Silvery Barbs 5e Spell

Silvery Barbs 5e Spell Description

Source: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

You magically distract the triggering creature and turn its momentary uncertainty into encouragement for another creature. The triggering creature must reroll the d20 and use the lower roll.

You can then choose a different creature you can see within range (you can choose yourself). The chosen creature has advantage on the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it makes within 1 minute. A creature can be empowered by only one use of this spell at a time.

Silvery Barbs 5e Stats

• 1st-level Enchantment
• Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself succeeds on an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V
• Duration: Instantaneous
• Spell Lists: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard

How to use Silvery Barbs effectively

The best way to think of this spell is that it is less a magical attack and more a transference of luck. When a creature that is in your line of sight succeeds in making its attack roll, saving through, or ability check, you can use a Reaction to force the creature in question to reroll the d20. They then have to use the lower roll of the two as their final result. 

But there is more. You then choose a different creature within range, either yourself or an ally, to have an advantage applied to the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw they make within 1 minute. 

Is Silvery Barbs 5e spell good?

There is a lot of talk as to whether Silvery Barbs, one of the more recent additions to the DnD spell book, is overpowered or not. But the strength of the spell lies more in versatility than true power.

It does tip the odds in the player’s favor, but it still lies on favorable dice rolls, and so if Lady Luck is busy elsewhere that day, the spell might not even seem like the time worth taking to learn it.

And if it comes up against Legendary Resistance, you’re going to wish that you stayed at home.

Silvery Barbs vs. Shield

Before this spell came into the DnD world, Shield was considered one of the most powerful Abjuration spells, the go-to defensive reaction spell for casters. Shield grants the caster a massive +5 bonus to their AC until the start of their next turn.

This gives the more vulnerable spellcasters a whole slice of much-needed protection in the heat of battle. With the arrival of Silvery Barbs, there is a very real possibility that Shield will fall into less frequent use in favor of this new, very versatile spell.

Is Silvery Barbs Overpowered?

It is safe to say that Silvery Barbs is a powerful addition to the game, but is it really overpowered?

The effect on an enemy’s dice roll is one thing, but what makes Silvery Barbs feel overpowered to some is the ability to then give a different creature, player included, an advantage on the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw in the following minute. As mentioned above, poor die rolls and coming up against things such as Legendary Resistance really put it in its place.

For some, the game gets a bit unbalanced with Silvery Barbs in it; for others, it just gets more exciting, wild, and unpredictable.

Silvery Barbs 5e Spell FAQs