Spell design help

[Manyarrows]

So workin on a homebrew spell for dnd 5e. Trying to give my Wizard something to do with his bonus action that doesn't waste concentration. Could use help/opinion.

VAELYNN'S VOLTAIC VESSEL
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a 3" diameter copper sphere worth 100 gp)
Duration: 1 minute

You charge a copper sphere with electricity that then orbits around your body for the duration of the spell.

When you cast the spell, and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns, you can discharge an electric arc at anyone within 30' of you. You make a ranged spell attack and on hit the target takes 1d8 lightning damage.

If any creature moves within 5' of you, and you have not discharged the electricity on your previous turn, you may release the arc toward one triggering target as a reaction. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage and<span;> it can't take reactions until the start of it's next turn.

At Higher Levels.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 2nd.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Eliminate the bit about “if you have not discharged” from Paragraph 3. “You can’t use this spell as a reaction if you used it as an action” is far too fiddly. Particularly for what is basically a ranged Shocking grasp.

For a spell that grants you an action, you want to be using the action every round, slipping a round bc you hope you can use it as a reaction before your next is a deliberate loss of efficiency.

[Saelethil]

I really like the concept. I might make it 1d10 instead of a d8. Other similar spells and features are dealing 1d8 + mod. or 1d8 + debuff. Otherwise I would agree with removing the reaction ability to streamline gameplay.
I also think that this spell probably doesn’t need a costly component. If you keep it then maybe the reaction damage would be an always on effect rather than a result of forgoing the last attack?

[PhoenixPhyre]

This is basically spiritual weapon, but ranged (better)[1] and lightning (worse, but only very slightly), with a bit less damage (no modifier). Plus the reaction ability, which negates a good chunk of the wizard's vulnerability (basically a free reaction shocking grasp). On a class that already has lots of ways to deal damage (compared to the cleric, which has a lot fewer). And already has significantly more versatility. And mobility.

[1] you can move and attack with the spiritual weapon as the same action, but a maximum of 30'. This can target on successive turns two creatures that are 60' apart and is much less likely to end up not being able to do anything on a turn.

[BerzerkerUnit]

This is basically spiritual weapon, but ranged (better)[1] and lightning (worse, but only very slightly), with a bit less damage (no modifier). Plus the reaction ability, which negates a good chunk of the wizard's vulnerability (basically a free reaction shocking grasp). On a class that already has lots of ways to deal damage (compared to the cleric, which has a lot fewer). And already has significantly more versatility. And mobility.

[1] you can move and attack with the spiritual weapon as the same action, but a maximum of 30'. This can target on successive turns two creatures that are 60' apart and is much less likely to end up not being able to do anything on a turn.

I’d argue cleric damage/spell efficiency is generally better than the Wizard’s. “Shock Grasp PAM ver.”doesn’t feel very strong to me.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I’d argue cleric damage/spell efficiency is generally better than the Wizard’s. “Shock Grasp PAM ver.”doesn’t feel very strong to me.

Clerics have very few and (generally) very poor damage dealing spells. Thus, the exceptions (such as spiritual weapon) can be stronger. That doesn't mean that wizards can safely encroach on that terrain... Especially with a spell that's arguably better. SW is pure damage, this does damage, at better range, AND can shut down reactions.

It's a large increase in versatility--before, you needed to spend your action to shocking grasp, meaning you couldn't dash and get away. Now, it's a reaction when they move close, plus an ongoing damage with a decent range. On the most versatile class already.

Going from not using your bonus action to using it consistently to deal 1d8 lightning at range plus having a large defensive reaction, all for the cheap price of a level 2 slot (which at high levels can be made at will), which doesn't go away if you do something else with your bonus action... And having a bonus action cast time (including getting to use it on that same turn)...

[Yakk]

VAELYNN'S VOLTAIC VESSEL
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a 3" diameter copper sphere worth 100 gp)
Duration: 1 minute

You charge a copper sphere with electricity which floats from your hand to a location up to 30' away. It remains floating for the duration of the spell. Creatures may attempt to move the sphere as an action by making a Strength(Athletics) check against your spellcasting DC, pushing it 2' for every point they beat your DC. When they attempt to do so, they take 1d8 lighting damage.

When you cast the spell, and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns, you can discharge an electric arc at anyone within 15' of the sphere. You make a ranged spell attack and on hit the target takes 1d8 lightning damage.

When a creature moves within 5' of the sphere you can expend a reaction to make it fire an arc a them. They must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage and be unable to take reactions until the end of their next turn.

The spheres are tiny constructs, have an AC of 20, make saves and attribute checks with a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus, and are immune to all damage except fire and acid (which they are resistant) and bludgeoning (which they are not resistant), and have 25 HP each. Creatures who make melee attacks on them suffer 1d8 lighting damage even if they miss. If reduced to 0 HP or when the spell ends, the spheres fall to the ground, become inanimate, and no longer produce lighting.

At Higher Levels.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 2nd, and you can float 1 additional sphere for every slot level over 2nd (you must provide each additional sphere as a material component). You can only attack with one of the spheres at a time when there are multiple of them.

---

This now takes an action to activate, and makes a floating sphere drone, multiple at higher levels.

They are immobile, so inferior to spiritual weapon in many ways. They do provide both a 15' ranged attack *and* a 5' reaction each turn. Getting more of them gives you more coverage. The initial action cost is also steep, intentionally.

But once deployed, you get to blast each turn as a bonus action and possibly as a land-mine reaction.

This *does not* provide the raw power upgrade the OP appears to want, in that it has a non-trivial cost. But it fits the theme of the spell, is evocative, and doesn't suck completely.

[quindraco]

So workin on a homebrew spell for dnd 5e. Trying to give my Wizard something to do with his bonus action that doesn't waste concentration. Could use help/opinion.

VAELYNN'S VOLTAIC VESSEL
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a 3" diameter copper sphere worth 100 gp)
Duration: 1 minute

You charge a copper sphere with electricity that then orbits around your body for the duration of the spell.

When you cast the spell, and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns, you can discharge an electric arc at anyone within 30' of you. You make a ranged spell attack and on hit the target takes 1d8 lightning damage.

If any creature moves within 5' of you, and you have not discharged the electricity on your previous turn, you may release the arc toward one triggering target as a reaction. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage and<span;> it can't take reactions until the start of it's next turn.

At Higher Levels.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 2nd.

First of all, needs tightening up. Here's better wording that interacts with the game properly.

VAELYNN'S VOLTAIC VESSEL
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a 3" diameter copper sphere worth 100 gp)
Duration: 1 minute

You charge a copper sphere with electricity that then orbits your body for the duration of the spell.

When you cast the spell, and as a bonus action on your turn, you can discharge an arc at a creature you can see within 30 feet. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 lightning damage. If you do so, you cannot make opportunity attacks with the arc until the beginning of your next turn.

When a creature enters your reach, it provokes an opportunity attack you may only make with the arc, and you may make opportunity attacks with the arc. When you make an opportunity attack with the arc, do not make a ranged spell attack; instead, the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage and lose the ability to take reactions until the start of its next turn.

At Higher Levels.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 2nd.

Now, let's tighten it up even more, since the Dex save thing makes no sense at all, and you're not interacting with conditions, which is bad for the game - condition immunity should apply, if applicable. I'll also nerf it slightly while I'm at it, so lightning immunity blocks the spell from messing a target up, in exchange for buffing it while you're near enemies.

VAELYNN'S VOLTAIC VESSEL
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a 3" diameter copper sphere worth 100 gp)
Duration: 1 minute

You charge a copper sphere with electricity that then orbits your body for the duration of the spell.

When you cast the spell, and as a bonus action on your turn, you can discharge an arc at a creature you can see within 30 feet. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 lightning damage. If you do so, you cannot make opportunity attacks with the arc until the beginning of your next turn.

When a creature enters your reach, it provokes an opportunity attack you may only make with the arc, and you may make opportunity attacks with the arc. When you make an opportunity attack with the arc, if the target takes any lightning damage from it, it is also incapacitated until the beginning of its next turn.

At Higher Levels.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 2nd.

There you go. Still not sure it's balanced, but its wording is a hell of a lot better.

[Yakk]

I would avoid making the spell generate opportunity attacks.

Would it be appropriate for polearm master to work with it? Tunnel fighter? An opportunity attack that isn't an attack is a bunch of nonsense, really.

Second, incapactitated is insanely more powerful than "cannot take reactions". Cannot take reactions is an already existing effect on a cantrip.

[quindraco]

I would avoid making the spell generate opportunity attacks.

Would it be appropriate for polearm master to work with it? Tunnel fighter? An opportunity attack that isn't an attack is a bunch of nonsense, really.

Second, incapactitated is insanely more powerful than "cannot take reactions". Cannot take reactions is an already existing effect on a cantrip.

You're wrong several ways:

Anyone with the war caster feat is already used to casting save-resisted spells as an OA.
I explicitly modified it so the OA is an an actual, bona fide attack.
By definition, incapacitated is can't take actions or reactions, and you can't take actions outside of your turn regardless. So being incapacitated outside of your turn only turns off reactions, meaning the only impact of the wording I changed it to is now immunity to incapacitation can apply.


Isn't tunnel fighter that insanely overpowered UA? I have no interest in letting broken things that aren't actually in the rules stop me from homebrewing. And there's no interaction with PAM at all. Did you even read the post?

[Kane0]

VAELYNN'S VOLTAIC VESSEL
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a small copper sphere worth 10 gp)
Duration: 1 minute

You charge a copper sphere with electricity which then floats in a space you can see within range. The sphere has AC 17, 25 HP and is immune to all conditions as well as Radiant, Necrotic, Cold, Lightning and Poison damage. The sphere does not block movement through the space it occupies.

When a creature moves into a space within 10 feet of the sphere you can use your reaction to discharge a bolt of lightning at them. Make a ranged spell attack, on a hit the target takes 1d8 lightning damage and cannot take reactions until the end of their next turn.
As a Bonus action on your turn you can move any spheres under your control up to 30 feet to a new space within range that you can see.

At Higher Levels.
When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 and number of spheres you create increases by 1 for every spell level above 2nd.

How's that? Much less overlap with Flaming Sphere