So this basically allows us two spells as cantrips, right?
Let's say we take Absorb Elements and Mirror Image. If we were to continually cast Mirror Image until we enter combat and then alternate between that and, for example, casting Eldritch Blast from a multiclass into Warlock or a weapon attack from the Bladesinger subclass; wouldn't we virtually be untargetable? We could use Absorb Elements as a way to reduce AoE attacks (which would connect nicely with Bladesinger).
I spoke with my DM who said it would be okay as it theoretically halves your damage output, but I wonder as to other DMs' rulings. Also open to any suggestions for replacements as to these spell choices.
Note a lot of BBE at level 18 plus will see through mirror image (and indivisibility). Also, mirror image is an action. Misty step is a bonus action which is why it is popular.
Note a lot of BBE at level 18 plus will see through mirror image (and indivisibility). Also, mirror image is an action. Misty step is a bonus action which is why it is popular.
Okay, so Shield (constant +5 AC) and Misty Step (ez teleports) seem to be the next best then. That just feels a little dull though. A constant 5 stacks of Mirror Image was my major draw to Wizard, and I hadn't even considered that a lot of enemies can see through it. My Evasion Tank dreams are crushed.
Another issue with mirror image is that it basically get's eaten up so fast on a bladesinger as the images ac sucks by comparison... it also slows play as you have to roll what the bbeg is targeting and if it's an image it's poofed as 13 or 14 ac is really easy for it to hit but if it targets you while singing you'd have a 20'ish + ac not counting shield spell. So in my experience the mirror images tend to eat a lot of hits that wouldn't have hit anyways.
For example my level 6 bladesinger would lose all the images to what would have been misses pretty routinely so much so that I just started using the second level slots for more shield spells.
but if you want to evasion tank just use haste and use the non-extra action to dodge and the bonus action to attack with... +2ac plus they roll with disadvantage to hit.
While I love Misty Step and it's one of my "go-to" spells, you can only cast a Cantrip in the rounds when you use it. I read the rules on spell casting again and it looks to me like Shield and other reaction spells don't limit you to Cantrips in the round that you cast them, only bonus action spells. Is that correct? I've been assuming that reaction spells have the same limitation that bonus action spells have.
Well reactions don't take place on your turn and that is how they circumvent it... if you somehow had two reactions you couldn't use them to cast shield and absorb elements on the same turn but you could cast shield when the minion swings at you on its turn, then cast absorb elements on the bbeg's turn to mitigate the fireball he dropped on you.
Basically you are limited to one non-cantrip spell per turn not per round.
This is actually how my bladesinger died as he cast absorb elements to absorb fireballs then wasn't able to cast another absorb for an ice storm or a shield to avoid the physical attack of a gargoyle.
If I had unlimited reactions I would have survived at least that round.
It was a good death tho as dragging a bunch of dinosaurs into a camp of red wizards is priceless.
It's actually less limiting than that. Reaction spells basically "don't count" towards the "one non-cantrip spell per turn" limit. As shown in Sage Advice, it's perfectly legal to Counterspell a Counterspell that is being cast on your Fireball. Neither Counterspell nor Fireball are cantrips, and they're both being cast on your turn. (The first Counterspell is being cast by someone else, as a reaction to your Fireball, not on their turn, but the second Counterspell, cast by you as a reaction to their Counterspell, is being cast on your turn; although it's not common, you can use your Reaction during your own turn, and this is an example of it.)
So this basically allows us two spells as cantrips, right?
Let's say we take Absorb Elements and Mirror Image. If we were to continually cast Mirror Image until we enter combat and then alternate between that and, for example, casting Eldritch Blast from a multiclass into Warlock or a weapon attack from the Bladesinger subclass; wouldn't we virtually be untargetable? We could use Absorb Elements as a way to reduce AoE attacks (which would connect nicely with Bladesinger).
I spoke with my DM who said it would be okay as it theoretically halves your damage output, but I wonder as to other DMs' rulings. Also open to any suggestions for replacements as to these spell choices.
Note a lot of BBE at level 18 plus will see through mirror image (and indivisibility). Also, mirror image is an action. Misty step is a bonus action which is why it is popular.
Okay, so Shield (constant +5 AC) and Misty Step (ez teleports) seem to be the next best then. That just feels a little dull though. A constant 5 stacks of Mirror Image was my major draw to Wizard, and I hadn't even considered that a lot of enemies can see through it. My Evasion Tank dreams are crushed.
NOte Treantmonk's guide below selects invisibility, which would have the same issue as mirror image. No all proponents will see through the illusions.
Please enjoy!
Another issue with mirror image is that it basically get's eaten up so fast on a bladesinger as the images ac sucks by comparison... it also slows play as you have to roll what the bbeg is targeting and if it's an image it's poofed as 13 or 14 ac is really easy for it to hit but if it targets you while singing you'd have a 20'ish + ac not counting shield spell. So in my experience the mirror images tend to eat a lot of hits that wouldn't have hit anyways.
For example my level 6 bladesinger would lose all the images to what would have been misses pretty routinely so much so that I just started using the second level slots for more shield spells.
but if you want to evasion tank just use haste and use the non-extra action to dodge and the bonus action to attack with... +2ac plus they roll with disadvantage to hit.
While I love Misty Step and it's one of my "go-to" spells, you can only cast a Cantrip in the rounds when you use it. I read the rules on spell casting again and it looks to me like Shield and other reaction spells don't limit you to Cantrips in the round that you cast them, only bonus action spells. Is that correct? I've been assuming that reaction spells have the same limitation that bonus action spells have.
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Well reactions don't take place on your turn and that is how they circumvent it... if you somehow had two reactions you couldn't use them to cast shield and absorb elements on the same turn but you could cast shield when the minion swings at you on its turn, then cast absorb elements on the bbeg's turn to mitigate the fireball he dropped on you.
Basically you are limited to one non-cantrip spell per turn not per round.
This is actually how my bladesinger died as he cast absorb elements to absorb fireballs then wasn't able to cast another absorb for an ice storm or a shield to avoid the physical attack of a gargoyle.
If I had unlimited reactions I would have survived at least that round.
It was a good death tho as dragging a bunch of dinosaurs into a camp of red wizards is priceless.
It's actually less limiting than that. Reaction spells basically "don't count" towards the "one non-cantrip spell per turn" limit. As shown in Sage Advice, it's perfectly legal to Counterspell a Counterspell that is being cast on your Fireball. Neither Counterspell nor Fireball are cantrips, and they're both being cast on your turn. (The first Counterspell is being cast by someone else, as a reaction to your Fireball, not on their turn, but the second Counterspell, cast by you as a reaction to their Counterspell, is being cast on your turn; although it's not common, you can use your Reaction during your own turn, and this is an example of it.)