D&D 5E Power Gamers Guide to Elemental Evil Players Companion

[Minigiant]

It is a double edge sword that does not need to exist. You can have a freeform action resolution for any class ability (martial or casters) and still provide detailed abilities. Overall casters are just as simple, but they have something to look forward to when expanding ability.

True. Unfortunately D&D history has not been kind to such things. Tradition limits possibilities which would be widely accepted. 5th edition design further limits options. And the mistakes and errors of the past arrest design. A history of screw ups hinders retries.

As an Elemental excerpt, I didn't expect much for noncasters. But they are probably strong in those the Mass Combat UA due to the scaling.

 

[CapnZapp]

Abi Dalzims Horrid Wilting
This spell came from 2E Tome of Magic Book and it was a decent spell back in the day as it was not fire and it dealt a lot of damage as Fireball in 2E topped out at 10d6 damage. In 5E it deals 10d8 necrotic damage. That is kind of garbage to be honest and you have better things to cast with your only 8th level spell slot. This spell is interesting in a bad way just avoid it.

I was soooo excited to see Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, as it was one of my favorites in past editions. Then I read it and almost cried upon seeing how much it sucks. Fireball laughs at this spell. Sunburst, which is also 8th level, deals the same damage but also blinds creatures and affects an area that is several times larger. Sunburst also works on undead and constructs (horrid wilting doesn't), and very few things are resistant to radiant damage, unlike necrotic. Even circle of death is better than horrid wilting, and I don't consider that to be a very good spell...

Would it help to remove "necrotic" from "takes 10d8 necrotic damage"?

That is, would changing the damage type from necrotic into untyped make the spell viable without making it OP?

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I dont think so. Most things with necrotic resistance are undead, which are immune anyways. I guess if you were fighting Aasimar it would help.

Increase its area (15' radius is kind of meh) and adding a status would be my go to fix. Weakened, save ends, something like that.

 

[Voort]

Increase its area (15' radius is kind of meh) and adding a status would be my go to fix. Weakened, save ends, something like that.

CON save or take a level of exhaustion, perhaps?

 

[phantomK9]

Just wanted to say thanks to the OP for starting this thread.
It looks like all the analysis that others have done have come to the same conclusion that I did.
The Genasi (with the possible exception of the Fire Genasi) are pretty much underpowered but not so much that a tweak here or there won't fix them right up.

 

[Falling Icicle]

Would it help to remove "necrotic" from "takes 10d8 necrotic damage"?

That is, would changing the damage type from necrotic into untyped make the spell viable without making it OP?

The necrotic damage makes sense, especially since it's basically an area of effect blight. What would be cool is if it inflicted exhaustion, as Voort suggested. Since dehydration is one of the things that causes exhaustion, and this spell sucks the moisture out of creatures, that would make sense.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Quick note about the air genasi. It's levitate spell is not limited to itself. Meaning you can just use it to dangle a non flying enemy in the air.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I think all genasi should get darkvision. I have no idea why only the fire ones do. All genies have darkvision, after all, not just efreeti.

 

[abelmort]

Overall I like the new spell options but I was a bit annoyed at this:

Your DM might add only a few of these spells to your druid’s spell list. For example, if your druid is from a coastal region, the druid might have access only to the new water-themed spells.

C'mon wizards, if you want it limited, then specify the limits.

 

[Eric V]

It's a feature!