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<blockquote data-quote="Captain Panda" data-source="post: 8495545" data-attributes="member: 6861845">The problem with using any specific fight as an example is that either side can cherry pick niche situations to support their side. Silvery Barbs could be made to look really amazing if you're up against something that targets one creature with one huge attack or saving throw and Silvery Barbs is assumed to make the difference between, say, a Catoblepas insta-killing a level 4 character or them making the save.And sure, in that situation against a Catoblepas using a death beam? I absolutely want Silvery Barbs, not Shield. It's just that the people who are calling for bans here seem to be assuming it will always be that useful.Consider a different but equally plausible enemy for a group at level 4: 12 giant poisonous snakes. Making any one saving throw or attack roll go the way you want? Not going to change the trajectory of the fight at all. This fight easily favors the Shield spell.Which spell is useful depends entirely on the situation, but here's my main point: it's not clearly better than Shield, or Absorb Elements. There are very common situations where you'd want one or the other of those way more. There are situations where you'd want Silvery Barbs more. That's how it should work. If the spell was second level... honestly, I'm just wondering what second level spells you people are picking, because now it's competing with Suggestion and Web, spells that dramatically change the course of a fight, not just one key roll.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Captain Panda, post: 8495545, member: 6861845"] The problem with using any specific fight as an example is that either side can cherry pick niche situations to support their side. Silvery Barbs could be made to look really amazing if you're up against something that targets one creature with one huge attack or saving throw and Silvery Barbs is assumed to make the difference between, say, a Catoblepas insta-killing a level 4 character or them making the save. And sure, in that situation against a Catoblepas using a death beam? I absolutely want Silvery Barbs, not Shield. It's just that the people who are calling for bans here seem to be assuming it will always be that useful. Consider a different but equally plausible enemy for a group at level 4: 12 giant poisonous snakes. Making any one saving throw or attack roll go the way you want? Not going to change the trajectory of the fight at all. This fight easily favors the Shield spell. Which spell is useful depends entirely on the situation, but here's my main point: it's not clearly better than Shield, or Absorb Elements. There are very common situations where you'd want one or the other of those way more. There are situations where you'd want Silvery Barbs more. That's how it [I]should [/I]work. If the spell was second level... honestly, I'm just wondering what second level spells you people are picking, because now it's competing with Suggestion and Web, spells that dramatically change the course of a fight, not just one key roll. [/QUOTE]

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