DM Tyler
Commoner
Posts: 4
Favorite D&D Class: Druid / Bard
Favorite D&D Race: Half-Elf
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Post by DM Tyler on Jan 21, 2016 22:10:01 GMT
So my crazy player (everyone has one, right?) is about to start playing an illusionist wizard charlatan. He wants to know if he uses prestidigitation to cast the illusion of a buff spell or healing on someone, if they'll actually gain any bonuses or hp back from the placebo effect. (I.e., Ron Weasley suddenly becoming an awesome keeper during Quidditch because he *thought* he had drunk a luck potion.) To balance it out, he suggested that he have to roll deception vs. the target's insight (maybe at disadvantage if they want to believe him). And healing would just be like, 1d4 tops. And maybe buffs be limited to give advantage to skill checks, or something else nice-but-not-game-breaking.
He's suggested crazy ideas in the past, but this time I was literally speechless. On the one hand, that's crazy OP for a wizard to effectively have a healing spell cantrip. On the other hand, that's absolutely plausible in a low-magic setting and is exactly the creative kind of magic use I want to encourage in my players. What do you guys think?
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Post by catcharlie on Jan 21, 2016 22:27:42 GMT
What system are you playing?
If I was putting it in I would probably make it temporary Hit points.
I love the concept of it, quite a few of todays medicines are placebos yet they still work (and not just on humans), so it's entirely plausible that it would work.
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Post by joatmoniac on Jan 21, 2016 23:47:03 GMT
The only big issue I see is that it is attached to Prestidigitation. As is,or RAW, the spell directly affects things, and creates actual items without any sort of illusion component ties to it. Also, Prestidigitation last for an hour which would essentially afford the wizard up to 600d4 worth of healing, or that many people with buffs. Obviously that is the second most extreme case, but playing with those possibilities is important to see how the idea could potentially be abused, and it could be no ill will of the player with the idea, but another at the table realizing the potential. Side note: the most extreme is that the wizard could just cast it again at the end of the hour, and continue to do so every hour.
I write all of that and realize that maybe the player, and you meant that they want to cast Minor Illusion instead of Prestidigitation? Granted a lot of the issues I have remain because it is a cantrip and can essentially be cast every minute until the wizard passes out. You would need some other limiting factor than the deception v insight. Maybe its that if used on a creature it can't be used again until a long or short rest kind of thing. Or there could be a certain number of times they can attempt to use the spell in that way. Hope this info helps.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2016 2:08:21 GMT
Healing, no. Not even clerics get a cantrip that heals HP. Temporary HP as catcharlie suggested would be fine. Scale it like other cantrips (say 1d4 at 1-4, 2d4 at 5th, 3d4 at 11th...)
As for skill buffs, there's the guidance cantrip.
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Post by ino on Jan 22, 2016 2:48:22 GMT
I can see that being handy for morale bonuses. If an ally misses, he can cast a spell on both of em saying "look! He's bleeding! U must've knicked him! Press the attack!". Or making an illusion of an enemy's symbol on their armor. It'll let him be creative and encourage role playing from everyone, as more character story would give him insight into how to cast his spells.
The unfortunate part is that there's a chance it'll break immersion for other characters. If they know he's lying, they won't see his character, they'll see the player trying to get bonuses or deceive them. They'll have to question what they're hearing in game.
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DM Tyler
Commoner
Posts: 4
Favorite D&D Class: Druid / Bard
Favorite D&D Race: Half-Elf
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Post by DM Tyler on Jan 24, 2016 20:50:36 GMT
Thanks guys! This was a fun experiment. I think in the end he's going to add Healing Word and Guidance to his spell book. Simpler solutions mechanically for sure, and doesn't break the game with a healing cantrip.
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