New 5e spell: Dual Weapon Ward

[Ghost Dragon]

Hey there. This spell was designed with TWF elritch knights rangers and anyone else who may want to weild with two weapons and cast.

It was built from the 2nd level spell Warding Bond from the cleric spell list. I have changed a few things to make it more in line with a gish spell feel (the duration was way long for the original, makes me wanna play a cleric :smallbiggrin:) but want opinions about balance. OP? Underpowered?

Duel Weapon Ward

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a pair of weapons whose grips are bound with exquisite leather worth at least 100g each, which you must wield in each hand for the duration)
Duration: 1 minute

This spell wards you against harm. You gain a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws, and resistance to non magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. The spell ends if you drop to 0 hit points or if you are not holding a weapon in each hand. You can also dismiss the spell as an action.

Thoughts?

Thanks all.

[heavyfuel]

It's much better than the Cleric's spell for a number of reasons.

1 - You want silvered weapons. The cost is meaningless because you're going to buy them anyway. The same cannot be said about the rings;

2 - The Cleric takes 1/2 damage. This is huge! Your spell is resistance for free, basically;

3 - The Cleric needs to stand within 60ft. Not that big of a deal, but still limiting.

The one minute duration is irrelevant, as it's "one encounter" regardless if it's 1 minute or 1 hour (since the group probably takes a short rest between encounters)

Also, if this is an Eldritch Knight spell, is it on the Wizard list?

Personally, I'd take this over almost any other spell available for EK, which means it's probably too strong.

Make it level 3, and give it a better, more costly material component (like, a special leather grip that costs 100 gp a pair) and it's fine, since it's now competing with Protection from Energy, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, and Fireball.

[Ghost Dragon]

Yup, fair points all. Changes made ;)

[DiBastet]

The one minute duration is irrelevant, as it's "one encounter" regardless if it's 1 minute or 1 hour (since the group probably takes a short rest between encounters)

I don't like the spell, but that's both unfair and untrue. Base game suggests two short rests on an average adventure day. Maybe you run your games in a certain way, but I don't see a lot of DMs designing their adventures so you can take a 1 hour break after every kobold.

[heavyfuel]

I don't like the spell, but that's both unfair and untrue. Base game suggests two short rests on an average adventure day. Maybe you run your games in a certain way, but I don't see a lot of DMs designing their adventures so you can take a 1 hour break after every kobold.

The book does suggest it, but in my experience, one players reach about lv 8, they'll take a short rest after pretty much every encounter, since they'll be regaining 4 short rests per long rest. Maybe it's just the tables I've played at, but still.

[Ghost Dragon]

I don't like the spell, but that's both unfair and untrue. Base game suggests two short rests on an average adventure day. Maybe you run your games in a certain way, but I don't see a lot of DMs designing their adventures so you can take a 1 hour break after every kobold.

What about resistance to just non magical bludgeoning piercing & slashing and still keep it at 3rd level? I've changed that in the spell. What say you? :smallwink:

[DiBastet]

Resistance to physical damage is something complicated man. You have blade ward as cantrip, then you have stoneskin as 4th level. Warding bond isn't so much resistance as sharing damage with someone (or rather, someone sharing damage with you)

[Ghost Dragon]

Resistance to physical damage is something complicated man. You have blade ward as cantrip, then you have stoneskin as 4th level. Warding bond isn't so much resistance as sharing damage with someone (or rather, someone sharing damage with you)

Ok, then what about choosing only one damage type to gain resistance from, and dropping it back down to second level? Or gaining resistance to magic, or damage from spells?

[Submortimer]

I think this being an "Upgraded" version of blade ward is quite good. I don't see too many issues with it as is, now.