D&D (2024) 2024 Spell Changes

[Daztur]

They have decidedly moved away from having effects be mostly about representing them logically and much more towards specific mechanical needs with a thin veneer of being what they're supposed to be. Sleep doesn't feel like putting enemies to sleep. Invisibility doesn't make you invisible in the sense anyone would expect outside of the 5.5 glossary. Animate Object is now very specific on what objects it animates and how. Interpretation as a concept seems to be going away.

Yup, the main aspect of 4e that I didn't like is coming back while the aspects that I did like about 4e aren't. I much prefer various things that characters can do to be fiction first with the rules trying to put that fiction into effect but with DM rulings being there in order to make sure that the rules conform to the fiction in edge cases, not specific mechanical concepts with a thin veneer of flavor text that can be ignored.

Command is the perfect example of that. The fiction is that you say a one word verb and if they can't resist your magical power then they do that verb. The rules go part of the way towards implementing that fiction in terms of gameable rules but DMs often have to fill in the cracks. What if people have wax in their ears? What if they're plugging their ears with their fingers so they can't hear you? What if it's really noisy and its hard to hear your command word? What if they're ignorant peasants and they don't know the fancy vocab words you're throwing around? All of this requires some DM rulings but it makes the fiction feel real and important, not just a "free" bit of flavor text that can be reskinned at-will because it doesn't matter.

If you take all of that away and just have a list of specific effects that can be done with Command then you take away a chunk of what makes D&D fun for me personally. I understand that a lot of other people have different perspectives but I'm sad that summon animals doesn't summon animals anymore, that sleep doesn't put people to sleep, and all the rest.

 

[MarkB]

That is now a nasty spell, there is no real getting away from it outside of putting range or cover between you and the caster.

Or breaking their concentration. So it's still a spell that makes the caster a target, but they do at least have more range to play with now.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Or breaking their concentration. So it's still a spell that makes the caster a target, but they do at least have more range to play with now.

Every concentration spell makes the caster a target but before now Witch Bolt was not worth the preparation slot.

 

[MarkB]

Every concentration spell makes the caster a target

Yeah, but nothing makes it personal quite like "I've tethered you on a bolt of lightning and am going to specifically hurt you every round."

but before now Witch Bolt was not worth the preparation slot.

Yes, it's very much improved.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Wait a second, do I understand right that the Sleep spell applies the Incapacitated condition - which allows them to move?

It's like Incapacitated is a terrible choice for the name of a condition that does not incapacitate you...

So an incapacitated flying (or climbing, or swimming) creature doesn't fall?

I'll note that (in 2014 at least) if they were flying magically, whatever happens to them, they'll just float gently.

 

[Stalker0]

I am still surprised TM and some others have not been gushing over the new Shining Smite. I mean that thing is CRAZY STRONG against a BBEG. One attack, your entire party will have advantage against the boss for basically the rest of the fight, no save, no legendary resistance....nadda. Just pure pain. heck if it was just the paladin itself it would be pretty good, but its the ENTIRE PARTY.

 

[Distracted DM]

I'll note that (in 2014 at least) if they were flying magically, whatever happens to them, they'll just float gently.

Incapacitated didn't affect movement, did it? Why would it affect flying?

 

[Weiley31]

Wait a second, do I understand right that the Sleep spell applies the Incapacitated condition - which allows them to move? So an incapacitated flying (or climbing, or swimming) creature doesn't fall?

I'll note that (in 2014 at least) if they were flying magically, whatever happens to them, they'll just float gently.

Incapacitated didn't affect movement, did it? Why would it affect flying?

Ya, but if you fall asleep/incapacitated while driving a car, that car is STILL moving and could go right into oncoming traffic. A witch flying on a broom could go RIGHT into an active volcano if asleep. Or right INTO a dragon's opened mouth.

 

[Distracted DM]

Ya, but if you fall asleep/incapacitated while driving a car, that car is STILL moving and could go right into traffic. A witch flying in a broom could go EIGHT into an active volcano if our asleep. Or right I to a dragon's opened mouth.

Being asleep isn't the same as being DnD Incapacitated though?

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Incapacitated didn't affect movement, did it? Why would it affect flying?

That wasn't about incapacitated as such, more of a general rule that nothing could make them drop.