D&D 5E Looking for a Flame Blade fix

[Dualazi]

If you want to buff the spell then I'd go with something other than raw damage, since obviously you don't want it outshining things like smite or sneak attack too much. My first thought would be to make it weaken enemy AC, either lowering the value per hit or by imposing advantage to attackers. In this way it could function as a higher-risk damaging version of faerie fire. Another option is to give it moderate range, letting the druid swing it to send out waves of flame in a line attack. Alternately, you could have it function defensively, giving a buff to cold resistance, increasing AC, or shutting down opportunity attacks from enemies. Lastly, you could have swings ignite enemies for a DoT effect, which could increase with subsequent hits. The low damage would be mitigated unless the enemy wastes time extinguishing itself, and the flame blade doesn't overshadow other class features.

 

[jaelis]

I'm with Mephista, it just isn't really a good fit for the druid class. But in itself it isn't terrible. Like, say it were a warlock or cleric spell, I could see it being used.

I agree that there's no real need for it to be concentration though. I might houserule that. And I might let you cast a "glaive" version that required two hands but had 10 ft reach.

 

[Rod Staffwand]

I'd consider increasing the duration to 1 hour and possibly allowing adding spell casting stat to damage. That gives some potential extended use and a modest damage bump. Makes it more comparable to magic weapon as well.

As for concentrating on melee spells, I've been mulling over allowing casters to 'regain' concentration on the spell with an action. You get hit, the spell drops and you can spend an action before the duration is up to restart its effects. I haven't made a list of spells it would apply to or figured out if players would actually make use of it.

 

[schnee]

As for concentrating on melee spells, I've been mulling over allowing casters to 'regain' concentration on the spell with an action. You get hit, the spell drops and you can spend an action before the duration is up to restart its effects. I haven't made a list of spells it would apply to or figured out if players would actually make use of it.

That...sounds really cool. I could see it for a certain, strictly-controlled set of spells.

If you work it up, post it. I'd consider it in our game.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Count me in with the "not a good fit for the druid class as is" contingent. A warden-style melee druid that had a subclass feature that allowed the flame blade to count as a melee weapon for that druid would change my view (definitely make magic initiate for the melee cantrips a popular choice).

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I'd consider increasing the duration to 1 hour and possibly allowing adding spell casting stat to damage. That gives some potential extended use and a modest damage bump. Makes it more comparable to magic weapon as well.

As for concentrating on melee spells, I've been mulling over allowing casters to 'regain' concentration on the spell with an action. You get hit, the spell drops and you can spend an action before the duration is up to restart its effects. I haven't made a list of spells it would apply to or figured out if players would actually make use of it.

I really like this idea. But perhaps it would be better to put this in with the Warcaster feat, replacing the advantage on Constitution saves to maintain concentration.

 

[CapnZapp]

As for concentrating on melee spells

Thing is, such spells absolutely need to be better than both real weapons and cantrips.

If the spell's got duration, it's inevitably a bad deal unless you get a good duration out of it. And having to make multiple Concentration rolls a round is one of the worst ways to do that.

Thing is - duration spells *should* have Concentration. The few spells that don't are almost all very desirable, precisely for that reason. So if you drop Concentration but keep a duration, you need to compensate for that by nerfing the spell.

And Flaming Blade can't afford to be nerfed; it's not exactly stellar damage as is.

That's why I suggested nixing the duration = because that way, Concentration can be removed without that registering as a buff that needs to be compensated by a nerf

 

[Gadget]

I kind of get the impression that Flame Blade is one of those spells, like Jump and Mordenkainen's Sword, that's mainly in there for the sake of tradition. The devs 'translated' them to the new edition paradigm, made sure they weren't overpowering, and moved on. I'm not sure if I even agree that dropping concentration on this spell would be overpowered, other than the fact it might allow you to have another powerful buff up at the same time. And that leads us to the main problem with concentration: it is really two mechanics in one. First, limiting the spellcaster to only one spell of this type going at a time, and second having the spell be disputable by damage to the caster after being cast. If this spell only had the first restriction, it would be much more palatable.

 

[jaelis]

Hey I like jump.

 

[Ganymede81]

Allow the caster to attack three adjacent foes within five feet with a single attack action, perhaps?