Talk:Soul Drain (5e Spell)

I feel the ability to continually gain temporary HP from this is a bit too strong. For instance, the 1st-level spell False Life only grants 1d4+4 temp hp in a once off capacity. Even certain class abilities require you to get the finishing blow on a creature to gain temporary HP, which then this cantrip also outshines. The fact that this cantrip scales upward the same as others at the standard progression, up to the 4d4 temp hp -per hit-, really breaks the power ratio and opens it up for abuse.

As current, there are no cantrips that provide a -continual- benefit to damage rolls over multiple turns. Each one is a one off instance, as being a "cast and forget" issue is something all cantrips have generally be kept in check. Most cantrips that have a duration for bonuses (such as Guidance/Resistance) only trigger the bonus singularly, the duration is just to see how long it lasts until can you use it. This could really benefit from having it be applied to the singular next hit, or other such wording.

Additionally, there are no longer "natural weapons" in the same capacity as older editions, they're just called melee weapon attacks now, of which even unarmed strikes are considered in that regard. With how the wording is currently, you could gain this extra damage/temp hp from spell attacks and unarmed strikes, which is again a bit too strong. Farming temp HP from other cantrips, or a monk fueling unarmed strikes for a permanent buffer, makes this really awkward for balance.

There should be a list of excluded targets that do not have souls, since it's called soul drain. Undead and constructs, for instance? Having that would also bring a little balance into play as it makes it more target specific. However, since soul-having creatures are by far the dominant, it would need to be balanced around what it -can- effect, rather than what it can't.

As a balance note, the 1st-level spell Divine Favor does 1d4 radiant damage per weapon attack hit, don't scale upward, and uses a spell slot for limiting the spamming of it. It becomes reliant on resources, which cantrips are not. That becomes part of the issue with cast n forget cantrips.

I'm not sure a cantrip should provide the temporary HP buff, simply because it -can- be farmed, much the same as why a cantrip shouldn't provide healing. Nor should a cantrip outshine a 1st-level spell, let alone two 1st-level spells combined (divine favor and false life).--Kahz (talk) 04:13, 19 October 2016 (MDT)

I changed it. Now its a melee spell attack that deals 1d4 damage (instead of +1d4 damage), so the damage dealt and the THP granted are less than the spells mentioned above. If the OP still wants it to be a duration effect, it should require concentration and the damage/THP reduced to a mere +1. Marasmusine (talk) 05:13, 19 October 2016 (MDT)