A balance change to Witch Bolt?

[CRE]

Generaly, Witch Bolt is considered one of, if not the, worst 1st level spell in D&D5e. With the combination of this being a Hit or Miss, low damage, and easy to shut down even when it dose strike true. Let's fit this spell so it's useable but not a must take spell.

First, let's deal with range problem of the spell. Changing the range of the spell from a very short 30 feet, to a short range of 60 feet will take care of a few problems. This will allow you to
make your target consider running outside of the range of the spell to end its effect. Should they do so, they will be well outside range to attack you with melee weapons. Not to mention this will also make casting the spell at a target much less of a risk.

On to add to the spell being less of a risk to cast. By adding some text to the spell. "Should this attack miss, you may as an action, attempt to attack the same creature again on the following turns as long as you maintain this spell." This will make this spell much more consistent with doing damage.

Speaking of damage lets talk about not making this do more damage. At least not at first level. The spell doing 1d12 damage at its lowest level is fair. Every round this generates value every turn it continues to hit. However lets have this scale better by making every time it dose damage scale up as well. This will keep in more or less relevant as time goes on but not out scaling out of control. This will also keep it from out performing other spells of the level.

https://i.imgur.com/MRhWG8p.png

[Kane0]

So something like this?

Witch Bolt
1st-level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Make a ranged spell attack against a creature you can see within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage. Until the spell ends you can make this attack again on each of your turns as a bonus action. If you target a creature you hit with this attack on your last turn, the attack automatically hits.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for every slot level above 1st.

[Damon_Tor]

I've always assumed that the spell is bad on purpose because it's meant to be used by NPCs.

[Kane0]

I've always assumed that the spell is bad on purpose because it's meant to be used by NPCs.

If that were the case, it should have been in the DMG next to the death cleric and oathbreaker paladin :P

[CTurbo]

I like Witch Bolt when used as an interrogation spell. You have the enemy tied up and you need to extract information out of them? Witch Bolt. Give them a jolt, ask them a question. They don't answer? Follow up with another shock until they do. Sure Shocking Grasp can do the same thing using less resources, but still. Witch Bolt is flavorful in this regard. I picture Darth Sidious using Sith lightning. It's a flavor thing. I know Detect Thoughts could also work, but it's not as fun.

Anyway, yeah Witch Bolt is weak. Being able to use as a Bonus Action on subsequent turns would be a great first step to making it better. I also always thought the subsequent damage should also scale by upcasting, but that may be too strong for a first level spell.

[Witty Username]

So, increased range and ability to try again on the attack? Looks functional.

[Amnestic]

I like the idea of adding some niche utility to it, and the "connection" aspect made me think...


Witch Bolt
1st-level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Make a ranged spell attack against a creature you can see within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage and you form a lightning bond with them. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel while bound by this spell it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the spell ends and the teleportation takes effect as normal. On a failure, the creature wastes the use of the spell or effect and nothing happens.

You can use your action on your turns to deal damage with the spell again.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for every slot level above 1st.

I considered adding a mundane movement restriction as well but thought it might be overloading things for a first level spell. Having a low level teleport counter does something we don't really have outside of kinda-counterspell.

[tchntm43]

Interestingly, one of the players in our group who is very experienced as a DM, lives by this spell with his wizard character. It's his go-to choice most of the time. I'm not really sure why.

I think the lure of the spell is that players get the idea that they can do an automatic 1d12 every turn without having to spend additional spell slots (which are scarce at low levels), and after the initial hit it's automatic. I understand why that's appealing.

Also the PHB suggests that Warlock characters start with this spell. I think perhaps newer players may be inclined to say "I'll just take the recommended spells" rather than reading through the huge list of level 1 spells available (something that I think makes new players have second thoughts about playing at all - new players generally want to play while having to do the least amount of reading of the rules as possible).

[Doug Lampert]

Every time this comes up, I claim that the later round damage is a cantrip replacement. That's functionally what it does, you spend a slot, get a moderately bad initial attack, and then get a moderately good can't miss cantrip as long as the target stays in range.

This sort of works up to level 4 as long as the target doesn't break LoS or get outside 30' at any time. But at 5+ it's garbage, because even if you hit initially, the subsequent damage is typically worse than simply dropping the spell, and casting an actual cantrip.

The main POINT is the cantrip replacement damage, and that gets weaker over time, scaling it with the spell slot (the other common suggestion) still leaves the level 1 version garbage compared to other level 1 spells, and makes the cantrip replacement too good if it works and too weak if it fails as expected (unballanced twice is not ballanced, it's unballanced twice).

My suggested fix, changes in bold.

Witch Bolt
Level: 1
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a twig from a tree that has been struck by lightning)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
A beam of crackling, blue energy lances out toward a creature within range, forming a sustained arc of lightning between you and the target.
Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage, and on each of your turns for the duration, you can use your action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically if the target is within 60 feet and you can see it at the time of your action; damage done on both the initial casting and later actions scales as if it were a cantrip (2d12 at level 5, 3d12 at level 11, 4d12 at level 17). The spell ends if you do not use the spell to do damage on your turn.

At higher level
When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.

Edited to add extra damage to the initial cast also.

[Theodoxus]

I think the spell is fine for the most part, for reasons already stated by supporters.

I would make 1 of the following changes - and only 1; doing more should increase the spell level.

1) Increase range to 60'.
2) Increase subsequent damage to match up casting initial damage.
3) Add an automatic slowing effect, cutting movement speed in half.
4) Add a strength save to avoid being knocked down (this would also effectively cut movement speed in half, but with the additional detriment of being knocked prone for all the melee happy mooks in the party. (The strength save has no affect on damage dealt, it's just a rider.)

Each of these proposals solves a specific issue with the spell people have stated over the years. I'd even be ok with it having a 'drop down' when cast, so you can pick one of these riders on a cast by cast basis.

[CRE]

So I didn't expect the first thing I post to get any attention, much less this amount.

The main goal of the changes are to keep the identity of the spell intact. I think adding a utility to the spell that other spells do already, such as killing reactions, is inconsistent with other 1st level spells. Far as I can tell 1st level do only 1 thing. There are some minor exceptions but not many.
Witch Bolt as far as I can tell is a baby Call Lighning, that Wizards can use. As a DOT spell, it should be doing less then others of the same level when cast. Which it dose. The other thing that DOT spells do, excluding Acid Arrow another spell that needs some help, is they all have some form of garentee when used. Sure save suck is common and normal for single target spells, but for a DOT it's the only one of 2 spells like this.

Another way you can change it, similar to the teleportation lock out. But I think that's to strong for a 1st level spell. I'd flip it on its head and make it so the target can't leave the spells range. Thus making teleportation the only way out, this makes the save/suck reasonable as the damage is really just a bonus to the lock down effect.

However I think making a gravity, earth, or ice spell to do this would be a better approach.

[TyGuy]

My balance changes:
On each of your turns for the duration, you can use your bonus action to deal 1d12 lighting damage to the target automatically. The spell ends if you use your bonus action to do anything else. The spell also ends if the target is outside the spell’s range or if it has total cover from you at the end of your turn.

[Tanarii]

My balance changes:
On each of your turns for the duration, you can use your bonus action to deal 1d12 lighting damage to the target automatically. The spell ends if you use your bonus action to do anything else. The spell also ends if the target is outside the spell’s range or if it has total cover from you at the end of your turn.
Does that come with exhaustion? Because that's better than Frenzy. :smallamused:

[Kane0]

The main goal of the changes are to keep the identity of the spell intact. I think adding a utility to the spell that other spells do already, such as killing reactions, is inconsistent with other 1st level spells. Far as I can tell 1st level do only 1 thing. There are some minor exceptions but not many.
Witch Bolt as far as I can tell is a baby Call Lighning, that Wizards can use. As a DOT spell, it should be doing less then others of the same level when cast. Which it dose. The other thing that DOT spells do, excluding Acid Arrow another spell that needs some help, is they all have some form of garentee when used. Sure save suck is common and normal for single target spells, but for a DOT it's the only one of 2 spells like this.


In mine above, i just let the spell not stop prematurely (you miss, you dont use your bonus action on it, the target leaves range or dies). You can just try and latch on again or move to a new target as long as your concentration holds and a valid target is around.
Also moving the subsequent hits to a bonus action allows you to supplement with non-concentration spells like cantrips or at later levels things like binding ice, fireball and ice storm. You are using your concentration on a single target, low range, damage-only effect after all, even if you're upcasting its not going to be all that impressive but it does compete well against the likes of hex and spiritual weapon.

Edit:
And since you mentioned it, my Acid Arrow:

Melf's Acid Arrow
2nd-Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 6d4 acid damage and another 3d4 acid damage at the end of its next turn. On a miss, the arrow splashes the target with acid for half as much of the initial damage and no damage at the end of its next turn.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage (both initial and later) increases by 2d4 for each slot level above 2nd.

[TyGuy]

Does that come with exhaustion? Because that's better than Frenzy. :smallamused:
This is not the whole spell description, just the changes to bonus Acton and leashing.
Still can miss
Still needs concentration
Still drops if character can't/ doesn't want to get back to 30' from target