You move like the wind. Until the spell ends, your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.
Once before the spell ends, you can give yourself advantage on one weapon attack roll on your turn. That attack deals an extra 1d8 force damage on a hit. Whether you hit or miss, your walking speed increases by 30 feet until the end of that turn.
as I read it it lasts for upto 10 rounds if I maintain concentration on it. During that 10 rounds I can choose any 1 round and give myself advantage on one weapon attack roll, an extra 1D8 force damage if I hit as well as a 30’ boost in walking speed for that round. However I don’t see anything in the spell description that says the spell ends when I choose to get those extras. So the spell should continue allowing me my normal movement which continues to not provoke opportunity attacks until either the 1 minute is up or I drop concentration for any reason. I believe this is RAW but have seen a lot of posts that at least imply that once the bonus extras are taken the spell automatically drops. Any thoughts?
Yep, you can maintain concentration, for up to ten rounds, to prevent your movement provoking opportunity attacks.
In one of those rounds, on your turn you can additionally get advantage on a weapon attack roll which deals an extra d8 force damage, plus your walking speed increases by 30ft for that turn.
So I agree with you.
But when I originally read it I erroneously inferred that the spell ended once you'd made the weapon attack roll. Took me a while to reread it and realise my mistake.
This spell has always fascinated me. Because one d8+ advantage seems inefficient cost for a spell slot but it still has movement features. Maintaining the concentration just for the movement feels inefficient for concentration value for more than a couple of rounds.
People who use smart it love it but alot ignore it because its value is vague. Kinda like almost every 2014 ranger feature
Agreed, neither part alone seems enough to require concentration as a balance and even both together may not. I use the spell frequently as I described and it is useful and powerful when dealing with minions. I think it may be another spell that they could redo and make concentrationless in the future. Since it came out in Xanther it might get a rewrite in the upcoming FR books.
Expeditious Retreat is the most similar spell to Zephyr's Strike and it requires concentration. While I think both could be non-concentration spells the only movement enhancement 1st level spell that isn't concentration is longstrider. While it doesn't do damage, Z-Strike used correctly prevents a ton of damage and is probably worth the concentration for that.
Expeditious Retreat is the most similar spell to Zephyr's Strike and it requires concentration. While I think both could be non-concentration spells the only movement enhancement 1st level spell that isn't concentration is longstrider. While it doesn't do damage, Z-Strike used correctly prevents a ton of damage and is probably worth the concentration for that.
They may be doing enough mitigation to require concentration or may not be enough. Mitigation is always hard to predict especially since sometimes not being there just means the enemy just attacks an ally. So in a sense it often is a redistribution of damage. It really depends on so many factors.
To me watching for such variation is interesting play for others not so much.
I use this spell primarily for the movement and the damage is just a nice extra. In fact with my particular party I often don't need the advantage because I am fighting in melee and can use this spell to move in and out of a flanking position. Yes, you keep the movement as long as you hold concentration, and the ability to avoid opportunity attacks and to move in and out of melee range makes me very deadly while rarely getting hit (especially when I coordinate with the party tank). I can often cast this spell in the first round and have it last a whole combat.
I usually use the damage on the same turn that I cast but not always, just depending on my situation and plans.
I've used this while fighting at range also and being able to move away from enemies or duck in and out of cover, and get a ton of mobility, is sometimes also very valuable, just depending on the particular situation.
Its a level 1 spell so I guess I should not expect much but avoiding opportunity attacks seems niche enough that its not worth it for most rangers. There are some builds where it works with your party. Otherwise you move in 12-20 feet, attack, move away 10-20 feet and then on the enemies turn they just walk over to you and hit you or the wizard in the back if they prefer. For a lot of parties you leaving melee helps the enemies just as much if not more than it helped you.
Its a level 1 spell so I guess I should not expect much but avoiding opportunity attacks seems niche enough that its not worth it for most rangers. There are some builds where it works with your party. Otherwise you move in 12-20 feet, attack, move away 10-20 feet and then on the enemies turn they just walk over to you and hit you or the wizard in the back if they prefer. For a lot of parties you leaving melee helps the enemies just as much if not more than it helped you.
It will depend on your party, but in my character's case they usually attack the tank instead, who is still in melee range and has also attacked them that round. I can also do things like move in and out of a position where I will be flanked, where it would be very dangerous to stand (or even run through), but that lets me flank with another party member for my attack.
I agree that if you are the most visible target it's much less useful. Of course, making them walk over to you to attack (instead of getting an opportunity and then also walking over to you) can be useful if you want them to move.
This is one of those spells that is more useful in concert with the actions of other party members than just as a standalone, and it's also more useful when the battlefield is crowded or when you just need to get to a particular somewhere fast.
Expeditious Retreat is the most similar spell to Zephyr's Strike and it requires concentration. While I think both could be non-concentration spells the only movement enhancement 1st level spell that isn't concentration is longstrider. While it doesn't do damage, Z-Strike used correctly prevents a ton of damage and is probably worth the concentration for that.
Not to be THAT person, but Jump is also non-concentration and a level 1 spell. While it doesn't increase your movement speed, it does give you some occasionally very useful options for your movement.
Its a level 1 spell so I guess I should not expect much but avoiding opportunity attacks seems niche enough that its not worth it for most rangers. There are some builds where it works with your party. Otherwise you move in 12-20 feet, attack, move away 10-20 feet and then on the enemies turn they just walk over to you and hit you or the wizard in the back if they prefer. For a lot of parties you leaving melee helps the enemies just as much if not more than it helped you.
Being able to avoid Opportunity attacks is great if you are focusing on killing the enemy mage or cleric in the back row. This spell has good synergy with the expanded movement options at level 6 offered by Tasha's Cauldron (and the new PHB).
Here is the text of the spell:
Zephyr Strike
1st-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You move like the wind. Until the spell ends, your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.
Once before the spell ends, you can give yourself advantage on one weapon attack roll on your turn. That attack deals an extra 1d8 force damage on a hit. Whether you hit or miss, your walking speed increases by 30 feet until the end of that turn.
as I read it it lasts for upto 10 rounds if I maintain concentration on it. During that 10 rounds I can choose any 1 round and give myself advantage on one weapon attack roll, an extra 1D8 force damage if I hit as well as a 30’ boost in walking speed for that round. However I don’t see anything in the spell description that says the spell ends when I choose to get those extras. So the spell should continue allowing me my normal movement which continues to not provoke opportunity attacks until either the 1 minute is up or I drop concentration for any reason. I believe this is RAW but have seen a lot of posts that at least imply that once the bonus extras are taken the spell automatically drops. Any thoughts?
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Yep, you can maintain concentration, for up to ten rounds, to prevent your movement provoking opportunity attacks.
In one of those rounds, on your turn you can additionally get advantage on a weapon attack roll which deals an extra d8 force damage, plus your walking speed increases by 30ft for that turn.
So I agree with you.
But when I originally read it I erroneously inferred that the spell ended once you'd made the weapon attack roll. Took me a while to reread it and realise my mistake.
This spell has always fascinated me. Because one d8+ advantage seems inefficient cost for a spell slot but it still has movement features. Maintaining the concentration just for the movement feels inefficient for concentration value for more than a couple of rounds.
People who use smart it love it but alot ignore it because its value is vague. Kinda like almost every 2014 ranger feature
Agreed, neither part alone seems enough to require concentration as a balance and even both together may not. I use the spell frequently as I described and it is useful and powerful when dealing with minions. I think it may be another spell that they could redo and make concentrationless in the future. Since it came out in Xanther it might get a rewrite in the upcoming FR books.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Expeditious Retreat is the most similar spell to Zephyr's Strike and it requires concentration. While I think both could be non-concentration spells the only movement enhancement 1st level spell that isn't concentration is longstrider. While it doesn't do damage, Z-Strike used correctly prevents a ton of damage and is probably worth the concentration for that.
They may be doing enough mitigation to require concentration or may not be enough. Mitigation is always hard to predict especially since sometimes not being there just means the enemy just attacks an ally. So in a sense it often is a redistribution of damage. It really depends on so many factors.
To me watching for such variation is interesting play for others not so much.
I use this spell primarily for the movement and the damage is just a nice extra. In fact with my particular party I often don't need the advantage because I am fighting in melee and can use this spell to move in and out of a flanking position. Yes, you keep the movement as long as you hold concentration, and the ability to avoid opportunity attacks and to move in and out of melee range makes me very deadly while rarely getting hit (especially when I coordinate with the party tank). I can often cast this spell in the first round and have it last a whole combat.
I usually use the damage on the same turn that I cast but not always, just depending on my situation and plans.
I've used this while fighting at range also and being able to move away from enemies or duck in and out of cover, and get a ton of mobility, is sometimes also very valuable, just depending on the particular situation.
Same usage.
Best martial spell of the game, extremely tactical and lifting, and not dum dice heavy.
Its a level 1 spell so I guess I should not expect much but avoiding opportunity attacks seems niche enough that its not worth it for most rangers. There are some builds where it works with your party. Otherwise you move in 12-20 feet, attack, move away 10-20 feet and then on the enemies turn they just walk over to you and hit you or the wizard in the back if they prefer. For a lot of parties you leaving melee helps the enemies just as much if not more than it helped you.
It will depend on your party, but in my character's case they usually attack the tank instead, who is still in melee range and has also attacked them that round. I can also do things like move in and out of a position where I will be flanked, where it would be very dangerous to stand (or even run through), but that lets me flank with another party member for my attack.
I agree that if you are the most visible target it's much less useful. Of course, making them walk over to you to attack (instead of getting an opportunity and then also walking over to you) can be useful if you want them to move.
This is one of those spells that is more useful in concert with the actions of other party members than just as a standalone, and it's also more useful when the battlefield is crowded or when you just need to get to a particular somewhere fast.
Not to be THAT person, but Jump is also non-concentration and a level 1 spell. While it doesn't increase your movement speed, it does give you some occasionally very useful options for your movement.
Being able to avoid Opportunity attacks is great if you are focusing on killing the enemy mage or cleric in the back row. This spell has good synergy with the expanded movement options at level 6 offered by Tasha's Cauldron (and the new PHB).
Seems like combining it with Longstrider would be very dangerous.