D&D (2024) Playtest 8: Cantrips

[WanderingMystic]

So now as far as damage cantrips go we have
Acid: Acid Splash (save),
Not in PHB - Primal Savagery (melee)
Cold: Frostbite (save), Ray of Frost (ranged)
Fire: Fire Bolt (ranged), Produce Flame (ranged) D
Force: Eldritch Blast (ranged) War, Shillelagh (melee)  D
Not in PHB - Sword Burst (save)
Not in PHB - Conjure Bonfire (save) , Greenflame Blade (melee)
Lightning: Shocking Grasp (melee),
Not in PHB Lightning Lure (save)
Necrotic: Chill Touch (melee), Toll the Dead (save)
Poison: Poison Spray (ranged),
Not in PHB - Infestation (save)
Psychic: Mind Spike (ranged), Vicious Mockery (save) B
Radiant: Sacred Flame (save) C, True Strike (melee or ranged)
Not in PHB - Word of Radiance (save)  C
Thunder:
Not in PHB - Booming Blade (melee), Thunderclap (Save)
P: Thorn Whip (melee)  D

I am fairly sure that Magic Stones have been quietly removed from the game.

We don't have much in the way of melee elemental damage options which I would have liked in the PHB. Thorn Whip needs to be changed from just dealing piercing damage to maybe poison also we don't have any ranged Lightning damage options unless you are a sorcerer.

 

[Yaarel]

That also needs to go, just add it as magical weapon damage of the same type.

Also we need some love for melee 2Handers, there should be a reward for not using a shield or ranged weapon.

Or even better,
at 5th level you deal additional base damage of the weapon,
at 11th level you deal two times additional base damage of the weapon,
at 17th level you deal three times additional base damage of the weapon,

Because of the concept of the spell, "striking true", it makes sense to scale using the Weapon damage.

The concern is gaming balance, such as Multiple Attack where one of the attacks is additionally this cantrip. Or this cantrip is a Bonus Action as part of an other Action.

 

[Yaarel]

So now as far as damage cantrips go we have
Acid: Acid Splash (save),
Not in PHB - Primal Savagery (melee)
Cold: Frostbite (save), Ray of Frost (ranged)
Fire: Fire Bolt (ranged), Produce Flame (ranged) D
Force: Eldritch Blast (ranged) War, Shillelagh (melee)  D
Not in PHB - Sword Burst (save)
Not in PHB - Conjure Bonfire (save) , Greenflame Blade (melee)
Lightning: Shocking Grasp (melee),
Not in PHB Lightning Lure (save)
Necrotic: Chill Touch (melee), Toll the Dead (save)
Poison: Poison Spray (ranged),
Not in PHB - Infestation (save)
Psychic: Mind Spike (ranged), Vicious Mockery (save) B
Radiant: Sacred Flame (save) C, True Strike (melee or ranged)
Not in PHB - Word of Radiance (save)  C
Thunder:
Not in PHB - Booming Blade (melee), Thunderclap (Save)
P: Thorn Whip (melee)  D

I am fairly sure that Magic Stones have been quietly removed from the game.

We don't have much in the way of melee elemental damage options which I would have liked in the PHB. Thorn Whip needs to be changed from just dealing piercing damage to maybe poison also we don't have any ranged Lightning damage options unless you are a sorcerer.

What are the abbreviations?

 

[WanderingMystic]

What are the abbreviations?

They denounce a spell that is only accessible by 1 class Bard, Cleric, Druid, Warlock

 

[Yaarel]

Thinking about damage types. What damage type does suffocation deal?

I have been associating Thunder with blasts, shockwaves, overpressure and underpressure, whence high pressure underwater and low pressure in vacuum.

Hence using Thunder for suffocation, despite it seeming a stretch.

Is there a better way to handle suffocation damage, such as drowning or vacuum?

 

[Yaarel]

They denounce a spell that is only accessible by 1 class Bard, Cleric, Druid, Warlock

I hope all of the Elemental spells appear in the 2024 Players Handbook.

The 2014 Players Handbook removed them, because of some plan relating to the Elemental Evil as a separate supplement.

Elemental tropes are far too important to be missing from the core rules.

 

[Charlaquin]

Thinking about damage types. What damage type does suffocation deal?

I have been associating Thunder with blasts, shockwaves, overpressure and underpressure, whence high pressure underwater and low pressure in vacuum.

Hence using Thunder for suffocation, despite it seeming a stretch.

Is there a better way to handle suffocation damage, such as drowning or vacuum?

Suffocation doesn’t deal damage, you just start making death saves if you go too long without breathing.

 

[Yaarel]

Suffocation doesn’t deal damage, you just start making death saves if you go too long without breathing.

How did I miss that? I guess it was hard for me to not think in terms of hp.

 

[Yaarel]

Suffocation doesn’t deal damage, you just start making death saves if you go too long without breathing.

Is there a source?

How does one switch from full hit points to death saves without being at 0 hit points? Is the person still conscious during the death saves?

 

[Yaarel]

@Charlaquin

Ok I found it, in the Players Handbook, huh, in the Environment section, page 183.

So, when a character runs out of breath, it still persists for Constitution rounds, then suddenly drops to 0 hit points.

Reasonable rules.