I will say thank you ahead of time to anyone who can help me critically think through these Homebrews. I am most concerned about maintaining balance.
These are just some spell concepts that I have been working with for Fey related Characters:
1- Ally of Thorns
LEVEL 2nd CASTING TIME 1 Bonus Action RANGE/AREA Self COMPONENTS V DURATION 1 Minute SCHOOL Transmutation ATTACK/SAVE Melee DAMAGE/EFFECT Piercing You draw upon nature to help you in a melee. With every successful melee attack, a thorny vine shoots from the caster to do an additional 1d6 points of damage.
The spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
LEVEL 2nd CASTING TIME 1 Bonus Action RANGE/AREA Self COMPONENTS V, S DURATION Until Dispelled SCHOOL Abjuration ATTACK/SAVE None DAMAGE/EFFECT All When you cast Call of the Wild, you allow wild fey energy to course through your body and drive you into a feral rage. You will immediately engage in melee, but gain +1 to Hit and Damage for all melee attacks, +1 to AC, +1 on all saving throws from external attacks, and all attacks act as magical weapons doing force damage. Call of the Wild will also give you a +1 the STR every round of combat, up to a max STR score of 20. You cannot cast other spells while under the influence of Call of the Wild.
Giving yourself over to wild fey magic, however, can be dangerous. You must make a WIS save at vs your spell DC plus your total STR bonus (natural and increased by the spell) in order to dispel your rage. A successful save dispels Call of the Wild. On a failed save, the rage clouds your wisdom and you continue to fight with no discernment of friend or foe. You can retry your save 2 rounds after a failure. Call of the Wild will also dispel if you become unconscious.
Druids can dispel Call of the Wild by using their Wild shape ability, but will suffer from exhaustion until they receive a long rest.
LEVEL 1st CASTING TIME 1 Action RANGE/AREA Self (15 ft ) COMPONENTS V, S DURATION Instantaneous SCHOOL Evocation ATTACK/SAVE WIS Save DAMAGE/EFFECT Psychic Your. connection with Fey magic allows you to build up energy and let it burst uncontrolled from your outstretched hands. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Wisdom saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.
Available For: SORCERER WIZARD NATURE DOMAIN TEMPEST DOMAIN THE ARCHFEY CIRCLE OF DREAMS FEY WANDERER
LEVEL Cantrip CASTING TIME 1 Bonus Action RANGE/AREA Touch COMPONENTS V, S, M * DURATION 1 Minute SCHOOL Transmutation ATTACK/SAVE Melee DAMAGE/EFFECT Bludgeoning This spell works as Shillelagh in most cases increasing the damage die to d8 and magic for any wooden weapon.
Fey Shillelagh is a special case use of the shillelagh spell in which a Fey-touched Druid/Monk character can cast the spell on the natural bark skin ability making unarmed combat damage increase by 1 die size (d4 becomes d6, d6 becomes d8, etc.). Unarmed strikes become magical and at 6th Monk level ignore resistance to bludgeoning damage due to the enhanced Ki of the character's strikes.
This spell can only be used on the natural ability and not the barkskin spell.
* - (mistletoe, a shamrock leaf, and a club or quarterstaff) Spell Tags: DAMAGE BUFF
LEVEL 1st CASTING TIME 1 Action RANGE/AREA 90 ft (20 ft ) COMPONENTS V, S DURATION Concentration 1 Minute SCHOOL Conjuration ATTACK/SAVE STR Save DAMAGE/EFFECT Restrained This spell is intended for Druids with multi-class in Monk or the Grappler Feat.
Grasping weeds and vines sprout from the ground entangling a single creature. The caster uses his knowledge of martial grappling to reduce the effective strength of the creatures up to large size.
The targeted creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC plus wisdom bonus or be restrained by the entangling plants until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC plus wisdom bonus. On a success, it frees itself.
When the spell ends, the conjured plants wilt away.
LEVEL 2nd CASTING TIME 1 Bonus Action RANGE/AREA Self COMPONENTS V DURATION 1 Minute SCHOOL Transmutation ATTACK/SAVE Melee DAMAGE/EFFECT Piercing You draw upon nature to help you in a melee. With every successful melee attack, a thorny vine shoots from the caster to do an additional 1d6 points of damage.
The spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
* - (the stem of a plant with thorns)
First, this spell is nice, but it definitely needs concentration. Also, this is not a cantrip and should not be using the cantrip damage system. It should be using "Higher Level" casting.
Personally, I think it should be 2d4 at 2nd level, then +1d4 every 2 levels, maxing out at +5d6 at 8th level spell slot.
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I don't like Call of the wild. Complicated and reads like an ability, not a spell. In general, people do not cast spells that prevent them from casting spells. Looks designed to be cast before you wildshape, which makes the 'not casting' a cheat.
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Fey Energy Discharge is a reskinned Burning Hands with a better damage type and a slightly better save (rogues can't reduce wisdom saves). Make it save negates and you got a fair spell.
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Fey Shillegah works as a spell, but needs to be re-worded. I would simply have it state that unarmed attacks increase in damage die as follows:
1d4->1d6, 1d6->1d8, 1d10->1d12
And clarify that this dos apply to Monks, but not to natural weapons.
--------------
Kung Fu Entangle
This is complicated by the fact that your Spell DC already includes your Wisdom Bonus.
I would change it to the following:
As Entangle except:
Make it a 2nd level spell.
You personally are immune to the effects.
Any person you touch, grapple or hit with an unarmed attack (not natural weapon), has disadvantage on their Strength checks and Strength Saving Throws for 1 round.
You have this written as a 2nd level spell, but it automatically increases in power when the character reaches certain levels like a Cantrip. Leveled spells don’t work that way in D&D. Not to mention that spells that add damage like this never add additional damage, they add additional duration based on spell slot level, and they require concentration.
Druids can dispel Call of the Wild by using their Wild shape ability, but will suffer from exhaustion until they receive a long rest.
This seems like an unbalanced version of a much higher level spell. Also, spells themselves never include anything like “Druids can dispel Call of the Wild by using their Wild shape ability, but will suffer from exhaustion until they receive a long rest.” That type of thing isn’t in the purview of the spell, but of the class/subclass feature.
Available For: SORCERER WIZARD NATURE DOMAIN TEMPEST DOMAIN THE ARCHFEY CIRCLE OF DREAMS FEY WANDERER
This seems like an overpowered version of Burning Hands, which is already overpowered spell for its level. This would have to be at least a 2nd-level spell. Also, best to not make these spells on spell lists for specific subclasses or they will end up counting as subclass specific spells for them and being “always prepared.”
Shilleagh is already a “fey” spell. It is literally inspired by Celtic mythologies of the fey, particularly Leprechauns. Also, I got really confused with the whole “the ability not the spell” part and what the heck do monks have to do with spells since they are not spellcasters!!?
5- Kung Fu Entangle This spell is intended for Druids with multi-class in Monk or the Grappler Feat.
You can’t really create a spell that requires a multiclass or a feat. Spells don’t work that way. Also, restrained on a 1st-level spell is very powerful.
I am still getting use to the 5e mechanism. These are ones that I can't seem to get the right balance fit, so your suggestions are very helpful (I will likely use most of them).
You are probably right that Call of the Wild does not belong as a spell. Maybe, a cursed weapon.
You can’t really create a spell that requires a multiclass or a feat.
Why not? (honest question) I suppose it all depends on how you view multi-class characters. Some might look at it as adding skills to a particular class, but multi-class characters can be like a class onto themselves if played right. In this case, (with the disclaimer that this spell, along with the rest need some revisions) the knowledge of grappling allows the caster to guide the vines around the spell target to create an advantage instead of randomly grabbing. That is the concept anyway.
You can’t really create a spell that requires a multiclass or a feat.
Why not? (honest question) I suppose it all depends on how you view multi-class characters. Some might look at it as adding skills to a particular class, but multi-class characters can be like a class onto themselves if played right. In this case, (with the disclaimer that this spell, along with the rest need some revisions) the knowledge of grappling allows the caster to guide the vines around the spell target to create an advantage instead of randomly grabbing. That is the concept anyway.
I wrote it. And because both Multiclassing and Feats are optional rules and DMs are not actually required to allow either in their games.
I would lower your AC by one instead of raise it. A feral rage traditionally would mean a person is not thinking of defense but only of the kill, which to me would seem to lower your attempts to dodge attacks. As for the save, it seems like anyone with any decent strength to start with would have an automatic failure on the save throw.
Merigold00Yahoo...Yeah I know that Kung-Fu is probably the not the best name. I was trying to express that the spell is using the casters knowledge of grappling to make a more focused entangle...and the names of techniques in some disciplines do lose something in transition. lol.
You draw upon nature to help you in a melee. With every successful melee attack, a thorny vine shoots from the caster to do an additional 2d4 points of damage.
The spell's damage increases by 1d4 for every two spell levels (3d4 with a 4th level spell slot, 4d4 with a 6th level spell slot, 5d6 with an 8th level spell slot)
Grasping weeds and vines sprout from the ground entangling a single creature.
The targeted creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be restrained by the entangling plants until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.
If you have a multiclass in Monk or the Grappler feat, Str saves are taken at disadvantage.
When the spell ends, the conjured plants wilt away.
With a circle of your arm and a divine incantation, you form a shield of radiant flame that occupies that arm for the duration of the spell. This provides protection against attacks (AC +1) for the duration of the spell or until dispelled.
If the caster has shield proficiency, they can use radiant shield like a normal shield. Under this circumstance, Radiant Shield acts as a +1 shield (+3 AC).
Radiant Shield sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the Armor Class bonus increases by +1 for every two levels above 2nd to a limit of +3 (+2 with a 3rd level spell slot, +3 with a 5th level spell slot).
I will say thank you ahead of time to anyone who can help me critically think through these Homebrews. I am most concerned about maintaining balance.
These are just some spell concepts that I have been working with for Fey related Characters:
1- Ally of Thorns
LEVEL
2nd
CASTING TIME
1 Bonus Action
RANGE/AREA
Self
COMPONENTS
V
DURATION
1 Minute
SCHOOL
Transmutation
ATTACK/SAVE
Melee
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Piercing
You draw upon nature to help you in a melee. With every successful melee attack, a thorny vine shoots from the caster to do an additional 1d6 points of damage.
The spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
* - (the stem of a plant with thorns)
2- Call of the Wild
LEVEL
2nd
CASTING TIME
1 Bonus Action
RANGE/AREA
Self
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Until Dispelled
SCHOOL
Abjuration
ATTACK/SAVE
None
DAMAGE/EFFECT
All
When you cast Call of the Wild, you allow wild fey energy to course through your body and drive you into a feral rage. You will immediately engage in melee, but gain +1 to Hit and Damage for all melee attacks, +1 to AC, +1 on all saving throws from external attacks, and all attacks act as magical weapons doing force damage. Call of the Wild will also give you a +1 the STR every round of combat, up to a max STR score of 20. You cannot cast other spells while under the influence of Call of the Wild.
Giving yourself over to wild fey magic, however, can be dangerous. You must make a WIS save at vs your spell DC plus your total STR bonus (natural and increased by the spell) in order to dispel your rage. A successful save dispels Call of the Wild. On a failed save, the rage clouds your wisdom and you continue to fight with no discernment of friend or foe. You can retry your save 2 rounds after a failure. Call of the Wild will also dispel if you become unconscious.
Druids can dispel Call of the Wild by using their Wild shape ability, but will suffer from exhaustion until they receive a long rest.
Available For: DRUID RANGER
3- Fey Energy Discharge
LEVEL
1st
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
Self (15 ft )
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
WIS Save
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Psychic
Your. connection with Fey magic allows you to build up energy and let it burst uncontrolled from your outstretched hands. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Wisdom saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.
Available For: SORCERER WIZARD NATURE DOMAIN TEMPEST DOMAIN THE ARCHFEY CIRCLE OF DREAMS FEY WANDERER
4- Fey_Shillelagh
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Bonus Action
RANGE/AREA
Touch
COMPONENTS
V, S, M *
DURATION
1 Minute
SCHOOL
Transmutation
ATTACK/SAVE
Melee
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Bludgeoning
This spell works as Shillelagh in most cases increasing the damage die to d8 and magic for any wooden weapon.
Fey Shillelagh is a special case use of the shillelagh spell in which a Fey-touched Druid/Monk character can cast the spell on the natural bark skin ability making unarmed combat damage increase by 1 die size (d4 becomes d6, d6 becomes d8, etc.). Unarmed strikes become magical and at 6th Monk level ignore resistance to bludgeoning damage due to the enhanced Ki of the character's strikes.
This spell can only be used on the natural ability and not the barkskin spell.
* - (mistletoe, a shamrock leaf, and a club or quarterstaff)
Spell Tags: DAMAGE BUFF
Available For: DRUID
5- Kung Fu Entangle
LEVEL
1st
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
90 ft (20 ft )
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Concentration 1 Minute
SCHOOL
Conjuration
ATTACK/SAVE
STR Save
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Restrained
This spell is intended for Druids with multi-class in Monk or the Grappler Feat.
Grasping weeds and vines sprout from the ground entangling a single creature. The caster uses his knowledge of martial grappling to reduce the effective strength of the creatures up to large size.
The targeted creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC plus wisdom bonus or be restrained by the entangling plants until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC plus wisdom bonus. On a success, it frees itself.
When the spell ends, the conjured plants wilt away.
Spell Tags: CONTROL
Available For: DRUID
First, this spell is nice, but it definitely needs concentration. Also, this is not a cantrip and should not be using the cantrip damage system. It should be using "Higher Level" casting.
Personally, I think it should be 2d4 at 2nd level, then +1d4 every 2 levels, maxing out at +5d6 at 8th level spell slot.
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I don't like Call of the wild. Complicated and reads like an ability, not a spell. In general, people do not cast spells that prevent them from casting spells. Looks designed to be cast before you wildshape, which makes the 'not casting' a cheat.
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Fey Energy Discharge is a reskinned Burning Hands with a better damage type and a slightly better save (rogues can't reduce wisdom saves). Make it save negates and you got a fair spell.
-------
Fey Shillegah works as a spell, but needs to be re-worded. I would simply have it state that unarmed attacks increase in damage die as follows:
1d4->1d6, 1d6->1d8, 1d10->1d12
And clarify that this dos apply to Monks, but not to natural weapons.
--------------
Kung Fu Entangle
This is complicated by the fact that your Spell DC already includes your Wisdom Bonus.
I would change it to the following:
As Entangle except:
You have this written as a 2nd level spell, but it automatically increases in power when the character reaches certain levels like a Cantrip. Leveled spells don’t work that way in D&D. Not to mention that spells that add damage like this never add additional damage, they add additional duration based on spell slot level, and they require concentration.
This seems like an unbalanced version of a much higher level spell. Also, spells themselves never include anything like “Druids can dispel Call of the Wild by using their Wild shape ability, but will suffer from exhaustion until they receive a long rest.” That type of thing isn’t in the purview of the spell, but of the class/subclass feature.
This seems like an overpowered version of Burning Hands, which is already overpowered spell for its level. This would have to be at least a 2nd-level spell. Also, best to not make these spells on spell lists for specific subclasses or they will end up counting as subclass specific spells for them and being “always prepared.”
Shilleagh is already a “fey” spell. It is literally inspired by Celtic mythologies of the fey, particularly Leprechauns. Also, I got really confused with the whole “the ability not the spell” part and what the heck do monks have to do with spells since they are not spellcasters!!?
You can’t really create a spell that requires a multiclass or a feat. Spells don’t work that way. Also, restrained on a 1st-level spell is very powerful.
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This was a helpful response. Thank you.
I am still getting use to the 5e mechanism. These are ones that I can't seem to get the right balance fit, so your suggestions are very helpful (I will likely use most of them).
You are probably right that Call of the Wild does not belong as a spell. Maybe, a cursed weapon.
Why not? (honest question) I suppose it all depends on how you view multi-class characters. Some might look at it as adding skills to a particular class, but multi-class characters can be like a class onto themselves if played right. In this case, (with the disclaimer that this spell, along with the rest need some revisions) the knowledge of grappling allows the caster to guide the vines around the spell target to create an advantage instead of randomly grabbing. That is the concept anyway.
The spell should do SOMETHING even without the multiclass/feat. That is why I re-wrote it and boosted the level.
That's fair.
I wrote it. And because both Multiclassing and Feats are optional rules and DMs are not actually required to allow either in their games.
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I would lower your AC by one instead of raise it. A feral rage traditionally would mean a person is not thinking of defense but only of the kill, which to me would seem to lower your attempts to dodge attacks. As for the save, it seems like anyone with any decent strength to start with would have an automatic failure on the save throw.
Not at all a fan of the name Kung-Fu in this. Seems unnecessarily cheesy.
I like the first one. Seems balanced too. Seems good for a ranger.
Damien Steinrich
Merigold00Yahoo...Yeah I know that Kung-Fu is probably the not the best name. I was trying to express that the spell is using the casters knowledge of grappling to make a more focused entangle...and the names of techniques in some disciplines do lose something in transition. lol.
Here is the rework... the damage can really stack if your Ranger has multiple attacks.
You draw upon nature to help you in a melee. With every successful melee attack, a thorny vine shoots from the caster to do an additional 2d4 points of damage.
The spell's damage increases by 1d4 for every two spell levels (3d4 with a 4th level spell slot, 4d4 with a 6th level spell slot, 5d6 with an 8th level spell slot)
* - (the stem of a plant with thorns)
Again, if you can forgive the name...here is a rework that uses the concept of skills enhancing the spell effects.
Grasping weeds and vines sprout from the ground entangling a single creature.
The targeted creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be restrained by the entangling plants until the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.
If you have a multiclass in Monk or the Grappler feat, Str saves are taken at disadvantage.
When the spell ends, the conjured plants wilt away.
Another spell where a skill or proficiency improves the spell effect.
With a circle of your arm and a divine incantation, you form a shield of radiant flame that occupies that arm for the duration of the spell. This provides protection against attacks (AC +1) for the duration of the spell or until dispelled.
If the caster has shield proficiency, they can use radiant shield like a normal shield. Under this circumstance, Radiant Shield acts as a +1 shield (+3 AC).
Radiant Shield sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the Armor Class bonus increases by +1 for every two levels above 2nd to a limit of +3 (+2 with a 3rd level spell slot, +3 with a 5th level spell slot).
What happens if someone touches (or is touched by) the shield? And this should be VSM, as I would assume you need something to create the flame.
Other than that, it is very Dr. Strange...