D&D 5E Witch Bolt and Elemental Affinity

[Cyan Wisp]

Witch Bolt gives me one of the coolest mental images when I read the description, so if you have a chance to have it really BE as much fun as it sounds in my head, go for it!

Yeah, I kind of imagined it as being like The Emperor in Return of the Jedi zapping Luke.

 

[Flamestrike]

I use the higher damage each round (1d12 per spell level each round) and still no-one uses it.

Id love it if it did damage and hit you with a stasis effect like:

[video=youtube;4BOQI-LAEzM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOQI-LAEzM[/video]

Perhaps gave the restrained condition (escape DC = Spell DC) while it was active.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Not really. Unless battlefields in your DM's game are particularly uncluttered, Witch bolt's achilles heel is too great. The spell ending as soon as the target gains total cover means most times any other damage spell would have been better. And the spell certainly makes it look like it is a good idea to do exactly that! If you had a bolt of lighting bouncing between you and a spell caster, it would be stupid NOT to try getting behind cover.

So... it could be a great spell against stupid opponents?

DM The monsters are charging at you--
PC --How, exactly? Are they charging "intelligently" or...?
DM I hate you.

 

[Fralex]

Not really. Unless battlefields in your DM's game are particularly uncluttered, Witch bolt's achilles heel is too great. The spell ending as soon as the target gains total cover means most times any other damage spell would have been better. And the spell certainly makes it look like it is a good idea to do exactly that! If you had a bolt of lighting bouncing between you and a spell caster, it would be stupid NOT to try getting behind cover.

To me, this just suggests it works best when your allies are flanking the target or otherwise keeping it from moving away from you. I bet a grapple-based fighter would synergize really well with this spell!

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I think there is a point to be considered here. Opponents, unless they are familiar with the spell, won't necessarily know that cover or distance will end it. If you have a character in the party whose player who hasn't read the spell description and is targeted with it by an NPC, is that player automatically going to have his melee character just move 30' away so it turns off, and then charge back into the fight? I'm guessing a lot of melee warriors are just going to try to keep getting into melee with that caster, and if they aren't able to get past the goons and meat shields, perhaps pull out ranged attacks and go after them. A lot of opponents won't know how it works either, which means it can be quite effective if you can keep them from closing with you.

 

[Fralex]

I think there is a point to be considered here. Opponents, unless they are familiar with the spell, won't necessarily know that cover or distance will end it. If you have a character in the party whose player who hasn't read the spell description and is targeted with it by an NPC, is that player automatically going to have his melee character just move 30' away so it turns off, and then charge back into the fight? I'm guessing a lot of melee warriors are just going to try to keep getting into melee with that caster, and if they aren't able to get past the goons and meat shields, perhaps pull out ranged attacks and go after them. A lot of opponents won't know how it works either, which means it can be quite effective if you can keep them from closing with you.

Well, I think it's fairly intuitive that if someone is electrocuting you with a sustained arc of lightning, you'll want to put something between you and them.

 

[Remathilis]

I use the higher damage each round (1d12 per spell level each round) and still no-one uses it.

Id love it if it did damage and hit you with a stasis effect like:

[video=youtube;4BOQI-LAEzM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOQI-LAEzM[/video]

Perhaps gave the restrained condition (escape DC = Spell DC) while it was active.

I made a version that might work...

Lightning Web
3rd-level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You shoot a pellet of energy out to a point of your choice within range, exploding into a web of electrical energy in a 20-foot-radius burst. Each creature in the burst must make a Dexterity saving throw or be caught in the web, which causes you to be restrained and take 2d6 lightning damage every round you are in the web. Every round, you can make a Strength saving throw to escape the web.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage of the spell increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Well, I think it's fairly intuitive that if someone is electrocuting you with a sustained arc of lightning, you'll want to put something between you and them.

Depends. Do they have any reason to think the lightning won't arc around an obstacle?

 

[Fralex]

Depends. Do they have any reason to think the lightning won't arc around an obstacle?

Enough for it to be worth a try, especially if they see a big obstacle. They'd have to be really pessimistic to assume there's nothing they can do to escape the spell that's even worth attempting. "Siiiiigh... being repeatedly struck by lightning is just my lot in life, why fight it? Avoiding high voltage prolongs death but doesn't avert it."

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Yeah, if they can't do anything else effective, ducking behind a wall is a pretty good idea. I was mainly referring to situations where they could attempt to keep contributing in a meaningful way to the fight, or at least they could try to charge first to see if they could break through the lines.