Spells that could be improved / better designed

[Corwin]

[T]here is a difference between "weak" and "useless".

But those are highly subjective value judgements. One man's 'useless' is another man's 'weak' is another man's 'functional' is another man's 'favorite'.

For an example of the latter, look at detect traps.

Evidently you don't like that spell. That's fine. Surely, there are players out there putting that spell to use in some campaign or another. That's all that matters, really.

 

[CapnZapp]

Wow, I think that's my queue to leave..

I'm next after you in that queue. That's my cue to leave.

 

[Kryx]

I'm next after you in that queue. That's my cue to leave.

I admire the grammar Nazism and will accept my shame.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Surely, there are players out there putting that spell to use in some campaign or another.

How? All the spell (a 2nd level spell, mind you) does is tell you "there are one or more traps in sight within 120ft." It doesn't tell you how many there are, where they are, what they do, or how to bypass or disarm them.

 

[Corwin]

How? All the spell (a 2nd level spell, mind you) does is tell you "there are one or more traps in sight within 120ft." It doesn't tell you how many there are, where they are, what they do, or how to bypass or disarm them.

So you are questioning my ability to speak for all of 5e playerdom while simultaneously trying to speak for all 5e playerdom?

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I can't think of any way that find traps is a useful use of a level 2+ slot. I've asked around my gaming club as well as here on a thread that was active before the Great Crash of 2016. If someone has found a use for it, then post here!

 

[Kryx]

Find traps was more viable in PF. 2nd level to get bonuses to find traps for up to level/minutes.

I'd consider revamping it to be advantage on perception checks to spot traps, advantage on investigation to figure out how to disable them, and advantage on Dexterity saving throws against them for concentration up to 10 minutes:

"You sense the presence of danger within range that is within line of sight. Danger, for the purpose of this power, includes anything that would inflict a sudden or unexpected effect you consider harmful or undesirable. Thus, the power would sense an area affected by the alarm spell, a glyph of warding, a mechanical pit trap, a natural weakness in the floor, an unstable ceiling, or a hidden sinkhole. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to find traps, Intelligence (Investigation) to understand how they work, and advantage on Dexterity saving throws to avoid their effects."

 

[CapnZapp]

I can't think of any way that find traps is a useful use of a level 2+ slot. I've asked around my gaming club as well as here on a thread that was active before the Great Crash of 2016. If someone has found a use for it, then post here!

You know the number of traps, so when the Rogue has found seven, you can tell her there are only two to go. Be sure to be a huge prick about it, though!

As a bonus, you can describe to her in gory details how she will be burnt in acid and skewered by spears respectively if she fails her trap checks. Sure, you really only gain a general sense of the danger, but she doesn't need to know you're just making up stuff as you go!

Since the spell doesn't give you anything really useful, you need to use it as the Ultimate Smart-Arse spell!

 

[Giant2005]

Spells that grant resistance:

Absorb Elements (1st): Reaction for resistance to an energy type for 1 round.
Blade Ward (Cantrip): 1 action for resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from weapons for 1 round. Awful cantrip
Primordial Ward (6th): 1 action to gain resistance to all energy types for Concentration, up to 1 minute.
Protection from Energy (3rd): 1 action to gain resistance to an energy type for Concentration, up to 1 hour
Protection from Poison (2nd): 1 action to neutralize a poison, grant advantage on saving throws against poison, and resistance to poison for 1 hour
Stoneskin (4th): 1 action to gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for Concentration, up to 1 hour


bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing resistance is amazing and magic weapons are incredibly rare for monsters to have so I'm not seeing how it's a bad choice when compared to the other resistance spells.

3rd level feels like a stretch.

You forgot Investiture of Stone which is a big deal because it is quite a bit better than Stoneskin mainly due to Stoneskin's stupid component cost. In the end as long as that cost remains, Stoneskin could be 3rd level or 4th as it doesn't really matter - its real limitation lies in the form of gold pieces, not spell slots. Even with just one or two uses per long rest, in my experience Investiture of Stone is just much more spammable. Wizards have some serious issues with finances compared to everyone else already - a spell that just adds to their biggest problem is a spell that should burn in hell.

 

[Corwin]

I can't think of any way that find traps is a useful use of a level 2+ slot. I've asked around my gaming club as well as here on a thread that was active before the Great Crash of 2016. If someone has found a use for it, then post here!

Well, if you've asked your tiny pocket of fellow players in your little neck of the woods, I guess that's science. Case closed.

I dunno. IMO, if you are playing a 5e conversion of Tomb of Horrors, for example, and you can't find any use for that spell, you should probably ebay your D&D books and go play Chutes & Ladders(TM).