Thorn Whip 5e (5th edition) may be a druid-exclusive can trip, introduced in the 5th edition, alongside many other class-specific spells and can trips. With a trip like Eldritch Blast, Spare the Dying, Sacred Flame, Thorn Whip, then many others, this edition made being a low-level spellcaster more relevant than ever.
Thorn Whip adds flavor and utility to the already utilitarian druid kit, keeping in tune with all of the nature-related DnD spells like Moonbeam, Call Lightning, Entangle, et al. . At an equivalent time, it’s arguably one among the stronger cantrips out there, potentially moving the enemy 10 feet towards you, on top of dealing 1d6 damage.
Contents
Thorn Whip 5e
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S, M
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Scales: Yes
- Casters: Artificer, Druid
Unlike its counterpart, Lightning Lure, Thorn Whip has double the range and deals its damage no matter the space to the enemy. (Meanwhile, Lightning Lure only deals its damage if the target is within 5 feet of you because the spell ends, meaning it only deals its damage if nothing stops your target from being pulled) Last but not least, Thorn whip may be a melee spell attack, as against Lightning Lure’s STR save, but at an equivalent time deals 1d6 rather than Lightning Lure’s 1d8.
Most of the time, players are hit with ye olde 1d4 to 1d8 ranged damage, be it either from spells or ranged attacks. NPC attacks rarely get wild unless it is a visibly menacing monster, then it always seems unfairly strong and unpredictable. (Possession, am I right?) When it involves disrupting your players in a fresh way, tools like Thorn Whip are your friend. What better thanks to forcing them into a trap, throwing them to their death, or messing with their positioning?
Personally, and in my opinion RAI, Thorn Whip might be used on objects also. Although we’re within the age of Mage Hands and other what-have-yous, Thorn Whip gives great could give great flavor to your NPCs’ actions, from experienced scouts triggering traps to sneaky troublemakers stirring up trouble, and so on. I see this spell as an honest opportunity to touch upon narrative as well; describing the thorns that catch on flesh as they drag their target could get pretty fun.
Check also: False Life 5e
You create an extended, vine-like whip covered in thorns that lashes out at your command toward a creature in range. Make a melee spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the creature takes 1d6 piercing damage, and if the creature is Large or smaller, you pull the creature up to 10 feet closer to you.
The most common combo is the Create Bonfire and Thorn Whip combo. It’s simple and if you’ll position yourself well on the map, you’ve got the potential to do 1d6+1d8 damage every round on one target. Start by casting Create Bonfire on your target, even as you normally would. Being ablaze, most bad guys will move out of the hearth. That’s annoying, but you’ll cast Thorn Whip and drag him right back to the flames. I understand this you’re limited but the very fact that the whip only drags the target 10ft, but as I stated above, your positioning plays a really important part in using this combo to its fullest potential.
