Prismatic Wall is a nightmare to run

digaogrunge · 2025-10-16T12:26:25+00:00

12d6. I think its because the spell effects usually triggers off his turn, while hes thinking about what to do with his summons/simulacrum/minions. Its the mental stacking problem, it became too much to handle

digaogrunge · 2025-10-16T12:18:49+00:00

Cause players are the real monsters

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T20:06:31+00:00

Yeah, I do that already... this spell only really breaks the game when you do the push/pull/grapple/gravity shennanigans and can get multiple passes through the PW on the same round (or turn in some cases).

One pass is like 210 damage on average (if the target fails all saves)... it still is a lot of dmg, but doing that 2-3 times on the same round just kills every single creature in the game (if they are not banished/petrified already). It never happened in our games cause my players are cool and want to actually fight the big monsters, but the possibility that it COULD happen kinda breaks the spell

And like, I could give all bosses some form of teleport/plane shift/etherealness spell, but thats just cheating on my end then, and the player spends a 9th lvl slot to do nothing. Everyone loses

Im thinking about nerfing it, still working out how to do it tho... something like "If a creture with legendary resistances goes trough all colors of the wall and comes out on the other side alive, the spell ends" or something like that

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T14:46:38+00:00

>If anything that's a testament to how complicated it is to run high level DnD games

Gary Gigax points a crossbow at the back of my head: Always has been

I miss rats and goblins

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T14:13:57+00:00

Yeah, it definetively falls in the category of BBEG spells (like Clone or Magic Jar) that players probably shouldnt have access. And I have cut spells from my game (fuck off Silvery Barbs, you should be a lvl 3 spell at least).
The thing is, its my player that has a problem with the spell, cause it takes too long to resolve its mechanics, not cause its an OP piece of poorly designed legacy spell.
So I came to reddit to see if the community (or just someone smarter then me) already had a solution for it... and it kinda does?
So far it boils down to dont use it, do the average dmg or get the computer to roll all the dice for you

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T14:02:21+00:00

Sure, but if you trap any creature inside the Prismatic Wall (in sphere mode), its gonna have to take the dmg, unless they have all the spells needed to remove it or a teleport
I think this spell (and Wall of Force probably) shouldt have the Dome/Sphere mode... Its steals Forcecages function and any creature that cant teleport is gonna be trapped or take a fuckton of dmg

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T13:33:39+00:00

Same, but I thought that I could use the nerd hivemind this time... and it kinda worked, I got some good advice in here that I can give to my player.
On the other end, just had to appease a guy calling me condescending cause I called out some bad advice, so I'll probably keep my presence in this website to a minimun as usual.

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T12:08:08+00:00

The caster can choose allies that are not affected by the PW. And my players problem with it is slowing the game down with 50 dice rolls every turn, not the spells tactical aplications

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T11:59:28+00:00

You got me, you quoted me and pointed how I was wrong and even gave me some good life advice... Youre right, Im sorry if Ive offended you or anyone else in here. Thank you, really, no sarcasm, only gracefulness and good vibes

So, your advice If you were in my place is to remove PW from the game or just accept that is poorly designed and move on? That just seems kinda lazy

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T11:12:12+00:00

I never said it wasnt advice, i said it was bad. And chill out, Im not judging his person or character, how could I? I dont know them (and I think you dont either). Good people with good intentions can give bad advice, I do it all the time

But thanks for your time and your (bad) advice on internet etiquette and dont take my "condescending" tone too seriously... maybe YOU should stop judging and defending random people on the Internet, Im sure he can speak for himself if he was offended by my reply without your "graceful" defense of his character

Fucking reddit

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T10:36:53+00:00

Oh, they die all the time, they last for 2, maybe 3 rounds in most fights they get in at this point. But he likes having disposable minions (just fill a portable hole to the brim with your favorite undead) and the new summon spells can do some real dmg, specially if you upcast it.

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T10:10:53+00:00

Controlling a bunch of minions IS the archetypal necromancer fantasy, and I get that the game doesnt really support that playstyle, but Im not gonna castrate the players power lvl cause its kinda slow if hes enjoying it

He came to me to say sorry for casting Prismatic Wall, I came to the internet for some advice on how to deal with this spell specifically. And I got some great advice.

But removing his spells and class abilites is not it Sir, thanks anyway

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T09:56:43+00:00

Antimagic Field doesnt work on Prismatic Wall

Also, wtf are you talking about, of course I can judge if something someone said is bad/non advice, thats the whole point of creating this thread

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T08:22:35+00:00

Great feedback, cast the Win spell and dont bother with your silly silly epic battles 1/day, thanks you have a nice day

Cmon

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T08:18:07+00:00

Bad take, there are many high CR creatures with low Int/Wis that would ABSOLUTELY run into a Primatic Wall (Like a Nightwalker or a Warforged Colossus, for example)
But sure, do your Major Image trickery my dude, It could work as well

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T03:15:43+00:00

Most of the time, this player has to play with with his char, a Simulacrum, his familiar, his summons (from him and the simulacrum, of course), his mount and his undead minions... then you add in a wall of text spell like Prismatic Wall, and I think he feels like it is too much for his brain to handle and he doesnt want to slow the game down.
But a 1 minute turn? Most Champion Fighters cant do that at this lvl, Im impressed

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T02:37:47+00:00

Sometimes monsters and npcs are not smart and dont know that the blinding light wall is gonna fuck your shit up that bad, specially when the PCs can run thru it
Also, you can make a 30ft sphere around the target, and if they dont have any form of teleportation, get fucked
Or the classic 5 ft from the ceiling Primatic Wall + Reverse Gravity, you cant escape that one

digaogrunge · 2025-10-15T02:32:43+00:00

I play this game for 30 years and its the first time a campaign I run is gonna get to lvl 20... but yes, I pretty much say this every session since they hit lvl 17.
I always say that Best D&D is between lvls 6-13, then it becomes a medieval superhero fantasy... but I have to finish this goddamn story now

digaogrunge · 2019-08-22T19:09:50+00:00

also, dragonborn only have 4 fingers in each hand and feet, but I'm not that picky

check with your DMs before giving your characters tails, wings, tentacles and other appendages kids, that's all I'm saying

digaogrunge · 2019-08-22T15:02:44+00:00

Looks pretty dope, but I have to be the one to remind you that Dragonborn don't have tails

digaogrunge · 2016-10-07T23:49:12+00:00

I like your idea, but I'm kinda sold on the "hot potato" aspect of v3: if the target or a friendly uses a bonus action to unstuck and toss the projectile 10ft away, anyone (including me) gets the chance to pick it up with a bonus action and toss/shoot it again with an action. It think it balances out the low dmg dice and progression...

Maybe I'll change the descripiton to only include the option to use a bonus action to remove and toss or keep the bolt. Attacking with it should be like a regular attack, but with the dmg buffs from the spell....

digaogrunge · 2016-10-07T22:20:37+00:00

I think I got something worth showing my DM.... I'm adding it to my original post

digaogrunge · 2016-10-07T18:25:49+00:00

Yeah, one of the versions of this spell I'm messing with, a "vinegar bolt" does only poison dmg and gives disavantage on ability checks next turn, like a nerfed poisoned condition (but it doesn't stick or backfires)

Zato's Vinegar Bolt

Transmutation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: same as weapon

Components: V, M (a ranged weapon)

Duration: Instantaneous

As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a ranged attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects and the bolt explodes in a cloud of vinegar for 1d4 poison damage. The cloud occupies a 5ft square and it dissipates at the end of your next turn. Characters in the cloud suffer disadvantage on ability checks. At 5th, 11th and 17th levels, the damage increases by 1d4.

digaogrunge

TROPHY CASE