Whoa major nerf changing this from 120 ft range to Touch! 

Not sure why they felt the need to nerf this spell. It's in competition with Eldritch Blast for goodness sake. They also removed the bonus effect it had on undead. It was basically baby's first necromancy spell, summoning ghost hands to grab someone is the most basic form of summoning undead and it fit that concept really well. The buff to damage is good but not good enough to justify the tradeoff for the nerf. This has gone from not as good as, but the only competition to the almost mandatory cantrip Eldritch Blast to one of the lower tier cantrips out there in my opinion. I'll be using the older version of this for sure when I DM (maybe keep the damage boost too but probably not since the slightly lower damage is part of balancing the awesome effect of no HP recovery) and asking if I can if I'm a player. I get most of the changes that were made to most of the spells, but the nerf here is mind boggling to me. Were there DMs out there complaining that Chill Touch was over powered?

Don’t know why they didn’t just rename the 2014 version into something that made people think “ranged necrotic” attack. Now we have a bad Touch spell that still doesn’t do the Cold damage people are going to think it would do. (Despite how it’s supposed to evoke “the chilling touch of the grave” vibe.)

Its like they tried to make inflict wounds a cantrip.

Not being able to shut down healing from range, just sucks.

This is terrible, now. Wizards don't want to be in melee range and Eldritch Knights won't have the INT to hit.

Rest in pieces.
Even Necromancy can't bring this back from the dead...

I guess you could metamagic distance spell for 30’

죽음 권역 사제에겐 쓸만해진 거 같아요. 신성 변환을 이 주문으로 발동할 수 있게 되었으니까요.

I think it's going to be useful for Death domain clerics, as they can now trigger chanel divinity with this spell.

Quote from Songkill >>

Don’t know why they didn’t just rename the 2014 version into something that made people think “ranged necrotic” attack. Now we have a bad Touch spell that still doesn’t do the Cold damage people are going to think it would do. (Despite how it’s supposed to evoke “the chilling touch of the grave” vibe.)

I agree. Necrosis is actually [delayed] by cold, so necrotic damage makes no sense. There is a reason morgues keep bodies cold. Thematically, anything referencing "chill" should deal cold damage, not necrotic.

I agree. Necrosis is actually [delayed] by cold, so necrotic damage makes no sense. There is a reason morgues keep bodies cold. Thematically, anything referencing "chill" should deal cold damage, not necrotic.

Necrotic damage does not exclusively refer to necrosis. It's also used for damage to one's lifeforce or soul. Diseases can be either necrotic or poison damage. Sometimes it's even tied to a Wisdom Save, and that certainly can't be necrosis.
Necrotic damage is actually used for a rather large variety of harm.

Lol, Nope. Firmly added to this list of spells I'll just never take if a DM insists on the updated version

this spell doesn't work with to-hit bonus magic items, like with the spore druid and moon sickle

Ignoring the obvious name and history in 3rd edition, your necrotic damage cantrip is more interesting as a touch spell.

All that said, the wizard isn't casting this, ever. A Wizard might choose between a 1d10 ranged firebolt and a 1d8 chill touch to shut down healing, but he's not running into melee to do it. even for a d10. If a wizard is in melee, he does not want to be there; giving undead disadvantage actually makes this spell useful.

Channeling the chill of the grave

You can tell by this bit of flavor text the designer really wanted to make the spell more consistent with it's name. I'm about to start nitpicking, but this really doesn't belong here. The spell's name is it's flavor text, and also obviously a bit of clever wordplay. Like, why doesn't the spell deal cold damage? Because the cold you're feeling is the flame of your life force being snuffed out. This bit of flavor text is just a little bit juvenile and, I don't know kind of misses the point? Like, maybe when I cast this spell my hands are as cold as death, but... what if they aren't? What if they're the last warmth you ever feel...

Anyway, the undead effect really needs to come back. It doesn't have to be disadvantage though that's totally fine, but it needs to come back.

For those saying a wizard would never want to use this melee spell I would like to point out that because it is touch it can be cast via a familiar.

Seeing this was changed to touch literally killed what little enthusiasm I had left for 2024.

It was always a touch spell in AD&D, 3e and 3.5e.  I am not sure why it was made into a ranged spell for 5e 2014 rules.

Quote from LSargent >>

It was always a touch spell in AD&D, 3e and 3.5e.  I am not sure why it was made into a ranged spell for 5e 2014 rules.

 Good point. And with find familiar being a 1st level spell, a wizard should never really need to run into melee range to deliver the spell.

Edit:
OOps I'm stupid and quoted the wrong person.

Quote from Dwayden >>

For those saying a wizard would never want to use this melee spell I would like to point out that because it is touch it can be cast via a familiar.

 This is who I meant to quote

Today I learned that this counters the Regeneration of a troll among other creatures. Came very much in handy traveling with a party that lacks a means to deal fire or acid damage.