D&D 5E OK, 5e is a little broken sometimes.

[Mephista]

A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. That is a level one spell. You don't choose it's location man. This community is hell bent on arguments, huh? And these still aren't doing any lightning damage, so how can those cool class features work? Say you take elemental adept and choose thunder, but then learn that you can't push anyone anywhere. Fine, take lightning, and wait till you get call lightning, better be outdoors or in a football stadium.

Sure you do. By standing at the appropriate spot before casting the spell, then moving back to wherever*. Aiming is something ALL artillery-style casters have to deal with. Well, except the Evoker school, but everyone else has to aim.


* Remember, you can move before your action as well as after it. So, you can dash into the middle of enemy forces, unleash thunderous hell, and then run back behind ally lines.

 

[Prism]

A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw.

You know how a cube works? The caster is not in the middle of it. You choose one edge and it radiates away from you. Pretty easy to aim as the others have suggested.

 

[Satyrn]

You know how a cube works? The caster is not in the middle of it. You choose one edge and it radiates away from you. Pretty easy to aim as the others have suggested.

Oh my. I've been reading that spell wrong, too!

 

[Satyrn]

And these still aren't doing any lightning damage, so how can those cool class features work?

One of those cool class features works with thunder damage, though. The other one probable should, too, though it may be that most thunder damage spells already do so, making it less necessary.

That said, I probably agree with you about the tempest cleric not getting enough spells that fit the lightning/thunder theme.

The sorcerer probably suffers that problem too if your theme isn't fire.

Creating new spells is fun, though, so have it!

 

[Satyrn]

I got your message. You're welcome.

I have a comment about your concentration proficiency issue, my view of why I'd prefer it the way it is.

You seem like you want every major caster class to have it, but I think that it would be self defeating. It would, in effect, create a pointlessly scaling variable that would be equal for all characters (except I guess the eldritch knight and arcane trickster)

Essentially, if you give it to everyone, you're giving it to no one.
While the way it is now, it's an actual, effective benefit to those with it.

I would almost consider this the case for attack rolls, too, since every character is essentially assured of being proficient in the weapons they use.

 

[alienux]

A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. That is a level one spell. You don't choose it's location man. This community is hell bent on arguments, huh? And these still aren't doing any lightning damage, so how can those cool class features work? Say you take elemental adept and choose thunder, but then learn that you can't push anyone anywhere. Fine, take lightning, and wait till you get call lightning, better be outdoors or in a football stadium.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I would just like to thank the OP for highlighting some of my favorite things about this edition.

I quite like Healing magic is best spent on bringing someone back from the brink. I like the narrative of that better than some just Healbotting an entire fight. If I want to do that I'll go play an MMO. My clerics are going to Drop Spirit Guardians and wreck their enemies.

Also, I quite like 5e concentration. I do think that casters have an edge on non-casters in this edition, especially at high levels, but in part due to concentration the divide is much less than certain previews incarnations.

 

[Zippee]

OK, by no means did I say you cannot heal during combat, but it is certainly not advisable to burn your best spell slots on something so worthless. Like, if you had one fighter that was having an effect that was way more profound than the damage potential of your spells, heal him. Otherwise, it is a waste, right?

So

How about the cleric inability to heal during combat?

doesn't mean you cannot heal during combat.

I think you need to understand what 'inability' means

Also, you're wrong.

 

[pemerton]

Over-effective healing just makes for fights lasting longer and also takes the excitement out of combat.

I guess this is true if "over-effective" is taken to mean "takes excitement out of combat".

But I think it is possible to make in-combat healing part of the excitement of combat, if it is rationed, so the player(s) have to make choices about which PC(s) to support, and how much, and which to risk to their fate. In effect, rather than allocate hit points to PCs, some of the hp necessary to surive the fight can be allocated to the healer, who then has to try and effectively deply them to the party members via in-combat healing.

(4e worked something like this.)

 

[Rocksome]

I guess this is true if "over-effective" is taken to mean "takes excitement out of combat".

But I think it is possible to make in-combat healing part of the excitement of combat, if it is rationed, so the player(s) have to make choices about which PC(s) to support, and how much, and which to risk to their fate. In effect, rather than allocate hit points to PCs, some of the hp necessary to surive the fight can be allocated to the healer, who then has to try and effectively deply them to the party members via in-combat healing.

(4e worked something like this.)

Which is why I think 5e has struck a nice balance. It's now a tactical decision and not a mandatory one. juggling resources like action economy, and spell slots, plus alternate strategies like temporary HPs ensure that healing is metered out only where needed and in effect making it far more valuable.