D&D 5E Spells you house rule?

[GMforPowergamers]

I think shield is fine when it’s used to protect that warlock, sorcerer or wizard. With AC 15.

I think it gets silly when that low level Paladin (or fighter or bladesinger) with a level of arcane caster uses it’s already high AC from full plate, a shield and shield of faith, etc to get it to 27 on the unlikely event someone gets through AC22.

someone on tic tock has "highest AC at level 1" and has it in the upper 20's by being a tortol caster with shield

he says it best at the end "NPC wont be able to hit you, but your DM may want to"

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Shield seems to be made on the assumption that the users will have low AC, just to compensate, but since there's no real limit to casting on armor besides proficiency, a Wizard can go Cleric 1 and have 20 AC base with Plate and a Shield, 25 with the Shield spell. Or without multiclassing, take a race with medium armor prof and have 19 base, 24 with Shield.

It's more limited for Eldritch Knights and Hexblades since they get fewer slots, but not very well thought out for the normal full casters.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Shield seems to be made on the assumption that the users will have low AC, just to compensate, but since there's no real limit to casting on armor besides proficiency, a Wizard can go Cleric 1 and have 20 AC base with Plate and a Shield, 25 with the Shield spell. Or without multiclassing, take a race with armor prof and have 19 base, 24 with Shield.

It's more limited for Eldritch Knights and Hexblades since they get fewer slots, but not very well thought out for the normal full casters.

When you watch a PC multi class hexblade and sorcerer just so they can take a few 1st level spells like shield and watch them burn warlock spells before each short rest for sorcerey pts to turn into 1st level spells you start to see red... trust me

 

[Oofta]

someone on tic tock has "highest AC at level 1" and has it in the upper 20's by being a tortol caster with shield

he says it best at the end "NPC wont be able to hit you, but your DM may want to"

If you're not proficient in shields you can't cast spells. A tortle gets base AC 17 (no dex mod). You can get a +4 to AC by withdrawing into your shell as an action but if you do that you can't use reactions so you couldn't cast shield. So yes, an AC of 22 a couple of times a day is nice but I see no way to get into the "upper 20s".

On the other hand my fighter/arcane trickster that eventually got shield was annoying.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

When you watch a PC multi class hexblade and sorcerer just so they can take a few 1st level spells like shield and watch them burn warlock spells before each short rest for sorcerey pts to turn into 1st level spells you start to see red... trust me

I've DM'd a Sorcadin with 26 AC base, 31 with Shield, nothing can phase me anymore.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

If you're not proficient in shields you can't cast spells. A tortle gets base AC 17 (no dex mod). You can get a +4 to AC by withdrawing into your shell as an action but if you do that you can't use reactions so you couldn't cast shield. So yes, an AC of 22 a couple of times a day is nice but I see no way to get into the "upper 20s".

On the other hand my fighter/arcane trickster that eventually got shield was annoying.

okay I went and looked he has a youtube channel... it is cover shield shield spell and withdraw, I think it is a thought experiment but mostly just to set up the joke "The NPC wont be able to hit you but your DM might want to"

 

[Oofta]

okay I went and looked he has a youtube channel... it is cover shield shield spell and withdraw, I think it is a thought experiment but mostly just to set up the joke "The NPC wont be able to hit you but your DM might want to"

Well, part of that logic is purposely triggering an OA and getting behind 3/4 cover because the enemy that just tried to hit you with a melee weapon is obviously going to try a ranged attack instead of following. Also assumes that somehow you're still holding your shield while turtled up. I don't see how you can hold a shield when you've "withdrawn into your shell" but ... meh.

Might as well say that they get infinite AC by moving out of the room. I get it though, it's one of those things that is technically plausible but is never going to happen.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

someone on tic tock has "highest AC at level 1" and has it in the upper 20's by being a tortol caster with shield

he says it best at the end "NPC wont be able to hit you, but your DM may want to"

Suffers from the same problem as a rogue who is perpetually hidden....that just means more attacks piled up on other targets, making those PCs go down that much faster.

My first campaign had two characters who would never be in danger during many battles (flying wizard and hiding rogue) and it never bothered me as GM but I'm sure it did the other players who kept getting their teeth kicked in by taking ALL the hits.

 

[TheSword]

Suffers from the same problem as a rogue who is perpetually hidden....that just means more attacks piled up on other targets, making those PCs go down that much faster.

My first campaign had two characters who would never be in danger during many battles (flying wizard and hiding rogue) and it never bothered me as GM but I'm sure it did the other players who kept getting their teeth kicked in by taking ALL the hits.

The problem with shield is that it isn’t a problem until it’s used. How do you justify not attacking the Paladin when the base AC is similar to other characters but they can cast shield when needed.

 

[Flamestrike]

No.


On the other hand if the barbarian leaps over the bar and says "I know there's a secret button here somewhere!" then the cleric can chime in with guidance in my games.

Yeah for sure, if the Cleric has some in game reason to suspect a test of skill is about to take place, and casts it before the check is requested, then I'd allow it too.