Working on a cantrip that needs to change the dice size used not the number of dice. I can’t figure out how to do this. Please, help, or let me know it’s not possible so I can’t stop hitting my head on this proverbial wall😅

I don’t believe that’s possible, no. It might be, but none of the official cantrips work that way, so that usually means the system isn’t designed to work that way at all.

Thanks. Free of the head banging at least.

Sorry I couldn’t give you better news.

What do you mean by dice size?

They mean changing 1d4 to 1d6 (instead of 2d4).

Just FYI, this would be a much slower progression which would likely cause it to fall far behind in later levels. 1d6 to 2d6 is an average increase of 3.5 while 1d6 to 1d8 is an increase of 1. Unless you're advancing those dice very quickly and going up to d30 or so, this guy is going to fall behind.

Yeah, doing a cantrip for a witchy build The Evil Eye that puts a penalty on next d20 roll and even at d4s 4d4 is a bit much 😅

I really like that idea. Like the inverse of guidance, but scaling. I really wish the system would let you build that, I’d use it myself.

The average difference to the roll with scaling dice size is +1 for each size. So you could just start with a -1d4 penalty and then simply increase it by a flat 1 at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels. It’s not quite the same as increasing to a d6, d8, d10; but the average result would still be the same.

I might do that, although the ability to still get a 1 but to get possibly get an 8 is certainly part of the fun. I’ll have to consider it.

Well, I thought about it, worked on it, and then out of left field I had a really different idea. Sort of a ticking penalty bomb. It let me use the existing mechanics. Apply the d4s as penalties to rolls made before target’s turn ends or else take it as damage.

Tell me if you think it is ready for the community at large?

https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2041879-olorins-evil-eye

We won’t be able to see it because it’s not published yet. You’ll have to copy/paste it into this thread so we can see it.

Quote from MaesterOlorin >>

Olórin’s Evil Eye

Concentration

 

 Well, it is not showing up on my screen so I’l try again with as little formatting as possible.

Olórin’s Evil Eye (concentration)

Level: Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action

Range/Area: 30 ft

Components: V, S, M* (A small vial of urine and vinegar)

Duration: Concentration, 1 Round

School: Necromancy

Attack/Save: Ranged Spell Attack

Damage/Effect: Necrotic

You fixate your gaze on a creature within 30 feet, casting a malevolent curse upon it. Make a ranged spell attack roll to hit the target, and then roll damage, but set the dice aside before the target's turn.

The curse doesn't immediately affect the target. Instead, until the end of its turn, the creature must subtract one or more of the unspent d4s you rolled from the result whenever it makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. The target chooses which d4s to spend before making the roll. This penalty is considered as if it were the natural roll of the d20, and any result of 1 or lower is an automatic failure, even if the total bonuses would usually indicate a success.

At the end of the target's turn, the curse matures, and the creature takes necrotic damage equal to the value of all remaining d4s. If you scored a critical hit, the additional dice may be spent as separate penalties by the target or allowed to mature into necrotic damage in part or in whole.

The damage of this spell increases as follows: 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

Spell Tags: DAMAGE, DEBUFF

Available For: Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

Posted by MaesterOlorin

Try this instead:

You fixate your gaze on a creature, casting a malevolent curse upon it. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature you can see within range, on a hit the target takes no damage but instead gains a pool of one d4, or twice as many d4s on a critical hit. The next time the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw before the end of its next turn, it removes one d4 from the pool and must subtract it from the result of the attack, check, or save, possibly causing it to fail. At the end of the creature’s next turn it takes an amount of necrotic damage equal to one roll of any unspent d4s from this pool.

The number of d4s added to the pool increases when you reach higher levels: 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

I think that basically says the same thing, just a little cleaner. I will say however this feels more like a 1st-level spell than a cantrip.

Quote from MaesterOlorin >>

Quote from MaesterOlorin >>

Olórin’s Evil Eye

Concentration

 

 Well, it is not showing up on my screen so I’l try again with as little formatting as possible. 

 
Next time, don’t grab the name of the spell in the copy/paste, just everything between the big blue line and the spell tags. Like this:

LEVEL

1st

CASTING TIME

1 Reaction *

RANGE/AREA

Self

COMPONENTS

S

DURATION

1 Round

SCHOOL

Abjuration

ATTACK/SAVE

None

DAMAGE/EFFECT

Acid (...)

The spell captures some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you and storing it for your next melee attack. You have resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn. Also, the first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the triggering type, and the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

* - which you take when you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage

Quote from IamSposta >>

Try this instead:

You fixate your gaze on a creature, casting a malevolent curse upon it. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature you can see within range, on a hit the target takes no damage but instead gains a pool of one d4, or twice as many d4s on a critical hit. The next time the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw before the end of its next turn, it removes one d4 from the pool and must subtract it from the result of the attack, check, or save, possibly causing it to fail. At the end of the creature’s next turn it takes an amount of necrotic damage equal to one roll of any unspent d4s from this pool.

The number of d4s added to the pool increases when you reach higher levels: 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

I think that basically says the same thing, just a little cleaner. I will say however this feels more like a 1st-level spell than a cantrip.

 So you feel it should be something like this...

Olórin’s Evil Eye

More or less.

Still feels a bit in-between power levels to me. I'd say this is weaker than Bane, but better than Mind Sliver.