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Is Magic Missile Worth Upcasting? A Deep Dive

The short answer? It depends. Magic Missile is a spell that holds a special place in the hearts of many D&D players, steeped in nostalgia and boasting the unique property of guaranteed hits. However, its effectiveness when upcast is a nuanced topic that hinges on several factors, including your party composition, your opponent, and your overall strategy. While upcasting does add more darts, increasing the total damage, it’s important to weigh this against other spells you could cast with those higher-level slots.

The Pros and Cons of Upcasting Magic Missile

Let’s break down why upcasting Magic Missile might be a good (or bad) idea:

Pros:

Guaranteed Damage: This is Magic Missile’s primary selling point. Against enemies with low HP, or when you need to finish off a creature, the certainty of dealing damage is invaluable. There’s no attack roll to miss, no saving throw for the enemy to succeed on, and the damage is consistent.
Force Damage: Force damage is the least resisted damage type in D&D 5e. This means you’re more likely to deal full damage than with spells that deal other damage types, like fire or lightning.
Finishing Blows: A single Magic Missile dart can be split up and targeted at different enemies, giving you the chance to pick off multiple low-health targets with a single cast. The extra darts from upcasting amplify this effect.
Disrupting Concentration: While individual missile damage isn’t massive, each missile forces a separate concentration check. Against a powerful spellcaster, a barrage of Magic Missiles from an upcast version could have a decent chance of breaking their concentration.
Bypassing Illusions: As the excerpt clarifies, Magic Missile can bypass some illusory defenses, such as Mirror Image, ensuring that the target still takes damage.

Cons:

Low Damage Output: Even when upcast, Magic Missile rarely competes with other damage spells in terms of raw damage output. Many spells that require an attack roll or saving throw can deal significantly more damage, especially if they crit.
Single Target Focus: Magic Missile is primarily a single-target spell. While you can split the darts between multiple targets, its single-target damage potential is far less than that of spells that deal Area of Effect (AoE) damage, like Fireball or Lightning Bolt.
Vulnerability to Shield: The Shield spell directly counters Magic Missile, negating all of its damage. A smart opponent will hold this spell in reserve specifically to counter Magic Missile.
Diminishing Returns: As you upcast, the increase in damage per spell level slot becomes less efficient compared to other damage-dealing options.
Situational Use: Magic Missile excels in specific situations, such as finishing off low-health enemies or disrupting concentration. However, in many other scenarios, other spells offer more versatility and damage potential.

When Should You Upcast Magic Missile?

Consider upcasting Magic Missile in the following scenarios:

Against low-HP enemies when you absolutely, positively need to deal damage. Think of it as the magical equivalent of a point-blank shotgun blast to finish off a weakened foe.
To disrupt the concentration of a powerful enemy spellcaster. The more darts you fire, the more chances they have to fail their concentration check.
When facing enemies with high AC or magical defenses. The guaranteed hit nature of Magic Missile bypasses these defenses, providing a reliable source of damage.
When you have spare spell slots and no better options available. Sometimes, you have a higher-level spell slot that you don’t need for anything else, and upcasting Magic Missile is better than wasting it.

Alternatives to Upcasting Magic Missile

Before you decide to upcast Magic Missile, consider whether other spells would be a better use of your spell slots. Spells like Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Scorching Ray, Shatter, and even Eldritch Blast (if you’re a Warlock) can often provide more damage and versatility.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to upcast Magic Missile depends on the specific circumstances of your game. While it’s not always the most efficient use of spell slots, its unique properties of guaranteed damage and force damage make it a valuable tool in certain situations. Weigh the pros and cons carefully, and consider your alternatives before making your choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Magic Missile

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of Magic Missile:

1. Does Magic Missile hit no matter what?

Yes, Magic Missile always hits as long as you can see the target and it isn’t protected by something like the Shield spell. It does not require an attack roll or saving throw.

2. What can block Magic Missile?

The most common counter to Magic Missile is the Shield spell. Additionally, certain magical items grant immunity to Magic Missile or resistance to force damage.

3. Can Magic Missile hit invisible enemies?

No, Magic Missile specifically requires a “target you can see.” If the target is invisible, you cannot target it with Magic Missile.

4. How many times can you cast Magic Missile?

You can cast Magic Missile as many times as you have available spell slots of the appropriate level (or higher, if you upcast).

5. Is Magic Missile a good damage spell?

While its damage isn’t the highest, Magic Missile’s reliability and force damage make it a decent option in specific situations. It’s particularly effective against low-HP targets or when you need to disrupt concentration.

6. Do you roll 3 times for Magic Missile damage?

No, you roll only one d4 for damage and add 1. That result is applied to each dart fired by the spell.

7. Can a Paladin cast Magic Missile?

No, Paladins do not have access to the Magic Missile spell. It is primarily available to Wizards and Sorcerers.

8. Why is Magic Missile so good?

Magic Missile’s strengths lie in its guaranteed hit and force damage. This combination makes it a reliable option against certain enemies and situations.

9. Does Mirror Image stop Magic Missile?

No, Magic Missile bypasses the illusory duplicates created by Mirror Image and still hits the intended target.

10. Can you use Uncanny Dodge against Magic Missile?

No, Uncanny Dodge does not work against Magic Missile because it is not an attack that requires an attack roll.

11. Can Magic Missile go through water?

Yes, Magic Missile can travel through water without penalty.

12. Is Magic Missile dodgeable?

Outside of specific spells like Shield or abilities that grant immunity, Magic Missile cannot be dodged.

13. Can you upcast all spells?

No, not all spells can be upcast. The spell’s description will indicate whether it can be upcast and what effect the upcasting has.

14. What item makes you immune to Magic Missile?

Certain magical items, such as a specific type of brooch, can provide immunity to damage from Magic Missile.

15. What’s the best class for Magic Missile?

Wizards and Sorcerers are the primary users of Magic Missile. Sorcerers with the Empowered Evocation ability can add their Charisma modifier to one damage roll per spell, making Magic Missile slightly more potent for them.

Is Magic Missile worth upcasting?