A cantrip that's as effective as "power word kill" on mundane folk? Use 55 times to kill a dragon? How did I miss this?

As a DM, I'd have to implement a house rule that every such insult must be unique, as it is magically bound to the target at that distinct moment in time. And that goes for failures as well as successes: each use burns that phrase forever. At the very least this goes if used repeatedly against the same target. Besides, a good bard should be able to cook up fresh material.

Relevant xkcd

I love this video, but I genuinely upset at ruining the story and not taking it seriously

The bard in my game killed Brenda Walsh from Beverly Hills 90210 with this cantrip.

Well, this scene from Pick of Destiny is very fitting
https://youtu.be/2KAl-b5RfOM?t=80

I legit killed an owlbear with vicious mockery (as in killing blow). Sticks and stones etcetc

Imma start another bg3 run asap.

Bards aren't just "a talented musician" they literally use magic. They're basically wizards that went the liberal arts path in college.

Plot twist, the dragon accepts your challenge and destroys you with 800 years worth of yo mama jokes.

I give up on gaming and am leaving to become a mountain hermit.

It's odd saying it does decent damage. It's the least damaging cantrip. Not hating on it, but it's odd to say that lol.

This is an absolutely insane take. Vicious Mockery is the the least damaging cantrip (or like bottom three). Further, it's a cantrip, something players are supposed to be able to easily without resource consumption. Expecting a player to come up with unique insults every time they cast this is stupid and exhausting. Also, the reason it's "as effective as power word kill on common folk" is because common folk are weak and meant to weak. They're not heroes.

Spell casters using cantrips is akin to fighters making normal attacks, swinging a sword.

I can't imagine surviving 55 rounds of combat against a dragon. Are people thinking this is a video game or something where you can just simply not take damage from a dragon if you're skilled enough or something?

yeah even for a hypothetical it's stretching the bounds of believability

Ermmm actually ️ you don't roll when casting Vicious Mockery, the target does, so the best case scenario for the caster would be the target rolling a natural 1.

So are you going to nerf every class similarly?

Bard

Vicious Mockery: avg 10 / 55 casts

Cleric

Word of Radiance: avg 13.5 / 41 casts
Sacred flame: avg 18 / 31 casts

Druid

Produce Flame: avg 11 / 50 casts
Poison Spray: avg 22.5 / 25 casts

Sorcerer

Acid Splash: avg 10.5 / 52 casts

Warlock

Chill Touch: avg 11 / 50 casts

Wizard

Ray of Frost: avg 11 / 50 casts

Artificer

Thunderclap: avg 13.5 / 41 casts

Also, the reason it’s “as effective as power word kill on common folk” is because common folk are weak and meant to weak. They’re not heroes.

Fly swats are overpowered because they're as effective as a machine gun at killing flies.

It got buffed to a d6 in 5.5e

But then again, with this math they're talking about 5e, so your point stands

Wall of force lasts 10 minutes, just saying

Ignoring the actual rules and mechanics is basically step one in almost every "isn't this goofy" D&D anecdote.

Not only is it not "decent damage" (even the buff it got in 5.5 just brings it from "the worst" to "poor"), it's also not a subtle thing you can just drop on someone unsuspectingly.

Spellcasting for an attack is an obvious aggressive action, which means an initiative roll comes first to see if you even manage to get it off before they clock you. It's also not like everyone around just shrugs and lets you go about your business because all you did was hurl an insult. You attacked someone with an offensive spell, the response is exactly the same as if you threw a firebolt at them

The flavor of insulting someone to death is fun, I'll grant that, but there's nothing special about Vicious Mockery mechanically that makes it immune to initiative order or people noticing what you're doing.