If I were a DM, I'd consider it a spell that imposed design constraints on encounters and craft encounters accordingly.

And yet, against some even lower level creatures, sleep is a die without a save.

Edit.: Ninja'd!

An unwilling creature gets only one save against Levitate. For control purposes, this seems to make it better than Telekinesis (5th level, save each round). Seems OP for a 2nd level spell. Am I missing something?

You could also compare levitate with hold person, both 2nd level spells. Against a legal target, levitate might restrain movement and even impede the enemy from melee-attacking, but hold person limits any kind of action and also gives all your allies advantage to attack the held enemy. Granted, hold gives saves every round to end the spell, while levitate does not, but the save against hold is wisdom, while save against levitate is constitution, usually a stronger one, specially for the more juicy targets for this strategy, brutes.

This kind of narrow comparison could also color the impressions one could get from other spells. For instance, the only benefit hold monster, a 5th level spell, gives when used specifically against humanoids, when compared to hold person (2nd level), is a 30ft increased range. If a wizard upcasts hold person to 3rd level, it already performs better against those same humanoids, as it may target twice as many enemies (assuming, of course, the opposing party is composed of two or more humanoids).

Bottom line here is, higher level spells might not be directly more potent, but instead have less restraints (as hold monster), or completely different uses that give the spell way more utility (as TK), and comparing these spells under a very specific scenario might give skewed conclusions.