I've seen "but ground effects aren't DnD"? I linked to a video from Outside Xtra for that one. Maybe you've heard of Merilwyn's Meatgrinder? Two ground effect spells in one encounter, in an actual PnP game, the absolute horror.
Ground effect
spells are fine, noone complains about them. They are part of the rules and they use up resources, in this case spell slots. Cantrips, however, that deal damage
and cause a ground effect, are not. It would be fine if it was either damage a target creature/destructble object or target the ground to create an effect, but not both.
It provides cantrips with a lot more power and versatility than they are supposed to have in the rules.
