Hello, so I have finalized my Kobold Beastmaster idea into a Kobold Arcane Trickster. I wanted originally to get two shortswords, but after hearing some mixed feedback, I am now confused on whether on I should get two shortswords or a rapier and shortsword. Please help.
You can't use two-weapon fighting with a rapier and a short sword unless you have the Dual Wielder feat, which is pointless if you don't have 20 Dexterity already. And in that case you could just use two rapiers.
If you aren’t using the free hand for spells or your bonus action for something else, it is nice to have another chance to use your sneak attack if your first attack misses. I haven’t done the math but that chance probably more than makes up for the rapier’s 1d8 vs shortsword’s 1d6.
I would make the decision based on roleplaying rather than game mechanics. The visual of a kobold wielding a rapier vs a kobold wielding two short swords.
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Oh, I'm definitely going to pick Booming Blade and Shadow Blade for my spell list, so that sucks.
Yeah as an AT from levels 1 to 4 I would dual wield a shortsword and a dagger. The reason for using it for those levels is that booming blade doesn't boost initial damage yet and I would rather make sure to get my sneak attack off than a spell with an effect that may or may not trigger. The reason for a shortsword and a dagger is that the dagger gives you an extra option of throwing it if engaged with an enemy or unable to get into melee with someone after moving. Once you hit level 5 then booming blade adds damage to your initial attack. If you want to skirmish and hit the enemy with booming blade then slip away causing the enemy to pursue and triggering the secondary damage of bb cantrip then swashbuckler works well for that approach if you can pick booming blade up through high elf, a dip into a caster class like warlock, or by magic initiate feat. Swashbuckler has the ability for free disengaging if you make an attack on the enemy and swashbucklers can trigger sneak attack if no ally is within melee of the target.
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Booming Blade is Verbal and Materials, it has no Somatic component. Therefore you can dual wield and still use Booming Blade for your Attack action without needing the War Caster feat. You can't use it for your Bonus Action off hand attack even with War Caster.
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Booming Blade is Verbal and Materials, it has no Somatic component. Therefore you can dual wield and still use Booming Blade for your Attack action without needing the War Caster feat. You can't use it for your Bonus Action off hand attack even with War Caster.
You use your action to cast a spell and part of casting booming blade is making a melee attack. Because its cast a spell and not an attack as your action then you can neither two weapon fight or attack twice if you have extra attack.
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Booming Blade is Verbal and Materials, it has no Somatic component. Therefore you can dual wield and still use Booming Blade for your Attack action without needing the War Caster feat. You can't use it for your Bonus Action off hand attack even with War Caster.
You use your action to cast a spell and part of casting booming blade is making a melee attack. Because its cast a spell and not an attack as your action then you can neither two weapon fight or attack twice if you have extra attack.
You're correct, and I was incorrect. You can only do the Bonus Action attack if you took the attack action. You can't do the Bonus Action attack if you cast a spell with your action even if you did a melee attack as part of the cast a spell action :(
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Booming Blade is Verbal and Materials, it has no Somatic component. Therefore you can dual wield and still use Booming Blade for your Attack action without needing the War Caster feat. You can't use it for your Bonus Action off hand attack even with War Caster.
You use your action to cast a spell and part of casting booming blade is making a melee attack. Because its cast a spell and not an attack as your action then you can neither two weapon fight or attack twice if you have extra attack.
You're correct, and I was incorrect. You can only do the Bonus Action attack if you took the attack action. You can't do the Bonus Action attack if you cast a spell with your action even if you did a melee attack as part of the cast a spell action :(
But booming blade is still really good for classes with one attack. I try to get it someway on bards, rogues, or clerics. Swashbuckler is the best rogue to use booming blade since they get free disengage after attacking.
Yeah as an AT from levels 1 to 4 I would dual wield a shortsword and a dagger. The reason for using it for those levels is that booming blade doesn't boost initial damage yet and I would rather make sure to get my sneak attack off than a spell with an effect that may or may not trigger. The reason for a shortsword and a dagger is that the dagger gives you an extra option of throwing it if engaged with an enemy or unable to get into melee with someone after moving. Once you hit level 5 then booming blade adds damage to your initial attack. If you want to skirmish and hit the enemy with booming blade then slip away causing the enemy to pursue and triggering the secondary damage of bb cantrip then swashbuckler works well for that approach if you can pick booming blade up through high elf, a dip into a caster class like warlock, or by magic initiate feat. Swashbuckler has the ability for free disengaging if you make an attack on the enemy and swashbucklers can trigger sneak attack if no ally is within melee of the target.
Yeah as an AT from levels 1 to 4 I would dual wield a shortsword and a dagger. The reason for using it for those levels is that booming blade doesn't boost initial damage yet and I would rather make sure to get my sneak attack off than a spell with an effect that may or may not trigger. The reason for a shortsword and a dagger is that the dagger gives you an extra option of throwing it if engaged with an enemy or unable to get into melee with someone after moving. Once you hit level 5 then booming blade adds damage to your initial attack. If you want to skirmish and hit the enemy with booming blade then slip away causing the enemy to pursue and triggering the secondary damage of bb cantrip then swashbuckler works well for that approach if you can pick booming blade up through high elf, a dip into a caster class like warlock, or by magic initiate feat. Swashbuckler has the ability for free disengaging if you make an attack on the enemy and swashbucklers can trigger sneak attack if no ally is within melee of the target.
I'm sticking to my choice of AT, unfortunately.
That's fine I was just giving my opinion on best booming blade user. AT has lots of perks that makes it a great choice.
Arcane Trickster is the only way for a Rogue to get Booming Blade without a feat or multiclassing (unless you choose High Elf, which is certainly a great choice for AT), so it's a fantastic choice.
Because Shadow Blade is concentration, having War Caster will be extremely useful. You don't have that many spell slots for Shadow Blade, so you should only use it during important fights, and you really don't want to lose concentration on the spell before the fight is almost over. Because War Caster also lets you do Booming Blade opportunity attacks and cast spells when both hands are full, it can make sense to get War Caster before you get to 20 Dex. On the other hand, Resilient Constitution might be your first choice for a feat after you get to 20 Dex. Luckily Rogues get the extra feat or ASI at level 10 which makes it easier to get Resilient Constitution around level 10 or 12 after getting War Caster and 20 Dex.
I thought War Caster wasn't good for ATs, since your Sneak Attack can't come from spells? Or does it only work with the Booming Blade + Shadow Blade combo?
Hello, so I have finalized my Kobold Beastmaster idea into a Kobold Arcane Trickster. I wanted originally to get two shortswords, but after hearing some mixed feedback, I am now confused on whether on I should get two shortswords or a rapier and shortsword. Please help.
Thank you in advance.
You can't use two-weapon fighting with a rapier and a short sword unless you have the Dual Wielder feat, which is pointless if you don't have 20 Dexterity already. And in that case you could just use two rapiers.
I mean two shortswords Coder.
If Dual-Wielding is not worth it, I'll pick up the Rapier, and the Short-sword as a backup.
If you aren’t using the free hand for spells or your bonus action for something else, it is nice to have another chance to use your sneak attack if your first attack misses. I haven’t done the math but that chance probably more than makes up for the rapier’s 1d8 vs shortsword’s 1d6.
I would make the decision based on roleplaying rather than game mechanics. The visual of a kobold wielding a rapier vs a kobold wielding two short swords.
Not a kobold, but I typically went with 1-2 shortswords. Dual wielding is a bit less useful (though not useless) on AT as you miss out on booming/green-flame blade. Since we started in tier2, I only used two weapons on two occasions, the first was when I was having trouble hitting a target, the second was a caster in a fight where I was the only target for his counterspell. Also, once you get shadow blade it's nice to not have to switch your offhand weapon if you decide mid-fight to cast it.
Honestly though, the primary factor I'd go with would be the aesthetic and how it fits your image of the character.
Oh, I'm definitely going to pick Booming Blade and Shadow Blade for my spell list, so that sucks.
Yeah as an AT from levels 1 to 4 I would dual wield a shortsword and a dagger. The reason for using it for those levels is that booming blade doesn't boost initial damage yet and I would rather make sure to get my sneak attack off than a spell with an effect that may or may not trigger. The reason for a shortsword and a dagger is that the dagger gives you an extra option of throwing it if engaged with an enemy or unable to get into melee with someone after moving. Once you hit level 5 then booming blade adds damage to your initial attack. If you want to skirmish and hit the enemy with booming blade then slip away causing the enemy to pursue and triggering the secondary damage of bb cantrip then swashbuckler works well for that approach if you can pick booming blade up through high elf, a dip into a caster class like warlock, or by magic initiate feat. Swashbuckler has the ability for free disengaging if you make an attack on the enemy and swashbucklers can trigger sneak attack if no ally is within melee of the target.
Your secret is safe with my indifference - Percy
Booming Blade is Verbal and Materials, it has no Somatic component. Therefore you can dual wield and still use Booming Blade for your Attack action without needing the War Caster feat. You can't use it for your Bonus Action off hand attack even with War Caster.
You use your action to cast a spell and part of casting booming blade is making a melee attack. Because its cast a spell and not an attack as your action then you can neither two weapon fight or attack twice if you have extra attack.
Your secret is safe with my indifference - Percy
You're correct, and I was incorrect. You can only do the Bonus Action attack if you took the attack action. You can't do the Bonus Action attack if you cast a spell with your action even if you did a melee attack as part of the cast a spell action :(
But booming blade is still really good for classes with one attack. I try to get it someway on bards, rogues, or clerics. Swashbuckler is the best rogue to use booming blade since they get free disengage after attacking.
Your secret is safe with my indifference - Percy
I'm sticking to my choice of AT, unfortunately.
That's fine I was just giving my opinion on best booming blade user. AT has lots of perks that makes it a great choice.
Your secret is safe with my indifference - Percy
Ah. Thank you for the advice anyways!
Arcane Trickster is the only way for a Rogue to get Booming Blade without a feat or multiclassing (unless you choose High Elf, which is certainly a great choice for AT), so it's a fantastic choice.
Also, improved mage hand is a lot of fun.
So then what do you think of the Shadow Blade + Booming Blade combo? What's the description for BB? (I don't have SCAG.)
Shadow Blade + Booming Blade is great.
Because Shadow Blade is concentration, having War Caster will be extremely useful. You don't have that many spell slots for Shadow Blade, so you should only use it during important fights, and you really don't want to lose concentration on the spell before the fight is almost over. Because War Caster also lets you do Booming Blade opportunity attacks and cast spells when both hands are full, it can make sense to get War Caster before you get to 20 Dex. On the other hand, Resilient Constitution might be your first choice for a feat after you get to 20 Dex. Luckily Rogues get the extra feat or ASI at level 10 which makes it easier to get Resilient Constitution around level 10 or 12 after getting War Caster and 20 Dex.
I thought War Caster wasn't good for ATs, since your Sneak Attack can't come from spells? Or does it only work with the Booming Blade + Shadow Blade combo?
You can get Sneak Attack on Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade because you're making a weapon attack as part of casting the spell.