Little OP Homebrew Spell: Faerie Missile: how OP?

[Cikomyr2]

So little background

My mom is a new DnD player. She is struggling a bit but tries hard to get familiar with rules. She wanted to cast some spells, so I helped her roll an Eldritch Knight. I thought the fighter resilience and badassery, coupled with some spellcaster would please her, and it did.

She especially liked the Magic Missile spell. Which may not be optimal for an EK, but it's hardly the worst spell around. It was pretty simple, straight damage you can spread around or concentrate.

However, she started to like spellcasting a lot and wanted to multiclass to a more Caster-focused class. So to fit her backstory and her race (Eladrin), we made her an INT-based Warlock of the Archfey (Queen Mab!) , and her EK levels counted as 1/3 Warlock Level for spellcasting purpose. So far so good. We went through her spell list, editing stuff that didn't fit anymore. No biggy, her Mage Armor spell became an early Armor of Shadows invocation.

However, she still liked Magic Missile. So I thought of a reflavoring and mixing of what I believe to be a great debuff and my mom 's favourite spell: Faerie Missile.

Super simple. It casts like Magic Missile, but anyone targeted by at least one missile has to roll the Dex saving throw or be illuminated like the Faerie Fire spell. So mom could still dish spell damage and debuff.

I know it'd be probably OP for a level 1 spell, but she is now casting spells 2nd level spells so I thought it wouldn't bee *too* broken, would allow mom to keep her favourite spell, but still contribute with some solid debuffs.

Whatchathink?

[Composer99]

However, she still liked Magic Missile. So I thought of a reflavoring and mixing of what I believe to be a great debuff and my mom 's favourite spell: Faerie Missile.

Super simple. It casts like Magic Missile, but anyone targeted by at least one missile has to roll the Dex saving throw or be illuminated like the Faerie Fire spell. So mom could still dish spell damage and debuff.

I know it'd be probably OP for a level 1 spell, but she is now casting spells 2nd level spells so I thought it wouldn't bee *too* broken, would allow mom to keep her favourite spell, but still contribute with some solid debuffs.

Whatchathink?

Magic missile only has a 20% chance of one-shotting a kobold with a single missile, and can't even one-shot a goblin with a single missile. In a world of cantrips that are better at clearing mooks, and of spells that compete hard for precious spell slots, this is fine.

About the only thing I would make sure of is that the faerie fire effect still requires concentration. One thing that this does do very well, compared to faerie fire, is how you can selectively target who is getting "lit up", as it were.

That will serve as a balancing effect, especially if your mother's EK likes to mix it up in melee.

I'm glad to hear she's having fun with the character!

[MaxWilson]

So little background

My mom is a new DnD player. She is struggling a bit but tries hard to get familiar with rules. She wanted to cast some spells, so I helped her roll an Eldritch Knight. I thought the fighter resilience and badassery, coupled with some spellcaster would please her, and it did.

She especially liked the Magic Missile spell. Which may not be optimal for an EK, but it's hardly the worst spell around. It was pretty simple, straight damage you can spread around or concentrate.

However, she started to like spellcasting a lot and wanted to multiclass to a more Caster-focused class. So to fit her backstory and her race (Eladrin), we made her an INT-based Warlock of the Archfey (Queen Mab!) , and her EK levels counted as 1/3 Warlock Level for spellcasting purpose. So far so good. We went through her spell list, editing stuff that didn't fit anymore. No biggy, her Mage Armor spell became an early Armor of Shadows invocation.

However, she still liked Magic Missile. So I thought of a reflavoring and mixing of what I believe to be a great debuff and my mom 's favourite spell: Faerie Missile.

Super simple. It casts like Magic Missile, but anyone targeted by at least one missile has to roll the Dex saving throw or be illuminated like the Faerie Fire spell. So mom could still dish spell damage and debuff.

I know it'd be probably OP for a level 1 spell, but she is now casting spells 2nd level spells so I thought it wouldn't bee *too* broken, would allow mom to keep her favourite spell, but still contribute with some solid debuffs.

Whatchathink?

No concentration requirement apparently, which makes the Faerie Fire portion of the spell sort of competitive with Blindness/Deafness IV (because it can hit three targets), plus damage which is worth another level, but let's deduct a level because they're not actually blinded. So it's effectively a fourth level spell out of a first level slot.

I'd say that makes it about as OP as Shield, Absorb Elements, or Polymorph but less OP than Healing Spirit v1 or Simulacrum.

If you add a concentration requirement or a save-every-round effect like Blindness/Deafness has then it's more like a third level spell out of a first level slot, which is about as OP as Spiritual Weapon or Animate Dead. Make it cost a second level slot and it's only as OP as Spike Growth.

5E has a lot of OP spells in it already. No biggie if you add one more, especially a short-term combat spell on the warlock-only list.

[Cikomyr2]

About the only thing I would make sure of is that the faerie fire effect still requires concentration. One thing that this does do very well, compared to faerie fire, is how you can selectively target who is getting "lit up", as it were.

Faerie Missile still requires Concentration. She can recast it, but if she wants the Illumination effect to apply, she has to drop concentration on the first cast, so it would just be a standard magic missile.

Also, we reduced the range of the spell to 60 feet, same as FF.

[Yakk]

Faerie Missiles
duration: 1 minute (c)
range: 60 ft
Components: S, M(drop of dew)
Casting Time: 1 action

You create 3 floating fireflies, and one of them immediately shoots out to splash a creature of your choice. They take 1d8 radiant damage, and must make a dex saving throw or be illuminated. While illuminated, they emit dim light in a 5' radius, can be seen even if invisible, and creatures attacking them have advantage.

At the start of each of your turns, another firefly spashes a creature of your choice within range with the same consequences.

The fireflies emit a 5' radius dim light while hovering nest to you as well.

At higher levels: For each level above 1, an additional firefly is created by this spell.

Once a creature successfully saves against this spell, they do not have to save again.

---

How does that look? Concentration (weaker), higher damage, worse damage type, damage spread out over multiple rounds, and advantage effects.

[Cikomyr2]

Faerie Missiles
duration: 1 minute (c)
range: 60 ft
Components: S, M(drop of dew)
Casting Time: 1 action

You create 3 floating fireflies, and one of them immediately shoots out to splash a creature of your choice. They take 1d8 radiant damage, and must make a dex saving throw or be illuminated. While illuminated, they emit dim light in a 5' radius, can be seen even if invisible, and creatures attacking them have advantage.

At the start of each of your turns, another firefly spashes a creature of your choice within range with the same consequences.

The fireflies emit a 5' radius dim light while hovering nest to you as well.

At higher levels: For each level above 1, an additional firefly is created by this spell.

Once a creature successfully saves against this spell, they do not have to save again.

---

How does that look? Concentration (weaker), higher damage, worse damage type, damage spread out over multiple rounds, and advantage effects.

That's pretty cute! I like! Seems also straightforward. I will need to check with my mom if she'd rather have that.

[Yakk]

Btw, the "no repeated saves" is *important*. It is a pretty hard rule that you only get to force 1 legendary resistance "auto success" with 1 spell.

[Cikomyr2]

Btw, the "no repeated saves" is *important*. It is a pretty hard rule that you only get to force 1 legendary resistance "auto success" with 1 spell.

Yes. However, I'd say that "getting illuminated" is not the worst effect to cheese compare to, say, Hold Person or Polymorph.

My mum ain't Moonshine Cybin