New Spell: Energy Substitution

[UristMcRandom]

Spoiler: Information

Show

Entry for NinjaPrawn's 5e Spellbrew Contest. Another idea I've been toying with for a while, and now have an excuse to make use of. The intent of this spell is for use either as an offensive buff or a defensive debuff. For instance, if the party is facing a fire elemental and the wizard has no cold damage-dealing spells prepared, but has fireball, you can use energy substitution to make the fireball deal cold damage. Or if the eldritch knight has protection from energy (lightning) active and someone hits them with a cone of cold, you can change the damage type to lightning and take less damage.

Energy Substitution
1st-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature within 60 feet of you casts a spell.
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Class: Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You manipulate reality to substitute one form of magical energy for another. When a creature within 60 feet of you casts a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage you can choose to have the spell deal any other type of damage from that list instead.

[SilverStud]

I like the concept, but it is too expensive. Counterspell is also level 3, but straight up STOPS the spell. Sure, you have to upcast it for a guaranteed counter, but stopping the Meteor Swarm is far superior to making it deal thunder damage instead.

As such, I think it should be a 1st level spell. Some might say that's too low, but compare Shield, another reaction spell. It gives +5 to your AC for up to an entire round, and can turn the triggering hit into a miss! (it's like a counterspell for attacks) This spell changes damage types. It doesn't stop you from getting hurt. You'll just get smacked by one damage type instead of the normal, and hopefully a party member is resistant to the new damage type.

So I like it, but it should be a 1st level spell.

[UristMcRandom]

I like the concept, but it is too expensive. Counterspell is also level 3, but straight up STOPS the spell. Sure, you have to upcast it for a guaranteed counter, but stopping the Meteor Swarm is far superior to making it deal thunder damage instead.

As such, I think it should be a 1st level spell. Some might say that's too low, but compare Shield, another reaction spell. It gives +5 to your AC for up to an entire round, and can turn the triggering hit into a miss! (it's like a counterspell for attacks) This spell changes damage types. It doesn't stop you from getting hurt. You'll just get smacked by one damage type instead of the normal, and hopefully a party member is resistant to the new damage type.

So I like it, but it should be a 1st level spell.

To be honest, I wasn't entirely sold on making it a 3rd level spell anyway. I based it on Counterspell, but I wasn't sure if the offensive potential outweighed its loss of defensive punch. I decided better safe than sorry, but now that someone else's eyes have taken a look at it, I'll bump it to 1st.

[Stan]

Can you modify your own spell that you just cast to modify the damage type? Then it would be offensive as well as defensive.

[UristMcRandom]

Can you modify your own spell that you just cast to modify the damage type? Then it would be offensive as well as defensive.

Unfortunately, no. The only way that would work is if it were a Cantrip with a casting time of 1 Action, and even then only in tandem with a Sorcerer's Quicken Spell metamagic. I was more than a little reluctant to allow unlimited modification of spell damage type, so I left it as a higher-level spell.

Edit: I suppose I could work it into where you can cast another spell as part of this spell's casting, like the SCAG cantrips that allow a weapon attack as part of the spellcasting action. Hm...

[ClintACK]

Interesting. My first thought for this spell was team-spellcasting.

The ability to take all of the great fire-based attack spells your allies have and tweak the damage type to something better tailored to the enemy you're facing is great for a first level spell. And I'm always in favor of teamwork in D&D.

Flaming Sphere, Fireball, Wall of Fire... Now you've got Acid Sphere, Iceball, and Wall of Thunder. Awesome.

Of course it's only great if your DM is okay with your character knowing the elemental resistances of the enemies you face, whether with knowledge checks or without. If your DM considers that metagaming, then this wouldn't be as good.

[Waffle_Iron]

Interesting. My first thought for this spell was team-spellcasting.

The ability to take all of the great fire-based attack spells your allies have and tweak the damage type to something better tailored to the enemy you're facing is great for a first level spell. And I'm always in favor of teamwork in D&D.

Flaming Sphere, Fireball, Wall of Fire... Now you've got Acid Sphere, Iceball, and Wall of Thunder. Awesome.

Of course it's only great if your DM is okay with your character knowing the elemental resistances of the enemies you face, whether with knowledge checks or without. If your DM considers that metagaming, then this wouldn't be as good.

Me: "Oh no, that giant rampaging monster that is on FIRE is attacking the billiards, and when I cast FIRE at it, it actually laughed at me! Better use energy substitute! Maybe ICE"

GM: "that's meta gaming!"

Me: "Shut up, Phillip"

😄

But seriously, I really like this homebrew. I may stick a scroll in the next dungeon horde.

Thanks!

[Mith]

While I like the idea, I wonder if it would work better as a metamagic ability for sorcerers (if it isn't already), and a theory/theological philosophy text for other casters that allows other casters to develop new spells.

For sorcerers, I would perhaps give them the ability at a certain level to do the Quicken+cast spell to change elemental damage, then at a higher level make it a free action.

[UristMcRandom]

Interesting. My first thought for this spell was team-spellcasting.

The ability to take all of the great fire-based attack spells your allies have and tweak the damage type to something better tailored to the enemy you're facing is great for a first level spell. And I'm always in favor of teamwork in D&D.

Flaming Sphere, Fireball, Wall of Fire... Now you've got Acid Sphere, Iceball, and Wall of Thunder. Awesome.

Of course it's only great if your DM is okay with your character knowing the elemental resistances of the enemies you face, whether with knowledge checks or without. If your DM considers that metagaming, then this wouldn't be as good.

Team spellcasting was actually my original intention for the spell. The idea to use the spell defensively came much later in the brainstorming process.

Me: "Oh no, that giant rampaging monster that is on FIRE is attacking the billiards, and when I cast FIRE at it, it actually laughed at me! Better use energy substitute! Maybe ICE"

GM: "that's meta gaming!"

Me: "Shut up, Phillip"

😄

But seriously, I really like this homebrew. I may stick a scroll in the next dungeon horde.

Thanks!

Hey, thanks! If you end up doing that, let me know how it goes for your players. Live-play feedback is always handy!

While I like the idea, I wonder if it would work better as a metamagic ability for sorcerers (if it isn't already), and a theory/theological philosophy text for other casters that allows other casters to develop new spells.

For sorcerers, I would perhaps give them the ability at a certain level to do the Quicken+cast spell to change elemental damage, then at a higher level make it a free action.

It would perhaps be suited as a metamagic ability. As for your other note: That sounds like a pretty good idea, if you'd like to make a Sorcererous Origin that incorporates this spell in that way feel free. I'd do it myself, but I'd need to do more research on the Sorcerer to make sure I don't make something too wildly overpowered (last time I homebrewed for a class I'm not familiar with, I ended up with a half-complete Psychic Warrior that had the ability to nuke any encounter with a psionic action surge).

[CantigThimble]

Unfortunately, no. The only way that would work is if it were a Cantrip with a casting time of 1 Action, and even then only in tandem with a Sorcerer's Quicken Spell metamagic. I was more than a little reluctant to allow unlimited modification of spell damage type, so I left it as a higher-level spell.

Edit: I suppose I could work it into where you can cast another spell as part of this spell's casting, like the SCAG cantrips that allow a weapon attack as part of the spellcasting action. Hm...

You can use a reaction and an action spell in the same turn, the restriction for casting spells in the same turn is bonus action spells.

[UristMcRandom]

But can you take a reaction against yourself? If I kept this as a reaction spell but made it able to target your own spells, that's what would be happening.