D&D 5E Shadow Step in dark dungeon - general purpose teleport or abuse of feature?

[fjw70]

I am not seeing the issue. The power allows you to teleport into an area of darkness.

 

[transtemporal]

Is the player abusing their feature or am I being pedantic?

By the wording of the feature, no they aren't. They're basically using it as an fast overland travel feature. Depends whether you think thats game-breaking or not. If yes, restrict the usage to combat.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Don't do this.

The player isn't abusing anything. That is exactly what the ability does. If it's night, or in a dark enclosed space, whether that's a dungeon, castle, inn, whatever, they can teleport.

This issue of it going from a cool thing to a button to mash is why I think it should have been character's speed, with a feature that increases speed in darkness, and spend 1ki to double the distance of a single teleport or to ignore the darkness restriction. EDIT: and I would have had the attack bonus come in later. it would be too much for an always on ability.


Anyway, the balance of the feature does assume that not all rooms/areas will have areas of dim light or darkness. That's important to remember, and much simpler than any heavy handed "consequence" for using one of the main abilities of the character's subclass. Dude presumably took the option, in part, to be able to teleport in darkness. It isn't limited per rest or the like because it doesn't need to be. if anything, it would only make sense to make it cost KI, and if you do I recommend making it use movement instead of a bonus action.

If it stops being cool if the character conatantly teleports in darkness all the time, limit it. Don't limit it in any combat situation. It is at-will. But blink around for 12 hours straight? That is not what it is for. 5 min? of course why not.
I would also not let a wizard fireblast for 12 hours every 6 seconds or let the fighter swing his axe for 12 hours every 6 seconds. Has nothing to do with punishing someone. Everything you do is exhausting if you don't take breaks and it is reasonable to tell your player that you won't allow him to shadow step all day long.

I still would allow him the use of shadow step to increase his travel speed in darkness by just assumung he shadow steps through every kind of difficult terrain, shortcuts any switchback, and probably shadowsteps once in a while.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I'm having a problem where my players are using their racial ability to walk. They're using it everywhere! Oh the humanity! And dwarfanity! And elfanity!

 

[Shiroiken]

While spamming at-will abilities can be obnoxious, it usually fades after a few times the player does it. If the player is using it as a scouting method, then this is the same as using cantrips (which annoys some DMs, but is a balancing mechanic of the game). If the player is just doing it because it's "kewl," I wouldn't worry too much; the overuse should fade after a while. If not, you can just tell the player that he's always doing it (and shut up about it).

I've dealt with a few obnoxious players who feel they HAVE to use all their abilities, or else they're a bad player. The worst was a player who had to use all of his spells every day. He would cast the most meaningless spells, just to spend the slots. While this wasn't D&D, it was still really annoying when he would take time each night to summon a small elemental spirit to ask it "why?" because he thought it was funny.

 

[Dausuul]

I have no problem with this and would totally allow it.

I guess I was wondering about shadows when there is not light. Is it considered shadow or is it just dark? I mean we don't call night time shadow time... would shadow step also function at night? I guess it would...

Well, when you think about it, night is nothing but the shadow of the earth. And darkness in a dungeon is the shadow of the ceiling. As long as there's light somewhere in the universe, all darkness is just the shadow of whatever's between you and the light.

 

[Uchawi]

With great mobility comes great responsibility, less the monk finds his or herself all alone. May you be able to fight in your in dark places, when all other lights go out.

 

[robus]

I have no problem with this and would totally allow it.


Well, when you think about it, night is nothing but the shadow of the earth. And darkness in a dungeon is the shadow of the ceiling. As long as there's light somewhere in the universe, all darkness is just the shadow of whatever's between you and the light.

Yep I'm seeing the light... err... shadow now

 

[doctorbadwolf]

If it stops being cool if the character conatantly teleports in darkness all the time, limit it. Don't limit it in any combat situation. It is at-will. But blink around for 12 hours straight? That is not what it is for. 5 min? of course why not.
I would also not let a wizard fireblast for 12 hours every 6 seconds or let the fighter swing his axe for 12 hours every 6 seconds. Has nothing to do with punishing someone. Everything you do is exhausting if you don't take breaks and it is reasonable to tell your player that you won't allow him to shadow step all day.

Why? How is that reasonable? Do you set arbitrary limits on walking? Do you constantly ask how fast they're walking?

I bet you limit piddly cantrips like Mage hand, don't you?

Nonsense.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

[MENTION=6704184]doctorbadwolf[/MENTION] Next time if you answer ask yourself if you are just answering because you are feeling hurt by aomeone playing differently (in a reasonable way). If you don't limot mundane tasks like walking (you need rests once kn a while) then it is unreasonable to limit magic in that way.
I for myself like it a bit more real. Mundane tasks exhaust your body. Magical tasks exhaust your mind if you don't rest. And to your question: you can't use mage hand much longer without rest than a clockmaker can work on a clockwork. I would say 8 hours a day, some short rests in between and a a good meal.