1st level 5e spell pillar of sand

[Spheredear]

Pillar of sand
Sorcerer, Wizard, Druid
1st level transmutation
60 ft
V, S, M
1 action
1 minute/Special
A pillar of sand shoots up from the ground based on gravity. The pillar is 5 feet wide and a creature that is directly above it must make a dexterity saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this saving throw. If a creature is huge or larger, it has advantage on the roll. On a failed save, the pillar lifts the creature 5-20 feet off the ground and you can choose to dissipate it immediately or to concentrate to hold it, if a pillar is prevented from reaching its intended height because of a ceiling or other obstacle, the creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and the pillar immediately dissipates and the creature falls if it can and is prone.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd lever or higher the pillars height maximum increases by 10 feet and the bludgeoning damage increased by 1d6

[sophontteks]

"Based on gravity" The pillar is defying gravity. I'm not sure what you mean by that.

"On a failed save the pillar launches the creature 5-20 feet off the ground." There is no way to determine how high they are lifted off the ground. Is this because you aren't sure what a fair height is? I wouldn't go over 10 feet and I'd probably get rid of the height scaling when upcast entirely. Upcasting this as written gets really crazy.

The falling creature shouldn't be prone unless it takes damage. Essentially the falling damage should work as falling normally works.

Some clean up of the run on sentences. This sentence in particular should be broken up quite a bit to make the description easier to read:
" On a failed save, the pillar lifts the creature 5-20 feet off the ground and you can choose to dissipate it immediately or to concentrate to hold it, if a pillar is prevented from reaching its intended height because of a ceiling or other obstacle, the creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and the pillar immediately dissipates and the creature falls if it can and is prone."

[Spheredear]

"Based on gravity" The pillar is defying gravity. I'm not sure what you mean by that.

"On a failed save the pillar launches the creature 5-20 feet off the ground." There is no way to determine how high they are lifted off the ground. Is this because you aren't sure what a fair height is? I wouldn't go over 10 feet and I'd probably get rid of the height scaling when upcast entirely. Upcasting this as written gets really crazy.

The falling creature shouldn't be prone unless it takes damage. Essentially the falling damage should work as falling normally works.

Some clean up of the run on sentences. This sentence in particular should be broken up quite a bit to make the description easier to read:
" On a failed save, the pillar lifts the creature 5-20 feet off the ground and you can choose to dissipate it immediately or to concentrate to hold it, if a pillar is prevented from reaching its intended height because of a ceiling or other obstacle, the creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and the pillar immediately dissipates and the creature falls if it can and is prone."

I meant to close the loophole if one were to cast reverse gravity so the “ceiling” would be a viable place to cast the spell.

You can choose to lift the creature 5, 10, 15, or 20 feet unless the maximum is lifted.

I’ll put the max to 15 feet and put make the maximum feet 5 feet taller per upcast.

The falling creature will be prone if it falls.

[Foxhound438]

I feel like it should require concentration, as it can be used as the better part of fly: being outside of melee range.

[Zanthy1]

I like it, and the changes seem nice. A concentration spell that can rise up to 15ft. If you hit something before reaching the desired height (caster controls how high it can go, up to the maximum), you take 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If the pillar dissipates while something is on top of it, that something takes fall damage accordingly (1d6 per 10 feet I believe). You could allow for a dexterity/acrobatics check to not fall prone. Upcast increases the height maximum by 5ft.

One thing I would consider adding would also be the pillar's AC and HP. Like, if you cast it to raise the archer above the battle, away from melee range, how hard is it for the enemies to destroy this pillar? I would personally say that it has an AC of 5 (cause its not really moving) and a hardness of HP of like, 30? maybe upcasting could also increase its HP by 5 per level? I'd make it resistant to piercing and slashing, but vulnerable to bludgeoning.

[Spheredear]

I like it, and the changes seem nice. A concentration spell that can rise up to 15ft. If you hit something before reaching the desired height (caster controls how high it can go, up to the maximum), you take 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If the pillar dissipates while something is on top of it, that something takes fall damage accordingly (1d6 per 10 feet I believe). You could allow for a dexterity/acrobatics check to not fall prone. Upcast increases the height maximum by 5ft.

One thing I would consider adding would also be the pillar's AC and HP. Like, if you cast it to raise the archer above the battle, away from melee range, how hard is it for the enemies to destroy this pillar? I would personally say that it has an AC of 5 (cause its not really moving) and a hardness of HP of like, 30? maybe upcasting could also increase its HP by 5 per level? I'd make it resistant to piercing and slashing, but vulnerable to bludgeoning.

Hopefully the choice of concentration or not isn’t OP... and I changed the damage and made it more utility because the height maximum is higher. Help me fix the resistances and vulnerabilities too?
Pillar of sand
Sorcerer, Wizard, Druid
1st level transmutation
60 ft
V, S, M
1 action
1 minute/Special
A pillar of sand shoots up from the ground based on what gravity dictates as ground. The pillar is a 5 foot cube and a creature that is directly above it must make a dexterity saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this saving throw. If a creature is huge or larger, it has advantage on the roll. On a failed save, the pillar lifts the creature 5-20 feet off the ground. Before the spell is cast you can choose to dissipate it immediately or to concentrate to hold it. If a pillar is prevented from reaching its intended height because of a ceiling or other obstacle, the creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and the pillar immediately dissipates. The creature 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it fell. The creature lands prone, unless it avoids taking damage from the fall. The pillar has an ac of 5 and has 30 hit points. The pillar is vulnerable to magical and non magical bludgeoning and force damage and is resistant to magical and non-magical piercing and slashing damage.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd lever or higher the pillars height maximum increases by 10 feet and the bludgeoning damage increased by 1d6. The hit points increase by 5 for each level above 1st

[Foxhound438]

Hopefully the choice of concentration or not isn’t OP... and I changed the damage and made it more utility because the height maximum is higher. Help me fix the resistances and vulnerabilities too?
Pillar of sand
Sorcerer, Wizard, Druid
1st level transmutation
60 ft
V, S, M
1 action
1 minute/Special
A pillar of sand shoots up from the ground based on what gravity dictates as ground. The pillar is a 5 foot cube and a creature that is directly above it must make a dexterity saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this saving throw. If a creature is huge or larger, it has advantage on the roll. On a failed save, the pillar lifts the creature 5-20 feet off the ground. Before the spell is cast you can choose to dissipate it immediately or to concentrate to hold it. If a pillar is prevented from reaching its intended height because of a ceiling or other obstacle, the creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and the pillar immediately dissipates. The creature 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it fell. The creature lands prone, unless it avoids taking damage from the fall. The pillar has an ac of 5 and has 30 hit points. The pillar is vulnerable to magical and non magical bludgeoning and force damage and is resistant to magical and non-magical piercing and slashing damage.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd lever or higher the pillars height maximum increases by 10 feet and the bludgeoning damage increased by 1d6. The hit points increase by 5 for each level above 1st

Having its own HP is probably a fine compromise for being non-concentration, since there's still a soft counter that enemies can use. Even if it only lasts a couple of turns, it's probably worth not getting hit by certain things for a bit. One thing I would add is for it to be a ranger spell too, since it would fit with their largely druid-based spell list and be a thing they would want to use.

[sophontteks]

Creatures can walk off it without an action, which keeps it from being OP, but I'm worried its too close to levitation for friendlies... Its probably fine with the hp. Can they climb up it as well?

[ATHATH]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?15-Homebrew-Design