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#The Dungeon Masters Guide gives a few guidelines

• If a spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it might be too powerful for its level.

• A long duration or large area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell.

• Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against good dragons. Though such a spell could exist in the world, few characters will bother to learn or prepare it unless they know in advance that doing so will be worthwhile.

• Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class. Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

And then there's a helpful chart for average damage by spell level.

\begin{array}{lll} \rlap{\textbf{Spell Damage}} \\ \textbf{Spell Level} & \textbf{One Target} & \textbf{Multiple Targets} \\ \hline \text{Cantrip} & \text{1d10} & \text{1d6} \\ \text{1st} & \text{2d10} & \text{2d6} \\ \text{2nd} & \text{3d10} & \text{4d6} \\ \text{3rd} & \text{5d10} & \text{6d6} \\ \text{4th} & \text{6d10} & \text{7d6} \\ \text{5th} & \text{8d10} & \text{8d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{10d10} & \text{11d6} \\ \text{7th} & \text{11d10} & \text{12d6} \\ \text{8th} & \text{12d10} & \text{13d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{15d10} & \text{14d6} \\ \end{array}

(DMG p. 283 and 284)

###Generally speaking, changing from one element to another is fine

The game also encourages you to reflavor spells as you see fit. Changing fire to ice or lightning to acid shouldn't impact too many things, but be careful with the rarely resisted force and radiant damages.

We've used "Ball of Ice" instead of Fireball for one of the wizards in my game, to no harm (to the game; the monsters were quite harmed), but I would be extremely leery of using "Force Ball".

#The Dungeon Masters Guide gives a few guidelines

• If a spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it might be too powerful for its level.

• A long duration or large area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell.

• Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against good dragons. Though such a spell could exist in the world, few characters will bother to learn or prepare it unless they know in advance that doing so will be worthwhile.

• Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class. Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

There is also a "helpful" chart for average damage by spell level. I'm going to include it, but I personally feel that the chart is not consistent with actual averages for listed spells. Please glance at the chart, and then continue on to my next point below.

\begin{array}{lll} \rlap{\textbf{Spell Damage}} \\ \textbf{Spell Level} & \textbf{One Target} & \textbf{Multiple Targets} \\ \hline \text{Cantrip} & \text{1d10} & \text{1d6} \\ \text{1st} & \text{2d10} & \text{2d6} \\ \text{2nd} & \text{3d10} & \text{4d6} \\ \text{3rd} & \text{5d10} & \text{6d6} \\ \text{4th} & \text{6d10} & \text{7d6} \\ \text{5th} & \text{8d10} & \text{8d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{10d10} & \text{11d6} \\ \text{7th} & \text{11d10} & \text{12d6} \\ \text{8th} & \text{12d10} & \text{13d6} \\ \text{9th} & \text{15d10} & \text{14d6} \\ \end{array}

(DMG p. 283 and 284)

If one assumes that the values are averages, with saving throws accounted for, then it starts to make more sense.

##Reflavor existing spells first

The game also encourages you to reflavor spells (,monsters, items, etc) as you see fit. Changing fire to ice or lightning to acid shouldn't impact too many things, but be careful with the rarely resisted force and radiant damages.

We've used "Ball of Ice" instead of Fireball for one of the wizards in my game, to no harm (to the game; the monsters were quite harmed), but I would be extremely leery of using "Force Ball".

###Don't forget that homebrew is unstable. It's entirely possible that you accidentally create a spell that is either a complete dud, or horrendously overpowered. Sometimes something looks good on paper, but not so much in practice.

It's important to communicate with any players that are in the business of creating spells that you might have to tweak things as you go along. We all had a good laugh that one time you dealt 200 unpreventable damage in one turn, but we're going to have to adjust these dials a bit.

#The Dungeon Masters Guide gives a few guidelines

• If a spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it might be too powerful for its level.

• A long duration or large area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell.

• Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against good dragons. Though such a spell could exist in the world, few characters will bother to learn or prepare it unless they know in advance that doing so will be worthwhile.

• Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class. Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

And then there's a helpful chart for average damage by spell level.

\begin{array}{lll} \rlap{\textbf{Spell Damage}} \\ \textbf{Spell Level} & \textbf{One Target} & \textbf{Multiple Targets} \\ \hline \text{Cantrip} & \text{1d10} & \text{1d6} \\ \text{1st} & \text{2d10} & \text{2d6} \\ \text{2nd} & \text{3d10} & \text{4d6} \\ \text{3rd} & \text{5d10} & \text{6d6} \\ \text{4th} & \text{6d10} & \text{7d6} \\ \text{5th} & \text{8d10} & \text{8d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{10d10} & \text{11d6} \\ \text{7th} & \text{11d10} & \text{12d6} \\ \text{8th} & \text{12d10} & \text{13d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{15d10} & \text{14d6} \\ \end{array}

(DMG p. 283 and 284)

###Generally speaking, changing from one element to another is fine

The game also encourages you to reflavor spells as you see fit. Changing fire to ice or lightning to acid shouldn't impact too many things, but be careful with the rarely resisted force and radiant damages.

We've used "Ball of Ice" instead of Fireball for one of the wizards in my game, to no harm (to the game; the monsters were quite harmed), but I would be extremely leery of using "Force Ball".

#The Dungeon Masters Guide gives a few guidelines

• If a spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it might be too powerful for its level.

• A long duration or large area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell.

• Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against good dragons. Though such a spell could exist in the world, few characters will bother to learn or prepare it unless they know in advance that doing so will be worthwhile.

• Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class. Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

And then there's a helpful chart for average damage by spell level.

\begin{array}{lll} \rlap{\textbf{Spell Damage}} \\ \textbf{Spell Level} & \textbf{One Target} & \textbf{Multiple Targets} \\ \hline \text{Cantrip} & \text{1d10} & \text{1d6} \\ \text{1st} & \text{2d10} & \text{2d6} \\ \text{2nd} & \text{3d10} & \text{4d6} \\ \text{3rd} & \text{5d10} & \text{6d6} \\ \text{4th} & \text{6d10} & \text{7d6} \\ \text{5th} & \text{8d10} & \text{8d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{10d10} & \text{11d6} \\ \text{7th} & \text{11d10} & \text{12d6} \\ \text{8th} & \text{12d10} & \text{13d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{15d10} & \text{14d6} \\ \end{array}

(DMG p. 283 and 284)

###Generally speaking, changing from one element to another is fine

The game also encourages you to reflavor spells as you see fit. Changing fire to ice or lightning to acid shouldn't impact too many things, but be careful with the rarely resisted force and radiant damages.

We've used "Ball of Ice" instead of Fireball for one of the wizards in my game, to no harm (to the game; the monsters were quite harmed), but I would be extremely leery of using "Force Ball".

#The Dungeon Masters Guide gives a few guidlines

• If a spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it might be too powerful for its level.

• A long duration or large area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell.

• Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against good dragons. Though such a spell could exist in the world, few characters will bother to learn or prepare it unless they know in advance that doing so will be worthwhile. Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class.

• Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

And then there's a helpful chart for average damage by spell level.

\begin{array}{lll} \rlap{\textbf{Spell Damage}} \\ \textbf{Spell Level} & \textbf{One Target} & \textbf{Multiple Targets} \\ \hline \text{Cantrip} & \text{1d10} & \text{1d6} \\ \text{1st} & \text{2d10} & \text{2d6} \\ \text{2nd} & \text{3d10} & \text{4d6} \\ \text{3rd} & \text{5d10} & \text{6d6} \\ \text{4th} & \text{6d10} & \text{7d6} \\ \text{5th} & \text{8d10} & \text{8d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{10d10} & \text{11d6} \\ \text{7th} & \text{11d10} & \text{12d6} \\ \text{8th} & \text{12d10} & \text{13d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{15d10} & \text{14d6} \\ \end{array}

(DMG p. 283 and 284)

###Generally speaking, changing from one element to another is fine

The game also encourages you to reflavor spells as you see fit. Changing fire to ice or lightning to acid shouldn't impact too many things, but be careful with the rarely resisted force and radiant damages.

We've used "Ball of Ice" instead of Fireball for one of the wizards in my game, to no harm (to the game; the monsters were quite harmed), but I would be extremely leery of using "Force Ball".

#The Dungeon Masters Guide gives a few guidelines

• If a spell is so good that a caster would want to use it all the time, it might be too powerful for its level.

• A long duration or large area can make up for a lesser effect, depending on the spell.

• Avoid spells that have very limited use, such as one that works only against good dragons. Though such a spell could exist in the world, few characters will bother to learn or prepare it unless they know in advance that doing so will be worthwhile.

• Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class. Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

And then there's a helpful chart for average damage by spell level.

\begin{array}{lll} \rlap{\textbf{Spell Damage}} \\ \textbf{Spell Level} & \textbf{One Target} & \textbf{Multiple Targets} \\ \hline \text{Cantrip} & \text{1d10} & \text{1d6} \\ \text{1st} & \text{2d10} & \text{2d6} \\ \text{2nd} & \text{3d10} & \text{4d6} \\ \text{3rd} & \text{5d10} & \text{6d6} \\ \text{4th} & \text{6d10} & \text{7d6} \\ \text{5th} & \text{8d10} & \text{8d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{10d10} & \text{11d6} \\ \text{7th} & \text{11d10} & \text{12d6} \\ \text{8th} & \text{12d10} & \text{13d6} \\ \text{6th} & \text{15d10} & \text{14d6} \\ \end{array}

(DMG p. 283 and 284)

###Generally speaking, changing from one element to another is fine

The game also encourages you to reflavor spells as you see fit. Changing fire to ice or lightning to acid shouldn't impact too many things, but be careful with the rarely resisted force and radiant damages.

We've used "Ball of Ice" instead of Fireball for one of the wizards in my game, to no harm (to the game; the monsters were quite harmed), but I would be extremely leery of using "Force Ball".