Hello magic casters of all shapes and sizes! Welcome to my spellbook and thank you so much for checking out the 37th episode of our second level spell series. Today we’re gonna be taking a look at a very special, very popular spell and one that is truly a near and dear to me. Today we’re gonna be taking a look at heat metal 5e spell.
This hot spell is usable by the bard, druid and the artificer and it is found in the good old players handbook. So we should all have access to it. Now let’s get into the general mechanics of this spell. Before we discuss of what exactly makes it so great.
Mechanics
- Level: 2nd
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range/Area: 60 ft
- Components: V, S, M *
- Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration)
- School: Transmutation
- Attack/Save: CON
- Damage/Effect: Fire
The damage is 2d8 plus an additional d8 per spell slot level above 2nd. The effect at a glance is as followed: Heat a metal object you can see within range, creature is holding or wearing the object to take damage. You can use a bonus actions to reinflict damage. If the creature is holding the object, they make a constitution save; dropping it on a fail. On a success it has disadvantage on attack rolls and checks until your next.
Your cast time is one action, the range is 60 feet, the duration is one minute and it is a concentration spell. The saving throw is once again constitution, the components are the holy trinity of meaning verbal, material and somatic. If you are curious about that material component it is a piece of iron and a flame which is kind of interesting because that kind of implies that you might need two hand to cast it, although this spell doesn’t directly say that so by raw it’s still one-hand cast but just sam.
In any case the school is transmutation and the damage type is fire. Which makes a ton of logical sense. Now let’s take a look at the full description here to better understand exactly how this spell works.
Description
Choose a manufactured metal object, such as a metal weapon or a suit of heavy or medium metal armor, that you can see within range. You cause the object to glow red-hot. Any creature in physical contact with the object takes 2d8 fire damage when you cast the spell. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to cause this damage again.
If a creature is holding or wearing the object and takes the damage from it, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or drop the object if it can. If it doesn’t drop the object, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of your next turn.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd. * – (a piece of iron and a flame)
Very very nice. So what i do like about this is you do not need to be in the direct vicinity of your target in order to inflict that damage as a bonus action. That does open up a lot of possibilities i’m only adressed exactly what that means a later on, this is also a great way of dealing passive damage if you don’t have a need for that bonus action directly. In any case let’s take a look at some alternative uses here and kind of get those creative juices flowing a little bit. Also check out dnd heat metal on weapon.
Alternative Uses
So the first one i would like to point out is this is a perfect way to bring out a target. It is a perfect way to mark them and indicate that they are the one you’re gunning for. The fact that you can make a large metal object on them glow red-hot is super beneficial and makes it so if they run away or if they change their form somehow it’s still a prent while at the same time, maintaining your ability to damage to them and having them roll with disadvantage which is all great…just fantastic stuff. You can also read this healing potion 5e.
As i mentioned earlier you could also cast this and then flee like a crazy. Technically speaking you could cast this multiple times on the same creature. The only caveat to that i would say it would be to have to target different metal things. That makes sense different metal objects. But once again this up to your DM to decide. So i let them pick and choose on whether or not they’re going to allow that. Also read this heat metal on armor 5e.
And a third great use is to use it on important item that you were trying to collect or that bears some form of significance in the overall plot. For example if you are sent to interrupt a procession of kings as it were so the naming of the next king. And as soon as the crown got placed on this new corrupt kings head you cast the spell and forced him to throw it on the ground or drop it or possibly get hurt by it.
I feel like the vast majority of the audience especially if they were religious in nature would view that as a sign from god or some high power at the very least. I think that would be a very cool in terms of a campaign. Also check out this metal spells 5e. Does heat metal work on magic items! Yes of course it works on the different magic items.
Conclusion
In any case if you have any ideas, alternative uses, thoughts, questions, comments, concerns please put it down beneath in the comment section. That being said, thank you so much guys i really do appreciate the time. I hope you all have a wonderful day and as always happy casting. Also check out these shatter 5e | haste 5e | healing spirit 5e | hex 5e |