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sandmote
2021-08-26, 10:44 PM
this page on the homebrewery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/Vxt4BYl74ayz)

I've written up some combat spells with a range of touch. I'm working on a subclass that uses such spells, but there's very few that you would want to apply to a hostile creature.

For context, two of the spells listed here slow a target. Here's how I'm defining that:
An slowed creature's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. It feels like a good combination with a touch spell, because it takes reactions away.

Based of existing spells:
5th-level abjuration


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of powdered iron or iron filings)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.
You reach out and touch a creature, divorcing it from the weave. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw or be divorced from the magical energy that suffuses the multiverse.

On a failed save the creature becomes unable to cast spells, and the properties and powers of magic items held by the target are suppressed for the duration. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

Magic Weapons. A magic weapon's properties and powers are suppressed if it is held or used by the creature. For example, a longsword, +1 acts as a nonmagical longsword while the creature is holding it.

Magical Creatures. A creature created by magic winks out of existence if it fails its initial saving throw. A creature with the antimagic susceptibility trait is affected as if by the dispel magic spell.

Spells. Any other active spell or other magical effect on the creature is suppressed for the duration of the spell.

(Artificer, Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard)Necromancy cantrip


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Make a melee spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 necrotic damage and you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt. The temporary hit points last until the end of your next turn.

The spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

(Artificer, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Based on Vampiric Touch, but THP with a very short duration.

2nd-level necromancy


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a mushroom cap)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You reach out and make a melee spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, you coat the creature's body in fast growing fungal spores. The target is slowed and takes 2d6 necrotic damage. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to cause this damage again.

As an action, the creature can make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

(Druid, Ranger, Warlock) Weaker than heat metal, but it can target much easier.
2nd-level enchantment


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
As an action, you reach out and tear at the mind of a creature, making a melee attack roll against the target. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 psychic damage and is slowed for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

(Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)3rd-level enchantment


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: S, M (a bit of iron and a flame)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour.
You reach out and make a melee spell attack against a creature within range. On a success you deal 3d6 fire damage and brand the creature with an arcane symbol that connects the creature to your location.

While the creature remains branded, it takes 1d6 fire damage each time its takes damage from you and must spend an additional foot of movement for every foot of movement it moves away from you. The effect extends over any distance, though it can't extend to other planes of existence.

At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a 9th level spell slot, the spell lasts until it is dispelled. Using a spell slot of 5th level or higher grants a duration that doesn't require concentration.

(Artificer, Cleric, Ranger, Warlock) Both a knockoff of Hex/Hunter's Mark for other classes, and something that lets you out speed a target.

Enchantment cantrip


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Round
Make a melee spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and the creature's speed is reduced to 10 feet until the end of its next turn. It the creature's speed is 10 feet or lower when you cast the spell, it takes no additional penalty to its speed.

The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

(Artificer, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer) Less damage and range than Ray of Frost for a stronger effect.

Odd Spells:
2nd-level transmutation


Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Round
Your hand turns into an acid which eats through whatever you touch, and can reach out to touch a creature or object as part of casting the spell. If you touch an object, such as a lock or hinge, the acid eats through up to three inches of material during your turn. If you attempt to touch a creature, treat the attempt as an unarmed strike made against the creature. Until the end of your next turn, unarmed strikes using your hand deal acid damage equal to 3d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the damage normal for an unarmed strike.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

(Artificer, Druid, Warlock, Wizard) Originally designed to buff Eldritch Knights, this spell also allows you to destroy materials with acid.

2nd-level conjuration


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.
Make a melee spell attack against a creature within range. A willing creature can allow you to hit automatically. On a hit you create a 5-foot-radius sphere of fog centered on the creature. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. The fog lasts around the creature for the duration, moving with the target.

Teleporting to a different location, moving at least 25 feet in a single turn, or a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the fog, which returns at the start of the target's next turn.

(Artificer, Druid) You can't see the target, but they also can't see anything else. Should be effective against melee creatures?

4th-level abjuration


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
As an action, you can reach out and touch a willing creature, creating a protective ward around the target.

The ward has 25 hit points, and for the duration the ward takes 2d6 damage each time the target takes damage. The damage dealt to the target is reduced by the amount of damage the ward takes. The ward cannot reduce an attack's damage by more than the ward's remaining number of hit points. The ward cannot gain temporary hit points or regain hit points in any manner and disappears early if it is reduced to 0 hit points.

As an attack, a creature that can touch the target can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check against your spell save DC, reducing the hit points of the ward by 10 on a success. A dispel magic spell or similar magic removes the ward instantly.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the ward is created with an additional 10 hit points for each slot level above 4th.

(Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)1st-level abjuration


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
As an action, you make a melee spell attack against a creature. On a hit a protective ward is created around the target, guarding others from the target's attacks

The ward has 15 hit points, and for the duration the ward takes 2d6 damage each time the target hits with a weapon attack. The attack's damage is reduced by the amount of damage the ward takes. The ward cannot reduce an attack's damage by more than the ward's remaining number of hit points. The ward cannot gain temporary hit points or regain hit points in any manner and disappears early if it is reduced to 0 hit points.

As an attack, the target or a creature that can touch the target can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check against your spell save DC, reducing the hit points of the ward by 10 on a success. A dispel magic spell or similar magic removes the ward instantly.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the ward is created with an additional 10 hit points for each slot level above 1st.

(Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) I wrote marring bubble first, thinking of it a soft check on enemy damage, then figured an ally-friendly version made sense as well. The idea is that 2d6 damage is subtracted from outgoing (for marring) or incoming (for guarding) attacks, to a specified maximum. A bit like the abjurer wizard's ward, I guess, but weaker.

5th-level divination


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a hemp bud)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.
You reach out and touch a creature within range, which must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature automatically hears all thoughts of creatures within 120 feet that have an Intelligence of 4 or higher and that have a language. If the creature you choose has an Intelligence of 3 or lower or doesn't speak any language, the creature automatically succeeds on the saving throw.

At the start of each of its turns, the target must repeat the Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save the creature takes 3d6 psychic damage and is stunned until the start of its next turn. If the creature can hear the thoughts of more than 20 other creatures, the damage increased to 6d6. If the creature can hear the thoughts of fewer than 6 other creatures, it has advantage on its saving throw. If the creature does not hear the thoughts of any other creatures, it automatically succeeds on the saving throw.

(Artificer, Druid, Warlock) I came up with this as a damaging divination spell. It is excluded from the wizard spell list because of how that plays with the School of Divination's Expert Divination feature.

Everything Else:
4th-level transmutation


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a glass ring)
Duration: 1 minute.
You reach out and touch a creature within range. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw or have its body is filled with harmful, arrhythmic vibrations. For the duration, the creature takes 3d6 thunder damage at the start of its turn and has disadvantage on Strength checks and saving throws. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

(Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock)7th-level necromancy


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a small bag of sand or dust)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.


You reach out and touch a creature, which must make a Strength saving throw. Creatures that do not need to breath automatically succeed on the saving throw. On a failed save the creature begins choking immediately. As an action on its turn, the creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

(Warlock)6th-level enchantment


Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: S, M (a drop of maple syrup)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute


You choose a creature within range, which must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save the target cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the saving throw. On a success, the spell ends.

(Warlock) Instant Choking and Muzzle are relegated to the Warlock's Mystic Arcanum because I'm not sure how strong they are. Still like the concepts though.

Saelethil
2021-08-29, 11:14 AM
I really like these. I initially had some concern about the levels of the spells that inflicted the Slow condition but once I remembered that the "Slow" spell was an AoE that concern went away. I've been thinking about using a similar mechanic for a "Drown" spell which would do what people assume the "Create Water" in an enemies lungs would do. It's just been bouncing around in my head so I haven't come to any solid decision on balance yet but I'm thinking something like this:

Drown
4th level Conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a drop of water)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You attempt to fill the lungs of a creature within reach. Make a melee spell attack against a creature you can touch. On a hit the target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.
As an action on following turns, you can touch the target again, forcing them to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure the target gains 1 level of exhaustion and takes 10 points of Necrotic(cold?) Damage.
As an action, the target can make a Constitution saving throw to expel the fluid from its lungs ending the spell. The target retains any levels of exhaustion.
If the spell lasts for the full duration and the target has not died of exhaustion, if the target has fewer than 20 HP they are reduced to 0 HP and must begin making death saving throws on their next turn.

sandmote
2021-08-30, 10:59 AM
I really like these. I initially had some concern about the levels of the spells that inflicted the Slow condition but once I remembered that the "Slow" spell was an AoE that concern went away. The actual spell also has an extra effect that I didn't include in the condition, partially because I don't think it's very sporting and partially because monsters with similar abilities (ex: the Stone Golem and Copper Dragons) don't have it either.


If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted.


As an action on following turns, you can touch the target again, forcing them to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure the target gains 1 level of exhaustion and takes 10 points of Necrotic(cold?) Damage. At first I though it was odd that you have to touch them again to cause exhaustion, but it might be needed for balance; exhaustion can get pretty nasty and doesn't scale with CR. If anything this should maybe be a higher level spell because of that.


As an action, the target can make a Constitution saving throw to expel the fluid from its lungs ending the spell. The target retains any levels of exhaustion.
If the spell lasts for the full duration and the target has not died of exhaustion, if the target has fewer than 20 HP they are reduced to 0 HP and must begin making death saving throws on their next turn. I don't think you need to specify the target is still alive here; if they're dead they're dead anyway. Although it might also be simpler to say that the creature starts suffocating if the spell's full duration elapses? The rules for that are on page 183 of the PH.