So I was looking at the Acid Flask, Alchemist's Fire, and other such improvised thrown items and wondered...would the damage bonus from Hunter's Mark stack with these, since they're considered improvised weapon attacks?
Follow-up question: would a ranger get their Favored Enemy bonus damage using a "flask weapon"?
I hadn't thought of the damage type being the same.
So say I'm throwing and acid flask (2d6 acid damage) with Hunter's Mark (+1d6) at a giant (Greater Favored Enemy, +4 damage), using my +2 Dex bonus...would the whole thing be 3d6+6 acid damage? Or could I use my Str bonus (+4) instead because it's a improvised thrown weapon?
So I renamed this thread "Ranger Spells" because I didn't see anything covering Ranger spells in this section of the Forum (I found "Spell less revised UA Ranger" & "Spells removed for Ranger"). I figured this would be a good spot for folks who had questions/advise/favorites...etc.
One spell I like is Spike Growth. It's an 8x8 square effect (concentration) that is difficult terrain and deals 2d4 damage per 5' to whomever moves through or into the area...no save vs the damage, but a save to notice the area if you weren't there to see it cast. Pretty cool.
What I've run into, though, is if I drop it on a group (usually frost giants...we're play Storm King's Thunder), that limits our melee-only barbarian who doesn't want to get shredded...despite the 1/2 damage she'd take due to Rage. It's not very clear, but could a character make a jump check to clear some of those squares. What do you all think?
So I renamed this thread "Ranger Spells" because I didn't see anything covering Ranger spells in this section of the Forum (I found "Spell less revised UA Ranger" & "Spells removed for Ranger"). I figured this would be a good spot for folks who had questions/advise/favorites...etc.
One spell I like is Spike Growth. It's an 8x8 square effect (concentration) that is difficult terrain and deals 2d4 damage per 5' to whomever moves through or into the area...no save vs the damage, but a save to notice the area if you weren't there to see it cast. Pretty cool.
What I've run into, though, is if I drop it on a group (usually frost giants...we're play Storm King's Thunder), that limits our melee-only barbarian who doesn't want to get shredded...despite the 1/2 damage she'd take due to Rage. It's not very clear, but could a character make a jump check to clear some of those squares. What do you all think?
Good catch. Actually there is nothing in the spell description that say how much high those spikes are. Hence is up to the DM. I would allow it but you take at least 5 feet worth of damage (basically when you jump).
So I renamed this thread "Ranger Spells" because I didn't see anything covering Ranger spells in this section of the Forum (I found "Spell less revised UA Ranger" & "Spells removed for Ranger"). I figured this would be a good spot for folks who had questions/advise/favorites...etc.
One spell I like is Spike Growth. It's an 8x8 square effect (concentration) that is difficult terrain and deals 2d4 damage per 5' to whomever moves through or into the area...no save vs the damage, but a save to notice the area if you weren't there to see it cast. Pretty cool.
What I've run into, though, is if I drop it on a group (usually frost giants...we're play Storm King's Thunder), that limits our melee-only barbarian who doesn't want to get shredded...despite the 1/2 damage she'd take due to Rage. It's not very clear, but could a character make a jump check to clear some of those squares. What do you all think?
Good catch. Actually there is nothing in the spell description that say how much high those spikes are. Hence is up to the DM. I would allow it but you take at least 5 feet worth of damage (basically when you jump).
The barbarian wanted to leap 15' so she could melee with the giant inside the Spike Growth, but avoid 6d4 damage doing so. I figured she could make a jump check to clear at least 10' and land adjacent to the giant, taking damage for just one square (2d4). My DM said she could, but would take double damage for that one square (4d4), due to momentum and "landing hard". She's kind of a baby about damage (I know, I know), so she opted to ready an attack instead.
I'm somewhat conflicted with the "landing hard" compromise; on one hand it make sense, but on the other I feel that's what the Athletic's check is for, to avoid that. Maybe tack on a few extra points to the Jump DC, or else take this double damage?
So I renamed this thread "Ranger Spells" because I didn't see anything covering Ranger spells in this section of the Forum (I found "Spell less revised UA Ranger" & "Spells removed for Ranger"). I figured this would be a good spot for folks who had questions/advise/favorites...etc.
One spell I like is Spike Growth. It's an 8x8 square effect (concentration) that is difficult terrain and deals 2d4 damage per 5' to whomever moves through or into the area...no save vs the damage, but a save to notice the area if you weren't there to see it cast. Pretty cool.
What I've run into, though, is if I drop it on a group (usually frost giants...we're play Storm King's Thunder), that limits our melee-only barbarian who doesn't want to get shredded...despite the 1/2 damage she'd take due to Rage. It's not very clear, but could a character make a jump check to clear some of those squares. What do you all think?
Good catch. Actually there is nothing in the spell description that say how much high those spikes are. Hence is up to the DM. I would allow it but you take at least 5 feet worth of damage (basically when you jump).
The barbarian wanted to leap 15' so she could melee with the giant inside the Spike Growth, but avoid 6d4 damage doing so. I figured she could make a jump check to clear at least 10' and land adjacent to the giant, taking damage for just one square (2d4). My DM said she could, but would take double damage for that one square (4d4), due to momentum and "landing hard". She's kind of a baby about damage (I know, I know), so she opted to ready an attack instead.
I'm somewhat conflicted with the "landing hard" compromise; on one hand it make sense, but on the other I feel that's what the Athletic's check is for, to avoid that. Maybe tack on a few extra points to the Jump DC, or else take this double damage?
So I renamed this thread "Ranger Spells" because I didn't see anything covering Ranger spells in this section of the Forum (I found "Spell less revised UA Ranger" & "Spells removed for Ranger"). I figured this would be a good spot for folks who had questions/advise/favorites...etc.
One spell I like is Spike Growth. It's an 8x8 square effect (concentration) that is difficult terrain and deals 2d4 damage per 5' to whomever moves through or into the area...no save vs the damage, but a save to notice the area if you weren't there to see it cast. Pretty cool.
What I've run into, though, is if I drop it on a group (usually frost giants...we're play Storm King's Thunder), that limits our melee-only barbarian who doesn't want to get shredded...despite the 1/2 damage she'd take due to Rage. It's not very clear, but could a character make a jump check to clear some of those squares. What do you all think?
Good catch. Actually there is nothing in the spell description that say how much high those spikes are. Hence is up to the DM. I would allow it but you take at least 5 feet worth of damage (basically when you jump).
The barbarian wanted to leap 15' so she could melee with the giant inside the Spike Growth, but avoid 6d4 damage doing so. I figured she could make a jump check to clear at least 10' and land adjacent to the giant, taking damage for just one square (2d4). My DM said she could, but would take double damage for that one square (4d4), due to momentum and "landing hard". She's kind of a baby about damage (I know, I know), so she opted to ready an attack instead.
I'm somewhat conflicted with the "landing hard" compromise; on one hand it make sense, but on the other I feel that's what the Athletic's check is for, to avoid that. Maybe tack on a few extra points to the Jump DC, or else take this double damage?
HUNTER'S MARK...I know that the damage doesn't scale up if cast at a higher level, only the duration, but I wonder if the damage SHOULD scale up. Maybe either +1d6/spell level, or maybe just one die size up per level (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 3rd, etc)? Thoughts?
HUNTER'S MARK...I know that the damage doesn't scale up if cast at a higher level, only the duration, but I wonder if the damage SHOULD scale up. Maybe either +1d6/spell level, or maybe just one die size up per level (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 3rd, etc)? Thoughts?
I think that if you scale up the damage, even keeping the duration to 1 hour, it is kind of overpowered.
HUNTER'S MARK...I know that the damage doesn't scale up if cast at a higher level, only the duration, but I wonder if the damage SHOULD scale up. Maybe either +1d6/spell level, or maybe just one die size up per level (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 3rd, etc)? Thoughts?
I think that if you scale up the damage, even keeping the duration to 1 hour, it is kind of overpowered.
I can see that, sure...but if you're spending a higher level slot to get more damage/functionality, wouldn't that cost/loss of resources be the trade-off for more damage? If I spend a 2nd level slot to get +2d6 damage (or +1d8) per attack, that's one less Spike Growth I can put down.
HUNTER'S MARK...I know that the damage doesn't scale up if cast at a higher level, only the duration, but I wonder if the damage SHOULD scale up. Maybe either +1d6/spell level, or maybe just one die size up per level (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 3rd, etc)? Thoughts?
I think that if you scale up the damage, even keeping the duration to 1 hour, it is kind of overpowered.
I can see that, sure...but if you're spending a higher level slot to get more damage/functionality, wouldn't that cost/loss of resources be the trade-off for more damage? If I spend a 2nd level slot to get +2d6 damage (or +1d8) per attack, that's one less Spike Growth I can put down.
It is bit tricky. Spike growth does 2d4 of damage per 10 minutes, if the target stay always in the area of effect. Dealing always +2d6 to a target for 1 hour, I feel it OP. Probably, it is more balanced + 1d8.
HUNTER'S MARK...I know that the damage doesn't scale up if cast at a higher level, only the duration, but I wonder if the damage SHOULD scale up. Maybe either +1d6/spell level, or maybe just one die size up per level (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 3rd, etc)? Thoughts?
I think that if you scale up the damage, even keeping the duration to 1 hour, it is kind of overpowered.
I can see that, sure...but if you're spending a higher level slot to get more damage/functionality, wouldn't that cost/loss of resources be the trade-off for more damage? If I spend a 2nd level slot to get +2d6 damage (or +1d8) per attack, that's one less Spike Growth I can put down.
It is bit tricky. Spike growth does 2d4 of damage per 10 minutes, if the target stay always in the area of effect. Dealing always +2d6 to a target for 1 hour, I feel it OP. Probably, it is more balanced + 1d8.
It is a long base duration..albeit concentration. REALISTICALLY, at least from my experience, that duration is usually contained to one battle. But yeah...I'd personally fight for the damage die increase INSTEAD OF the multiple d6's.
OR MAYBE scale the damage up along with the current duration/spell slot increases. So as a 1st or 2nd level slot, it's just +1d6 (1 hr duration)...as normal. But then maybe as a 3rd or 4th level slot, either +2d6 or +1d8 damage (8 hr duration), and with a 5th level slot go with +3d6 or +1d10 extra damage (24 hr duration). How about that?
If we start talking about scaling Hunters Mark spell damage, wouldn't we also need to start talking about enemy saving throws to halve/negate that damage? That seems to be the general mechanic at play for most damaging spells that scale up. The thing about HM is that there is no save. If concentration can be maintained it can be moved from a dead enemy to another, thereby using only one spell slot to damage multiple enemies multiple times. It's not 'sexy' like those crazy wiz spells such as fireball or disintegrate, but it is consistent and reliable. I'm ok with it as is, except for one thing: I would increase the initial casting range from 90 to, say 300 feet. This would make it more viable for archers who want to keep their distance. And I don't think it'd overpower the spell too much, since many encounters may not even have that much space available in their environments. For those that do, well, long range is the archer's bread & butter. Let em shine.
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So I was looking at the Acid Flask, Alchemist's Fire, and other such improvised thrown items and wondered...would the damage bonus from Hunter's Mark stack with these, since they're considered improvised weapon attacks?
Follow-up question: would a ranger get their Favored Enemy bonus damage using a "flask weapon"?
The spell Hunter's Mark says, "Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target whenever you hit it with a weapon attack"
Both Acid & Alchemists Fire say to treat them as an Improvised Weapon.
So, yes, seems they both benefit from the spell.
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Yes and the damage type is the same.
So I renamed this thread "Ranger Spells" because I didn't see anything covering Ranger spells in this section of the Forum (I found "Spell less revised UA Ranger" & "Spells removed for Ranger"). I figured this would be a good spot for folks who had questions/advise/favorites...etc.
One spell I like is Spike Growth. It's an 8x8 square effect (concentration) that is difficult terrain and deals 2d4 damage per 5' to whomever moves through or into the area...no save vs the damage, but a save to notice the area if you weren't there to see it cast. Pretty cool.
What I've run into, though, is if I drop it on a group (usually frost giants...we're play Storm King's Thunder), that limits our melee-only barbarian who doesn't want to get shredded...despite the 1/2 damage she'd take due to Rage. It's not very clear, but could a character make a jump check to clear some of those squares. What do you all think?
HUNTER'S MARK...I know that the damage doesn't scale up if cast at a higher level, only the duration, but I wonder if the damage SHOULD scale up. Maybe either +1d6/spell level, or maybe just one die size up per level (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 3rd, etc)? Thoughts?
Yep, I would try +1d8 and +1d10...Multiple d6s seems still OP to me. Let us know if you try it.
If we start talking about scaling Hunters Mark spell damage, wouldn't we also need to start talking about enemy saving throws to halve/negate that damage? That seems to be the general mechanic at play for most damaging spells that scale up. The thing about HM is that there is no save. If concentration can be maintained it can be moved from a dead enemy to another, thereby using only one spell slot to damage multiple enemies multiple times. It's not 'sexy' like those crazy wiz spells such as fireball or disintegrate, but it is consistent and reliable. I'm ok with it as is, except for one thing: I would increase the initial casting range from 90 to, say 300 feet. This would make it more viable for archers who want to keep their distance. And I don't think it'd overpower the spell too much, since many encounters may not even have that much space available in their environments. For those that do, well, long range is the archer's bread & butter. Let em shine.