This is more of a 5e feedback I suppose and one that looks beyond EA. But I find it an interesting topic nevertheless that will also be eventually relevant in BG3.
Why do cantrips scale in power while spells that consume a spell slot do not?
Let's compare Fire Bolt vs. Chromatic Orb cast by an 11th level Wizard. Fire Bolt 3d10 damage vs. Chromatic Orb 3d8 damage. Orb offers more freedom since you can choose the damage type which can be relevant sometimes. But in most scenarios, why should a cantrip with unlimited casts be more powerful than a spell that consumes a slot?
Why doesn't Chromatic Orb also get another 1d8 at levels 5 and 11? 5d8 wouldn't be overpowered at all at that level. In fact it would be required to make using that spell slot viable. Or simply +1 per level.
Cantrips seem to make many low level spells obsolete. I'm not expecting this to change in BG3, but there could always be more house rules.
Is this good design of 5e or more of an oversight because they wanted to simplify the rules? Personally I just feel like using a spell slot should always be more powerful than casting a cantrip. Probably Larian will create really cool visuals for Chromatic Orbs and it's a shame it will become useless with many others. Witch Bolt is already pretty useless at level 1 and will definitely be compared to a 2d10, or 2d6 + 2d4 Fire Bolt at level 5.
Last edited by 1varangian; 21/11/20 01:28 PM.
