Mordenakinen's Sword vs Spiritual Hammer

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

EzechielDantan

Jan 25, 2015 2:15:18

Mordenkainen's Sword vs Spiritual Hammer

 

I was wondering what the general opinion on these spells is.

Basically they function the same:

 

range 60' 

Bonus action to move 20' and attack.

Dealing force damage

Duration 1 minute

 

Differences:

 

SH 2nd level spell upgradable

MS 7th level spell

 

SH damage 1d8 + modifier + 1d8/2 levels over 2nd

MS damage 3d10

 

SH bonus action to cast

MS action to cast

 

SH no need to concentrate

MS concentration

 

So we have a cleric spell that deals (slightly) superior damage cast as a lvl 6 spell (1 lvl lower), is more flexible in spell level use, only takes a bonus action to use and has no need for concentration but is otherwise identical. well ok the sword ALSO needs a constructed material component of 250 gp but that is not a deal breaker.

 

SH too stong, MS too weak ?

Is a cleric just naturally supposed to be better conjuring weapons of force to smite foes ?

#2

Yunru

Jan 25, 2015 3:08:06 		Yes. Wizards aren't gishy, Clerics are.
#3

AaronOfBarbaria

Jan 25, 2015 3:10:24 		The difference in capacity for smashy force weapon conjuring is as intentional as the difference in capacity for healing between these two classes
(Reply to #3)

SilentSin

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#5

Eggnogfool

Jan 25, 2015 13:32:00

Mord's sword is widely acknowledged to be one of the worst spells in the 5e PHB, along with witch bolt and vampiric touch.  For a reasonable cross class comparison, try bigby vs spiritual.

(Reply to #4)

AaronOfBarbaria

SilentSin wrote:
(Reply to #5)

EzechielDantan

Eggnogfool wrote:
#8

Yunru

Jan 26, 2015 2:02:50 		Vampiric Touch is a good spell... if you're a Death Cleric.
#9

DaveDash

Jan 26, 2015 2:19:14

Aaron what use have you found for Divine Word? I'm curious to know. Seems almost like a NPC spell to me.
My Cleric usually prepares Etherealness or Plane Shift at that level.

#10

AaronOfBarbaria

Jan 26, 2015 2:46:00 		My high-level campaigns tend to involve encounters with numerous weaker foes, and that includes more opportunities for a spell like divine word to be appealing