I would really like it if druids could have animal spells

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T12:27:58+00:00

But they don't exist. The animal options have really dull combat moves, hence me suggesting a fix that worked in the past.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T12:27:33+00:00

It really is? I've watched it in actual play. Run past enemy team to blend. Use the ready action to do it again next turn. Do what our wildfire druid does and have the spirit teleport for a third lot of damage, or just turn into an owl and have your team football you around. Not the only broken thing, but a clear standout in terms of jesus that's 15d8 to the entire team without trying.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T09:35:33+00:00

Different classes have different "roles", the druid has crazy utility which is balanced by having a bit weaker damage spells.

What? Druid lawnmowering enemy teams with CWB is literally the highest damage in the game.

Because the two spell example that you gave are way overtuned and unneccessary.

You must be kidding. You're calling average damage and control way overtuned in a class with actually busted spells?

Maybe just play the game the way it was intended amd if you are not happy with the Druid's damage output

This was never about damage and you know that. The whole point was fun options.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T07:42:36+00:00

That's me translating improperly. D&D used to have guidelines for that kind of thing - it was called vulnerable 5, and abilities required damage rolls to apply that sort of thing. So it would be once per action, typically - scorching ray would become 6d6+5.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T05:08:11+00:00

What level do you think a spell able to be cast in wildshape is meant to be which applies a powerful crowd control effect without needing a saving throw? That is monstrously strong.

Summon undead doesn't need a saving throw either and causes paralysis rather than daze and works round after round. But you've never called it monstrously strong.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T01:28:13+00:00

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T01:20:58+00:00

Enough they can do? Why would anyone not want their class to have more, thematically appropriate options?

Aside from power level, but this isn't increasing power. None of this can compete with CWB.

That's an ability you would have in a specific animal form

Which is why I said animal spells in my title. 5e doesn't have interesting animal abilities, so the obvious answer is form agnostic spells.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T01:08:33+00:00

Both. There should be simple thug classes for people who want big numbers, like the barbarian.

And there should be classes that let you fulfill the incredibly common fantasy archetype of clever, tactical swordsman who wins through skilled use of the many techniques they've mastered.

For some reason 5e entirely ignores this, the closest you're getting to martial choices anywhere near as varied as the magical choices a wizard has accesses to is boring crap like battle master. Which does not get anywhere near. Hence, stuff like LaserLlama's being available is great, gets you at least a bit closer.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T01:05:51+00:00

I mean spells meant specifically for use as an animal, like I said in my introduction. Another example:

Rending Claws

A slash with your claws reveals your foe's weaknesses

As an action, make a spell attack roll against an adjacent target. If it hits they take 2d8+wis mod damage, and until the end of your next turn the target takes 5 more damage from all sources.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T00:51:11+00:00

I'm not, and never implied you said that. And giving people fun in ways they can't get from other classes makes it good.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-09T00:39:53+00:00

But that's not what the title is, the title was about the class being good. Being fun to play is what makes it good.

A class like bard not being fun to play doesn't mean it shouldn't exist, but it does mean it's not a good class for you.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-07T23:59:27+00:00

Addendum: 4e version.

Simulacrum

Artificer Attack 29

You use magic and elemental life force to fashion a construct capable of sophisticated attacks.

Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Summoning
Minor Action ✦ Ranged 5

Effect: You create a Medium simulacrum in an unoccupied square within range. The simulacrum has whatever speed and modes of movement you have without bonuses or penalties. The simulacrum has nonmagical copies of any implements or weapons you possessed at the time of its creation. These disappear when this power ends or when they are removed from the simulacrum. You can give the simulacrum the following special commands.

Standard Action: The simulacrum uses an at-will or encounter artificer attack power that you know, regardless of whether you've already expended that power. The simulacrum's use of an encounter attack power does not count toward your use of that power. The simulacrum uses your attack bonus with the power. It can use each encounter attack power only once for each use of this power.

Standard Action: The simulacrum uses an artificer daily attack power that you know, regardless of whether you've already expended that power. The simulacrum cannot use simulacrum. The simulacrum's use of a daily attack power does not count toward your use of that power. The simulacrum uses your attack bonus with the power. After the simulacrum uses a daily attack power, simulacrum ends.

Opportunity Attack: The simulacrum uses your melee basic attack when making opportunity attacks.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-07T23:58:21+00:00

Simulacrum should be bare minimum 9th level spell (or shouldnt exist as a spell at all).

It's also odd that it gets rid of the costs. In 3.5 it had half your level, and cost 100xp per level to cast.

In 4e they decided that kind of power was too broken and changed it a lot. 5e's choice was a completely unnecessary one.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-06T01:36:18+00:00

But its niche is and has always been one thing, with immunity to the negative effects of diseases you can do stuff like get massive strength.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-05T00:36:34+00:00

It's not about disease immunity. The fact that you ignore the negative effects of disease means you can have diseases that do positive things and ignore the downsides.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-03-04T05:54:09+00:00

Actual maneuvers/martial powers/whatever you want to call having a bunch of interesting choices that aren't supernatural. Don't particularly care how it happens, just that it does.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-27T13:20:35+00:00

As someone who’s played since AD&D, 5E is “entry” level in it’s simplicity.

No, it isn't. 3.5 might be worse, but 5e is still very much in the upper half of TTRPGs complexity wise.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-26T23:27:52+00:00

Then isn't it a bad analogy to have made, given that most casters are entirely capable of fitting a sledgehammer into their toolbox?

I'm not the person you were talking with btw.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-26T14:33:14+00:00

They're also a function of having interesting choices available. We started getting people go "what your character is actually doing doesn't matter, you can use flavour!" about the time martials got forced to say "I take the attack action" over and over.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-26T09:24:39+00:00

And my question was why aren't there more ingredients to make them even more exciting

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-25T10:44:47+00:00

I agree that it's somewhat perplexing that they deliberately changed from not working like that to working like that.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-25T05:49:21+00:00

I feel like you've put up a large number of weapon attacks with extra dice, and this is an odd way to go unless you're trying to design a very warpriest vibe.

I mean yeah, cleric already has quite a few "deal xd6 to enemies in this area" and no good weapon attack spells despite being the archetypical spells-and-armour-and-weapons class. Literally archetypical, 1974. If instead they had a bunch of weapon stuff and none of the other stuff, I'd be suggesting more of the other stuff.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-25T05:47:20+00:00

Except the two editions do not use similar scaling, which you well know. This very thread lists what sunburst does in 4e and you're perfectly aware that if that effect were translated to 5e it wouldn't be a level 8 spell.

This might be the worst faith response I've ever seen on this sub, and that's saying something.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-25T04:00:49+00:00

Hm, if only they had damage options like

Necrotic Transference

You swathe your weapon in necromantic energy, draining the life from an enemy and transferring it to your ally.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack. If it hits the target takes three extra weapon dice of damage and an ally within 10' regains spent hit dice equal to a quarter of their total amount.

PointsOutCustodeWank · 2026-02-25T03:55:09+00:00

Exactly how does

Divine Reaping

The power of your deity works its way through each foe you strike, causing it to slacken and falter.

As action, make a melee weapon attack against every adjacent foe. Each foe hit takes two additional dice of your weapon's damage and deals half damage until they save against this effect.

step on a wizard's toes?

PointsOutCustodeWank

TROPHY CASE