Hi, hello, it's me again. So I was looking at some guides for the Arcane Trickster, the subclass seems very fun to play as, and I was wondering the best way to play it. I come across this one guide, and it basically says that if I want spells + attack damage, I should just go for the Bard. Now I'm extremely confused, because I thought I could just distract enemies with Color Spray, Mirror Image, all that stuff, hide, and then Sneak Attack. If I can't do that, then well, what can I do with the AT?
It's a case of tradeoffs. If you want to deal more damage with your weapons than you want to cast fun illusion spells, go for AT. If you want to cast fun illusion spells more than your want your weapon damage to matter, go Bard. Rogues get Sneak Attack, Bards get 5+ level spells and get 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level spells much earlier than the AT.
If you want both, the Bard College of Whispers has a Sneak-Attack-esque feature that deals a pile of psychic damage on weapon attacks, but even that ability has some unique limiting factors that the Rogue doesn't (you expend Inspiration Dice to deal the psychic damage - once you're out of those, your weapons aren't as cool).
Most of the time in combat the only spells I'll cast are booming blade and shadow blade. Other spells are useful parts of your kit, and can have combat effects, but aren't usually cast during combat. A large part of this is that your spells are based on int, which isn't usually a big focus for rogues, so you want to focus on spells that either have no save or illusions that will probably never get investigated and thus never have their DC rolled.
in terms of damage, take any of the cantrips booming blad or green flame blade from the sword coast adventurers guide and combine it with the 2nd level shadow blade spell from xanatars guide to everything and you can just vibe check some poor soul with an extra powerful sneak attack, especially if they are in dim light and you have dark vision. Shadow blade is an illusion spell and both of them are cantrips, so they are easily available, and they let you deal like 3d8 + 4d6 damage with an single attack.
arcane trickster is an fun subclass, even if some people call it weak. Also an small perk is that if your group has not necromancer and you wanna surprise your friends, replace one of your non enchantment/illusion spells with Animate Dead at 13th level or learn it normally at 14th level, you have barely any spell slots and 13-14th level are parts of the game that people rarely get to but if you should ever get there the reward is great.
at 3rd level, the arcane trickster only has one spell that does not belong to the illusion or enchantment schools, and while you might be tempted to put that into the jump spell or grease, i'd personally recommend the find familiar spell at it gives you an free pet who is also your eyes and ears and can also deliver any spell with an range of touch in your name, making them an versatile asset, but honestly feel free to use that single non illusion or enchantment spell wherever you think it makes most sense for the personality of your character, what aspects of magic seems to interest them etc
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i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
in terms of damage, take any of the cantrips booming blad or green flame blade from the sword coast adventurers guide and combine it with the 2nd level shadow blade spell from xanatars guide to everything and you can just vibe check some poor soul with an extra powerful sneak attack, especially if they are in dim light and you have dark vision. Shadow blade is an illusion spell and both of them are cantrips, so they are easily available, and they let you deal like 3d8 + 4d6 damage with an single attack.
But which is more powerful? Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade? And how would you combo them with Shadow Blade?
As for which is more powerful, that depends on your int mod, the availability of extra targets to hit, and whether you can get the enemy to move. Personally I prefer booming since you can disengage as a bonus action and move out of melee range to bait them to trigger the extra damage. Also, thunder is less common as a resistance.
As for comboing, cast shadow blade to summon your weapon, use either cantrip to attack with it.
In the middle of combat, after a Cunning Action Hide, casting Sleep has been useful since it is based off the Current hit points as opposed to the total at the start of the encounter. Chromatic Sphere is a good one as well. Fighting in the dark, and have party members that can't see well. Cast Light on a dagger and stick it in something near the center of the fray to help out those that can't see well. I'v enjoyed a good mix of direct action and magic with the AT. If my character is unseen and has the advantage, then a direct action attack will work for me. Sneak attack, and a good hit. Most things aren't happy about that result when they get the business.
really, what the AT excels at is haunting people by making them see things that are not there, opening and moving containers, as well as using magic to prank people and steal things, you do not really need combat
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i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Hmmm. The big difference I see is Arcane Trickster only gets up to 4th level spells (and that's at level 19). For the levels you're likely to play, you get two big benefits:
First, at level 3, mage hand becomes invisible, and you can use it as a remote pickpocket / lockpick / trap disarm. So almost entirely out-of-combat benefits. In combat, sneak attack is still your best friend. And you don't even need a spell as a distraction here, you just need an ally to be up in your target's face.
Then at 9th level, you give targets disadvantage on saving throws if you cast while hidden. So you'll get the most mileage out of that with saving throw spells like Charm, Hideous Laughter, Blindness, Detect Thoughts, etc. If you're loaded to the gills with attack-roll spells you don't get any benefit from this feature.
If you want something with a heavier spellcasting load-out then yes, definitely go for a Lore Bard. They're basically a slightly more stabby wizard that can also hand out bardic inspiration.
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Hi, hello, it's me again. So I was looking at some guides for the Arcane Trickster, the subclass seems very fun to play as, and I was wondering the best way to play it. I come across this one guide, and it basically says that if I want spells + attack damage, I should just go for the Bard. Now I'm extremely confused, because I thought I could just distract enemies with Color Spray, Mirror Image, all that stuff, hide, and then Sneak Attack. If I can't do that, then well, what can I do with the AT?
It's a case of tradeoffs. If you want to deal more damage with your weapons than you want to cast fun illusion spells, go for AT. If you want to cast fun illusion spells more than your want your weapon damage to matter, go Bard. Rogues get Sneak Attack, Bards get 5+ level spells and get 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level spells much earlier than the AT.
If you want both, the Bard College of Whispers has a Sneak-Attack-esque feature that deals a pile of psychic damage on weapon attacks, but even that ability has some unique limiting factors that the Rogue doesn't (you expend Inspiration Dice to deal the psychic damage - once you're out of those, your weapons aren't as cool).
Partway through the quest for absolute truth.
Ohhhhh, I get it now. So, distract enemy with illusion spells, then Sneak Attack?
Most of the time in combat the only spells I'll cast are booming blade and shadow blade. Other spells are useful parts of your kit, and can have combat effects, but aren't usually cast during combat. A large part of this is that your spells are based on int, which isn't usually a big focus for rogues, so you want to focus on spells that either have no save or illusions that will probably never get investigated and thus never have their DC rolled.
in terms of damage, take any of the cantrips booming blad or green flame blade from the sword coast adventurers guide and combine it with the 2nd level shadow blade spell from xanatars guide to everything and you can just vibe check some poor soul with an extra powerful sneak attack, especially if they are in dim light and you have dark vision. Shadow blade is an illusion spell and both of them are cantrips, so they are easily available, and they let you deal like 3d8 + 4d6 damage with an single attack.
arcane trickster is an fun subclass, even if some people call it weak. Also an small perk is that if your group has not necromancer and you wanna surprise your friends, replace one of your non enchantment/illusion spells with Animate Dead at 13th level or learn it normally at 14th level, you have barely any spell slots and 13-14th level are parts of the game that people rarely get to but if you should ever get there the reward is great.
at 3rd level, the arcane trickster only has one spell that does not belong to the illusion or enchantment schools, and while you might be tempted to put that into the jump spell or grease, i'd personally recommend the find familiar spell at it gives you an free pet who is also your eyes and ears and can also deliver any spell with an range of touch in your name, making them an versatile asset, but honestly feel free to use that single non illusion or enchantment spell wherever you think it makes most sense for the personality of your character, what aspects of magic seems to interest them etc
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
in terms of damage, take any of the cantrips booming blad or green flame blade from the sword coast adventurers guide and combine it with the 2nd level shadow blade spell from xanatars guide to everything and you can just vibe check some poor soul with an extra powerful sneak attack, especially if they are in dim light and you have dark vision. Shadow blade is an illusion spell and both of them are cantrips, so they are easily available, and they let you deal like 3d8 + 4d6 damage with an single attack.
Vibe check? VIBE CHECK? VIBE CHECK!!!!! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
But which is more powerful? Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade? And how would you combo them with Shadow Blade?
As for which is more powerful, that depends on your int mod, the availability of extra targets to hit, and whether you can get the enemy to move. Personally I prefer booming since you can disengage as a bonus action and move out of melee range to bait them to trigger the extra damage. Also, thunder is less common as a resistance.
As for comboing, cast shadow blade to summon your weapon, use either cantrip to attack with it.
green flame blade can affect the target plus an creature next to the target, booming blade only an target
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
In the middle of combat, after a Cunning Action Hide, casting Sleep has been useful since it is based off the Current hit points as opposed to the total at the start of the encounter. Chromatic Sphere is a good one as well. Fighting in the dark, and have party members that can't see well. Cast Light on a dagger and stick it in something near the center of the fray to help out those that can't see well. I'v enjoyed a good mix of direct action and magic with the AT. If my character is unseen and has the advantage, then a direct action attack will work for me. Sneak attack, and a good hit. Most things aren't happy about that result when they get the business.
really, what the AT excels at is haunting people by making them see things that are not there, opening and moving containers, as well as using magic to prank people and steal things, you do not really need combat
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Hmmm. The big difference I see is Arcane Trickster only gets up to 4th level spells (and that's at level 19). For the levels you're likely to play, you get two big benefits:
First, at level 3, mage hand becomes invisible, and you can use it as a remote pickpocket / lockpick / trap disarm. So almost entirely out-of-combat benefits. In combat, sneak attack is still your best friend. And you don't even need a spell as a distraction here, you just need an ally to be up in your target's face.
Then at 9th level, you give targets disadvantage on saving throws if you cast while hidden. So you'll get the most mileage out of that with saving throw spells like Charm, Hideous Laughter, Blindness, Detect Thoughts, etc. If you're loaded to the gills with attack-roll spells you don't get any benefit from this feature.
If you want something with a heavier spellcasting load-out then yes, definitely go for a Lore Bard. They're basically a slightly more stabby wizard that can also hand out bardic inspiration.