Vital Transference Cantrip Evocation? or Necromancy? (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Necromancer wizard?, Divine Soul Sorcerer?, Celestial Warlock?) Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Another creature that is not undead or a construct Components: S Duration: Concentration, Instantaneous? or 1 round? You reach out to grip one creature other than yourself who has at least 1 hp and focus briefly on channelling your own vitality into the target. You expend your life into the target, making a constitution concentration saving throw and on a success you take half of 1d4 + your constitution modifier in damage and the target heals 1d4 + your constitution modifier hit points. On a failed save, you take 1d4 + your constitution modifier in damage and the target heals half of 1d4 + your constitution modifier hit points. Having your grip on the target broken or your concentration interrupted before the transference finishes counts as a failed saved.
At higher levels. the healing from this spell increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4) and 17th level (4d4) In addition, From 11th level the target creature may also expend a hit dice to increase their healing when you succeed on you check when casting this spell.
Not so much on the wording as it could be refined, but on balance and vibe? Seen a couple healing cantrips around but wasn't sold on the cost or usability.
It's easy to exploit if you get two casters that have proficiency in CON saves since they will mostly succeed the save thus create net positive increase in HP for the party, enabling them to heal the whole party back up to full HP in a few minutes.
If you want to make a balanced cantrip that does healing it has to be net-0 HP benefit to the party - i.e. it can only move hit points from one creature to another it cannot increase hit points.
So rebalancing your proposal:
Vital Transference Necromancy Cantrip (Wizard, Bard, Cleric) Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Another creature that is not undead or a construct Components: S Duration: Instantaneous You reach out to grip one creature other than yourself who has at least 1 hp and focus briefly on channeling your own vitality into the target. You expend your life into the target, you take 1d4 + your constitution modifier necrotic damage (that cannot be reduced in anyway), and the target regains hit points equal to the damage you took.
At higher levels. the damage from this spell (and healing received) increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4) and 17th level (4d4).
Vital Transference
Cantrip Evocation? or Necromancy? (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Necromancer wizard?, Divine Soul Sorcerer?, Celestial Warlock?)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Another creature that is not undead or a construct
Components: S
Duration: Concentration, Instantaneous? or 1 round?
You reach out to grip one creature other than yourself who has at least 1 hp and focus briefly on channelling your own vitality into the target. You expend your life into the target, making a constitution concentration saving throw and on a success you take half of 1d4 + your constitution modifier in damage and the target heals 1d4 + your constitution modifier hit points. On a failed save, you take 1d4 + your constitution modifier in damage and the target heals half of 1d4 + your constitution modifier hit points. Having your grip on the target broken or your concentration interrupted before the transference finishes counts as a failed saved.
At higher levels. the healing from this spell increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4) and 17th level (4d4)
In addition, From 11th level the target creature may also expend a hit dice to increase their healing when you succeed on you check when casting this spell.
Not so much on the wording as it could be refined, but on balance and vibe? Seen a couple healing cantrips around but wasn't sold on the cost or usability.
Thanks for your thoughts
It's easy to exploit if you get two casters that have proficiency in CON saves since they will mostly succeed the save thus create net positive increase in HP for the party, enabling them to heal the whole party back up to full HP in a few minutes.
If you want to make a balanced cantrip that does healing it has to be net-0 HP benefit to the party - i.e. it can only move hit points from one creature to another it cannot increase hit points.
So rebalancing your proposal:
Vital Transference
Necromancy Cantrip (Wizard, Bard, Cleric)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Another creature that is not undead or a construct
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You reach out to grip one creature other than yourself who has at least 1 hp and focus briefly on channeling your own vitality into the target. You expend your life into the target, you take 1d4 + your constitution modifier necrotic damage (that cannot be reduced in anyway), and the target regains hit points equal to the damage you took.
At higher levels. the damage from this spell (and healing received) increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4) and 17th level (4d4).
That's a good point, thanks! Sometimes simpler is better