I feel like the Monster Manual suggests giving the Helmed Horror, a CONSTRUCT THAT IS ARMOR immunity to the heat metal spell suggests that it can be used to shrek constructs
The Helmed Horror specifically states that it has Plate armor and Shield, explaining why their AC is 20. Iron Golem (and Stone) says they have "Natural Armor". Yeah, looking at it, you would think Helmed Horror counts as Natural Armor, but it does not. Maybe it was an error, I don't know.
So the question becomes, on a Warforged character, should it say "Natural Armor" or "Platemail"
When I checked Ebberon: Rising From the Last War, I found four creatures listed as Warforged somewhere.
All of them say "Natural Armor", except for Warforged Solider that says "Natural Armor + Shield". Even the Lord of Blades that says "Adamantine plating" says Natural Armor.
I conclude that warforged have natural armor, and are therefore immune to Heat Metal - unless they have a Shield or similar item.
I dislike this ruling and would probably house rule against it, but I am pretty sure that the official rule is Warforged use Natural armor and therefore are not susceptible to Heat Metal.
Honestly, I'm tempted to change heat metal so the ongoing damage is a fixed 1d8 with no scaling for spell level. It doesn't interfere with its role in disarming people, but is no longer hilariously lethal on targets that wear metal armor.
I think changing it to 1d8 with no scaling is fine - if you also remove concentration. Concentration is for the good stuff that lasts, and you have weakened it.
Compare Heat Metal to Flaming sphere, both are 2nd level, require concentration, last for for a minute and deal fire damage so a lot of things are the same, I am looking at heat metal on armor so am not considering it as a way to disarm:
FLaming sphere as a bonus action deals an averageo 7 damage on a failed dex save and 3.5 on a success, lets say 5 on average. This is clearly worse than heat metal's average of 9, changing it to a 1d8 would make the dame equal.
But
Flaming sphere also deals damage to any creature that ends it turn within 5 feet of it, it is often quite easy to force a create to either take the fire damage or take op attacks
Flaming sphere acan move to a different target, if heat metal kills the person in the metal armor the spell ends.
If you are fighting a single boss whereing plate heat metal on armor is probably the better spell but the abilty of flaming sphere to hurt multiple target mens I would normally put flaming sphere a higher priority on my spell list than heat metal. If Heat metal is overpowered flaming sphere is too.
Heat metal also gives the target disadvantage on attacks and ability checks. Flaming sphere is more broadly useful, but heat metal just renders one specific type of boss nonviable.
A non-concentration version would probably be something like 2d8 immediate, 1d8 after one round. That makes it slightly lower base damage than acid arrow, but no save for reduced damage.
This is the central discussion of the thread, yes.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
I feel like the Monster Manual suggests giving the Helmed Horror, a CONSTRUCT THAT IS ARMOR immunity to the heat metal spell suggests that it can be used to shrek constructs
Proud poster on the Create a World thread
The Helmed Horror specifically states that it has Plate armor and Shield, explaining why their AC is 20. Iron Golem (and Stone) says they have "Natural Armor". Yeah, looking at it, you would think Helmed Horror counts as Natural Armor, but it does not. Maybe it was an error, I don't know.
So the question becomes, on a Warforged character, should it say "Natural Armor" or "Platemail"
When I checked Ebberon: Rising From the Last War, I found four creatures listed as Warforged somewhere.
All of them say "Natural Armor", except for Warforged Solider that says "Natural Armor + Shield". Even the Lord of Blades that says "Adamantine plating" says Natural Armor.
I conclude that warforged have natural armor, and are therefore immune to Heat Metal - unless they have a Shield or similar item.
I dislike this ruling and would probably house rule against it, but I am pretty sure that the official rule is Warforged use Natural armor and therefore are not susceptible to Heat Metal.
Honestly, I'm tempted to change heat metal so the ongoing damage is a fixed 1d8 with no scaling for spell level. It doesn't interfere with its role in disarming people, but is no longer hilariously lethal on targets that wear metal armor.
I think changing it to 1d8 with no scaling is fine - if you also remove concentration. Concentration is for the good stuff that lasts, and you have weakened it.
Compare Heat Metal to Flaming sphere, both are 2nd level, require concentration, last for for a minute and deal fire damage so a lot of things are the same, I am looking at heat metal on armor so am not considering it as a way to disarm:
FLaming sphere as a bonus action deals an averageo 7 damage on a failed dex save and 3.5 on a success, lets say 5 on average. This is clearly worse than heat metal's average of 9, changing it to a 1d8 would make the dame equal.
But
Flaming sphere also deals damage to any creature that ends it turn within 5 feet of it, it is often quite easy to force a create to either take the fire damage or take op attacks
Flaming sphere acan move to a different target, if heat metal kills the person in the metal armor the spell ends.
If you are fighting a single boss whereing plate heat metal on armor is probably the better spell but the abilty of flaming sphere to hurt multiple target mens I would normally put flaming sphere a higher priority on my spell list than heat metal. If Heat metal is overpowered flaming sphere is too.
Heat metal also gives the target disadvantage on attacks and ability checks. Flaming sphere is more broadly useful, but heat metal just renders one specific type of boss nonviable.
A non-concentration version would probably be something like 2d8 immediate, 1d8 after one round. That makes it slightly lower base damage than acid arrow, but no save for reduced damage.