can you shoot a crossbow once and cast a spell like firebolt? The loading property confuses me a bit on that; I'd think it was possible but I'd like to confirm.
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can you shoot a crossbow once and cast a spell like firebolt? The loading property confuses me a bit on that; I'd think it was possible but I'd like to confirm.
I don't see why not. Just not twice unless you have crossbow expert.
Loading. Because of the time required to load this weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
So let's say you're a class that has multiple attacks. You can only take one. The Crossbow Expert Feat removes this restriction.
yes, I just wanted to confirm, because not many EK fighters would be casting a cantrip /and/ shooting a crossbow...and before now, I don't think any other class could make the choice to do so.
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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.
okay but so does this let an bladesinger cast mending as part of the attack action, despite its normal casting time being 1 minute? becuase that is pretty huge if you have a battle smith in the party or if you are a battle smith yourself since it allows you to heal a steel defender for free, granted dipping 6 levels into bladesinger to pick this up would mean having a companion with 30 less hit points than a battle smith your level so it is not the best build but it might be a potent combination
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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
ROTFL I just imagined a bladesinger mass mending stuff with one hand and swishing her blade in the air in the other to cast it faster xD
this mental image reminds me of another cheesy exploit i found in 3.5e for the arcane archer prestige class where they could use imbue arrow to cast any area spell as a standard action, so you could shoot an portal in order to cast analyze portal faster
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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
The variety of cantrips you can exploit with this attack is intriguing- how about wielding a quarterstaff, casting lightning lure and using Polearm Master feat to react attack when they come in range, attack regularly, then bonus attack from the feat again?
Although its MAD, you could throw in some levels of monk- added WIS AC, with the new options in Tasha's you make a choice one-handed weapon a monk weapon and DEX based, can disengage/dodge/dash as bonus action (again, fun with booming blade) and the real kicker- casting the cantrip as an attack action (instead of a spell action) means you can also flurry of blows...
Take the earlier example, level 8 (6 bladesinger, 2 monk), lightning lure (2d8 lightning), polearm react attack with quarterstaff (1d8+DEX), regular attack (1d8+DEX), flurry of blows (2x 1d4+DEX). 5 "attacks" (lightning lure is a save or fail, not actually an attack) in one round at level 8? With Spirit Shroud up, add 4d8 nec/rad/cold damage.
Also, mind sliver to weaken an enemy to stunning strike/open hand techniques or battlemaster attack options- alternatively, you could Llure them in, then smack them away again (imagine the nonsense you could do with action surge)
The variety of cantrips you can exploit with this attack is intriguing- how about wielding a quarterstaff, casting lightning lure and using Polearm Master feat to react attack when they come in range, attack regularly, then bonus attack from the feat again?
Although its MAD, you could throw in some levels of monk- added WIS AC, with the new options in Tasha's you make a choice one-handed weapon a monk weapon and DEX based, can disengage/dodge/dash as bonus action (again, fun with booming blade) and the real kicker- casting the cantrip as an attack action (instead of a spell action) means you can also flurry of blows...
Take the earlier example, level 8 (6 bladesinger, 2 monk), lightning lure (2d8 lightning), polearm react attack with quarterstaff (1d8+DEX), regular attack (1d8+DEX), flurry of blows (2x 1d4+DEX). 5 "attacks" (lightning lure is a save or fail, not actually an attack) in one round at level 8? With Spirit Shroud up, add 4d8 nec/rad/cold damage.
Also, mind sliver to weaken an enemy to stunning strike/open hand techniques or battlemaster attack options- alternatively, you could Llure them in, then smack them away again (imagine the nonsense you could do with action surge)
that does not work, as getting pushed or pulled never triggers opportunity attacks, only willing movement does, so pulling a creature toward you with lighting lure would not let you attack them as a reaction. But if it did, then the best option would be mixing it with 6 levels tempest cleric to keep pushing and pulling the target as much as you want
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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
okay but so does this let an bladesinger cast mending as part of the attack action, despite its normal casting time being 1 minute? becuase that is pretty huge if you have a battle smith in the party or if you are a battle smith yourself since it allows you to heal a steel defender for free, granted dipping 6 levels into bladesinger to pick this up would mean having a companion with 30 less hit points than a battle smith your level so it is not the best build but it might be a potent combination
A 6th level bladesinger can now summon a (temporary) companion of their own, at 7th they can mend their own construct
okay but so does this let an bladesinger cast mending as part of the attack action, despite its normal casting time being 1 minute? becuase that is pretty huge if you have a battle smith in the party or if you are a battle smith yourself since it allows you to heal a steel defender for free, granted dipping 6 levels into bladesinger to pick this up would mean having a companion with 30 less hit points than a battle smith your level so it is not the best build but it might be a potent combination
A 6th level bladesinger can now summon a (temporary) companion of their own, at 7th they can mend their own construct
that does not matter, as unlike the steel defender these summoned constructs do not regain hit points when you cast mending on them. The restored hit points is a feature of the steel defender and artificer homunculus, not the mending spell
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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
ROTFL I just imagined a bladesinger mass mending stuff with one hand and swishing her blade in the air in the other to cast it faster xD
this mental image reminds me of another cheesy exploit i found in 3.5e for the arcane archer prestige class where they could use imbue arrow to cast any area spell as a standard action, so you could shoot an portal in order to cast analyze portal faster
aww geez, you can befriend the BBEG and slap them in the face with a single action now, stab oozes and clean your blade/kick the mayor and soil his pants with prestidigitation, add sparkles to your uppercuts, message puns to your mates as your shoving Shoosuva, grapple and gust on your halflings, the bladesinger is bardier than the bard now
ROTFL I just imagined a bladesinger mass mending stuff with one hand and swishing her blade in the air in the other to cast it faster xD
this mental image reminds me of another cheesy exploit i found in 3.5e for the arcane archer prestige class where they could use imbue arrow to cast any area spell as a standard action, so you could shoot an portal in order to cast analyze portal faster
aww geez, you can befriend the BBEG and slap them in the face with a single action now, stab oozes and clean your blade/kick the mayor and soil his pants with prestidigitation, add sparkles to your uppercuts, message puns to your mates as your shoving Shoosuva, grapple and gust on your halflings, the bladesinger is bardier than the bard now
only an 14th level valor bard could already cast an spell as an action and attack as bonus action, heck they could cast any spell, not just a cantrip
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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
oh yeah and also this feature is one of the few instances where casting blade ward can actiually be worth it, since you are effectively halving your normal damage output to halve all incomming damage
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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
I also thought the change from short to long is not bad...early on all spells are likely to be spent with one or two encounters anyway, so you really need the long rest. Later on you get more and more uses so that this is really only a concern early on.
RAW you are correct. However Jeremy Crawford has said that the change to booming blade was not intentional when it comes to shadow blade. He also said he would still allow it at his table. In a case such as this it's the DM's choice. Sadly I don't have the link.
RAW you are correct. However Jeremy Crawford has said that the change to booming blade was not intentional when it comes to shadow blade.
Then why was it changed?
Shadow Blade was the most obvious reason to add the limitation, because otherwise you can add 6d8+Casting bonus fire damage on top of 5d8 (more likely 4d8) psychic damage for a single attack, and on a Bladesinger they can still attack with the shadow blade a second time. So that's 14d8-ish damage per turn for up to ten turns, at the cost of only a single spell slot (to activate shadow blade), that seems a bit much.
While an Eldritch Knight can put out more damage with shadow blade alone, they're fighters with much more limited spell slots; whereas a Bladesinger is a full caster at the end of the day, and can just cast it for free at 2nd level once at level 18, so even the spell slot isn't an issue.
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A Goblin Bladesinger dishing out Booming Blade and disengaging for free could be really cool.
can you shoot a crossbow once and cast a spell like firebolt? The loading property confuses me a bit on that; I'd think it was possible but I'd like to confirm.
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 don't see why not. Just not twice unless you have crossbow expert.
Just for clarification:
So let's say you're a class that has multiple attacks. You can only take one. The Crossbow Expert Feat removes this restriction.
yes, I just wanted to confirm, because not many EK fighters would be casting a cantrip /and/ shooting a crossbow...and before now, I don't think any other class could make the choice to do so.
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
okay but so does this let an bladesinger cast mending as part of the attack action, despite its normal casting time being 1 minute? becuase that is pretty huge if you have a battle smith in the party or if you are a battle smith yourself since it allows you to heal a steel defender for free, granted dipping 6 levels into bladesinger to pick this up would mean having a companion with 30 less hit points than a battle smith your level so it is not the best build but it might be a potent combination
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
Rules as Intended, no. Rules as Written, maybe?
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ROTFL I just imagined a bladesinger mass mending stuff with one hand and swishing her blade in the air in the other to cast it faster xD
this mental image reminds me of another cheesy exploit i found in 3.5e for the arcane archer prestige class where they could use imbue arrow to cast any area spell as a standard action, so you could shoot an portal in order to cast analyze portal faster
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
The variety of cantrips you can exploit with this attack is intriguing- how about wielding a quarterstaff, casting lightning lure and using Polearm Master feat to react attack when they come in range, attack regularly, then bonus attack from the feat again?
Although its MAD, you could throw in some levels of monk- added WIS AC, with the new options in Tasha's you make a choice one-handed weapon a monk weapon and DEX based, can disengage/dodge/dash as bonus action (again, fun with booming blade) and the real kicker- casting the cantrip as an attack action (instead of a spell action) means you can also flurry of blows...
Take the earlier example, level 8 (6 bladesinger, 2 monk), lightning lure (2d8 lightning), polearm react attack with quarterstaff (1d8+DEX), regular attack (1d8+DEX), flurry of blows (2x 1d4+DEX). 5 "attacks" (lightning lure is a save or fail, not actually an attack) in one round at level 8? With Spirit Shroud up, add 4d8 nec/rad/cold damage.
Also, mind sliver to weaken an enemy to stunning strike/open hand techniques or battlemaster attack options- alternatively, you could Llure them in, then smack them away again (imagine the nonsense you could do with action surge)
that does not work, as getting pushed or pulled never triggers opportunity attacks, only willing movement does, so pulling a creature toward you with lighting lure would not let you attack them as a reaction. But if it did, then the best option would be mixing it with 6 levels tempest cleric to keep pushing and pulling the target as much as you want
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
A 6th level bladesinger can now summon a (temporary) companion of their own, at 7th they can mend their own construct
that does not matter, as unlike the steel defender these summoned constructs do not regain hit points when you cast mending on them. The restored hit points is a feature of the steel defender and artificer homunculus, not the mending spell
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
aww geez, you can befriend the BBEG and slap them in the face with a single action now, stab oozes and clean your blade/kick the mayor and soil his pants with prestidigitation, add sparkles to your uppercuts, message puns to your mates as your shoving Shoosuva, grapple and gust on your halflings, the bladesinger is bardier than the bard now
Ah, true, I overlooked involuntary movements
only an 14th level valor bard could already cast an spell as an action and attack as bonus action, heck they could cast any spell, not just a cantrip
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
oh yeah and also this feature is one of the few instances where casting blade ward can actiually be worth it, since you are effectively halving your normal damage output to halve all incomming damage
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
I also thought the change from short to long is not bad...early on all spells are likely to be spent with one or two encounters anyway, so you really need the long rest. Later on you get more and more uses so that this is really only a concern early on.
RAW you are correct. However Jeremy Crawford has said that the change to booming blade was not intentional when it comes to shadow blade. He also said he would still allow it at his table. In a case such as this it's the DM's choice. Sadly I don't have the link.
Then why was it changed?
Shadow Blade was the most obvious reason to add the limitation, because otherwise you can add 6d8+Casting bonus fire damage on top of 5d8 (more likely 4d8) psychic damage for a single attack, and on a Bladesinger they can still attack with the shadow blade a second time. So that's 14d8-ish damage per turn for up to ten turns, at the cost of only a single spell slot (to activate shadow blade), that seems a bit much.
While an Eldritch Knight can put out more damage with shadow blade alone, they're fighters with much more limited spell slots; whereas a Bladesinger is a full caster at the end of the day, and can just cast it for free at 2nd level once at level 18, so even the spell slot isn't an issue.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.