Primal savagery is an upgrade from shillelagh in that it does a damage type that is rarely resisted and doesn’t require a staff or club to use. It’s also fairly easy to reflavor as any number of things (my ranger who’s aesthetic is based on centipedes manifests his as a pair of mandibles made of green nature energy).
also it’s the one I have the most experience with, I’m ashamed to admit it but I haven’t actually done a lot of combat besides one campaign that’s been on pause for many months.
Firebolt: simple, does what it says on the tin, easy to explain to people and fun to re-flavour. Do wish the other damage types had equivalents though.
Close behind: Prestidigitation (and its cousins Druid craft and Thaumaturgy) along with Minor Illusion: as powerful and awesome as your DM allows... which can be a bit of an asterix to those; if you have a DM who allows for creativity, grand, if not well: then they're sort of a waste.
Easy worst: True Strike: it's objectively bad; in fact, just worse than attacking twice in most cases.
Mending. We fixed a wand of wonder that was supposed to be one use at first level. Since the break (which would have caused it to explode) was physical, not magical, it worked. It has to be my favorite for that.
I have to say Blade Ward. Basically it makes you reistant to BPS from anything that isn't falling or spells.
Have you actually thought that one through? It reduces weapon damage against you by half, yes, but casting it takes your action which means you aren't doing much of anything to avoid those attacks. And if you have that spell you're probably a character who would have much better chances of survival if you just disengaged (preferably to a space on the other side of a tanky ally that sources of potential attacks don't want to risk opportunity attacks from) because being somewhere that enemies can hit you is not a good place for you to be in the first place. Blade ward is just a "hunker down" turtle tactic and if you're being targeted by enough enemies to make it a viable option even half damage is going to hurt like heck against what's probably low AC and HP, then you haven't done anything with that action to get out of that tight spot so it's going to happen again next turn.
Edit: I voted guidance because I like to play clerics and that extra d4 can really add up on out of combat skill checks, especially if you're also giving or getting the help action. Nobody ever complains when they hear "I'm casting guidance on you so add a d4 to that."
Maybe Im not understanding that correctly but I always thought blade ward is pretty.... um .... em.... dumb. As its take whole action just to reduce incoming one-turn damage from phisical source - I just prefer to deal damage per turn to destroy damage source (esp. if there is more then one source/enemy) then just to waste action for become somehow resistant but still sandbag for enemies :D
Maybe Im not understanding that correctly but I always thought blade ward is pretty.... um .... em.... dumb. As its take whole action just to reduce incoming one-turn damage from phisical source - I just prefer to deal damage per turn to destroy damage source (esp. if there is more then one source/enemy) then just to waste action for become somehow resistant but still sandbag for enemies :D
I have to say Blade Ward. Basically it makes you reistant to BPS from anything that isn't falling or spells.
Have you actually thought that one through? It reduces weapon damage against you by half, yes, but casting it takes your action which means you aren't doing much of anything to avoid those attacks. And if you have that spell you're probably a character who would have much better chances of survival if you just disengaged (preferably to a space on the other side of a tanky ally that sources of potential attacks don't want to risk opportunity attacks from) because being somewhere that enemies can hit you is not a good place for you to be in the first place. Blade ward is just a "hunker down" turtle tactic and if you're being targeted by enough enemies to make it a viable option even half damage is going to hurt like heck against what's probably low AC and HP, then you haven't done anything with that action to get out of that tight spot so it's going to happen again next turn.
Edit: I voted guidance because I like to play clerics and that extra d4 can really add up on out of combat skill checks, especially if you're also giving or getting the help action. Nobody ever complains when they hear "I'm casting guidance on you so add a d4 to that."
Yeah, now that I think about what you said, I'm changing my vote to Vicious Mockery. I mean, you can insult somebody to death. Or maybe Eldritch Blast.
Vote for your favorite Cantrip.
My favorite is Eldritch Blast, because of all of the invocations warlocks can use to improve the spell.
I have to say Blade Ward. Basically it makes you reistant to BPS from anything that isn't falling or spells.
i am a human being.
I voted for Shape Water, because so useful, but I also like Primal Savagery.
Both cantrips I use often on my Druid.
Primal savagery is an upgrade from shillelagh in that it does a damage type that is rarely resisted and doesn’t require a staff or club to use. It’s also fairly easy to reflavor as any number of things (my ranger who’s aesthetic is based on centipedes manifests his as a pair of mandibles made of green nature energy).
also it’s the one I have the most experience with, I’m ashamed to admit it but I haven’t actually done a lot of combat besides one campaign that’s been on pause for many months.
Viscious mockery would be my favorite. There is nothing quite like insulting something to death with foul language and obscenity.
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Minor illusion, specifically the auditory option, is frequently fun and useful.
Firebolt: simple, does what it says on the tin, easy to explain to people and fun to re-flavour. Do wish the other damage types had equivalents though.
Close behind: Prestidigitation (and its cousins Druid craft and Thaumaturgy) along with Minor Illusion: as powerful and awesome as your DM allows... which can be a bit of an asterix to those; if you have a DM who allows for creativity, grand, if not well: then they're sort of a waste.
Easy worst: True Strike: it's objectively bad; in fact, just worse than attacking twice in most cases.
Mending. We fixed a wand of wonder that was supposed to be one use at first level. Since the break (which would have caused it to explode) was physical, not magical, it worked. It has to be my favorite for that.
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
Have you actually thought that one through? It reduces weapon damage against you by half, yes, but casting it takes your action which means you aren't doing much of anything to avoid those attacks. And if you have that spell you're probably a character who would have much better chances of survival if you just disengaged (preferably to a space on the other side of a tanky ally that sources of potential attacks don't want to risk opportunity attacks from) because being somewhere that enemies can hit you is not a good place for you to be in the first place. Blade ward is just a "hunker down" turtle tactic and if you're being targeted by enough enemies to make it a viable option even half damage is going to hurt like heck against what's probably low AC and HP, then you haven't done anything with that action to get out of that tight spot so it's going to happen again next turn.
Edit: I voted guidance because I like to play clerics and that extra d4 can really add up on out of combat skill checks, especially if you're also giving or getting the help action. Nobody ever complains when they hear "I'm casting guidance on you so add a d4 to that."
Maybe Im not understanding that correctly but I always thought blade ward is pretty.... um .... em.... dumb. As its take whole action just to reduce incoming one-turn damage from phisical source - I just prefer to deal damage per turn to destroy damage source (esp. if there is more then one source/enemy) then just to waste action for become somehow resistant but still sandbag for enemies :D
Favorite cantrip?
E Blast <3
Ray of Frost is the perfect combination of basic attack and utility, I almost always take it.
Yeah, now that I think about what you said, I'm changing my vote to Vicious Mockery. I mean, you can insult somebody to death. Or maybe Eldritch Blast.
i am a human being.
Encode thoughts is useless, but it’s really cool, so there.