James Finger

The Level 1 enchantment “Sleep” is one of those spells that everyone “wants” to use and seems like a great idea… but in the 2014 rules, after players hit Level 2 or 3, it was usually the caster that fell flat as opposed to the targets. Mechanically, it has been completely overhauled in the new rules, so let’s see if this classic crowd controller is still a snooze fest or if the fantasy that is a good night’s rest has finally come true.

There are only two cantrips in the 2024 PHB that hail from the school of Abjuration, and both have had some decent changes from 2014, making them better value for your action economy, but sadly still bearing a fatal flaw, which we’ll examine in a moment. The two spells in question today are Blade Ward and Resistance. As Abjuration spells, both of these cantrips are defensive options, with Blade Ward focusing on physical damage and Resistance on saving throws. Let’s get physical first! 

Personally, I have no idea how a seemingly simple 10ft large cube of acidic Jello became the D&D icon that it is, but Gelatinous Cubes can trace their origins all the way back to 1st edition, where they haunted the 10x10 corridors of ubiquitous dungeons of Greyhawk and have appeared in every version of the game since.