DnD 5E’s Book of Many Things new spell proves power creep is real

Cards are the focus of D&D 5E’s new Book of Many Things, but one spell involves a trick that outshines an existing spell, completely outstripping it, in a demonstration of power creep.

Dungeons & Dragons 5E was launched in 2014, and since then, there has been a slow power creep throughout the new books, with new class, race, background, and spell options outstripping those that appeared in the Player’s Handbook.

The next D&D 5E sourcebook, the Book of Many Things, introduces a spell that reflects power creep, as it’s a superior version of an existing magical effect from the Player’s Handbook. The new spell, Spray of Cards, outshines Blindness/Deafness.

Spray of Cards is a Level 2 Conjuration spell that Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards can take. The effect involves firing a volley of cards at the enemy, much like a magic trick, but its mechanical effect in the D&D 5E rules is quite powerful.

Wizards of The Coast

The Book of Many Things’ Spray of Cards spell outshines Blindness/Deafness

Spray of Cards from The Book of Many Things hits enemies in a 15ft cone, forcing a Dexterity saving throw. If the enemies fail the saving throw, they take 2d10 Force damage and are blinded until the end of their next turn. If they pass the saving throw, they just take half the damage. The player can increase the spell’s level to add 1d10 damage per level.

By comparison, Blindless/Deafness is a Level 2 Necromancy spell that can be taken by the same classes as Spray of Cards. The player selects a single foe and forces it to make a Constitution saving throw. If the enemy fails, they have either the Blinded or Deafened condition for one minute, but they can repeat the saving throw at the end of each turn. The player can increase the spell level to add more targets.

The Book of Many Things has powerful options that make existing spells less useful. The reason Spray of Cards is so much better than Blindness/Deafness is that it deals damage (even on a passed save), and the Blinded effect could potentially hit up to six foes. Meanwhile, Blindness/Deafness is a one-shot effect that can be useless if the enemy passes its save. The extra use of the Deafened condition also isn’t great, as Silence is also a level 2 spell, and it’s much better at robbing enemies of their hearing.

Blinded is one of D&D 5e’s best status effects to inflict in combat, as enemies have Disadvantage on attacks, while opponents have Advantage on attacks against them. The ability to apply this to a group of enemies in combat while also dealing damage makes Spray of Cards one of the best level 2 spells in the game.

D&D may re-balance spells in the future to combat power creep

D&D is building up to a new edition of the game, with the D&D 5E playtesting materials hinting at many improvements in the works. It’s unsurprising to see some of the older spells being left behind, but there’s a chance that the new version of the Player’s Handbook will improve Blindness/Deafness so it can compete with the magical cardsharks of the D&D multiverse.