D&D 5E Spells you house rule?

[Krachek]

Unless a spell were truly broken, I would not house rule a spell. I see no truly broken 5E spells from WotC, so I do not house rule any of them. Even if I did find one, I might look at approaches that fix it without changing the spell itself, but by changing the environment in which the spell is used.

I do, however, introduce alternate versions of spells that have different mechanics, but the same goals. Why? For the same reason we have Honda, Toyota, Ford, and all the other car brands: People want to put their own tweaks on a good idea, whether for their own benefit, for pride or to profit from it. Accordingly, I have a lot of different takes on a counterspell spell. One is an aura that counters all spells cast in it (using the mechanics for counterspell). One doesn't counter the spell, but lets the reacting mage change the target of the spell to another legal target. Another captures the magic of the spell being cast and let's the reactionary caster hold onto it and recast it themself at a later point in time (unless they lose concentration before they cast it). I even have two second level versions of a counterspell: One that reduces the range and radius/area of spells (forcing the caster to reselect the target/area), and another that gives the target of a spell advantage on saving throws against the spell, the caster disadvantage on attack rolls, etc...

Some of the spells with alternate versions have alternate introduced versions that are the same level as the original, but stronger. Others are more situationally stronger, but generally weaker. It is a mix - but having that wide breadth of magics makes my world a lot less 'cookie cutter' and feel more magical.

I like this view.
A multitude of spells and rituals and those presented in official books are the base reference.
it can produce a more dynamic and unpredictable world.

 

[Shiroiken]

Where is Healing Spirit errata'd?

Couldn't find it in here: https://media.wizards.com/2021/dnd/downloads/PH-Errata.pdf

I think that's just the PHB,but it's from Xanthars. Originally it worked for everyone on their turn, allowing it to potentially heal 10d6 to everyone who could conga-line through it, making it super powerful outside of combat. Now it can only heal a number of times equal to your spellcasting modifier, which I feel is too much of a nerf. I limited it to once per round, allow the caster to decide if it triggers for someone, so it would heal 10d6 for a 2nd level spell over 1 minutes compared to 12d8 + 6x casting modifier over 10 minutes.

 

[James Gasik]

Leomund's Tiny Hut doesn't have a floor. When it says it's a hemisphere, it's just that. Cut a hollow sphere in half, you won't have a floor. It's like a magical igloo.

I don't mind it being safe against most threats, but it should have some weakness, thanks.

That's all I've had to change so far, but I have my eye on Healing Word, Cure Wounds, and Polymorph for some balance changes. I'll worry about the big guns like Simulacrum and True Polymorph if I ever have a game hit those levels.

 

[JEB]

In our last campaign, each form of resurrection magic only worked once on a given character. (The exception being Revivify, with the idea that your soul hadn't strayed too far yet.) Once all the spell options run out, you're down to more creative solutions if you still want that character back.

We also encouraged reskinning and modifying damage types on spells - for example, a dwarf wizard PC was famous for changing Cloud of Daggers into Cloud of Hammers.

Two specific modified spells were:

• Find Familiar let you summon familiars with the aberration, construct, elemental, or ooze types, and we provided some additional special familiars (the gibbering nibbler and oozelet). You could also customize the damage type to match the creature type (a celestial hawk could do radiant damage, or a fire elemental lizard could do fire damage).
• Glyph of Warding included a conversion of Sepia Snake Sigil as an option.

 

[Torquar]

Well I guess it's a house rule now....

Magic Missile - roll 1d4+1 seperately for each missile​

 

[Quickleaf]

Well I guess it's a house rule now....

Magic Missile - roll 1d4+1 seperately for each missile​

That's just the spell description. Unless there's been errata? Man, I hate keeping track of errata.

 

[cbwjm]

That's just the spell description. Unless there's been errata? Man, I hate keeping track of errata.

I wouldn't worry about it, it's just a twitter post from JC which never made it into sage advice. He also followed it up by saying that rolling individually is also not a problem.

 

[Quickleaf]

The only spell I (currently) houserule is Witch Bolt.

The inititial strike is btb, but I treat the subsequent damage as escalating. Each round a caster sustains the witch bolt increases the damage by d8, starting with 1d8 and going up to a maximum # of dice equal to the original output of the spell.

I really like that one!

 

[James Gasik]

I really like that one!

That does make the spell better, but the fact you can escape the Witch Bolt was always the problem I had with it.

 

[cbwjm]

That does make the spell better, but the fact you can escape the Witch Bolt was always the problem I had with it.

I'm not sure how much of an issue that really is in practice, however, I've considered changing the spell in one if two ways (though I'm liking the change already mentioned in this thread):

1. If the target moves out of range, you can move on your next turn to bring them back in range
2. Or, for the duration, you can use your action to change the target of the secondary damage to another target within range of the spell, requiring another attack roll.

My main issue with the spell is the low secondary damage, I think that should increase as well to make the spell worthwhile. If you're 5th level and you cast it with a 3rd level slot, you deal 3d12 initial damage and secondary is still 1d12. At that point, it is more or less just as good as casting two cantrips on each of those turns.