Any cantrip that does guaranteed damage is overpowered and broken. A cantrip should never be able automatically guarantee a concentration check.
That's a really good point, especially with some of the suggestions to still allow the cantrip version to fire multiple darts of damage. Imagine getting 3 free shots to force a concentration check.
That's pretty much the same as forcing a concentration check at triple disadvantage. A creature with a +0 concentration save would save on a DC10 save 55% of the time. They would save on 2 consecutive DC10 saves about 30% of the time and on 3 consecutive DC10s about 17% of the time. This is the part that seems to get missed. All of the counter arguments are about the damage compared to cantrips. The damage with multiple darts surpassing the base Magic Missile is bad enough, but being able to interrupt concentration spells like that is not good balance. Your cleric that is casting Bane, Bless, or Spirit Guardians will not appreciate having this cantrip attacking them and you won't appreciate not having their concentration spells in the mix.
Yeah, even 1 guaranteed damage is too much for a cantrip.
Here, this is probably the closest you’re ever gonna get to a balanced “Magic Missile cantrip,” and I still have my misgivings:
Mini Missile
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
60 ft
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
None
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Bludgeoning
This spell is a minor damage cantrip often taught to younger students for practice. You create a glowing dart of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range, and deals 1d4 - 2 bludgeoning damage to its target.
The spell creates more than one dart when you reach higher levels: two darts at 5th level, three darts at 11th level, and four darts at 17th level. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
IamSposta
By striking simultaneously like Magic Missile, that means that each dart does the exact same damage just like Magic Missile is technically supposed to. That gives it a straight 50/50 shot to force a check or not. Also, it should mean that if you target the same creature with multiple darts, it should still only have to make one concentration check.
Here, this is probably the closest you’re ever gonna get to a balanced “Magic Missile cantrip,” and I still have my misgivings:
Mini Missile
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
60 ft
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
None
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Bludgeoning
This spell is a minor damage cantrip often taught to younger students for practice. You create a glowing dart of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range, and deals 1d4 - 2 bludgeoning damage to its target.
The spell creates more than one dart when you reach higher levels: two darts at 5th level, three darts at 11th level, and four darts at 17th level. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
IamSposta
By striking simultaneously like Magic Missile, that means that each dart does the exact same damage just like Magic Missile is technically supposed to. That gives it a straight 50/50 shot to force a check or not. Also, it should mean that if you target the same creature with multiple darts, it should still only have to make one concentration check.
That's a decent take on an arcana cleric especially after level 8. I think you'd have to put the "(minimum of 0) damage" on there to prevent people from thinking that it could add HP to opponents. You might even have to stipulate that if the spell does no damage, it doesn't force a concentration check.
Here, this is probably the closest you’re ever gonna get to a balanced “Magic Missile cantrip,” and I still have my misgivings:
Mini Missile
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
60 ft
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
None
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Bludgeoning
This spell is a minor damage cantrip often taught to younger students for practice. You create a glowing dart of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range, and deals 1d4 - 2 bludgeoning damage to its target.
The spell creates more than one dart when you reach higher levels: two darts at 5th level, three darts at 11th level, and four darts at 17th level. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
IamSposta
By striking simultaneously like Magic Missile, that means that each dart does the exact same damage just like Magic Missile is technically supposed to. That gives it a straight 50/50 shot to force a check or not. Also, it should mean that if you target the same creature with multiple darts, it should still only have to make one concentration check.
That's a decent take on an arcana cleric especially after level 8. I think you'd have to put the "(minimum of 0) damage" on there to prevent people from thinking that it could add HP to opponents. You might even have to stipulate that if the spell does no damage, it doesn't force a concentration check.
I was worried about Potent Spellcasting so I left it at just Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard, and Artificer. You’re probably right about the (minimum 1). 🙄 One would think that it should not be needed.
Here, this is probably the closest you’re ever gonna get to a balanced “Magic Missile cantrip,” and I still have my misgivings:
Mini Missile
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
60 ft
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
None
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Bludgeoning
This spell is a minor damage cantrip often taught to younger students for practice. You create a glowing dart of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range, and deals 1d4 - 2 bludgeoning damage to its target.
The spell creates more than one dart when you reach higher levels: two darts at 5th level, three darts at 11th level, and four darts at 17th level. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
IamSposta
By striking simultaneously like Magic Missile, that means that each dart does the exact same damage just like Magic Missile is technically supposed to. That gives it a straight 50/50 shot to force a check or not. Also, it should mean that if you target the same creature with multiple darts, it should still only have to make one concentration check.
That's a decent take on an arcana cleric especially after level 8. I think you'd have to put the "(minimum of 0) damage" on there to prevent people from thinking that it could add HP to opponents. You might even have to stipulate that if the spell does no damage, it doesn't force a concentration check.
I was worried about Potent Spellcasting so I left it at just Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard, and Artificer. You’re probably right about the (minimum 1). 🙄 One would think that it should not be needed.
Arcana Cleric could grab it with its 2 wizard cantrips and still grab Booming Blade with the other if it liked.
Yeah, even 1 guaranteed damage is too much for a cantrip.
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Here, this is probably the closest you’re ever gonna get to a balanced “Magic Missile cantrip,” and I still have my misgivings:
Mini Missile
This spell is a minor damage cantrip often taught to younger students for practice. You create a glowing dart of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range, and deals 1d4 - 2 bludgeoning damage to its target.
The spell creates more than one dart when you reach higher levels: two darts at 5th level, three darts at 11th level, and four darts at 17th level. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
IamSposta
By striking simultaneously like Magic Missile, that means that each dart does the exact same damage just like Magic Missile is technically supposed to. That gives it a straight 50/50 shot to force a check or not. Also, it should mean that if you target the same creature with multiple darts, it should still only have to make one concentration check.
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That's a decent take on an arcana cleric especially after level 8. I think you'd have to put the "(minimum of 0) damage" on there to prevent people from thinking that it could add HP to opponents. You might even have to stipulate that if the spell does no damage, it doesn't force a concentration check.
I was worried about Potent Spellcasting so I left it at just Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard, and Artificer. You’re probably right about the (minimum 1). 🙄 One would think that it should not be needed.
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Arcana Cleric could grab it with its 2 wizard cantrips and still grab Booming Blade with the other if it liked.
Whelp, there goes that idea. That would make this cantrip broken.
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