Top 5 Worst Spells in Dungeons and Dragons 5e

There are a bunch of spells in Dungeons and Dragons and quite a few of them get a bad wrap. Spells from new books like Xanathar's Guide to Everything can very easily overshadow some older spells from core 5th edition but those spells are still here!

After scrouing dungeons and dragons forums, dndbeyond, and even other youtube videos I took 5 spells that are generally agreed upon as being terrible and made them better. So sit back and enjoy as I take you through the 5 Worst Spells in Dungeons and Dragons 5e.

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(0:00) Worst Spell Ever
(0:46) Disclaimer
(1:00) 1st Spell
(2:17) How to make it better
(2:56) 2nd Spell
(3:39) How to make it better
(4:22) 3rd Spell
(5:24) How to make it better
(6:04) 4th Spell
(6:55) How to make it better
(8:00) Segway
(8:47) 5th Spell
(10:33) How to make it better
(11:33) How would you improve these spells?

#DungeonsAndDragons #dnd #5e

[geoffreyperrin]

I'd be tempted, for true strike, to just make it a bonus action, but add a stipulation that once you use it on a creature, it is immune to the spell for 1 hour.

[geoffreyperrin]

For friends, it is good with disguise self as they would get mad at you but next time you meet they won't recognize you

[glarak]

The solution for Blade Ward with cast it on others is also amazing for True Strike. *Not my idea, this modification was used in the Necro Hunt Campaign*

[geoffreyperrin]

I think making blade ward have a range of touch would be interesting, as then there could be teamwork implications or a friendly NPC sidekick could learn it and keep casting it on an ally if they are willing to be near danger

[jb]

As luck would have it, WotC has already published a different class feature that would be a reasonable fix for true strike. The rogue’s steady aim is a bonus action, requires the PC not move that turn, and applies the advantage to only the next attack roll that turn. It’s also available fairly early in the rogue’s career and considering they can use it to force those sneak attack dice out, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to compare that to the spell damage benefits.

[TheRobversion]

There's already a non-concentration way to gain advantage with a cantrip, it's called minor illusion. if true strike is not going to be a bonus action, applies to only one attack and would cost a higher levelled spell slot, there would still be no reason to use it as minor illusion fulfills this purpose already. for example a sorc can:

a. quicken minor illusion, cast chill touch
b. cast minor illusion, quicken scorching ray (the advantage would apply to each ray)

here's how i'd improve true strike and make it unique:

crits are one of the most fun, underutilized and underpowered mechanics in 5e. this is what i want to use true strike for. flavor wise, striking true is often used for description when someone scores a critical hit.

a. i'd make it a bonus action
b. i'd remove the concentration restriction
c. i'd make it change your critical threat range for all attacks until the start of your next turn to 16-20.

as to why i picked 16-20, i didn't want it to compete with the champion's increased crit threat range. champion's crit threat boost is always on. so if you were a champion fighter would you settle for 19 or 18-20 crit threat range that's always on (freeing your bonus action for something like polearm master) or would you spend a feat (magic initiate) and burn a bonus action every turn to gain another 10-15% chance to crit?

Tbh i think a 16-20 threat range might still be too underpowered for trading a pam attack every turn since if you do score a crit once, the extra dmg you gain won't be as powerful as a bonus action pam attack that also gains your str modifier along with other bonuses like GWM. i think i can even be convinced to increase the threat range to 13-20 or even 11-20 that way a crit has a higher chance of happening and people are whooping at the table more often. while this may be balanced on a fighter, it might be unbalanced on a paladin or a rogue so that's why i settled on 16-20.

[geoffreyperrin]

Animate objects is a 5th level spell and animating 10 coins does 65 damage on average with a bonus action. I don't know if that means Mordenkainen's sword needs to be buffed more or animate objects is OP