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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FormerlyHemlock" data-source="post: 6516707" data-attributes="member: 6787650">I wasn't making an "edition war" observation--this same tactic is occasionally useful in 5E as well. Any time you're facing a caster of some sort (whether it is a wizard with Vampiric Touch/Fire Shield or a dragon with Haste + Blink + Mirror Image), consider whether it might not be to your advantage to make a tactical retreat and ambush him if he pursues. Even if he doesn't pursue, at least you can run out his buffs. If there are multiple foes, maybe you can even split them up!YMMV. For me, the two 1st level spells that I can't live without are Longstrider and Expeditious Retreat. It's the only way a solo first level wizard is ever going to beat an Iron Golem in under five minutes. That's way better than Magic Missile. Mage Armor and Sleep are pretty decent too.On the other hand, does Web really need a buff? It's already fantastic. It targets most tough monsters' weakest safe (DX is often +0 or worse on really big monsters), and it's reusable too! Every time the warlock knocks the Death Slaad backwards into the web with an Eldritch Blast, it has a pretty good chance of getting snagged and losing a turn trying to untangle itself. Combine with Grease (no Concentration!) for some extra fun, so that whenever it does get an actual action it has to waste half of its movement on standing up and the rest of its movement moving 7.5' through difficult terrain, which isn't quite far enough to get back out of the web... before the Warlock blasts it right back into the middle of the Web again.Another fun thing to do is to cast Freedom of Movement (1 hour, no Concentration!) on somebody and let him tank from inside of the Web. Most of his enemies are restrained all the time and he can pick or choose which ones to engage each round. (In the right terrain he can stand just outside of the Web and get the same effect with no Freedom of Movement needed, e.g. Web in narrow corridor.)Don't get me wrong, Web isn't an auto-win button or anything, but in my experience it is a heavy force multiplier. Even at low levels it has better than 50% chance to affect most enemies who enter its area, which means you're probably doubling your combat effectiveness against them. As you level up it only gets better and cheaper, against many-but-not-all foes.TLDR; Web is already fantastic even with Concentration requirement. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.</blockquote>

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