1. Flame Blade spell was buffed. It is now considered a Magic action and a melee spell attack every turn you use it to attack, and is scales way better (3d6 + 1d6 per spell slot level above 2 + wis mod). It is also still considered to be a "blade" that "is similar in size and shape to a scimitar." 2. Sage advice indicates that Goodberry gets to add Life Cleric Disciple of Life feature, which says "every time you use a spell" to EVERY goodberry, however most DMs say that doesn't work for Wildfire Druid's Enhanced Bond because it says "Whenever you cast a spell [that does fire damage or heal], add 1d8 to one roll of the spell." Its a bummer that a level 1 cleric feature seems so much stronger than our level 7, but whatever. 3. Additionally, the new "Primal Strike" adds a 1d8 of elemental damage whenever you "hit a creature with an attack roll using a weapon." To me, the flame blade is a weapon (scimitar) and you have make an attack roll (melee spell attack is still an attack). So I believe RAW, Primal Strike should work with Flame Blade.
Here's the big question: With the new rules, should Enhanced Bond and Primal Strike work with every hit of the Flame Blade?
Rationale:
Flame Blade is a "magic action," which is similar to the Life Cleric's language of "use" a spell, and I think Wizards doesn't really care too much between the differences between "using" and "casting" a spell. You "magic action" either way.
Each would only be an extra 1d8 per turn (no extra attack with this spell and no double-dipping on enhanced bond per turn)
It's the WILDFIRE DRUID so Flame Blade (a druid-exclusive spell that uses concentration) should feel powerful.
Unlike other concentration-based spells like Healing Spirit and Flame Sphere that should NOT work with Enhanced Bond on every turn because they are passive and don't require you to "use" the spell again, Flame Blade requires your full action to use each turn.
Without giving one or both to Flame Blade hits every turn, then using a fire-based cantrip every turn can do more damage while freeing up your concentration, essentially rendiering Flame Blade useless. At level 5, a Green-Flame Blade or reimagined True Strike doing fire damage instead of radiant damage would do: 1d8 weapon damage + 1d6 spell damage + wisdom modifier + 1d8 primal strike + 1d8 enhanced bond = 3d8 +1d6 + wisdom modifier PLUS you get to use concentration on something like flame sphere to do more damage every turn...compared to a 3rd-level cast of Flame Blade doing 4d6 + wis while taking up your concentration and using one of your two 3rd-level spell slots for the day.
I really don't think Flame Blade counts as a weapon. There are other cases where something that's conjured up out of nothing like this does count as a weapon (e.g. Soulknife Psychic Blades, Warlock Pact weapons) and in these cases the description explicitly states that they're weapons. Flame Blade doesn't say that, and it explicitly says attacking with it is a spell attack, which is a different thing from a weapon attack. So I don't think it works with Primal Strike as written.
I do not think it is considered a weapon, and yeah its probably still a dead spell. It has its uses from level 3-4, but level 5 on it doesn't outpace a cantrip by enough.
IT still feels like a pretty bad spell, especially since it does FIRE the most resisted Special Damage type in the entire game. It useful until like Level 5, level 6 at most. Then immediately becomes a dead spell, better scaling or not.
Honestly I feel like it should have just been Shadow Blade, but Fire and for Druids. Or could have been replaced with a Blade cantrip, kinda like True Strike but fire. Either of those would have made it semi relevant past level 5
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"Not getting cut into bloody littles slices, That's the key to a sound plan."
I was pretty disappointed to see that it wasnt turned into a similar setup to shadow blade tbh, I always love the idea of conjuring a fire weapon, but the spell just does not feel like that is what you are doing. Obviously the main difference would be that instead of shadow blades advantage feature itd need something fire related.
Flame Blade is definitely stronger than it used to be, but, "The blade is similar in size and shape to a scimitar," is not the same as being a Scimitar.
You're misplacing the emphasis. Enhanced Bond adds 1d8 to one roll of the spell. A spell that doesn't roll anything, like Goodberry or Heal, isn't eligible to reap the benefit because the amount of healing is fixed.
We're talking about a melee spell attack, not an actual weapon. Elemental Fury (Primal Strike) doesn't apply to Flame Blade spell, but it would work with Shillelagh and Martial weapons from Primal Order (Warden).
IT still feels like a pretty bad spell, especially since it does FIRE the most resisted Special Damage type in the entire game. It useful until like Level 5, level 6 at most. Then immediately becomes a dead spell, better scaling or not.
Honestly I feel like it should have just been Shadow Blade, but Fire and for Druids. Or could have been replaced with a Blade cantrip, kinda like True Strike but fire. Either of those would have made it semi relevant past level 5
This is why Elemental Adept (Fire) exists. Now, you only need to worry about immunity to fire damage.
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Okay so a few things to consider:
1. Flame Blade spell was buffed. It is now considered a Magic action and a melee spell attack every turn you use it to attack, and is scales way better (3d6 + 1d6 per spell slot level above 2 + wis mod). It is also still considered to be a "blade" that "is similar in size and shape to a scimitar."
2. Sage advice indicates that Goodberry gets to add Life Cleric Disciple of Life feature, which says "every time you use a spell" to EVERY goodberry, however most DMs say that doesn't work for Wildfire Druid's Enhanced Bond because it says "Whenever you cast a spell [that does fire damage or heal], add 1d8 to one roll of the spell." Its a bummer that a level 1 cleric feature seems so much stronger than our level 7, but whatever.
3. Additionally, the new "Primal Strike" adds a 1d8 of elemental damage whenever you "hit a creature with an attack roll using a weapon." To me, the flame blade is a weapon (scimitar) and you have make an attack roll (melee spell attack is still an attack). So I believe RAW, Primal Strike should work with Flame Blade.
Here's the big question: With the new rules, should Enhanced Bond and Primal Strike work with every hit of the Flame Blade?
Rationale:
What do you guys think?
I really don't think Flame Blade counts as a weapon. There are other cases where something that's conjured up out of nothing like this does count as a weapon (e.g. Soulknife Psychic Blades, Warlock Pact weapons) and in these cases the description explicitly states that they're weapons. Flame Blade doesn't say that, and it explicitly says attacking with it is a spell attack, which is a different thing from a weapon attack. So I don't think it works with Primal Strike as written.
pronouns: he/she/they
I do not think it is considered a weapon, and yeah its probably still a dead spell. It has its uses from level 3-4, but level 5 on it doesn't outpace a cantrip by enough.
IT still feels like a pretty bad spell, especially since it does FIRE the most resisted Special Damage type in the entire game. It useful until like Level 5, level 6 at most. Then immediately becomes a dead spell, better scaling or not.
Honestly I feel like it should have just been Shadow Blade, but Fire and for Druids. Or could have been replaced with a Blade cantrip, kinda like True Strike but fire. Either of those would have made it semi relevant past level 5
"Not getting cut into bloody littles slices, That's the key to a sound plan."
I was pretty disappointed to see that it wasnt turned into a similar setup to shadow blade tbh, I always love the idea of conjuring a fire weapon, but the spell just does not feel like that is what you are doing. Obviously the main difference would be that instead of shadow blades advantage feature itd need something fire related.
This really isn't that complicated.
This is why Elemental Adept (Fire) exists. Now, you only need to worry about immunity to fire damage.