If you go high elf or high half-elf, you can pick up booming blade to make your single melee attack with shillelagh scale better if you need it to.
If you're going to do that, might as well go Variant Human and get magic initiate. You can get GFB, BB, and shield. Of course you give up darkvision, but you can get a bonus to wisdom.
"Want to make a wise Fighter that relies on instinct? Grab Shillelagh, and focus on Wisdom (even if, once again, it's weird)"
In the spell description for Shillelagh, the spell lets you use your spellcasting modifier for damage, not necessarily WIS. You just gave me a great idea for a Variant Human eldritch knight fighter who takes magic initiate at lvl 1 then polearm master at lvl 4, and just puts everything into INT.
You'd basically be running around like Gandalf; beating people into submission in melee then casting a spell in those clutch moments.
I believe all the ways you have to get shillelagh require you to use your WIS as your spellcasting modifier. For example, if you take the Magic Initiate feat, it says
"Your spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the class you chose: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard."
This is (currently) exactly correct. Shillelagh is only on the spell list for druids (not even available to any other subclasses as of current posting) so only available to cast with wisdom.
Even if it's only on the druid spell list, there is one subclass where you can take it (nature cleric) and two classes : warlock with pact of the tome and bard with magical secrets
I think rangers can also grab it in Tasha with a new fighting style, but I'm not sure yet since it's not officially out
Even if it's only on the druid spell list, there is one subclass where you can take it (nature cleric) and two classes : warlock with pact of the tome and bard with magical secrets
Neither of these are particularly likely to benefit from Shillelagh compared to a cantrip considering they lack a built-in Extra Attack though. Warlocks need Pact of the Blade to get Extra Attack and they can already pick the Hexblade patron if they want to use their spellcasting ability for attacks. Meanwhile only Valor and Swords bards get Extra Attack and they have much better choices of Magical Secret spells at 10th level.
I think rangers can also grab it in Tasha with a new fighting style, but I'm not sure yet since it's not officially out
That's correct, the Druidic Warrior fighting style lets them learn 2 druid cantrips.
If you go high elf or high half-elf, you can pick up booming blade to make your single melee attack with shillelagh scale better if you need it to.
If you're going to do that, might as well go Variant Human and get magic initiate. You can get GFB, BB, and shield. Of course you give up darkvision, but you can get a bonus to wisdom.
Half elf gets the same access to a wisdom bonus.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I think rangers can also grab it in Tasha with a new fighting style, but I'm not sure yet since it's not officially out
this would make for a much less MAD dueling ranger
Not really. Shillelagh only uses wisdom for the primary attack. IIRC Crawford clarified that it doesn't apply to the off-end attack (which makes no sense to me). The easiest way to duel it up is to use a spear or a staff and str, with the PAM feat.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I think rangers can also grab it in Tasha with a new fighting style, but I'm not sure yet since it's not officially out
this would make for a much less MAD dueling ranger
Not really. Shillelagh only uses wisdom for the primary attack. IIRC Crawford clarified that it doesn't apply to the off-end attack (which makes no sense to me). The easiest way to duel it up is to use a spear or a staff and str, with the PAM feat.
sorry if it was confusing I meant dueling fighting style
as for PAM I houserule to not use d8 but still use wisdom in place of STR
that's how it works RAW. Specific beats general. So the feat specifically says the BA attack is 1d4. That overrides your general rule of doing a d8 after casting shillelagh.
And PAM states that the bonus attack uses the same ability as the primary attack, which would surely be Wisdom after using Shillelagh.
as for PAM I houserule to not use d8 but still use wisdom in place of STR
that's how it works RAW. Specific beats general. So the feat specifically says the BA attack is 1d4. That overrides your general rule of doing a d8 after casting shillelagh.
And PAM states that the bonus attack uses the same ability as the primary attack, which would surely be Wisdom after using Shillelagh.
Oh I see, that makes taking PAM for shillelagh much more worth it. :)
as for PAM I houserule to not use d8 but still use wisdom in place of STR
that's how it works RAW. Specific beats general. So the feat specifically says the BA attack is 1d4. That overrides your general rule of doing a d8 after casting shillelagh.
And PAM states that the bonus attack uses the same ability as the primary attack, which would surely be Wisdom after using Shillelagh.
Crawford has said otherwise in the past. I agree with what you're saying, I'm just saying that the lead designer has said it doesn't actually work the way it should.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Crawford has said otherwise in the past. I agree with what you're saying, I'm just saying that the lead designer has said it doesn't actually work the way it should.
If you're going to do that, might as well go Variant Human and get magic initiate. You can get GFB, BB, and shield. Of course you give up darkvision, but you can get a bonus to wisdom.
Even if it's only on the druid spell list, there is one subclass where you can take it (nature cleric) and two classes : warlock with pact of the tome and bard with magical secrets
I think rangers can also grab it in Tasha with a new fighting style, but I'm not sure yet since it's not officially out
My homebrew feat for thrown weapons, feat to help DMs extend Sorcerer's spells known list, and my homebrew combo monk subclass (diablo inspired)!
Neither of these are particularly likely to benefit from Shillelagh compared to a cantrip considering they lack a built-in Extra Attack though. Warlocks need Pact of the Blade to get Extra Attack and they can already pick the Hexblade patron if they want to use their spellcasting ability for attacks. Meanwhile only Valor and Swords bards get Extra Attack and they have much better choices of Magical Secret spells at 10th level.
That's correct, the Druidic Warrior fighting style lets them learn 2 druid cantrips.
this would make for a much less MAD dueling ranger
Half elf gets the same access to a wisdom bonus.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Not really. Shillelagh only uses wisdom for the primary attack. IIRC Crawford clarified that it doesn't apply to the off-end attack (which makes no sense to me). The easiest way to duel it up is to use a spear or a staff and str, with the PAM feat.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
sorry if it was confusing I meant dueling fighting style
as for PAM I houserule to not use d8 but still use wisdom in place of STR
that's how it works RAW. Specific beats general. So the feat specifically says the BA attack is 1d4. That overrides your general rule of doing a d8 after casting shillelagh.
And PAM states that the bonus attack uses the same ability as the primary attack, which would surely be Wisdom after using Shillelagh.
Oh I see, that makes taking PAM for shillelagh much more worth it. :)
Crawford has said otherwise in the past. I agree with what you're saying, I'm just saying that the lead designer has said it doesn't actually work the way it should.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
I'm pretty sure he hasn't.