New to paying a sorcerer and I'm considering this spell, but I can't understand why the extra damage only applies to melee attacks?
The main reason for taking this is purely defensive and 1d6 extra dam the following turn doesn't sound game-breaking.
I've done some searching and I still haven't found an answer as to why it couldn't apply to ranged spell attacks. In fact, the sorcerer can already bypass this using metamagic and increase the range of touch attacks to 30', and they still count as melee attacks and gain the extra dam?
With this being the case is there really any reason not to allow this to be applied to ranged spell attacks?
As a thought, if people felt it was OP then maybe add in the condition that you reduce the extra by 1d6 to 'pay' for the extra effect? This would force you to cast it at least as a second level spell to gain the extra dam as a ranged effect?
Really interested to know what people think on this. As said early, this is not a game changer and the extra dam is just a nice bonus.
I think the reasoning for the damage is primarily for flair and imagery. You stand tall and feel the electric energy course through your veins. Summoning your will you shrug off it's potency and suddenly your weapon crackles with lightning.
You are correct in that 1d6 is not a substantial amount of damage. This holds even more true for a sorcerer who typically does not attack with melee weapons(so the meta magic option gets limited as well). This spell is fully taken advantage of by the Eldritch Knight fighter subclass both in helping them be a HP sponge and have a tool akin to Ranger and Paladin bonus action smites.
Range: self is different from range: touch, and so absorb elements doesn't qualify to be used with distant spell.
The main reason for taking this spell is purely defensive. But as the other poster said, a few classes such as a shillelagh druid, cleric, melee ranger, or EK might make good use of its minor bonus.
Would it be OP to ask the DM for a homebrew and allow my sorcerer to apply this to his ranged spell attacks?
I'm the only pure spell caster in the group?
or just had a thought. How about you can channel ONLY the energy type to make a 30' ranged attack using the energy type absorbed following round? You absorb the energy and fling it back at them! The dam would be less than a cantrip unless you upcast the spell.
I don't think it would be OP to let you loose just the energy as a ranged spell attack action on your next turn, but I do think it would be a little strong to allow you to tack it onto another spell because you can upcast the absorb elements and get many d6s added to your regular spell (which could have meta magic or any other number of class feature boosts going with it too).
Absorb Elements can be used to apply the extra damage to any “melee attack” so if you used it to apply its damage to a “melee spell attack” such as Shocking Grasp or Inflict Wounds, you could use Distant Spell to increase the ranges of those spell attacks to 30 feet and the extra damage from Absorb Elements should still apply. I think so anyway. And, with the Spell Sniper feat that would bump the range to 60 feet. so even if the DM says “no,” there is still a RAW way to do at least that.
I believe that absorb elements should work with a ranged attack using a weapon (bows, darts, sling, etc.). If you are transferring the energy to a melee weapon, there is no reason it should not be able to transfer to a bolt, arrow, bullet, dart. It would be cool to see that flame, electric arrow fly through the air.
I believe that absorb elements should work with a ranged attack using a weapon (bows, darts, sling, etc.). If you are transferring the energy to a melee weapon, there is no reason it should not be able to transfer to a bolt, arrow, bullet, dart. It would be cool to see that flame, electric arrow fly through the air.
Sounds cool but unfortunately not workable RAW. But for your homegames go for it.
Range: self is different from range: touch, and so absorb elements doesn't qualify to be used with distant spell.
The main reason for taking this spell is purely defensive. But as the other poster said, a few classes such as a shillelagh druid, cleric, melee ranger, or EK might make good use of its minor bonus.
Sorry if going off on a slight tangent but in a recent game, the PCs had to inflict damage on a magical orb that had a damage threshold of 30, so any attack lower than 30 did nil damage - they only needed to crack it by dealing 1 point of damage, while being attacked by an Ice Devil. The level 9 Wild Magic Barbarian/1 Wild Magic Sorcerer was swinging GWM attacks for 2d6+20 damage and failed to damage it over 2 turns (hitting it for 28 and then 29), so he dropped rage so he could rage again the next turn to try for a better wild magic effect, so the Blood Hunter yelled out "Absorb this!" and shot the barbarian/sorcerer with his lightning-charged crossbow so that he could cast absorb elements to get an extra d6 lightning damage on his next turn.
As it was, the Tempest cleric used Destructive Wrath and blasted it with a 48 damage Shatter but it was a valiant effort!
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Looking for insight on this spell.
New to paying a sorcerer and I'm considering this spell, but I can't understand why the extra damage only applies to melee attacks?
The main reason for taking this is purely defensive and 1d6 extra dam the following turn doesn't sound game-breaking.
I've done some searching and I still haven't found an answer as to why it couldn't apply to ranged spell attacks. In fact, the sorcerer can already bypass this using metamagic and increase the range of touch attacks to 30', and they still count as melee attacks and gain the extra dam?
With this being the case is there really any reason not to allow this to be applied to ranged spell attacks?
As a thought, if people felt it was OP then maybe add in the condition that you reduce the extra by 1d6 to 'pay' for the extra effect? This would force you to cast it at least as a second level spell to gain the extra dam as a ranged effect?
Really interested to know what people think on this. As said early, this is not a game changer and the extra dam is just a nice bonus.
Thanks
I think the reasoning for the damage is primarily for flair and imagery. You stand tall and feel the electric energy course through your veins. Summoning your will you shrug off it's potency and suddenly your weapon crackles with lightning.
You are correct in that 1d6 is not a substantial amount of damage. This holds even more true for a sorcerer who typically does not attack with melee weapons(so the meta magic option gets limited as well). This spell is fully taken advantage of by the Eldritch Knight fighter subclass both in helping them be a HP sponge and have a tool akin to Ranger and Paladin bonus action smites.
Range: self is different from range: touch, and so absorb elements doesn't qualify to be used with distant spell.
The main reason for taking this spell is purely defensive. But as the other poster said, a few classes such as a shillelagh druid, cleric, melee ranger, or EK might make good use of its minor bonus.
Thanks for the replies.
Would it be OP to ask the DM for a homebrew and allow my sorcerer to apply this to his ranged spell attacks?
I'm the only pure spell caster in the group?
or just had a thought. How about you can channel ONLY the energy type to make a 30' ranged attack using the energy type absorbed following round? You absorb the energy and fling it back at them! The dam would be less than a cantrip unless you upcast the spell.
I don't think it would be OP to let you loose just the energy as a ranged spell attack action on your next turn, but I do think it would be a little strong to allow you to tack it onto another spell because you can upcast the absorb elements and get many d6s added to your regular spell (which could have meta magic or any other number of class feature boosts going with it too).
Absorb Elements can be used to apply the extra damage to any “melee attack” so if you used it to apply its damage to a “melee spell attack” such as Shocking Grasp or Inflict Wounds, you could use Distant Spell to increase the ranges of those spell attacks to 30 feet and the extra damage from Absorb Elements should still apply. I think so anyway. And, with the Spell Sniper feat that would bump the range to 60 feet. so even if the DM says “no,” there is still a RAW way to do at least that.
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I believe that absorb elements should work with a ranged attack using a weapon (bows, darts, sling, etc.). If you are transferring the energy to a melee weapon, there is no reason it should not be able to transfer to a bolt, arrow, bullet, dart. It would be cool to see that flame, electric arrow fly through the air.
Sounds cool but unfortunately not workable RAW. But for your homegames go for it.
Sorry if going off on a slight tangent but in a recent game, the PCs had to inflict damage on a magical orb that had a damage threshold of 30, so any attack lower than 30 did nil damage - they only needed to crack it by dealing 1 point of damage, while being attacked by an Ice Devil. The level 9 Wild Magic Barbarian/1 Wild Magic Sorcerer was swinging GWM attacks for 2d6+20 damage and failed to damage it over 2 turns (hitting it for 28 and then 29), so he dropped rage so he could rage again the next turn to try for a better wild magic effect, so the Blood Hunter yelled out "Absorb this!" and shot the barbarian/sorcerer with his lightning-charged crossbow so that he could cast absorb elements to get an extra d6 lightning damage on his next turn.
As it was, the Tempest cleric used Destructive Wrath and blasted it with a 48 damage Shatter but it was a valiant effort!