Spray of Cards 5e
Usable By: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Spell Level: 2
School: Conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15 ft. cone)
Duration: Instantaneous
Components: V, S, M (a deck of cards)
You spray a 15 ft. cone of spectral cards. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d10 force damage and has the blinded condition until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage only.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 2nd.
Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold
Color Spray hasn’t been something I’ve ever been that impressed by, and it is pretty consistent at blinding at least one thing for a round. Spray of Cards up the ante by being a save or die in a cone, with the blind happening on failed save while getting a bit of damage.
To me, this is a “fair” version of Rime’s Binding Ice, which overshoots the power budget of its slot by a good bit. Spray of Cards hits under the damage I’d want it to, but the trade-off you get is pretty solid, especially in the early tiers. Blinded enemies are easier to hit, and have a harder time hitting you. Stapling a blind to your Burning Hands will feel pretty solid I think.
It isn’t revolutionary, but Spray of Cards is a cute, useful little conjuration spell I can imagine a good chunk of early-tier characters making great use out of. I like it best on bards, who don’t have great damaging options at this tier, but all three spellcasters will find this fits easily onto their sheets early. Warlocks can do fine with it, but you really don’t want to up-cast it, as its up-cast is going to regularly be worse than its 3rd level and higher competition.
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