I recently was trying to set up this campaign setting that I backed on KS and they have a spell that I've seen a couple of others rule as "extremely broken/op".
Spiny Shield
1st Level
Casting Time - 1 Reaction *when hit by a melee attack
Range/Area - Self
Components - V, S, M **a small quill
Duration - 1 Round
School - Abjuration
An ethereal barrier of spikes made of force interposes itself between you and an attacker. Until your next turn, when you are hit by a melee attack, the spell reduces the damage your are dealt by 2d4, and deals the same amount of piercing damage to the attacker. The shield is ineffective against ranged attacks, but still provides a +2 bonus to AC (treat as half cover) against them for the duration. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot above 1st level, increase the spells effect by an additional 1d4 for every slot level above 1st.
Usable by Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, and Wizard
I get where they were coming from with saying its got an OP nature. It uses a combination of Hellish Rebuke and Shield, although somewhat scaled back there is straight melee damage reduction and damage with no spell save. Granted, it's 2d4 instead of 2d10 but no save, and it's 2AC against ranged instead of straight 5AC across all attacks.
Two questions then: Would you, as a DM, allow this spell to be used? Second, if not, how would you suggest this is balanced?
I'm new to DMing so take my advice with a grain of salt. I'd make it a choice of either the 2d4 damage reflection or +2 AC, so they have to decide if they want to turtle up or take a hit to do some damage as my first call. Only other option I can think of ATM is instead of being a reaction make it a limited bonus action (1/2 times per long rest) so they have to try and judge if it would be worth it based on what they're fighting/the situation
So, if a deinonychus attacks you and hits twice, and you cast this on the first hit, you can effectively cure wounds yourself and magic missile it as a reaction and with a single 1st-level spell slot. That's two economies this breaks.
Maybe raise it to 3rd level and raise the effect to 4d4? Maybe raise it to 2nd level and reduce the effect to 1d4 or 1d6?
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
This is definitely in play testing at the moment and everyone else seems to think it's balanced by the fact that enemies will just avoid the person using it entirely if the DM is playing the enemies well. My first thought would have been to reduce it to 1d4 instead of 2d4 at level 1 but had no idea if that was still too good. Seemed on par with Armor of Agathys IMO at early levels but I do like the idea of having to choose between +AC or pick 2d4 reflect
This is definitely in play testing at the moment and everyone else seems to think it's balanced by the fact that enemies will just avoid the person using it entirely if the DM is playing the enemies well. My first thought would have been to reduce it to 1d4 instead of 2d4 at level 1 but had no idea if that was still too good. Seemed on par with Armor of Agathys IMO at early levels but I do like the idea of having to choose between +AC or pick 2d4 reflect
Armor of Agathys has to be cast in advance and provides no bonus against ranged attacks. It doesn't use your reaction, sure, and it lasts more than one turn, but it's just a bad false life if you get hit with something it doesn't work against. It might or might not scale better, depending on the monsters.
I recently was trying to set up this campaign setting that I backed on KS and they have a spell that I've seen a couple of others rule as "extremely broken/op".
I'm new to DMing so take my advice with a grain of salt. I'd make it a choice of either the 2d4 damage reflection or +2 AC, so they have to decide if they want to turtle up or take a hit to do some damage as my first call. Only other option I can think of ATM is instead of being a reaction make it a limited bonus action (1/2 times per long rest) so they have to try and judge if it would be worth it based on what they're fighting/the situation
So, if a deinonychus attacks you and hits twice, and you cast this on the first hit, you can effectively cure wounds yourself and magic missile it as a reaction and with a single 1st-level spell slot. That's two economies this breaks.
Maybe raise it to 3rd level and raise the effect to 4d4? Maybe raise it to 2nd level and reduce the effect to 1d4 or 1d6?
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
This is definitely in play testing at the moment and everyone else seems to think it's balanced by the fact that enemies will just avoid the person using it entirely if the DM is playing the enemies well. My first thought would have been to reduce it to 1d4 instead of 2d4 at level 1 but had no idea if that was still too good. Seemed on par with Armor of Agathys IMO at early levels but I do like the idea of having to choose between +AC or pick 2d4 reflect
Armor of Agathys has to be cast in advance and provides no bonus against ranged attacks. It doesn't use your reaction, sure, and it lasts more than one turn, but it's just a bad false life if you get hit with something it doesn't work against. It might or might not scale better, depending on the monsters.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)