Analysing the Spells from Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms for D&D 5e

Which spells should you choose and which are best.

About the spells

In Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms, you get 62 new spells. These only go from cantrips to level 5 so no higher level spells, but plenty of options for the more common playing levels.

There are spells for all the classes other than the artificer. You also get a bunch for the tamer and many built specifically around the bender which needs 4 whole spell lists building around their 4 elemental disciplines.

Cantrips

• Concussion (2/5) – Deafened is very occasionally useful, but little enough that it’s just highly situational. This means the damage reduction instead of having something like toll the dead or firebolt just isn’t worth it.
• Dash strike (3/5) – Great for hit and run attacks. If your weapon attacks are equally accurate or better than your spell attacks, this is easy to make more damaging than other cantrips before level 5. However, this doesn’t get a damage increase like other cantrips from level 5, but is brilliant for hit and run strikes and essentially increases your movement speed. From level 5+, the only consistently useful need for this is either for rogues (say an arcane trickster or if you take the magic initiate wizard feat) who will want to be landing sneak attacks and this will allow that, while getting to disengage and leaving a bonus action free which is excellent. The alternative is if you want to get out of melee range of a creature, this could work very well for saving spell slots, even if it will end up being a low damage turn.
• Earthen fist (4/5) – 1d8+ damage and either knock prone or push is really handy. Great for getting advantage on follow up attacks for yourself and allies (say from elemental combo if you’re a bender) or just moving an enemy into a better spot or out of melee range so you can move away. The slight damage reduction is definitely worth it here for the greater accuracy and there’s no size limit on what you can push or topple. There is a short range (10ft) but it’s out of reach of most enemies. The challenge here is determining whether the damage reduction compared to making standard attacks is worth it. The divide here becomes particularly large around about levels 5-10 if you’re a bender, but it can be a very useful option.
• Incendiary strike (4/5) – If you make one attack, this is obviously better than that with a standard attack with a damage boost. If you have an extra attack, it may deal a little less damage around about levels 5-10, but it grants extra reach which will work nicely for hit and run specialists (like benders).
• Pins and needles (2/5) – This is basically frostbite with slightly more damage, but slightly less reliable disadvantage on the next attack roll. I’m not sure how often creatures will fail their save by 5 or more. I suspect this will work more on weaker enemies that you’re probably not so bothered about and less on stronger enemies you are worried about. With that in mind, if I want to cause disadvantage, frostbite I think is going to be better.
• Reinforce (4/5) – A small, but consistently generated number of temporary hit points that you can apply after every combat (as they don’t have a time limit). You can only apply on one creature at a time, but this is just free extra hit points to help preserve allies so just keep using it ahead of combats.
• Smokescreen (2/5) – Basically a method for escaping a creature’s reach as you suddenly can’t be seen. There are technically other ways to use this like if allies have things like blindsight or if you need to level the playing field because enemies have advantage, but it costs your action and concentration. At its most basic use, it’s no better than disengage, but there are some nicher use cases for it that may be useful in other circumstances that elevate it a little, but an action for a single turn smokescreen remains quite a high price.
• Soften decent (3/5) – As a spell that doesn’t cost any spell slots, this is quite a good alternative to feather fall, but you might want to consider the economics of spell lists here. This is fine if you have cantrips to spare, but everyone has to take it to be safe from fall damage. Conversely, feather fall can be relied on from just one individual and is rare enough that expending a single level 1 spell slot isn’t going to break the bank. So decent as a cantrip, but be aware that this isn’t party protection from falling like feather fall is, just protection for you (and limited protection at that).
• Spark (4/5) – This is kind of an alternative to eldritch blast. It works the same way except the damage is slightly lower, but it can cause the blinded condition on a critical hit. Because these are separate arcs of lightning, you make separate attack rolls which increases the chances of landing a critical hit. Causing blinded is great, but it’s only for a turn and only on a critical. Maybe that’s roughly even in power levels but I think I prefer the consistency of the extra damage. Still a great cantrip and opens up an eldritch blast like cantrip for other classes.
• Water whip (3/5) – This is awkward to use unless someone in the party has a big bottle of water you can pull creatures towards. If there are natural sources of water around, then you can do interesting things like pull creatures into the sea and watch them struggle. Otherwise, I’d give that bottle of water to your barbarian and drag them into melee with them. The d6 is low and it can be a bit situational, but great when circumstances are right.

Level 1 spells

• Earthen uppercut (4/5) – Hit just 2 creatures and this is already better than inflict wounds (same damage plus push and prone). Cast at level 2 and it’s only slightly less damage than shatter per creature hit with extra effects. For a level 1 spell, this is quite good if a little harder to aim in the right spots than shatter. Thunderwave is perhaps most similar. It’s slightly higher damage, but the push is less flexible in direction and there’s no prone.
• Flash (4/5) – This triggers when you’re targeted, not when you’re hit, meaning you could blind the creature for the attack they’re making against you. This means that they could be blinded for essentially the entirety of their current turn and next, meaning it’s best used against the first attack that creature makes rather than on subsequent ones if you can engineer that. It won’t expend an action or bonus action either. It’ll be best on melee characters like paladins or benders. Shield is probably better overall as it’ll protect from all incoming attacks whereas this will protect everyone and enhance their attacks rolls against one character. I’d maybe prefer this when there’s one tough enemy and shield when there are several competent enemies.
• Ice moon (3/5) – Like earthen uppercut but worse. The damage is slightly higher but it scales worse with higher spell slots and it’s extra effects don’t scale like earthen uppercut. It’s got a smaller width top and the extra effects of earthen uppercut are just better (push and prone with prone also making enemies slower due to the standing up requirement anyway). It’s still a fine spell if you don’t have access to earthen uppercut, just not as good.
• Inner flame (2/5) – Quite a lot of creatures grapple and some of them can do nasty things like swallow you after grappling you. This will automatically end the grapple, deal a bit of damage and still allow you the use of your actions. The problem is it is quite situational so is unlikely to come up often, but when it does, can be a handy backup option. Then again, so is misty step. It’s a higher level spell, but has more versatility beyond just getting out of grapples.
• Repulsing palm (4/5) – If you can get the target to hit another creature, this is probably more than double the damage of inflict wounds plus you can push and cause prone. The push is a significant distance too, so even if you can’t smash them into someone else (which is the ideal) you might be able to knock them off a ledge, into the path of a spell or into another hazard.
• See future death (2/5) – Critical hits aren’t mega common and opportunity attacks against you are generally preventable. This will take an action to setup and give you one improvement to your AC or a saving throw that averages about 5 (equivalent of shield, but less reliable). Shield won’t protect you against strength and dexterity saving throws, but it will last for potentially multiple attacks. Because the other effects are so situational and this has the action setup, as a level 1 spell, I prefer shield. I don’t think it does enough as a 3rd level spell and you still have to use your reaction, and even as a 2nd level spell, I’m not sure this is better enough than shield.
• Wind drake (4/5) – So this takes an action and then subsequent bonus actions to use each option. The idea being you get some extra effects to use your bonus action for each turn. The damage is a bit rubbish and elemental combo for a bender, will do more damage, as will simply dual wielding, if you’re a ranger. Restraining is great. You can only have it applied to one creature at a time, but the effects are strong and you can keep making the attempt with subsequent bonus actions. The movement aspect is good for ensuring some good hit and run capabilities. It’s a bit of an uneven spell, but I’d tend to prefer restraining over the other options as benders can already mostly hit and run (though this gives them the flexibility to escape reach if caught in it) and the other classes probably won’t be doing this that much. It’s pretty good using restrained, not as good if you’re using the other options.

Level 2 spells

• Bloodweave (3/5) – This is better than command as it creates 2 effects; move creature where you want and a command-like effect. One of those effects is stronger than what can be accomplished by command as you can cause the creature to attack someone you choose. The CR and humanoid limitations do present a problem, but this could easily be quite frustrating for an enemy. You may struggle to make this work against the nastiest of enemies due to the CR restrictions and saving throw, but it can be quite useful at times and a fun one.
• Calm air (1/5) – This is just very situational and likely not to come up overly much.
• Calm earth (1/5) – The same here. Highly situational spell and many spellcasters won’t be specifically using earth based spells from Ryoko’s Guide.
• Calm flames (1/5) – Similarly situational at best.
• Calm waters (1/5) – And the same for this spell too. I’d have almost preferred if the spell was something like calm elements where all these spells were combined. At least then you’d have a much wider variety of effects that you can calm.
• Earthskin (2/5) – Aid is also a level 2 spell that provides +5 to the hit point maximum of 3 creatures. This is better than temporary hit points as it can stack with other sources of temporary hit points. This will average 5 temporary hit points to one target, slow them down and last less long. It’s not useless, just considerably worse than aid.
• Endoleech (3/5) – 1d6 less damage than scorching ray with a better damage type, but only 1 target and a range of touch. However, this has some extra effects. 15ft slower speed and no reactions can be useful, especially for escaping reach but it’s nothing spectacular. Just fine for a melee caster.
• Lifesap aura (4/5) – Really interesting one. The HP reduction isn’t particularly big, but a bit fiddly to track. The effects could be excellent on tanks, especially against hordes. Any paladin as well as something like a moon druid are really going to enjoy wading into combat with this aura applied and trying to draw attacks. A tougher cleric could enjoy this too and as it doesn’t require concentration, you can have spirit guardians running simultaneously.
• Mirror of reflection (4/5) – Interesting option against ranged weapon wielders. It’ll only work once per round at most, and you still need to beat the attacker’s attack roll, but essentially protection and a spare attack at the cost of a bonus action and reaction. Just be aware that you may need to keep moving this with your bonus action. No concentration required elevates this a little in my opinion.
• Protection (4/5) – Resistance to almost all damage for a round, but can be prepared in advance is quite good. It does require concentration, but you’ll probably only concentrate on it for the first round of a combat and then can cast other concentration spells freely. I kind of like the idea of upcasting it. With level 4 spell slots, you can protect most of a party for some early combat resistances (when the enemy is at their most dangerous).
• Redirect lightning (1/5) – Basically a protection spell specifically for lightning bolt and a bit for a few other lightning spells. I can’t see this being used much if ever in a campaign. Really cool when you can pull it off, but just feels like a wasted spell known.
• Riptide (2/5) – Quite a decent control spell against a single, tough enemy, if you can get them in water, and far enough from land that they don’t escape the water quickly. Unfortunately, that’s quite a lot of ifs making this one quite situational.
• Shielding ward (3/5) – This is some decent protection, but I’d still prefer shield with the potential to just prevent multiple attacks hitting. Still, this can potentially absorb more damage if not enough was done in the initial attack, and does open up protective magic for others against strength and dexterity saving throws (which can be really nasty on the damage front).
• Snakebite (3/5) – Bonus action extra effects is quite nice. Earthroot is too situational to guarantee anything will try and move you or knock you prone, but tetanus tooth and sandstorm are both great ways to nullify an enemy. A bender using elemental combo will average less damage with elemental combo than tetanus tooth, plus you might cause poisoned. Blinded is good too, and you can keep attempting this. You’ll likely want this for longer combats. I probably wouldn’t recommend that this is how a full caster maintains their concentration except maybe at earlier levels, but for half casters like a bender, this can be quite good.
• Wanyudo’s fury (3/5) – There’s potential to hit quite a few creatures here but there are issues. You must move in a straight line. Lining up enemies is already tricky, and you must have a line you can make your way through. I don’t think subsequent movement you use on your turn will trigger the damage here either. Great if you can land the right route through enemies, but potentially problematic getting that route through. Still, you do potentially have increased movement for the turn with no opportunity attacks so it could be good for leaving enemy each rather than heading into it.
• Wind strike (4/5) – Like a weaker divine smite with a leap before hand which significantly increases the distance you can travel. There’s no extra bonus action required like you might have on other smites and the damage scales better than divine smite with upcasting so it’s still quite good.

Level 3 spells

• Acid rain (3/5) – Half the damage of fireball, but it lasts for multiple turns. If you think you can keep enemies in the area, then it can be worth it, but that can be challenging. You’re much more likely to get the damage you want (and quicker) from a fireball. This needs 3 turns on all enemies to exceed that and it will require your concentration.
• Depth charge (5/5) – Slightly less damage than a fireball with a smaller range, but a better damage type. You can up that damage if the creature is submerged in liquid, but that’s likely to be rare. I’d prefer fireball, but this is nearly as good if you don’t have that.
• Extract shirikodama (3/5) – The damage is only OK, even combined with the temporary hit points gained. Advantage is an OK bonus, but it’s only once.
• Flaming tiger leap (3/5) – Smaller radius than a fireball and smaller damage and you must be at the centre of the explosion, preferably at the start of your turn (to benefit from the flight and increased movement). A turn of flight is decent, the speed and lack of opportunity attacks is great, but the high risk nature of this makes it challenging.
• Flashbang (4/5) – Like hypnotic pattern or fear with a smaller area and damage. Blinded and deafened is weaker than the incapacitated from hypnotic pattern and probably better than frightened (though making enemies drop what they’re holding and run can be very handy). I’d say it’s not quite as strong as hypnotic pattern, but it’s still quite good.
• Mireball (4/5) – Awkward in corridors but the damage is neither as good as fireball and the extra effects aren’t as problematic as hypnotic pattern, but watching enemies trying to slosh through mud in a corridor could be fun as they crawl around or keep slipping prone.
• Ryoko’s revelation (3/5) – Interesting information gathering spell. Will work best with DMs that can be creative at the drop of a hat and will only see things that have happened in the past to something. Could be great in an information gathering adventure. Just be aware of it’s situational nature though.
• Switcheroo (4/5) – A potentially really useful spell. Swap places with more fragile or resilient allies to ensure enemies are next to the right party members. You can also shift enemies out of the places you don’t want them too. This will get you out of grapples too and if you can fly, you could cause some serious fall damage.
• The bends (3/5) – Only OK damage for a single target and again poisoned is OK but with repeat saves to end it. It doesn’t need concentration though. It’s just OK.
• Water wyrm (2/5) – I’d be inclined to go with snakebite at level 2 which is pretty similar in power to this but a whole spell level less.

Level 4 spells

• Blinding radiance (5/5) – Like spirit guardians with slightly better damage and it causes the blinded condition, but with a smaller radius. You’ll affect less creatures, but you’ll debilitate them more so I’d say they’re both good options. Even better that this means a paladin can use a spirit guardians-like spell as they wade into combat.
• Cage of frozen tears (5/5) – This requires preparation ahead of time, but it’s a deadly trap if you can spare a minute and know where a combat will occur. Damage, restrained and maybe frightened, all occurring over time in an AoE and the restrained creature must use an action to try to escape. Plus there’s no concentration. This can be a really excellent spell!
• Cloud stride (1/5) – This is very situational. You’re reliant on fog or mist being around (or clouds) to get much use out of it. Even when this exists, it’s not overly potent. It does at least affect the party for a while. I suppose that you can engineer a fog cloud, but that has limited area anyway. Too situational and too lacking in usefulness.
• Lion’s roar (4/5) – The bonus action damage isn’t hugely higher than the level 2 snakebite or the level 3 spell water wyrm, but damaging melee attackers could really rack up extra damage. The option of frightened is decent too.
• Rock tomb (4/5) – Trap an enemy or protect an ally. I guess banishment achieves the same effect at this level but the effect is more permanent and requires the often less good ability score of charisma. This is still good, just not as good.
• Slatestorm (4/5) – Kind of like a mini spirit guardians and a slightly more powerful dragon’s breath combined into one. It’s kind on your spell slots and your concentration. If there’s enough enemies bunched up, this should be quite good, but the challenge is moving around. You’ll have to get within 5ft of enemies which means moving further will incur opportunity attacks. Still, you can do a fair bit of damage here.
• Steelskin (5/5) – How good this is depends on what is meant by base AC. The Tortle uses this term, but specifies that dexterity bonuses don’t apply and that armor can’t be worn (but shields can be used). The Player’s Handbook also uses this term to imply that dexterity modifiers apply to a base AC. Because steelskin doesn’t specify any restrictions, I think we can assume that AC becomes 19 + dexterity modifier with armor affecting AC in the usual way. This means a high dexterity character could have an AC of 26 with 20 dexterity and a shield. This is extremely high! I think the rules as intended might be that dexterity modifiers don’t apply and I’d suggest ruling it this way. Regenerating temporary hit points is nice too. This spell basically makes the target really resilient, doesn’t require concentration and can be cast ahead of combat which is really good!
• Sundering sky (5/5) – Nearly the damage of a fireball but with the bonus of knocking creatures in another area prone and pushing them. The disadvantage on fireball is you must be at the centre of whatever enemies you’re hitting with this. It’s still really good though.
• Tempestuous transformation (4/5) – This spell does a bit of everything. Flight, easier and faster movement, resistances and a bonus action attack that’s decently powerful. The main drawback is the lack of spells which might really nullify your effectiveness with your action. I think this works with a druid’s wild shape though, and benders can get cantrip level damage with their attacks so could be a decent option if you need to go easy on spell slots.

Level 5 spells

• Bakuryo’s blessed blizzard (5/5) – Like a bigger damage, bigger radius spirit guardians that boosts the AC of allies. Really good option for frontline casters.
• Cyclone (5/5) – Flight is good, disadvantage from weapon attacks is good too but notice that this doesn’t include spell attacks or unarmed strikes. This is still a big resilience buff though! Plus you can use your bonus action for a damage boost too.
• Endure (4/5) – Immunity to a bunch of conditions plus keep fighting once knocked to 0HP until you’ve failed 3 death saving throws. If you need someone to keep standing longer and you expect to face a lot of conditions, then this could be good but some aspects could also be situational. You can also use this to recover from certain conditions too.
• Eruption (5/5) – If you launch enemies vertically, you can deal fall damage too and that’ll be an average of 7d6 fall damage on top of the 4d8 you’re already dealing. If you want to launch horizontally, then the distance is potentially huge too and enough to be knocking creatures off fortifications and cliffs or into other hazards. I think you can launch diagonally too, and because 5e doesn’t differentiate between diagonal distances, you can probably launch vertically and horizontally an equal distance. Be aware of a couple of limitations though. It must be cast on the ground and it must be on earthen area or stone. You won’t be able to cast this on a ship, in water, in the air or certain other places. Fortunately, most places are rock or earthen, but it’s something to be aware of. Still, the damage is great if a little unreliable and the flexibility of pushing a distance is strong too.
• Feverskin (2/5) – The damage boost might be alright on a single attack class like a cleric or druid, but often these classes won’t be attacking in melee. The damage boost on a bender might well be minimal at this point. The extra resilience is welcome, as is the increased speed, but I’m not convinced the most important builds for this are going to benefit a big enough amount.
• Iminada’s umigiri (4/5) – Decent damage that lingers and continues to affect creatures. Intelligence is generally the saving throw creatures are worst at too. You will have to keep creatures in the area for at least a couple of turns to get enough impact from this, and most will try to escape, but if you can box them in, frightened will also make it harder for them to make attacks too.
• Magatsuchi’s lantern (5/5) – A sort of pied piper style spell that forces creatures to follow you around and prevents them using their action. They still have bonus actions though and can use those to attack allies. We’ll ignore the fact that incapacitated prevents creatures using a reaction, but this requires their reaction to move, I think the rules as intended are clear. Basically it’s a constantly working hypnotic pattern you can move and lasts a bit longer. It’s not just limited to combat either. You could use this in stealth and social encounters too giving it some interesting versatility.
• Nomi’s adamantine carapace (5/5) – This is a lot like steelskin. It looks like you should be able to add your dexterity modifier to that AC rules as written for a whopping AC for dexterity builds. But like steelskin, I’d recommend using this in what I think is the rules as intended way, with no dexterity modifier. The resistance is great too. This is a really strong defensive option, but I’d argue that steelskin is better, primarily because it doesn’t require concentration (so no chance of it ending early and no limitations on using other concentration spells). Plus it’s a level 4 spell. This is still great, but I’d prefer steelskin. Reduce the score by a point or 2 of you’re running this without a dexterity boost.
• Raiko’s rending rage (4/5) – This adds up to some really big damage, if you can land hits against different targets. That’s not too big an if, but one to consider. It also leaves you free to easily manoeuvre around the battlefield. You also won’t be able to nova damage a single target. It’s most similar to steel wind strike, though it deals less damage than that by a fair bit. This does give you more flexibility in where you end your movement and will knock prone, but I think steel wind strike is better. Still, unlike AoE spells, there’s no chance of hitting an ally.
• White water wall (5/5) – Not only will this let you divide up the battlefield nicely and trap some creatures, but you can also cause damage trap creatures. One of the better wall spells available.

Are the spells any good?

For the most part, yes they are. There’s a lot of new ideas in here that are worth taking without being overpowered. There are a few that feel a little pointless or highly situational, but those are rare.

A couple did feel a little overpowered, specifically steelskin and Nomi’s adamantine carapace. I’m not sure if this is rules as intended, but the idea of adding dexterity modifiers and shield boosts to those base ACs feels too strong. I suspect that it was intended that this was just your AC and you could top it up with a shield, but the way the Player’s Handbook uses base AC as well as other race traits makes me think that RAW this should add your dexterity modifier. The problem is once you start having too high an AC, creatures will just constantly miss and it becomes a bit dull and overpowered. The fix is simple, don’t allow Dex modifiers on top of those ACs and I think the spells are fine.

Otherwise, I think these are a great addition to the game and give plenty for the brand new bender class to work with too.

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What do you think of the spells in Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms? Let me know in the comments below.

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