Alternative Damage Cantrips [PEACH]

[Dhavaer]

Simply, ranged damage cantrips that aren't fire or cold. They're available to the Sorcerer, Spellsword and Wizard.

I'm worried Coruscating Sphere is too weak; should it have longer range or maybe a secondary effect?
Mana Bolt is Magic Missile toned down for a cantrip. Attacking at advantage seemed the best way to approximate MM's perfect accuracy without overpowering it.
Rumble is Fire Bolt, with 40 feet less range and a smaller damage die to compensate for having a non-awful damage type. I switched the save type because dodging sound

Coruscating Sphere
Evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You create a crackling orb of electricity that lashes out at enemies around it. Place the orb at a point within range. Every creature within 5 feet of the point must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 electricity damage.
The ring's damage increases by 1d4 at 5th, 11th and 17th level.

Mana Bolt
Evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You create a glowing dart of magical force and hurl it at an enemy. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature in range. You have advantage on this attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d4+1 force damage.
Mana Bolt counts as Magic Missile for any effects that give immunity.
At higher levels the spell creates more darts: 2 at 5th level, 3 at 11th and 4 at 17th. Each dart can target a different creature. Make a separate attack rolls for each target.

Rumble
Evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 80 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

The air around an enemy vibrates with a painfully loud noise. An enemy within range must make a Constitution save or take 1d8 thunder damage.
The noise's damage increases by 1d8 at 5th, 11th and 17th level.

[Sindeloke]

Mana bolt could be unusually potent on an arcane trickster, depending on how lenient a DM wants to be about sneak attack with magic (generally a bad idea with actual spells but probably fine with most cantrips, but then most cantrips don't offer advantage by default).

Otherwise I like these a lot and may steal them. The orb does seem underpowered, and scaling as d6 off of d4 base damage feels weird. Make it an even d6 and it looks about right.

[Dhavaer]

The orb does seem underpowered, and scaling as d6 off of d4 base damage feels weird. Make it an even d6 and it looks about right.

That was a typo, it's fixed now. I was going to have it as a d6, but I was looking at Acid Splash and noticed that it's only multitarget rather than AoE, which would make it outright inferior for a d6 Sphere.

[meltodowno]

Mana bolt could be unusually potent on an arcane trickster, depending on how lenient a DM wants to be about sneak attack with magic

Well, if a DM wants to house rule that you can sneak attack with magic, that's his own fault :smalltongue: The rules are quite clear


"The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon"

Spells do not qualify for sneak attack.

[Sindeloke]

It's not RAW, but it is eminently reasonable and perfectly intuitive. Spells *can* crit, and a sneak attack is essentially a super crit, since it's described in the same way (hitting an especially vulnerable spot for more damage). Much like auto-success on a 20 on a skill check, I suspect you'll find many groups who don't even realize it isn't the actual rule. (Also much like auto-success on a 20 on a skill check, it will have repercussions for balance, but probably only in edge cases.)


I was going to have it as a d6, but I was looking at Acid Splash and noticed that it's only multitarget rather than AoE, which would make it outright inferior for a d6 Sphere.

Hmn, I hadn't actually noticed that either. Good point.

[SonsOfSauron]

Even at d4, I wonder if an aoe cantrip should have a bit less range, say 30 feet?

[Wartex1]

It's not RAW, but it is eminently reasonable and perfectly intuitive. Spells *can* crit, and a sneak attack is essentially a super crit, since it's described in the same way (hitting an especially vulnerable spot for more damage). Much like auto-success on a 20 on a skill check, I suspect you'll find many groups who don't even realize it isn't the actual rule. (Also much like auto-success on a 20 on a skill check, it will have repercussions for balance, but probably only in edge cases.)



Hmn, I hadn't actually noticed that either. Good point.

Actually, a Sneak Attack isn't described as a strike to a weak point. It's referring to striking a distracted enemy, meaning he's unprepared to take your blow and is thus unguarded and injured more.

It's the difference between jumping from a rooftop and falling off of a rooftop.

[meltodowno]

It's not RAW, but it is eminently reasonable and perfectly intuitive. Spells *can* crit, and a sneak attack is essentially a super crit, since it's described in the same way (hitting an especially vulnerable spot for more damage). Much like auto-success on a 20 on a skill check, I suspect you'll find many groups who don't even realize it isn't the actual rule. (Also much like auto-success on a 20 on a skill check, it will have repercussions for balance, but probably only in edge cases.)

I'm not arguing the validity of a house rule, but you can't balance homebrew against potential house rules, down that path madness lies. You can only balance it against the actual rules - in which spells can't deal sneak attack damage.