D&D 5E (2014) Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother

[Joddy37]

It seems to me that, while it's situational, witchbolt could work if someone else in the group can grapple, hold, or otherwise immobilize an opponent.

Sure, it's not an amazing option, but if you have any desire to conserve spell slots, you'll be making a decent contribution with a single slot.

Also, if you can corner an opponent (like blocking the single exit to the room) you can easily deal automatic damage averaging 6.5 until your concentration ends. Witch Bolt is a kind of spell you want to cast on opponents that have very few mobility chances. At worst case, you force your opponent to a disengage. When you are fighting a big bad guy, that disengage would mean a lot.

 

[weldon]

I assume that witch bolt is meant to conserve spell slots with the tradeoff that it doesn't do quite as much damage as some other 1st level spells. One house rule I might add is that the caster can target the enemy and CONTINUE to target the enemy even on a 1st round miss. As long as they concentrate on the same target, they continue to make attack rolls every round until they hit. Then it's auto-hit on subsequent rounds until that target is dead or concentration is broken (failed check, target moved out of range, behind concealment, etc.).

I think it could be dramatic in situations where the big bad is in melee with the other party members and the caster only has one spell slot left.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

On Friday night our Arcane Trickster (who was newly 3rd level) tried to use witchbolt on a creature trapped on the other side of the room fighting allies. His attack roll missed, but it might have been quite effective had it hit.

As an aside, the Arcane Trickster ended up being the MVP for the fight due to hitting the extra-hp bugbear boss with Tasha's Hideous Laughter in the first turn. I love the new flavor text that the creature finds everything hilarious. My players enjoyed my role-playing of the situation too.

 

[Hannerdyn]

The good: the delicious jar of olives on the bottom of page 288.

The bad: the art for insect swarm is not on the same page as the spell for insect swarm. So confusing.

The orcish grandmother: stuff it, I'm rather fond of my orcish grandmother.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Rope Trick pretty much guarantees a successful short rest. That makes it incredibly valuable in my opinion. Leomund's Tiny Hut blows it out of the water but that's also a 3rd-level spell.

Leo's Tiny Hut also screams "ADVENTURERS RESTING!!!" when found in a dungeon. I like the subtlety of the Rope Trick.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Witch Bolt is a "boss killer." It also synergizes very well with other party actions.

Your front line is in melee with the critter, and one hit will give you reliable d12 damage. There are MUCH worse ways to spend an action -- namely, anything that requires more than one attack roll.

Yeah, on weak little squirrelly kobolds or something it's not going to be any great shakes, but if you've got the dude lit up with Faerie Fire, and he's standing there at max CR with a bucket of HPs, it's hardly a waste of an action to bolt 'em.

 

[Tanaka Chris]

That other thread just reminded me of another awful spell: Druidcraft!

Actually, I think the spells like Druidcraft, Prestigidation, and Minor Illusions all add wonderful flavours to Roleplay possibilities.

Well dressed aristocrat looks down on a Druid as a rustic peasant? Reinforce his assumptions by surrounding yourself with musk of wet bear and getting in REAL close and personal. While your party rouge helps himself to his money pouch, with advantage due to pure smelly distraction, and Guidance if you REALLY want to be safe.

Prestidigation has been endless fun making food taste wonderful or hopelessly bad, and the ability to soil something at will?
Pure gold in putting a NPC in an embarassing situation. Courtier trying to woo the Princess? Hard to do that with brown streaks in his pants and a lingering smell courtesy of Druidcraft

 

[Tanaka Chris]

Oh on Witch Bolt, basically it's the range and low damage and concentration that makes it horrible. Oh, and the fact that it isn't a Cantrip but actually burns a slot.

My thought on when it'd be useful? Pure RP, think interrogation scenario, NPC is bound and unable to attack the caster (So no worries about Concentration), you keep the juice running while he's interrogated ala electric chair. Heal him up and repeat till he cracks. Caution: Might result in DM being scared of you in real life.

But in ACTUAL battle? Meh, Stay awayyyyy, far far awayyyyyy.

 

[Kraydak]

Witch Bolt is a "boss killer." It also synergizes very well with other party actions.

Your front line is in melee with the critter, and one hit will give you reliable d12 damage. There are MUCH worse ways to spend an action -- namely, anything that requires more than one attack roll.

Yeah, on weak little squirrelly kobolds or something it's not going to be any great shakes, but if you've got the dude lit up with Faerie Fire, and he's standing there at max CR with a bucket of HPs, it's hardly a waste of an action to bolt 'em.

Witch Bolt isn't even a "boss killer". If you have a 50% chance to hit the target, then Witch Bolt (swapping to Fire Bolt if it misses) does less damage than Magic Missile+Fire Bolt (levels, of course) unless the fight lasts for 5+ rounds. This goes up to 8 rounds if you have a 25% chance of hitting (yes, the Fire Bolts do less… but the initial hit is much less likely). Your Witch Bolt will probably get interrupted well before it lasts that long. Worse, if the target is high enough priority to spend a spell slot on, and can tank 5 rounds of Witch Bolt combined with the rest of the party's efforts, then you probably want to spend at least one more spell slot on it...

Terrible, terrible, terrible spell.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Witch bolt is great for getting foes to either 1) run behind cover, or 2) attack you. Because nothing screams "I'm a prime target!" like a floating arc of electricity between you and the enemy. Of course, if you're using Witch Bolt, the enemy is probably better off doing something else from a tactical point of view. So I guess that qualifies as a win.