I like the green flame blade cantrip, but wanted to homebrew a more simplified version. Calling it “arcane blade” for now. Just a weapon attack that adds elemental damage. No second target etc. Wondering if this is over powered or under powered or any suggestions at all would be welcome. Thanks.
If D8 is too powerful, Maybe d6’s instead or 2d4 for 1st level and increasing by 1d4 each increase.
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects as well as the spell's damage. The elemental magic effect of your choice, acid, cold, fire or lightning, courses through your weapon in a terrifying dramatic display, delivering 1d8 worth of additional damage to the target. If the the damage type is not determined before the d8 roll, The DM rolls 1d4 to determine damage type that was used.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 damage to the target.Damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
UPDATED VERSION
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects as well as the spell's damage. An elemental magic effect of either acid, cold, fire or lightning, courses through your weapon in a terrifying dramatic display, delivering additional damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier to the target. Roll 1d4 to determine the random elemental effect. At 11th level you've mastered the spell enough to now choose the elemental effect yourself.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the attack deals additional 1d4 damage to the target. Damage rolls increase by 1d4 at 11th level and 17th level.
Initial thought is that it offers a lot of flexibility for a cantrip, and gives quite the damage boost.
Consider that both Green-Flame Blade and Booming Blade start doing no immediate extra damage to the target you hit but scale up later. Both also have a secondary effect.
If you're looking to add more melee cantrips in the same style then you could look to what other acid and cold spells do mechanically and pick an effect similar to those.
For Acid you could have an effect along the lines of no initial damage boost, but the creature must pass a Dex save or take d8 acid damage at the start of its next turn. Both initial damage and secondary effect scale by d8 at 5,11,17 as per the cantrips mentioned above.
For Cold you could have it deal less than a d8 of additional damage but slow the target by 10ft (like Ray of Frost) turning it into a control effect.
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I thought element choice was more just fun than a huge advantage, and it needed something because of no second target being damaged. Could change to just fire. D8 is big, maybe a D6 would be better, or even D4.
basically trying to make a lightsaber for my artificer
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects as well as the spell's damage. An elemental magic effect of either acid, cold, fire or lightning, courses through your weapon in a terrifying dramatic display, delivering additional damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier to the target. Roll 1d4 to determine the random elemental effect. At 11th level you've mastered the spell enough to now choose the elemental effect yourself.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the attack deals additional 1d4 damage to the target. Damage rolls increase by 1d4 at 11th level and 17th level.
That’s sounding better. It’s a buff, but not a huge one. d6 may be more appropriate, but that’s the type of thing which would take testing/number crunching to work out.
I like the green flame blade cantrip, but wanted to homebrew a more simplified version. Calling it “arcane blade” for now.
Just a weapon attack that adds elemental damage. No second target etc. Wondering if this is over powered or under powered or any suggestions at all would be welcome. Thanks.
If D8 is too powerful, Maybe d6’s instead or 2d4 for 1st level and increasing by 1d4 each increase.
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects as well as the spell's damage. The elemental magic effect of your choice, acid, cold, fire or lightning, courses through your weapon in a terrifying dramatic display, delivering 1d8 worth of additional damage to the target. If the the damage type is not determined before the d8 roll, The DM rolls 1d4 to determine damage type that was used.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 damage to the target.Damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
UPDATED VERSION
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects as well as the spell's damage. An elemental magic effect of either acid, cold, fire or lightning, courses through your weapon in a terrifying dramatic display, delivering additional damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier to the target. Roll 1d4 to determine the random elemental effect. At 11th level you've mastered the spell enough to now choose the elemental effect yourself.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the attack deals additional 1d4 damage to the target. Damage rolls increase by 1d4 at 11th level and 17th level.
Initial thought is that it offers a lot of flexibility for a cantrip, and gives quite the damage boost.
Consider that both Green-Flame Blade and Booming Blade start doing no immediate extra damage to the target you hit but scale up later. Both also have a secondary effect.
If you're looking to add more melee cantrips in the same style then you could look to what other acid and cold spells do mechanically and pick an effect similar to those.
For Acid you could have an effect along the lines of no initial damage boost, but the creature must pass a Dex save or take d8 acid damage at the start of its next turn. Both initial damage and secondary effect scale by d8 at 5,11,17 as per the cantrips mentioned above.
For Cold you could have it deal less than a d8 of additional damage but slow the target by 10ft (like Ray of Frost) turning it into a control effect.
Please take a look at my homebrewed Spells, Magic Items, and Subclasses. Any feedback appreciated.
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I thought element choice was more just fun than a huge advantage, and it needed something because of no second target being damaged. Could change to just fire. D8 is big, maybe a D6 would be better, or even D4.
basically trying to make a lightsaber for my artificer
UPDATED VERSION
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects as well as the spell's damage. An elemental magic effect of either acid, cold, fire or lightning, courses through your weapon in a terrifying dramatic display, delivering additional damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier to the target. Roll 1d4 to determine the random elemental effect. At 11th level you've mastered the spell enough to now choose the elemental effect yourself.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the attack deals additional 1d4 damage to the target. Damage rolls increase by 1d4 at 11th level and 17th level.
That’s sounding better. It’s a buff, but not a huge one. d6 may be more appropriate, but that’s the type of thing which would take testing/number crunching to work out.
Please take a look at my homebrewed Spells, Magic Items, and Subclasses. Any feedback appreciated.
Thanks for the help