Favorite spells from Xanathar's?

[bc56]

What are your favorite spells released in Xanathar's Guide to everything?

I personally like Chaos Bolt. I think the spell is really flavorful for a wild sorcerer, the damage is not too much lower than Chromatic Orb, and the 12.5% chance to attack a second target is pretty strong.

[Jerrykhor]

Toll the Dead. I always play Undertaker's theme when I cast that lol.

[Kane0]

I like my Warlocks, so I would have to pick Enemies Abound. Good range and duration, targets a good save, pretty powerful when used on the right target and you don't have to wait until the endgame to get access to it. It also meshes extremely well with GoO pact and my maniacal tendencies when playing.

Runner up is Psychic Scream, so I can reenact this scene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1jf2hOkec4) and make mindblowing puns.

[Naanomi]

I’ll second a love for Enemies Abound... twinned it is fantastic; and a subtle Enemies Abound in a social situation is a great way to start a fight.

Also enjoy Sickening Radiance, Synaptic Static, Absorb Elements, Catnap, Find Greater Steed, Zephyr/Steel Wind Strike

[Armok]

Ceremony is amazing, and I will never not prepare it. For extra fun, magical secrets it as a bard and throw hokey weddings.

[Kane0]

Huh, I never noticed that until now. Hilariously, Tomelocks can also Ceremony.

[Lodestar]

Tenser's Transformation: I love "Super Mode" type stuff, and TT really fits the bill.

Steel Wind Strike: Animu omnislash shenanigans? Sign me up. A shame you can't get it on an Eldritch Knight.

Shadow of Moil: Edgy dark flame aura's pretty choice. The retaliative damage is a nice addition.

Synaptic Static/Psychic Scream: Psychic damage with cool riders? Give, please.

[Armok]

Huh, I never noticed that until now. Hilariously, Tomelocks can also Ceremony.

By the grace bestowed on me by *cough*Asmodeus*cough* I thee wed!

[Kane0]

"In the Eyes of the Great Beyond, you are constrained to each other's embrace until the day you perish"
"Hey, that sounded more like a curse than a wedding"
*Telepathically* Your mortal customs are foreign to me. Is there a difference?

[Naanomi]

Ceremony is amazing, and I will never not prepare it. For extra fun, magical secrets it as a bard and throw hokey weddings.
First Church of Elvis (or is he an Undying Warlock Patron?)

[Temperjoke]

I like Mighty Fortress and Soul Cage, personally.

[MxKit]

Dragon's breath, guardian of nature, infestation, maddening darkness, sickening radiance, steel wind strike, synaptic static, transmute rock, zephyr strike, and the triumvirate of druid grove/mighty fortress/temple of the gods.

...I just really like a lot of the Xanathar's spells, guys.

[ProseBeforeHos]

Illusory Dragon is wonderful.

[jojo]

Personally I like Cat Nap for being one of the most absurd and useless spells every written its hard to beat.

[Jerrykhor]

By the grace bestowed on me by *cough*Asmodeus*cough* I thee wed!

Till death do us part.

What about resurrection?

Read the fine print, my dear.

[Blacky the Blackball]

the triumvirate of druid grove/mighty fortress/temple of the gods.

These are my favourites.

Many of the other spells are useful in combats or whatever, but these three - being powerful magical effects that can be made permanent (just like Teleportation Circle) - have fun worldbuilding implications. They can be real game-changers for the game's implied setting.

[Joe the Rat]

I'm a big fan of the alternate "on death" effects - and Psychic Scream is terrific in that regard. I want to use it on a Beholder.


First Church of Elvis (or is he an Undying Warlock Patron?)
"He's not Undying, he just went home"

(And now I have a personality for my "The Emperor" Patron)

[Zejety]

I'm a big fan of dragon's breath. I just wish it could be twinned. T-T
Anyway, it feels great to cast it on on a party member who are more tuned towards single-target damage, like a rogue. The flexible damage type is also cool.

[Easy_Lee]

Thunder Step is both excellent and underrated. You get it two levels sooner than you can take Dimension Door, and it's superior to DD in most situations. Deal AoE damage and remove yourself plus one ally from a bad situation in one action, no questions asked. Can't beat that.

[Gardakan]

Healing Spirit is pretty amazing. It may be worth investing in it with my Divine Soul if we need healing that much (even if I have Cleric of Life 1).

[Garresh]

I like healers, gishes, and sneaky types. Unsurprisingly, my favorite spells are Healing Spirit, Life Transference, Tenser's Transformation, and Shadow Blade. Can't see any good sneaky spells in the list but I might have missed them.

[JakOfAllTirades]

Steel Wind Strike looks amazing to me... 6d10 force damage (with a melee spell attack roll) v. five targets within 30 feet, then teleport to a spot adjacent to one of your targets.

It's a 5th level spell, so it comes into play late in the game for Rangers, or mid-game for Wizards/Bards. Take two levels of Fighter and Action Surge to make another attack on the foe you just teleported right next to.

[jaappleton]

It was always super weird to me how higher level Clerics never got something like Sunbeam. Druids, Wizards, Sorc’s And Bards via Magical Secrets can get it, but not Clerics?

So the addition of Dawn is pretty good. Unfortunately it’s not repeatable, like Sunbeam, but it helps.

Beyond that, I really love Wall of Light.

[DracoKnight]

I love me some shadow blade, and not because it’s damage is great (although, yeah, it is), but because I can finally build out my Warlock 3/Rogue X who is the ultimate in faceless assassins.

Warlock (doesn’t really matter which Patron, but for this build, I went GOO for telepathy at will) 3 gets you mage armor and disguise self at will, and two 2nd level spell slots that come back on a short rest. I went thief as my Roguish Archetype for the ability to climb at normal speeds.

I never wear the same face twice, and most certainly never my own. I never wear armor that could be identified in any way. My weapon appears in my hand the instant I need it, and when the deed is done, I am once again an unarmed, unarmored, unthreatening, ordinary citizen to every casual observer.

I just also happen to have the ability to deal 2d8 (shadow blade) + 2d8 (booming blade) + 4d6 (Sneak Attack) + 5 (DEX) = 37 damage when the situation calls for it.

EDIT: for the Skyrim game I’m playing in, it means my Khajiit Spellthief can finally cast Bound Sword.

[Camman1984]

I love life transference, that's a big single target heal if you can handle the self damage.

not technically a new spell but heat metal as a domain spell for a really character cleric archetype **drools**

[Oramac]

IDK if I could pick just one spell. Here's a few I really like, in no particular order.

Dragon's Breath
Elemental Bane
Find Greater Steed
Holy Weapon
Shadow Blade
Soul Cage
Steel Wind Strike
Thunder Step
Toll the Dead
Zephyr Strike

[rbstr]

Guardian of Nature is really cool. I particularly like that it works with strength-based characters.

I have a problem with Steel Wind Strike in that it's a spell attack roll. I think that using the casting stat for it makes it much less interesting as a gish-type spell. I'd much rather have had it be like the weapon cantrips - make a melee attack get some rider damage. Otherwise it's very cool as a capstone ranger spell.

[jaappleton]

I love me some shadow blade, and not because it’s damage is great (although, yeah, it is), but because I can finally build out my Warlock 3/Rogue X who is the ultimate in faceless assassins.

Warlock (doesn’t really matter which Patron, but for this build, I went GOO for telepathy at will) 3 gets you mage armor and disguise self at will, and two 2nd level spell slots that come back on a short rest. I went thief as my Roguish Archetype for the ability to climb at normal speeds.

I never wear the same face twice, and most certainly never my own. I never wear armor that could be identified in any way. My weapon appears in my hand the instant I need it, and when the deed is done, I am once again an unarmed, unarmored, unthreatening, ordinary citizen to every casual observer.

I just also happen to have the ability to deal 2d8 (shadow blade) + 2d8 (booming blade) + 4d6 (Sneak Attack) + 5 (DEX) = 37 damage when the situation calls for it.

EDIT: for the Skyrim game I’m playing in, it means my Khajiit Spellthief can finally cast Bound Sword.

Not to derail the thread, but in this instance, I'd go Celestial and utilize the Gift of the Ever Living Ones invocation to be able to heal yourself pretty well if you're ever hurt.

"The assailant escaped, but I stabbed him in the stomach!"
"What wound? I'm fine."

[bc56]

IDK if I could pick just one spell. Here's a few I really like, in no particular order.

Dragon's Breath
Elemental Bane
Find Greater Steed
Holy Weapon
Shadow Blade
Soul Cage
Steel Wind Strike
Thunder Step
Toll the Dead
Zephyr Strike

What do you mean, "no particular order"?

That's alphabetical order!
:biggrin:

[clash]

So catnap isnt concentration. Does that mean a warlock can cast it on himself to short rest in 10 minutes instead of an hour?

[Aett_Thorn]

So catnap isnt concentration. Does that mean a warlock can cast it on himself to short rest in 10 minutes instead of an hour?

If he multi-classes into a class that can cast it, sure!

[pdegan2814]

* Danse Macabre looks like fun, especially against a large enemy force. Knock down the minions, then turn them into meat(or bone, I guess) shields.
* Dragon's Breath is very cool, and I love the versatility of it, having a choice of damage types
* Enemies Abound has lots of potential, especially due to its 120ft range. Sneaking up to a castle with a large guard contingent? Stop a ways out and cast it on the guard captain. I also love the idea someone mentioned about using Subtle Spell and casting it in the middle of a social situation.
* Enervation, it's as if Vampiric Touch and Witch Bolt had a baby and fed it steroids. My Warlock Of The Raven Queen(from the UA) is gonna love this one. Use his bonus action for Spiritual Weapon to attack for 2d8, and his action to auto-drain 4d8 every turn? SOLD
* Far Step, bounce around the battlefield, or use it to GTFO
* Shadow Of Moil, yes. Just YES.
* Soul Cage, trying to infiltrate the BBEG's castle and kill him? Kill one of the guards, trap his soul, and you have a source of emergency healing, emergency advantage on attacks, not to mention a source of information. And even more fun, assuming the guard has seen the BBEG's inner chambers, toss a sensor in there to get the lay of the land before busting in! This one has the potential to be lots of fun.
* Thunder Step, higher-damage(and scaling, no less) Thunderclap plus Misty Step, AND the ability to take someone with you. That's a lot of value for one 3rd-level spell.

Besides those specifics, I was pleased to see multiple spells requiring Int saves in this new batch.

[Squiddish]

Sickening radiance seems like the most fun.

Invulnerability is useful and it amuses me how simple it is.

Shadow blade is excellent.

Honestly there are too many good ones to list.

[Dr. Cliché]

Let's see:

- Toll the Dead (Ask not for whom the bell tolls . . .)

- Infestation (Probably not a good spell, but it fits one of my characters perfectly so I like it for that reason alone.)

- Zephyr Strike (Just a really nice spell.)

- Shadow Blade (I love the idea, my only complaint is that it doesn't work with Hex Warrior).

- Enervation (I love me some life-drain)

- Shadow of Moil (Great Flavour)

- Maddening Darkness ("You want to talk to my master? I'm sure he'd be delighted to speak with you, though the conversation may be a little *ahem* one-sided.")

- Soul Cage (My favourite part of this spell is when the paladin asks you what you're doing. :smallbiggrin:)

[Pharaon]

I'm a big fan of dragon's breath. I just wish it could be twinned. T-T
Anyway, it feels great to cast it on on a party member who are more tuned towards single-target damage, like a rogue. The flexible damage type is also cool.

Wait, why can't Dragon's Breath be twinned? It only targets one creature and has a range of touch, not self.

Our party's sorcerer twins Dragon's Breath on two owl familiars pretty often, resulting in lots of strafing run shenanigans (and familiar death on a regular basis).

[pdegan2814]

Wait, why can't Dragon's Breath be twinned? It only targets one creature and has a range of touch, not self.

Our party's sorcerer twins Dragon's Breath on two owl familiars pretty often, resulting in lots of strafing run shenanigans (and familiar death on a regular basis).

OMG I soooo want to try that :)

[Vaz]

So catnap isnt concentration. Does that mean a warlock can cast it on himself to short rest in 10 minutes instead of an hour?

If you have time to take ten minutes, you have time to take an hour. It's a waste.

[Naanomi]

If you have time to take ten minutes, you have time to take an hour. It's a waste.
Not always. It is a niche corner-case Spell, but not entirely a waste

[Vaz]

Not always. It is a niche corner-case Spell, but not entirely a waste

I'd be surprised if a DM would leave you with a chance for Catnap to be used, but not a full rest. If it's time sensitive, it's time sensitive, and 10 minutes is either everything, or nothing.

[hellgrammite]

Shocked nobody has mentioned my favorite. Mental Prison

If they save (intelligence save) they take 5d10 damage. On a failed save they take 5d10 damage and are effectively blind, deafened and restrained. If they make an effort to escape, they take 10d10 damage. Mind you this is all pyschic damage, which few creatures are resistant too.

[bc56]

I'd be surprised if a DM would leave you with a chance for Catnap to be used, but not a full rest. If it's time sensitive, it's time sensitive, and 10 minutes is either everything, or nothing.

Well, I roll random encounters every in-game hour, so it circumvents that. Moreover, if the party has a time limit, they can use it to cut 5/6 of their rest time.

[CircleOfTheRock]

"In the Eyes of the Great Beyond, you are constrained to each other's embrace until the day you perish"
"Hey, that sounded more like a curse than a wedding"
*Telepathically* Your mortal customs are foreign to me. Is there a difference?
Could I, perhaps, sig this?

[Zejety]

Wait, why can't Dragon's Breath be twinned? It only targets one creature and has a range of touch, not self.

Our party's sorcerer twins Dragon's Breath on two owl familiars pretty often, resulting in lots of strafing run shenanigans (and familiar death on a regular basis).

Tweet by Crawford, to many people's surprise. Apparently the "must be incapable to target more than one creature" clause includes the creatures you breath on.

[Vaz]

Well, I roll random encounters every in-game hour, so it circumvents that. Moreover, if the party has a time limit, they can use it to cut 5/6 of their rest time.

Ew. No thanks.

[Lombra]

Ew. No thanks.

Xan's random encounters are hella good, what makes you go "ew"? Just asking, because I love the concept of random encounters.

[jaappleton]

Wait, why can't Dragon's Breath be twinned? It only targets one creature and has a range of touch, not self.

Our party's sorcerer twins Dragon's Breath on two owl familiars pretty often, resulting in lots of strafing run shenanigans (and familiar death on a regular basis).

I had this out with JC on Twitter.

Basically, because it can eventually target more than one creature, it doesn't qualify.

Which.... I mean, it really just sounds like they forgot about the Metamagic aspect of that spell and panicked when I brought it up. Honestly, to stretch it that far, which I've never heard the designers do before, seems pretty BS to me.

Though casting it on a familiar is still amazingly hilarious.

TL;DR
Even though the casting of the spell targets one creature, the action you can do with it means it targets more than one creature, thus failing to qualify for Twinned.

[ImproperJustice]

I had this out with JC on Twitter.

Basically, because it can eventually target more than one creature, it doesn't qualify.

Which.... I mean, it really just sounds like they forgot about the Metamagic aspect of that spell and panicked when I brought it up. Honestly, to stretch it that far, which I've never heard the designers do before, seems pretty BS to me.

Though casting it on a familiar is still amazingly hilarious.

TL;DR
Even though the casting of the spell targets one creature, the action you can do with it means it targets more than one creature, thus failing to qualify for Twinned.

I agree with many that this is sloppy reasoning by JC. By that logic, Ice Knife shouldn’t be twinned either.
The spell as it is designed is a buff spell that grants a target a special attack and requires concentration to maintain. It should be completely in the Sorceror’s wheelhouse to Twin that spell.

I guess there is so mich debate on this spell because it is a great spell for anyone who has access to it.

Back on topic:

Some of my top picks are:

Cause Fear: it’s very efficient crowd control
Sickening Radiance: Good damage type for a Wizard and a great rider effect
Wall of Light: Very 80’s metal. You can cast it in the air and I think with a little creativity you could really shut down or severely disrupt a group of enemies. The blasting is a bonus.
Synaptic Static: Great damage type again, and another really good rider
Psychic Scream: I have yet to reach 9th level, but I will be very tempted to grab this one just because of it’s cinematic nature.

[Vaz]

Tbh, no spell can be twinned using the errata.


Twinned Spell (p. 102). To be eligible for Twinned Spell, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell’s current level.
All spells that are eligible for twinning are now capable of targeting more than one creature, ergo making the ineligible for Twinned Spell. It's like how 3.5 introduced a rule saying you had to have the prerequisites at all times, even after the fact of having taken a prerequisite; like the Dragon Disciple, which gave you the half dragon template (giving you the Dragon-type); the Dragon Disciple required you to be non-Dragon type.

Like, these mistakes are nearly 15 years old.

[Zejety]

By that logic, Ice Knife shouldn’t be twinned either.
Funny that you'd say that...
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/04/11/can-i-use-twinned-spell-on-ice-knife/

Edit: I agree with jaappleton that it seems like they forgot to care about twinnability when writing the spell and now must justify disallowing the combination.
The stuff that Dragon's breath does (giving you a new action you can use to deal damage) usuallyhas a range of 'self' and is therefore not twinnable. I appreciate that the designers made this one a buff spell but I can see why they wouldn't want it to be twinnable. But there's no crystal clear justification in the rules IMO.

[Easy_Lee]

TL;DR
Even though the casting of the spell targets one creature, the action you can do with it means it targets more than one creature, thus failing to qualify for Twinned.

I don't mean to criticize anyone when I say: this is just one possible ruling. What matters is what your DM thinks.

[Pharaon]

All spells that are eligible for twinning are now capable of targeting more than one creature, ergo making the ineligible for Twinned Spell.

*shrug* This seems like it's taken care of by Specific vs General. Generally, a second level casting of hold person only targets one person but Twinned Spell specifically allows it to target a second person. The language on the errata could be cleaned up by adding "prior to using the Twinned Spell Metamagic option," but I don't think it is necessary.

The bigger issue to me is a ruling like this for dragon's breath raises serious implications regarding the original language of Twinned Spell:

"When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of self..."

So, would enemies abound count? The spell only affects a single target normally, but it causes that target to take actions against targets chosen "at random from among the creatures it can see within the range of the attack, spell, or other ability it's using." The enchanted creature could potentially affect more than one other creature. To be consistent with the ruling on dragon's breath, enemies abound should also not be eligible for twinning.

What about command or greater invisibility or dominate person?

Needless to say, I don't see my table applying Twinned Spell's restrictions this way. It isn't RAW, it isn't RAF, and it is very confusing as RAI.

[MaxWilson]

Tweet by Crawford, to many people's surprise. Apparently the "must be incapable to target more than one creature" clause includes the creatures you breath on.

By that logic, Haste cannot be twinned, since it can be used to stab multiple people multiple times. (Edit: yeah, what Vaz said.)

Crawford follows the Sage Advice tradition of giving advice which is best ignored. It's been like that since Skip Williams' tenure as the Sage. Not to say that Crawford is never right, but he's never right about stuff that a good DM wouldn't have already been right about, and when he's wrong he just creates problems, so it's better to just pretend he doesn't exist.

I.e. Crawford is never insightful.

[Kane0]

Could I, perhaps, sig this?
By all means!

[DracoKnight]

Another spell, that I finally got to use the other night, that I absolutely love is holy weapon. Holy weapons, Batman! That's a great spell. :smallbiggrin:

[Slayn82]

I like Maximilian's earthen grasp and Mind Spike, for their nice support niche.

Earthen Grasp would make nice spell for a Lore Bard - MEG's Strenght save restraining targets can stop monks and thieves, and still annoy casters (and if you fight against npc's, that's great). And since it's a strenght ability check to escape, costing an action, I can use my cutting words to impose a penalty their rolls, while my party beats the target with advantage. I'd take it (and Aura of Vitality), for my status effect spamming Lore bard.

Mind Spike is a spell for when you really, really want to make sure to catch a target, and the damage is comparable with Shatter (whose AOE effect isn't so much useful by level 6 anyways) - and it's nice to go from a loud bang "I AM ATTACKING!" grenade spell to a silent " I gotcha!" tracker snipe on the caster whose concentration I'm trying to break, so when he later turns invisible or Dimensional Doors away I'm a step ahead. Give me a scroll or two of this one please.