Favorite spells from Xanathar's?

[bc56]

What are your favorite spells released in Xanathar's Guide to everything?

I personally like Chaos Bolt. I think the spell is really flavorful for a wild sorcerer, the damage is not too much lower than Chromatic Orb, and the 12.5% chance to attack a second target is pretty strong.

[Jerrykhor]

Toll the Dead. I always play Undertaker's theme when I cast that lol.

[Kane0]

I like my Warlocks, so I would have to pick Enemies Abound. Good range and duration, targets a good save, pretty powerful when used on the right target and you don't have to wait until the endgame to get access to it. It also meshes extremely well with GoO pact and my maniacal tendencies when playing.

Runner up is Psychic Scream, so I can reenact this scene and make mindblowing puns.

[Naanomi]

I’ll second a love for Enemies Abound... twinned it is fantastic; and a subtle Enemies Abound in a social situation is a great way to start a fight.

Also enjoy Sickening Radiance, Synaptic Static, Absorb Elements, Catnap, Find Greater Steed, Zephyr/Steel Wind Strike

[Armok]

Ceremony is amazing, and I will never not prepare it. For extra fun, magical secrets it as a bard and throw hokey weddings.

[Kane0]

Huh, I never noticed that until now. Hilariously, Tomelocks can also Ceremony.

[Lodestar]

Tenser's Transformation: I love "Super Mode" type stuff, and TT really fits the bill.

Steel Wind Strike: Animu omnislash shenanigans? Sign me up. A shame you can't get it on an Eldritch Knight.

Shadow of Moil: Edgy dark flame aura's pretty choice. The retaliative damage is a nice addition.

Synaptic Static/Psychic Scream: Psychic damage with cool riders? Give, please.

[Armok]

Huh, I never noticed that until now. Hilariously, Tomelocks can also Ceremony.

By the grace bestowed on me by *cough*Asmodeus*cough* I thee wed!

[Kane0]

"In the Eyes of the Great Beyond, you are constrained to each other's embrace until the day you perish"
"Hey, that sounded more like a curse than a wedding"
*Telepathically* Your mortal customs are foreign to me. Is there a difference?

[Naanomi]

Ceremony is amazing, and I will never not prepare it. For extra fun, magical secrets it as a bard and throw hokey weddings.

First Church of Elvis (or is he an Undying Warlock Patron?)

[Temperjoke]

I like Mighty Fortress and Soul Cage, personally.

[MxKit]

Dragon's breath, guardian of nature, infestation, maddening darkness, sickening radiance, steel wind strike, synaptic static, transmute rock, zephyr strike, and the triumvirate of druid grove/mighty fortress/temple of the gods.

...I just really like a lot of the Xanathar's spells, guys.

[ProseBeforeHos]

Illusory Dragon is wonderful.

[jojo]

Personally I like Cat Nap for being one of the most absurd and useless spells every written its hard to beat.

[Jerrykhor]

By the grace bestowed on me by *cough*Asmodeus*cough* I thee wed!

Till death do us part.

What about resurrection?

Read the fine print, my dear.

[Blacky the Blackball]

the triumvirate of druid grove/mighty fortress/temple of the gods.

These are my favourites.

Many of the other spells are useful in combats or whatever, but these three - being powerful magical effects that can be made permanent (just like Teleportation Circle) - have fun worldbuilding implications. They can be real game-changers for the game's implied setting.

[Joe the Rat]

I'm a big fan of the alternate "on death" effects - and Psychic Scream is terrific in that regard. I want to use it on a Beholder.

First Church of Elvis (or is he an Undying Warlock Patron?)

"He's not Undying, he just went home"

(And now I have a personality for my "The Emperor" Patron)

[Zejety]

I'm a big fan of dragon's breath. I just wish it could be twinned. T-T
Anyway, it feels great to cast it on on a party member who are more tuned towards single-target damage, like a rogue. The flexible damage type is also cool.

[Easy_Lee]

Thunder Step is both excellent and underrated. You get it two levels sooner than you can take Dimension Door, and it's superior to DD in most situations. Deal AoE damage and remove yourself plus one ally from a bad situation in one action, no questions asked. Can't beat that.

[Gardakan]

Healing Spirit is pretty amazing. It may be worth investing in it with my Divine Soul if we need healing that much (even if I have Cleric of Life 1).

[Garresh]

I like healers, gishes, and sneaky types. Unsurprisingly, my favorite spells are Healing Spirit, Life Transference, Tenser's Transformation, and Shadow Blade. Can't see any good sneaky spells in the list but I might have missed them.

[JakOfAllTirades]

Steel Wind Strike looks amazing to me... 6d10 force damage (with a melee spell attack roll) v. five targets within 30 feet, then teleport to a spot adjacent to one of your targets.

It's a 5th level spell, so it comes into play late in the game for Rangers, or mid-game for Wizards/Bards. Take two levels of Fighter and Action Surge to make another attack on the foe you just teleported right next to.

[jaappleton]

It was always super weird to me how higher level Clerics never got something like Sunbeam. Druids, Wizards, Sorc’s And Bards via Magical Secrets can get it, but not Clerics?

So the addition of Dawn is pretty good. Unfortunately it’s not repeatable, like Sunbeam, but it helps.

Beyond that, I really love Wall of Light.

[DracoKnight]

I love me some shadow blade, and not because it’s damage is great (although, yeah, it is), but because I can finally build out my Warlock 3/Rogue X who is the ultimate in faceless assassins.

Warlock (doesn’t really matter which Patron, but for this build, I went GOO for telepathy at will) 3 gets you mage armor and disguise self at will, and two 2nd level spell slots that come back on a short rest. I went thief as my Roguish Archetype for the ability to climb at normal speeds.

I never wear the same face twice, and most certainly never my own. I never wear armor that could be identified in any way. My weapon appears in my hand the instant I need it, and when the deed is done, I am once again an unarmed, unarmored, unthreatening, ordinary citizen to every casual observer.

I just also happen to have the ability to deal 2d8 (shadow blade) + 2d8 (booming blade) + 4d6 (Sneak Attack) + 5 (DEX) = 37 damage when the situation calls for it.

EDIT: for the Skyrim game I’m playing in, it means my Khajiit Spellthief can finally cast Bound Sword.

[Camman1984]

I love life transference, that's a big single target heal if you can handle the self damage.

not technically a new spell but heat metal as a domain spell for a really character cleric archetype **drools**

[Oramac]

IDK if I could pick just one spell. Here's a few I really like, in no particular order.

Dragon's Breath
Elemental Bane
Find Greater Steed
Holy Weapon
Shadow Blade
Soul Cage
Steel Wind Strike
Thunder Step
Toll the Dead
Zephyr Strike

[rbstr]

Guardian of Nature is really cool. I particularly like that it works with strength-based characters.

I have a problem with Steel Wind Strike in that it's a spell attack roll. I think that using the casting stat for it makes it much less interesting as a gish-type spell. I'd much rather have had it be like the weapon cantrips - make a melee attack get some rider damage. Otherwise it's very cool as a capstone ranger spell.

[jaappleton]

I love me some shadow blade, and not because it’s damage is great (although, yeah, it is), but because I can finally build out my Warlock 3/Rogue X who is the ultimate in faceless assassins.

Warlock (doesn’t really matter which Patron, but for this build, I went GOO for telepathy at will) 3 gets you mage armor and disguise self at will, and two 2nd level spell slots that come back on a short rest. I went thief as my Roguish Archetype for the ability to climb at normal speeds.

I never wear the same face twice, and most certainly never my own. I never wear armor that could be identified in any way. My weapon appears in my hand the instant I need it, and when the deed is done, I am once again an unarmed, unarmored, unthreatening, ordinary citizen to every casual observer.

I just also happen to have the ability to deal 2d8 (shadow blade) + 2d8 (booming blade) + 4d6 (Sneak Attack) + 5 (DEX) = 37 damage when the situation calls for it.

EDIT: for the Skyrim game I’m playing in, it means my Khajiit Spellthief can finally cast Bound Sword.

Not to derail the thread, but in this instance, I'd go Celestial and utilize the Gift of the Ever Living Ones invocation to be able to heal yourself pretty well if you're ever hurt.

"The assailant escaped, but I stabbed him in the stomach!"
"What wound? I'm fine."

[bc56]

IDK if I could pick just one spell. Here's a few I really like, in no particular order.

Dragon's Breath
Elemental Bane
Find Greater Steed
Holy Weapon
Shadow Blade
Soul Cage
Steel Wind Strike
Thunder Step
Toll the Dead
Zephyr Strike

What do you mean, "no particular order"?

That's alphabetical order!

[clash]

So catnap isnt concentration. Does that mean a warlock can cast it on himself to short rest in 10 minutes instead of an hour?