Wall of Light: The Lighting is on the Wall
Usable By: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Spell Level: 5
School: Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Components: V, S, M (a hand mirror)
A shimmering wall of bright light appears at a point you choose within range. The wall appears in any orientation you choose: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It can be free floating, or it can rest on a solid surface. The wall can be up to 60 feet long, 10 feet high, and 5 feet thick. The wall blocks line of sight, but creatures and objects can pass through it. It emits bright light out to 120 feet and dim light for an additional 120 feet.
When the wall appears, each creature in its area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d8 radiant damage, and it is blinded for 1 minute. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn’t blinded. A blinded creature can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
A creature that ends its turn in the wall’s area takes 4d8 radiant damage.
Until the spell ends, you can use an action to launch a beam of radiance from the wall at one creature you can see within 60 feet of it. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 4d8 radiant damage. Whether you hit or miss, reduce the length of the wall by 10 feet. If the wall’s length drops to 0 feet, the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 5th.
Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold
The majority of wall spells in this game fit neatly on a spectrum from high damage and low wall-y-ness to high wall-y-ness and low damage. Wall of Force is a near indestructible wall; that’s it. Its a wall. 10/10 in wall-y-ness, literally no damage. Wall of Fire is a bunch of fire damage in the shape of a wall. It doesn’t stop creatures from passing through it. 0/10 wall-y-ness, decent damage. Wall of Light fits comfortably in the damage category, but breaks the mold a bit. While it doesn’t really act as a traditional wall, it offers up some cool laser options, a blind condition, and the stationary wall damage we expect from the damaging walls.
This marks it as unique, and unique spells tend to be quite good. Having something that is versatile can be worth losing out on some raw damage numbers, and yes, Wall of Light is dealing less damage than a lower level wall spell, Wall of Fire, when it comes to the wall damage effect. In exchange for an extra spell level and d8 damage, you’re getting the blinded condition, which can be a major asset, a giant shining beacon of light, and the ability to consume the wall one piece at a time to laser something for 4d8 radiant damage. This isn’t much better than a cantrip's damage at this point, but is a way to guarantee you’re getting a bit more damage from this area of effect, blinding, damaging spell.
Wall of Light is decent damage attached to a decent effect. It isn’t revolutionary as far as walls go, but it does address some of the core problems players face when using wall spells in that it offers you a way to use the wall to hit things that simply walk away from it. If you want a blinding, damaging spell, spells like Sunbeam are definitely better than this most of the time, but it is a higher level. If you are 9th level and NEED blinding power now, Wall of Light has you covered.
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