I created a homebrew Cantrip with lightning damage and a stunning effect. I am asking for feedback on its balance (too much/not enough damage, stun is too powerful, etc).
Thanks!
Shocking Bolt
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
60 ft
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Evocation
ATTACK/SAVE
Ranged
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Lightning
A charge of electrical energy shoots from your hand out to a range of 60 feet. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 lightning damage, and it is stunned until the end of its next turn.
This spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
wow,wow slow down,stunned?Stunned is dammed overpowered for a cantrip,there are 1st level spells just for getting stun for this long.So slow down and not give the cantrip the power of a 1st level spell,plus damage.
The stunned condition is quite powerful. It should never be applied to a cantrip. I'd say maybe if a creature is hit, they can't take reactions until the start of their next turn. This makes the spell into a slightly lower damage, but ranged version of shocking grasp as I mean you're basically going for that just with the name "Shocking Bolt".
No,just no,stunned is not an condition to give a cantrip,just con save or one round stun is the basis of 1st level spell.Stun stops a foe(equal to about 3 times ray of frosts ribbon),takes there ability to act (shocking grasp+),and gives attacks advantage (equal to guiding bolts ribbon0,it also auto fails two saves (which is stupid strong).
What about allowing a CON save to avoid the stunned condition? Maybe that, along with a 1d4 damage?
stunned is very, very powerful for a cantrip... Maybe they make a save, and on a fail they can only move OR take an action, instead of both? or something like that.
If it can stun, you could just spam this and never let the BBEG get a turn...
What about allowing a CON save to avoid the stunned condition? Maybe that, along with a 1d4 damage?
stunned is very, very powerful for a cantrip... Maybe they make a save, and on a fail they can only move OR take an action, instead of both? or something like that.
If it can stun, you could just spam this and never let the BBEG get a turn...
Even then the move or take an action in my book is powerful for a cantrip. Mobility at times can be super important. I'd just say take away reactions until the start of the opponent's next turn like shocking grasp. I mean this is basically a ranged shocking grasp we're talking about.
What about allowing a CON save to avoid the stunned condition? Maybe that, along with a 1d4 damage?
stunned is very, very powerful for a cantrip... Maybe they make a save, and on a fail they can only move OR take an action, instead of both? or something like that.
If it can stun, you could just spam this and never let the BBEG get a turn...
Even then the move or take an action in my book is powerful for a cantrip. Mobility at times can be super important. I'd just say take away reactions until the start of the opponent's next turn like shocking grasp. I mean this is basically a ranged shocking grasp we're talking about.
If the damage is also reduced to 1d4, it seems mostly fine, is slightly powerful. I mean, you'd have to both hit on an attack roll, and have them fail a saving throw.
I agree that Stunned should not be an option for cantrips, at all.
1) The damage is irrelevant, as giving every ally advantage on all attacks makes up for it 6-fold.
2) "Unable to Move" is way, way better than the "reduced by 10ft" produced by Ray of Frost.
3) Automatically failing Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws is also way, way better than Mind Sliver.
Even with an attack roll, a Con save, and low damage, it's simply too good for something that can be spammed round after round.
However, I might be open to more interesting gambles. For example, if the spell were Range: Touch, and failure meant that the caster was stunned instead. That way, there was a chance that a squishy character would be putting themselves in a very vulnerable position and couldn't simply shoot potshots from around a corner. Treating it more like a contested mental grapple.
Not to mention having an attack roll and a saving throw would make it the most complex cantrip ever. And since Cantrips are supposed to be simple spells, that kinda defeats the purpose.
However, I might be open to more interesting gambles. For example, if the spell were Range: Touch, and failure meant that the caster was stunned instead. That way, there was a chance that a squishy character would be putting themselves in a very vulnerable position and couldn't simply shoot potshots from around a corner. Treating it more like a contested mental grapple.
Thanks for all the input. The cantrip seemed OK in my head, then once it was down on paper, not so much. That is why I asked about it here.
If you want to scale it back, but still give the cantrip a somewhat unique secondary effect that fits what you're going for, maybe have the target not be able to take a reaction on the turn after a hit.
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
You hurl a bolt of electricity at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 lightening damage.
This spell's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).
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I created a homebrew Cantrip with lightning damage and a stunning effect. I am asking for feedback on its balance (too much/not enough damage, stun is too powerful, etc).
Thanks!
Shocking Bolt
A charge of electrical energy shoots from your hand out to a range of 60 feet. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 lightning damage, and it is stunned until the end of its next turn.
This spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
wow,wow slow down,stunned?Stunned is dammed overpowered for a cantrip,there are 1st level spells just for getting stun for this long.So slow down and not give the cantrip the power of a 1st level spell,plus damage.
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The stunned condition is quite powerful. It should never be applied to a cantrip. I'd say maybe if a creature is hit, they can't take reactions until the start of their next turn. This makes the spell into a slightly lower damage, but ranged version of shocking grasp as I mean you're basically going for that just with the name "Shocking Bolt".
What about allowing a CON save to avoid the stunned condition? Maybe that, along with a 1d4 damage?
No,just no,stunned is not an condition to give a cantrip,just con save or one round stun is the basis of 1st level spell.Stun stops a foe(equal to about 3 times ray of frosts ribbon),takes there ability to act (shocking grasp+),and gives attacks advantage (equal to guiding bolts ribbon0,it also auto fails two saves (which is stupid strong).
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help create a world here
Yeah no. Stunned is super powerful. Read up on it.
stunned is very, very powerful for a cantrip... Maybe they make a save, and on a fail they can only move OR take an action, instead of both? or something like that.
If it can stun, you could just spam this and never let the BBEG get a turn...
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>Extended Signature<
Even then the move or take an action in my book is powerful for a cantrip. Mobility at times can be super important. I'd just say take away reactions until the start of the opponent's next turn like shocking grasp. I mean this is basically a ranged shocking grasp we're talking about.
If the damage is also reduced to 1d4, it seems mostly fine, is slightly powerful. I mean, you'd have to both hit on an attack roll, and have them fail a saving throw.
I am an average mathematics enjoyer.
>Extended Signature<
I agree that Stunned should not be an option for cantrips, at all.
1) The damage is irrelevant, as giving every ally advantage on all attacks makes up for it 6-fold.
2) "Unable to Move" is way, way better than the "reduced by 10ft" produced by Ray of Frost.
3) Automatically failing Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws is also way, way better than Mind Sliver.
Even with an attack roll, a Con save, and low damage, it's simply too good for something that can be spammed round after round.
However, I might be open to more interesting gambles. For example, if the spell were Range: Touch, and failure meant that the caster was stunned instead. That way, there was a chance that a squishy character would be putting themselves in a very vulnerable position and couldn't simply shoot potshots from around a corner. Treating it more like a contested mental grapple.
Not to mention having an attack roll and a saving throw would make it the most complex cantrip ever. And since Cantrips are supposed to be simple spells, that kinda defeats the purpose.
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Thanks for all the input. The cantrip seemed OK in my head, then once it was down on paper, not so much. That is why I asked about it here.
That's honestly a really cool idea!
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If you want to scale it back, but still give the cantrip a somewhat unique secondary effect that fits what you're going for, maybe have the target not be able to take a reaction on the turn after a hit.
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Hey, ya with that above take out the stun.
Here is what I did below, it was 100% based off of Fire Bolt, just not it is SPARKY:
You hurl a bolt of electricity at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 lightening damage.
This spell's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).