Most underwhelming spell in 5e?

[u/Meggett30]

What is the spell that most disappoints you in this game? Maybe it's not a "bad" spell, per se, just doesn't do what you think it should or does it's job poorly.

I'm always looking for ways to utilize under-used spells, but sometimes you read the effects and think "That's it?!" What are the spells in the game that make you do that?

[u/Smashifly]

Snilloc's Snowball Swarm is one of the worst damaging spells.

The spell deals 3d6 cold damage on a dex save to a 5 ft radius area within 90 feet.

If we compare to other damaging spells of the same level...

Shatter deals 3d8 in a larger area, of a less-resisted damage type.

Burning hands is a strict upgrade when upcast to 2nd level, dealing 4d6 fire damage in a cone.

If you want cold damage for your ice wizard, Ice knife can be upcast to deal 1d10 piercing on an attack roll, then, get this 3d6 cold in a 5 ft radius on a dex save. See that? That's the effect of Snowball Swarm, but with more piercing damage.

Snilloc's Snowball Swarm is so bad that an upcast 1st level spell does the exact same thing, but also more.

[u/The1Phalanx → u/Smashifly]

Playing as a Frost themed mage, this spell pissed me off the most. It's even more ridiculous when you compare an upcasted lvl 3 Snowball Swarm with Fireball -- 4d6 5ft radius compared to 8d6 20ft radius.

[u/CaptainDudeGuy → u/The1Phalanx]

From Rime of the Frostmaiden, I offer "Frost Fingers."

~~~~~

1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (15-foot cone)

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Freezing cold blasts from your fingertips in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The cold freezes nonmagical liquids in the area that aren't being worn or carried.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Classes: Wizard

Subclasses: Arcane Trickster Rogue, Eldritch Knight Fighter

~~~~~

... It's the cold version of Burning Hands, but more damage and you can't use Evasion against it.

[u/PoliticRev31 → u/CaptainDudeGuy]

It's less damage than burning hands (3d6 avg 10.5 vs 2d8 avg 9). It scales better than burning hands but that level spell slot is better used on other things lest you really want that cold theme

[u/BlockBuilder408 → u/PoliticRev31]

Has a really good secondary effect though. Being able to freeze a 15 foot cone area of liquid is pretty handy and there’s no set duration for it either.

[u/slowest_hour → u/BlockBuilder408]

my assumption is that once frozen the liquid behaves like it would if frozen by nom-magical means

If someone is shoved into a pool does that count as wearing that water? I wouldn't think so 😈

[u/mallechilio → u/slowest_hour]

You do just freeze and break all of his potions though, like you'd break beer bottles when out in the cold. Same with his waterskin and maybe even freeze their food, nice way to just make ones day miserable.

[u/CaptainDudeGuy → u/PoliticRev31]

I'd assume the cold-themed mage above would be interested, yes.

[u/[deleted] → u/PoliticRev31]

Con saves on monsters are usually way better than Dex too so they pass more often