Uses for an Underappreciated Spell: Warding Wind

[LudicSavant]

Warding Wind seems to get overlooked sometimes because all of its individual components are situational, but I've found that they add up pretty well, especially when playing a frontliner.

The main use of the spell is probably going to be a combination of points 1, 6, and 7. But everything here should be kept in mind.

1) General Properties
First, it's a 2nd level spell on the Evocation spell list and doesn't use your casting stat, which makes it particularly attractive for Eldritch Knights. This is fortuitous, because a lot of the features of Warding Wind shine best when you're at the front of the party.

Second, it has a generous 10 minute duration, which (combined with the fact that it's mobile) means you can potentially go through several encounters on a single casting in a dungeoneering scenario. Kinda like Spirit Guardians in that respect. This slot efficiency is one of its star features, IMHO; not a whole lot of 10 minute+ mobile Concentration spells at this level.

2) Strong Wind: a general rule:
Warding Wind creates an area of "strong wind," which is actually a game term defined in the DMG and referenced by numerous specific features. In addition to things the spell mentions (or improves upon), a strong wind does the following:

A flying creature in a strong wind must land at the end of its turn or fall. A strong wind in a desert can create a sandstorm that imposes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Not a big deal, but something to remember.

3)Deafening, not just a footnote

• It deafens you and other creatures in its area.

At first this might seem like a disadvantage, but I've found it to be surprisingly handy.

Deafening yourself can give you and your allies immunity from a variety of effects, like a Cloaker's Moan, a Demilich's Howl, a Chasme's Drone, a Vrock's Screech, a Gibbering Mouther's Gibbering, a Harpy's Luring Song, a Mummy Lord's Blasphemous Word, all of an Androsphinx's Roar abilities, a Grung Elite Warrior's Mesmerizing Chirr, a Shadow Mastiff's Terrifying Howl, a Vargouille's Stunning Shriek, (TAKES A BREATH) a Yeth Hound's Baleful Baying, A Bard's Taunt (The NPC Bards in Volo's Guide to Monsters), A Kraken Priest's "Voice of the Kraken," an Allip's Howling Babble, a Narzugon's Terrifying Command, the Suggestion spell, the Mass Suggestion spell, the Dissonant Whispers spell, the Entrhall spell, the Divine Word spell, the Vicious Mockery cantrip, or a Lore Bard's cutting words.

Deafening an enemy can grant further boons. Many "commander" type foes can't use their team buffs if their allies can't hear them (for example, Bards can't use Bardic Inspiration or Countercharm, Gnolls can't be incited, Hobgoblin Captains, Hobgoblin Warlords, and Knights can't use leadership, Orc War Chiefs can't use Battle Cry, Blade of Ilneval can't use Ilneval's Command, Warlords can't use Command Ally or Frighten Foe, a Drow House Captain can't use Battle Command, a Duergar Warlord can't use Call to Attack a Yangoloth can't use Battlefield Cunning, Flesh Golems can't be calmed by their creator, and perhaps most hilarious of all, a Beastmaster Ranger's beast will just sit there and do nothing but Dodge like the stupid robot it is).

Also fun is what it does to your stealth options. Usually being unseen doesn't actually hide your position (you need to actually use Stealth to become Hidden), but being unseen and unheard is another matter. Enemies who are deaf and blind are a lot more crippled than ones that are just blind. And even things like a high level Rogue's Blindsense won't work if they're deafened.

While certain enemies can use this against you, the fact that you can drop Concentration at will means that the worst case scenario is just that you drop the spell.

Oh, and for you Eldritch Knights with War Caster / Booming Blade, you'll be happy to know that Thunder damage isn't affected by deafness in any way.

Yes, it's all still situational, but like I said the point is that the bullet points add up.

4) Putting out the lights... and the sound

• It extinguishes unprotected flames in its area that are torch-sized or smaller.

This one occasionally comes in handy when fighting creatures that don't have Darkvision, when you do. The guards' torches get snuffed out and they're blind and deaf and slowed by difficult terrain. Basically, you can put foes reliant on fire to see in a real bind.

Mind, lots of things have Darkvision, or could just get magical light sources or protected flames. Just one more situational goodie on the pile.

5) Fogs, Vapors, Gasses, and vision

• It hedges out vapor, gas, and fog that can be dispersed by strong wind.

Inhaled poisons, cloudkill, incendiary cloud, fetid cloud, ink cloud, freezing fog, death burst, and the like simply don't affect you.

Moreover, it's handy to have a character who can clear most line of sight impediments by simply walking into them, especially if they're a frontliner (like an Eldritch Knight). Fog Cloud and the like goes poof, while magical Darkness is already covered by having an item with a cheap, permanent, upcast Continual Flame on it (a handy trick for another underappreciated spell; as a general rule any magical light created with a spell slot of level 3 or higher illuminates magical Darkness).

6) Difficult Terrain

• The area is difficult terrain for creatures other than you.

This is great for tanking and kiting. Basically the 10 feet around you take 20 feet to traverse (50 if they just wanna pass through the whole sphere, since the radius extends from the edges of your square for a total diameter of 25 feet), which can be just enough to keep an enemy from closing to melee with either you or allies. This is good stuff whether your goal is to be sticky or slippery. Positioning is king.

This also combines great with point 7, protecting you or your party from both melee and ranged attacks (and fogs, and things that are protected against by deafness).

7) A Mobile Wind Wall

• The attack rolls of ranged weapon attacks have disadvantage if the attacks pass in or out of the wind

Last but certainly not least (in fact, the total opposite) is that Warding Wind imposes Disadvantage on ranged attacks passing through its area. Not only do you get to impose Disadvantage on all ranged weapon attacks against yourself, but also everyone behind you, making this great at defending your party.

This is basically a mobile Wind Wall (a third level spell) that lasts 10x as long and can help against boulders and such, rather than only small projectiles. Sure, Wind Wall will make the small projectiles miss automatically instead of "just" having Disadvantage, but I think that's more than made up for by the mobility, duration, and application to a wider variety of projectiles (not to mention all of the other things that Warding Wind does).

This also synergizes effectively with the rest of the kit. For example, if an enemy has a ranged weapon and a nasty melee attack, you can protect your party from both by slowing them with difficult terrain and blocking their ranged attacks.

Another aspect is that your team (given the right composition) can fire through the Warding Wind unhindered, since it's only ranged weapon attacks that get Disadvantage. If you're firing out Repelling Eldritch Blasts, it goes right through... and makes it even harder for the enemy to close to a useful position.

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What do you think? Any fun, creative, or effective uses I haven't mentioned? Or do you think the spell's horrible and that something else should always be used instead? Lemme know


An Eldritch Knight using Warding Wind

[DarkKnightJin]

A good outline for an oft-forgotten spell.
As for Continual Flame: if you upcast it to 4th or higher on a rest day, even Dispelling it will prompt a roll. If you're the kind to be paranoid about something like that.

[sophontteks]

Agree 100%. People overlook 10 minute duration spells (darkness being another), but the duration is the best part. It can be cast before combat begins, while 1 minute spells typically can't. The savings on action economy makes the spell much better then it appears.

Though one thing really bothers me about this spell. The 55 mph "strong wind." That doesn't even meet the D&d definition of strong wind and must be considered a typo. As a florida resident this "strong wind" is a complete joke. 55mph winds would impose none of the effects the spell creates.

[Dalebert]

A good outline for an oft-forgotten spell.
As for Continual Flame: if you upcast it to 4th or higher on a rest day, even Dispelling it will prompt a roll. If you're the kind to be paranoid about something like that.

And if it's at least 3rd, it will illuminate magical darkness.

[PhantomSoul]

Though one thing really bothers me about this spell. The 55 mph "strong wind." That doesn't even meet the D&d definition of strong wind and must be considered a typo. As a florida resident this "strong wind" is a complete joke. 55mph winds would impose none of the effects the spell creates.

It's in the long list of cases that make me wish game terms and normal English/fluff were clearly distinguished to be sure it's actually the game term that's intended (it seems unlikely, but it's not impossible).

[Man_Over_Game]

I allow Warding Wind and Wind Wall to block Breath attacks. Now it's a valid strategy against a Dragon.

[sambojin]

Not bad for druids with their "I've got my concentration spell up, now what do I do?" problem as well. Start throwing your ball-bearings and caltrops everywhere.

Moving at half speed through difficult terrain or you fall over (or get -10 speed) essentially turns you into a mobile wall.

Combo'd up with a familiar doing the same and you've got quite a lot of BFC happening if you want to lockdown the movement of a fair amount of critters while your party deals with the rest of them (you being a mobile 10' difficult terrain bubble, alongside 2x5' DC15 squares of less movement a turn, or two DC10 10' squares of general inconvenience is actually a hell of a lot of BFC going on. Don't want to roll? Enjoy 1/4 movement. Want to take the chance of flubbing your turn on DC10/15? No worries, you still won't get to the other squishies as the difficult terrain burns off 5-10' of your movement and possibly another 10-15' if you flub your roll).

Not bad for Moon Druids either. Didn't pick Sentinel? But want to make sure it's hard to get away from you or to make sure that you're the punching bag of choice? Cast Warding Wind, bonus action wildshape, and run straight in. They'll have to hit you, or that movement slow will keep them in range of you indefinitely. Saves an entire feat, so you can pick Res(Con) or Warcaster instead, which will keep your slow up even better. No easy sitting back and shooting you (and maybe your party) either. Less control or smoke effects to screw you over too. Still works fine with Sentinel too.

Wondering how well a Warding Wind jump/grapple from a Female Steeder would play out against flyers too. Is this the moon druid's Trip Attack compared to a battlemaster doing the same with a bow? 10min duration, so if you get the spell up the moment you see a flyer (before actual combat starts), it can't move within 90' of you or you'll drop it out of the air like a stone, just like Trip Attack with a bow from a battlemaster, except you can get double proficiency on grapples :)

Can attack at any point during your movement, grappling turns yours and their movement to zero, you've got a strong wind surrounding you as well, and you really don't care about the fall damage. Lvl3 option for 90' air "proning", kind of. Should work in theory. Maybe even without the grapple attack hitting. Just specify that you're jumping "onto" the dragon, and expect an acrobatics roll at some point, but you've got a grapple attempt as well. If either sticks, the flying lizard drops. You've got a +5 sticky leg attack if that's better than your grapple attempt would be as well.


For a no-save spell, it really isn't bad. Does lots of other stuff, but difficult terrain is good anyway.

[Blood of Gaea]

I agree I've taken it once on an Eldritch Knight, and while there's often better spells to cast in a given situation, it is a pretty versatile spell.

I would never consider it a must-have, but it's a great spell to fill up those nonessential slots, especially when it fits the character.

[Chronos]

Wondering how well a Warding Wind jump/grapple from a Female Steeder would play out against flyers too.

OK, I'm trying to figure out what "Female Steeder" auto-corrected from.

[Rerem115]

It's a beast, a large lizard, I think, from the Underdark. CR 1/2, iirc.

[Tanarii]

Though one thing really bothers me about this spell. The 55 mph "strong wind." That doesn't even meet the D&d definition of strong wind and must be considered a typo. As a florida resident this "strong wind" is a complete joke. 55mph winds would impose none of the effects the spell creates.

Hopefully a joke 20mph winds are strong enough to make an interesting day outside for walking or driving. A 55mph wind is more than gale force, and often causes property damage.

[sophontteks]

Hopefully a joke 20mph winds are strong enough to make an interesting day outside for walking or driving. A 55mph wind is more than gale force, and often causes property damage.

It makes things interesting if you are a speck of dust or a leaf I suppose. Beufort rates 20 mhp wind as a fresh breeze. That is a joke. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

And I was giving warding wind too much credit. I forgot its 20 mph wind, not 55. For a localized 10 foot radius wind to be so significant to halve movement, block arrows, and deafen those inside 55 mph is on the extreme low end of the force required, but I was originally incorrectly basing my assumptions on the 20 mph wind the spell states.

[Dalebert]

Shame it's not a Ranger spell. A gloomstalker could benefit from putting out torches and other non-magical light sources.

I agree I've taken it once on an Eldritch Knight...

Is my phone app wrong? It lists as bard/druid/sorcerer; not wizard. If not wrong, it shouldn't be available to EK.

EDIT: I looked it up. My phone app IS wrong. Still annoyed that it's not a ranger spell. Any sort of gish would enjoy the benefit of a Silence spell that moves with them so they can close with casters and mess them up.

[Skylivedk]

Shame it's not a Ranger spell. A gloomstalker could benefit from putting out torches and other non-magical light sources.



Is my phone app wrong? It lists as bard/druid/sorcerer; not wizard. If not wrong, it shouldn't be available to EK.

EDIT: I looked it up. My phone app IS wrong. Still annoyed that it's not a ranger spell. Any sort of gish would enjoy the benefit of a Silence spell that moves with them so they can close with casters and mess them up.

Deafen and Silence are definitely not the same. If you doubt me, try having a conversation with someone wearing good sound isolating headphones. They can't hear you, but when they it'll loud enough in response to pop your ear drums, you'll realise they're far from silent.

Otherwise, neat find, @Ludic. 20 mph wind sounds awfully weak if it is too block all ranged attacks (including boulders) and ground dragons. I would change the fluff or rule it to be the game term as a DM

[noob]

Of course during windy days the wind from the spell is weaker than the wind around so you feel after entering the warding wind area that the wind is quieter but now you are deaf somehow.

[ATHATH]

Wondering how well a Warding Wind jump/grapple from a Female Steeder would play out against flyers too. Is this the moon druid's Trip Attack compared to a battlemaster doing the same with a bow? 10min duration, so if you get the spell up the moment you see a flyer (before actual combat starts), it can't move within 90' of you or you'll drop it out of the air like a stone, just like Trip Attack with a bow from a battlemaster, except you can get double proficiency on grapples :)

I thought that Druids couldn't Wild Shape into female steeders anymore because they got updated to not be Beasts in an adventure path (module?) that I forgot the name of?

[Chronos]

Ah, I didn't realize that the females had different stats from the males.

[JackPhoenix]

Steeders (both male and female) are monstrosities per the most recent source (and a source that isn't adventure), MToF. The mechanics of their jump changed, their bite does poison instead of acid damage (but with no save, so... yay?) and they got proficiency in Perception.

[Citadel97501]

I would note that this spell being on the Druid list does improve Thorn Whip a bit, as its a melee attack but has a 30' range so ignores the disadvantage, and you can always choose not to pull someone. Another thing to remember is that it could also be used very nicely for wind generation while sailing as a 16 knot wind is usually enough for full sail. Damn, now I want to play some weird Druid + Sea Sorcerer + Pirate character :)

[noob]

I would note that this spell being on the Druid list does improve Thorn Whip a bit, as its a melee attack but has a 30' range so ignores the disadvantage, and you can always choose not to pull someone. Another thing to remember is that it could also be used very nicely for wind generation while sailing as a 16 knot wind is usually enough for full sail. Damn, now I want to play some weird Druid + Sea Sorcerer + Pirate character :)

Is it rotating wind or linear wind?
in the former case you need careful placement for sailing.

[Max_Killjoy]

Agree 100%. People overlook 10 minute duration spells (darkness being another), but the duration is the best part. It can be cast before combat begins, while 1 minute spells typically can't. The savings on action economy makes the spell much better then it appears.

Though one thing really bothers me about this spell. The 55 mph "strong wind." That doesn't even meet the D&d definition of strong wind and must be considered a typo. As a florida resident this "strong wind" is a complete joke. 55mph winds would impose none of the effects the spell creates.

It's in the long list of cases that make me wish game terms and normal English/fluff were clearly distinguished to be sure it's actually the game term that's intended (it seems unlikely, but it's not impossible).

Hopefully a joke 20mph winds are strong enough to make an interesting day outside for walking or driving. A 55mph wind is more than gale force, and often causes property damage.

It makes things interesting if you are a speck of dust or a leaf I suppose. Beufort rates 20 mhp wind as a fresh breeze. That is a joke. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

And I was giving warding wind too much credit. I forgot its 20 mph wind, not 55. For a localized 10 foot radius wind to be so significant to halve movement, block arrows, and deafen those inside 55 mph is on the extreme low end of the force required, but I was originally incorrectly basing my assumptions on the 20 mph wind the spell states.

20mph is NOT going to have the effects that the spell describes.

And yeah, the whole thing with "you just have to figure out for yourself if we mean rules-X or normal-usage-X" approach the writers used gets old very quickly. It's almost as if they used "you don't have to be achingly precise" as an carte blanche to be painfully imprecise.

[Tanarii]

It makes things interesting if you are a speck of dust or a leaf I suppose. Beufort rates 20 mhp wind as a fresh breeze. That is a joke. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

And I was giving warding wind too much credit. I forgot its 20 mph wind, not 55. For a localized 10 foot radius wind to be so significant to halve movement, block arrows, and deafen those inside 55 mph is on the extreme low end of the force required, but I was originally incorrectly basing my assumptions on the 20 mph wind the spell states.

Agreed 20 mph is a bit low for the effects of the spell, certainly not enough to completely deafen or half movement. It might be enough to screw up missile fire though.

Although calling it a "fresh breeze" is a bit off. 20 mph is a fairly stiff wind if that's the steady wind speed. Given the accompanying description is "Small trees sway, waves break on inland waters", I'd guess it's just someone with a strong penchant for understatement who wrote it.

Edit: oh yeah, he was Royal Navy, so a sailor in the UK. No wonder it's so understated.

[LudicSavant]

20mph is NOT going to have the effects that the spell describes.

And yeah, the whole thing with "you just have to figure out for yourself if we mean rules-X or normal-usage-X" approach the writers used gets old very quickly. It's almost as if they used "you don't have to be achingly precise" as an carte blanche to be painfully imprecise.

I have long thought that WotC just doesn't know how speeds work (or couldn't be bothered). Which is why supposedly supernaturally fast Monks don't outrun Olympic sprinters. Nor do horses (a real horse would be able to move, what, ~350 feet or more in 6 seconds?).

[Blood of Gaea]

Option one: Up the speed to what you think is reasonable.

Option two: The spell also makes the air denser.

[Chronos]

Speaking as a bicyclist, a 20 MPH headwind is definitely no fun, definitely slows me down, and definitely makes the ride more tiring. But it doesn't come anywhere near to halving my speed, and it's definitely not deafening.

[loki_ragnarock]

For a lot of construction projects, 20+ MPH winds are cause to suspend elevated work.

But those are fairly safety first environments.

[ko_sct]

I've used the spell twice so far on my latest character.

First time was against some kind of demon/construct that spewed toxic gas. The wind dispersed the gas and it migth have saved a a few lives.

Second time the boat was set on fire during a figth and I stopped concentrating on a spell to cast warding wind and started running toward the fire... Then I realised that extinguising fist-sized fire wouldnt do the trick for a full 30 foot radius fire.... then the boss that started the fire and was standing in it knockedout my character. There was a moment of panic until someone healed my character and I realised that upcasting create water was far more efficient.


In the end I kind of like the spell but it's not my first choice... or second... or third. My char was a cleric1/druid4 with 15 spells prepared total. I could afford 4th choices in term of spell.

[LudicSavant]

The best single aspect (IMHO) is disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks against everyone in your party for 10 minutes (as opposed to just you for 1 minute, which is what Blur would do).

People often talk about getting cut to ribbons by large groups of mooks with crossbows... and the thing is that as long as you have a half-decent AC and Disadvantage to be hit, mook swarms can't really hit you. Like, at all.

If you have just 19 AC and are fighting a horde of 100 bandits, they do 160 DPR to you. If they have Disadvantage, they do a leisurely 35 DPR.

If you have 23 AC (not too uncommon for EKs and Swords Bards and the like), they go from 97.5 DPR to only 2.5 DPR with Disadvantage. They practically aren't even there.

And if they give up their bows and try to fight in melee, well... they just sort of trip over each other in difficult terrain and accomplish little except making it easier for you to wipe 'em.

Agree 100%. People overlook 10 minute duration spells (darkness being another), but the duration is the best part. It can be cast before combat begins, while 1 minute spells typically can't. The savings on action economy makes the spell much better then it appears.

Yeah. It's really valuable to be able to take fight after fight on the same spell slot.

[Dalebert]

For a lot of construction projects, 20+ MPH winds are cause to suspend elevated work.

There's another use right there. Villain is construction his lair? Warding Wind!

"Cease construction immediately or I will report you to OSHA!

[noob]

There's another use right there. Villain is construction his lair? Warding Wind!

"Cease construction immediately or I will report you to OSHA!

the problem is the short radius but otherwise it works well: if you are close enough for the workers to be in the wind they are in a huge risk of falling.