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Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother
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<blockquote data-quote="Thank Dog" data-source="post: 6400933" data-attributes="member: 6780250"><p>Which you can do with Chromatic Orb and do significantly more damage and also choose the element used so as to take advantage of vulnerabilities or at least have the flexibility of using an element that isn't resisted. Witch Bolt is lightning and nothing else. On top of that, it's concentration AND you can't do anything other than continuing the spell or losing it entirely. And if all of that wasn't enough to turn you off it, it has a piddly 30-ft. range. Fire Bolt, a cantrip, does only slightly less damage and has a range of 120-ft. Poison Spray does the same damage as Witch Bolt and is a save so can even be done in melee. Witch Bolt doesn't even have any riders like Shocking Grasp or Chill Touch. Cantrips are almost always better options to cast and every other 1st-level damaging spell is a far superior option.</p><p></p><p></p><p>It's only automatic if your target stays within 30-ft. of you. And 1d12 is piddly damage. Compare it to 2nd-level spells and you're literally wasting a spell slot that could be used to cast something so, so, so much better that Witch Bolt doesn't even rate on the scale.</p><p></p><p>The only thing that is good about Witch Bolt is that it's cool to be able to emulate Emperor Palpatine for a round or two.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Yeah, unfortunately the spell doesn't work that way. You're only allowed to emulate <em>animals</em>. A dragon does not qualify. Of course, what you do in your game is your business <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Thank Dog, post: 6400933, member: 6780250"] Which you can do with Chromatic Orb and do significantly more damage and also choose the element used so as to take advantage of vulnerabilities or at least have the flexibility of using an element that isn't resisted. Witch Bolt is lightning and nothing else. On top of that, it's concentration AND you can't do anything other than continuing the spell or losing it entirely. And if all of that wasn't enough to turn you off it, it has a piddly 30-ft. range. Fire Bolt, a cantrip, does only slightly less damage and has a range of 120-ft. Poison Spray does the same damage as Witch Bolt and is a save so can even be done in melee. Witch Bolt doesn't even have any riders like Shocking Grasp or Chill Touch. Cantrips are almost always better options to cast and every other 1st-level damaging spell is a far superior option. It's only automatic if your target stays within 30-ft. of you. And 1d12 is piddly damage. Compare it to 2nd-level spells and you're literally wasting a spell slot that could be used to cast something so, so, so much better that Witch Bolt doesn't even rate on the scale. The only thing that is good about Witch Bolt is that it's cool to be able to emulate Emperor Palpatine for a round or two. Yeah, unfortunately the spell doesn't work that way. You're only allowed to emulate [I]animals[/I]. A dragon does not qualify. Of course, what you do in your game is your business :) [/QUOTE]
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Spells: the Good, the Bad, and the Downright Orcish Grandmother
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