I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
The reason why is a concentrations spell, I believe, is to allow for this to be a set-up spell.
Your party is expecting or preparing an ambush, to be ready you cast Lightning Arrow even before any enemy in sight, maybe because you want to be able to "combo" it with a first round Hunter's Mark cast to possibly make quick work of one enemy immediately. As the enemies appear you are all set to unleash hell upon them without "wasting" one turn. (EDIT: as long as the combat starts within one minute, but if you are a good hunter you should be able to pull this off :P )
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
It doesn't end as soon as it's cast, it ends when you make your next ranged weapon attack after casting it. The casting uses your bonus action, the attack is an entirely separate action, and doesn't even need to be on the same turn. Here's an example of why this flexibility can be useful:
Let's say you're the Ranger, and rolled higher than your party's Wizard in the Initiative order. You cast Lightning Arrow as your bonus action, then use your Action to Ready an attack against the guy in the middle after the Wizard takes his turn. The Wizard then casts Hold Person against as many people as possible within a 10' radius. Now you fire your arrow at one of the guys who failed their Wis save, with Advantage because they're paralyzed, and everyone within 10' who's paralyzed automatically fails their Dex save against the secondary damage.
That's just one example, but it shows why you might not want to make the attack immediately after casting the spell.
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
It works the exact same as the Paladin's various smite spells and other Ranger attack riders: Ensnaring Strike and Hail of Thorns. They have ambush potential, sure, but more specifically they let you use your bonus action to empower a future attack without wasting the attack if it misses. The concentration bit is there to bridge the gap between the bonus action required to cast the spell and the successful attack that carries the spell's effects. The Ranger has too many concentration spells, yes, but that's only the tip of the iceberg on the poor design decisions around the Ranger.
Edit: Ahhh, right, Lightning Arrow still does damage on a miss. Nah, they just tried to fashion it after the other attack spells and ended up using concentration nonsensically. Until the Sword Coast guide's attack cantrips they didn't really have a mold for a physical attack spell I guess.
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
Your party is expecting or preparing an ambush, to be ready you cast Lightning Arrow even before any enemy in sight, maybe because you want to be able to "combo" it with a first round Hunter's Mark cast to possibly make quick work of one enemy immediately.
You can't combine those two spells. Hunter's Mark is also Concentration.
So it's to ensure you make the hit, even if you miss the first time...the concentrations value allows a second attempt to get the spell effect off.
Many thanks!
Sorry, this is incorrect. Whether you hit or miss, the attack still does damage, and the spell ends. It does not continue if you miss. "Whether you hit or miss... (effect)... The ammunition/weapon returns to its normal form." The spell only effects the very next attack you make.
The concentration just allows you to have it prepared before combat, as Rangers often (though not always) have other options for their bonus action to further empower their attacks.
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
Your party is expecting or preparing an ambush, to be ready you cast Lightning Arrow even before any enemy in sight, maybe because you want to be able to "combo" it with a first round Hunter's Mark cast to possibly make quick work of one enemy immediately.
You can't combine those two spells. Hunter's Mark is also Concentration.
You could fire the arrow, ending the spell then use your bonus action to cast hunter's mark.
Many of the Ranger damage spells require weapon attacks (don't know why) but I think the idea is to bonus cast spells then action the attack.
The spell being set up this way makes it where you can cast Lighting Arrow AND get a normal attack in with Extra Attack because your spell didn't take up your action(s).
I forgot to mention that casting a spell as a bonus action works well with Beast master sub class. Once lv 5, a beast can attack as Your Action but then you can still make an attack via Extra attack. If this spell took an action your pet could not attack because you took an Action to cast a spell and you would waste your Extra attack feature even if you are not a beast master.
okay so to cast lightning arrow is a bonus action ... and a concentration spell (up to 1 min) ...
Does that mean that every arrow i fire while concentrating is a lightning arrow?
So if on my turn I ....
I do not get hit or anything to break concentration, on my next turn I ...
Would all 4 of the described hits getting lightning arrow damage? or just the one immediately after i cast it?
Lightning Arrow only works the first time you make a ranged weapon attack during the spell's duration. It's a one-time thing.
No, the effects of Lightning Arrow are applied only to one hit, the first after the spell is cast.
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
The reason why is a concentrations spell, I believe, is to allow for this to be a set-up spell.
Your party is expecting or preparing an ambush, to be ready you cast Lightning Arrow even before any enemy in sight, maybe because you want to be able to "combo" it with a first round Hunter's Mark cast to possibly make quick work of one enemy immediately.
As the enemies appear you are all set to unleash hell upon them without "wasting" one turn. (EDIT: as long as the combat starts within one minute, but if you are a good hunter you should be able to pull this off :P )
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I am curious as to why "Lightning Arrow" is concentration, if it ends as soon as it is cast.
It's a fantastic spell...a tricky spell which causes damage, regardless of hit or saves, in a minor area of effect.
However, concentration implies a continued effect for a duration of 1 minute...one could be forgiven if they thought that the "area of effect" damage continued for that duration.
Otherwise, the concentration interrupts any other concentration spell currently active...for no additional payoff.
It doesn't end as soon as it's cast, it ends when you make your next ranged weapon attack after casting it. The casting uses your bonus action, the attack is an entirely separate action, and doesn't even need to be on the same turn. Here's an example of why this flexibility can be useful:
Let's say you're the Ranger, and rolled higher than your party's Wizard in the Initiative order. You cast Lightning Arrow as your bonus action, then use your Action to Ready an attack against the guy in the middle after the Wizard takes his turn. The Wizard then casts Hold Person against as many people as possible within a 10' radius. Now you fire your arrow at one of the guys who failed their Wis save, with Advantage because they're paralyzed, and everyone within 10' who's paralyzed automatically fails their Dex save against the secondary damage.
That's just one example, but it shows why you might not want to make the attack immediately after casting the spell.
It works the exact same as the Paladin's various smite spells and other Ranger attack riders: Ensnaring Strike and Hail of Thorns. They have ambush potential, sure, but more specifically they let you use your bonus action to empower a future attack without wasting the attack if it misses. The concentration bit is there to bridge the gap between the bonus action required to cast the spell and the successful attack that carries the spell's effects. The Ranger has too many concentration spells, yes, but that's only the tip of the iceberg on the poor design decisions around the Ranger.
Edit: Ahhh, right, Lightning Arrow still does damage on a miss. Nah, they just tried to fashion it after the other attack spells and ended up using concentration nonsensically. Until the Sword Coast guide's attack cantrips they didn't really have a mold for a physical attack spell I guess.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
Ah, you've solved my confusion!
So it's to ensure you make the hit, even if you miss the first time...the concentrations value allows a second attempt to get the spell effect off.
Many thanks!
You can't combine those two spells. Hunter's Mark is also Concentration.
Sorry, this is incorrect. Whether you hit or miss, the attack still does damage, and the spell ends. It does not continue if you miss. "Whether you hit or miss... (effect)... The ammunition/weapon returns to its normal form." The spell only effects the very next attack you make.
The concentration just allows you to have it prepared before combat, as Rangers often (though not always) have other options for their bonus action to further empower their attacks.
You could fire the arrow, ending the spell then use your bonus action to cast hunter's mark.
Many of the Ranger damage spells require weapon attacks (don't know why) but I think the idea is to bonus cast spells then action the attack.
The spell being set up this way makes it where you can cast Lighting Arrow AND get a normal attack in with Extra Attack because your spell didn't take up your action(s).
You can find my published homebrew Spells here.
(Replies to wrong thread)
I forgot to mention that casting a spell as a bonus action works well with Beast master sub class. Once lv 5, a beast can attack as Your Action but then you can still make an attack via Extra attack. If this spell took an action your pet could not attack because you took an Action to cast a spell and you would waste your Extra attack feature even if you are not a beast master.
You can find my published homebrew Spells here.