Ideas for lower level versions of Life transference

[Shuruke]

So I really like idea of casting a spell that harms myself to heal allies

Is their anyway to make lower level versions that wouldn't step on toes of healing word or cure wounds to much?

I was thinking
Action
Range 30
Inflict 1d4 necrotic on self and heal an ally for twice as much

When cast at higher levels choose an additional target for each slot above first. For each additional target roll damage on self again


What do u guys think

[Man_Over_Game]

So I really like idea of casting a spell that harms myself to heal allies

Is their anyway to make lower level versions that wouldn't step on toes of healing word or cure wounds to much?

I was thinking
Action
Range 30
Inflict 1d4 necrotic on self and heal an ally for twice as much

When cast at higher levels choose an additional target for each slot above first. For each additional target roll damage on self again


What do u guys think

The trick isn't to step on those spells, but to not step on life transference!

Cure Wounds heals a lot, but has a range of Touch and a cost of Action, so it's relatively expensive for its gain. People don't use it because of how expensive and inaccessible it is.
Healing Word is Ranged, and it uses a Bonus Action, so it's just so easy to use despite the low healing.

However, if a low level version of Life Transference were available, the same people who'd use Cure Wounds will still use it, and the people using Healing Word would still use that. The only people who'd use the new spell are those who would be using Life Transference (Wizards and the such). You need to make sure that the effect isn't 100% duplicated.

I'd probably make it so that it heals as much as Cure Wounds, deals no damage to yourself, with 60 foot range, and inflicts Exhaustion upon you. Very powerful as a burst heal, but you can't rely on it. This also means that it fits a different niche than Life Transference, and so it will draw a new group of players to use it (as basically a highly-effective emergency heal).

The other thing you want to pay attention to is Warding Bond, which applies a similar effect (of increasing someone's survivability by reducing your own, with a slight net gain).

[Lobsterphone]

I've thought this too, although only in respect to enhancing the flavour of death-themed characters. As Man over game points out, it's unlikely you'll find a way to make this spell competitive, but if you'd like to see it, the obvious answer is to just reduce the healing value so that second level casts do 2d8 damage/heal, and 1st level is 1d8.

If you actually use this as a 1st level wizard and you haven't got the con, you could easily kill yourself, which is? cool? Life Transferrence was never a good spell, and I've always loved the idea of it more than the utility.

[Shuruke]

Hmm that's true

I'm playing an arcana cleric and don't plan on multi classing

Just was looking for something to use till 5 then replace with life transference

Trying not to take any evocation spells such as healing , light, etc


Wasn't sure if there would be a good way to make minor transference.