Feather Fall: Let Them Down Easy
Usable By: Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
Spell Level: 1
School: Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you or a creature within 60 feet of you falls
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 1 minute
Components: V, M (a small feather or piece of down)
Choose up to five falling creatures within range. A falling creature’s rate of descent slows to 60 feet per round until the spell ends. If the creature lands before the spell ends, it takes no falling damage and can land on its feet, and the spell ends for that creature.
Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold
The rickety wooden bridge shakes under the battering gales within the ravine, air elementals smashing into the supports. With a wicked snap, the ropes break, dropping our four heroes towards their certain demise hundreds of feet below. The wizard throws open their bag, rips out their spell book, flips as quickly as they can to a page denoting a feather, and moments before their group smashes into the sharp rocks at the base, the group abruptly slows, light wisps of light dancing around their forms, as Feather Fall brings them gently to the floor.
I’m pretty sure my #1 player killer is fall damage. 1d6 per 10 feet can easily be lethal in exotic fantasy environments. I love me some flying cities, jagged volcanic cliffs, and climactic setpieces with a cliff backdrop. Feather Fall to me is the Healing Word of the arcane casters; it's something responsible players take to keep everyone alive.
Reactions are underused in 5e. Feather Fall isn’t really competing with much outside Shield for your reaction, making it something that you can prepare for a low cost, and not need to worry about until it comes up. It being a first level spell too makes it so you can have this throughout all stages of the game, and something you’ll be happy to keep up a 1st level spell or two in the upper tiers to protect against telekinetic thrusts or creatures dropping friends from great heights.
Wizards, bards, and sorcerers out there, if you’re unsure what other 1st level spell to take early, you can reliably fall back on Feather Fall. It isn’t necessarily splashy, but it absolutely saves lives. It's a team player effect your friends will be grateful you took. Try it out.
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