Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gadget" data-source="post: 6634144" data-attributes="member: 23716">As I said in my reply up above: yes, one must be careful not to meta game opponents with this spell, but it is not like doing any of those things is something that a victim of the spell is unlikely to try anyway.  Yes, this can be useful when the target is otherwise engaged, but when someone is shooting a continuous stream of electricity at you, trying one of those actions is not out of the blue genius on the target's part or necessarily meta gaming on the DM's part.  But I agree that this limitation is is over-emphasized and not the main weakness of the spell, just one that most attack spells don't have and thus another nail in the coffin, so to speak.      I also agree concentration is not the issue per se, it's just--as someone said above--that there are usually better things to use your concentration on.  Add to this the fact that it is not merely concentration, but your action on future rounds that you are committing to when you cast this spell.  That really tends to weigh it down.  The previously mentioned hypothetical archer gets to make a discrete decision each round to attack you (along with having to make new attack role each time, admittedly).  He does not commit his action on future rounds by shooting at you the first round.  In many type of short, fluid D&D combats, this is huge.  Of course the WB caster does not have to continue the action on future rounds as well, but then much of the potential of the spell is 'wasted'. Yes, the spell is best used on someone already engaged, that is true, and a good tactic.  But why not just MM the victim + damage cantrip on subsequent rounds for better damage and more flexibility?  It's also useful if someone is staked out just waiting for you to attack them as well.  Typical D&D combat favors applying the most HP attrition the quickest, and with WP not offering anything other than pure damage, trickled out over multiple rounds, there are usually better options.  Now if it added something like causing the target to loose a reaction each round it was maintained, that would at least give it a little bit of added omph (maybe not enough?).  It would strengthen it's niche of using it on engaged targets, except now it gives the added benefit of allowing your allies to disengage easier without fears of retaliation.The problems you're refuting are only indirect or minor problems with the spell.  Yes, requiring concentration is not a bad thing, it is a question of if there are better things to use your concentration on.  It allows multiple rounds of damage for one attack role, but that damage is relatively weak and commits your future actions as well as your concentration.  It also makes the initial attack roll much more of an all or nothing proposition than most attack spells, so you really want advantage on that roll.  Then there is the minor limitation of the target moving out of range, getting behind cover, etc.  None of these things are fatal by themselves, but add them all together, and you have a spell that seems only good for torturing helpless people."And now, young Skywalker, you die!"</blockquote>

Verification