Silvery Barbs: Strixhaven’s Bounty

I’ve been noticing a spell that has become very popular in the arena: Silvery Barbs. This enchantment comes to us courtesy of the Silverquill College in Strixhaven. Shadrix himself may have written created this spell, as it seems very much in keeping with his style of magic.

Silvery Barbs allows the caster to instantaneously distract another creature within 60 feet when it succeeds on an attack, ability check or saving throw. This creature is forced to reroll the d20 and take the lower of the two rolls. The caster also chooses another creature within the same range to give advantage on the next attack, ability check or saving throw. All for the price of a single first level spell slot, no less!

Why Silvery Barbs?

This may seem like a trivial use of a first level spell slot. You’re not guaranteed to stop that monster from hitting you, keep your ally free from the orc that’s trying to grapple them, or making that ruffian obey your cleric friend’s command. All those throws were successful the first time; it seems likely they will be again.

Where we see Silvery Barbs used most in the arena is against critical hits. When trying to prevent a critical hit, you always know the odds. There’s a 95% chance that you will prevent yourself or your ally from taking a blow that could knock them unconscious or even kill them outright. That’s better odds than you’ll get on most things in this nasty old world.

I, Your Voivode, would ban this filthy little spell if I could. Those critical hits are what the audience comes to see here at the DungeonSports Coliseum. Banning such a low-level spell would make me look weak, though. The appearance of weakness would be even worse for business…

Want to see some creature that put up a better fight than old Shadrix? Here some monsters that will swallow your players, and some of the toughest monsters in the game.