If an enemy/creature is affected by this spell, would you expect them to pass an Arcana check to know what would happen to them if they move? It seems weird that they would just know, for no reason.
The way I play it they have an idea that moving = bad, but not the details. That is, not unless they are familiar with the spell or have survived it or something. But I’ve seen other people play it where, if the creature is not familiar with the spell then it has no idea whatsoever until it has already moved. Then they will have learned it if it happens a second time, presuming it survived the first.
Id expect the intelligence level of the affected creature to play a big role in figuring out how they should react.
A trained mage would likely know whats up
A person with very little knowledge of magic would probably be cautious because something magical has happened, but they wouldnt know to stand still untill after learning through experience.
A less intelligent creature like like a wolf probably wouldnt understand the connection between the cantrip and them taking damage.
My rule of thumb: an intelligent creature may know a spell if it beats an arcana ( religion for divine magic) check of DC 10 + Spell lvl. Spellcasters of any kind don’t need to roll if their passiv arcana is already high enough.
What is everyone's thought on the spell range? My Bugbear will automatically hit at 10' and I plan to use a "reach" weapon, putting me at 15'. Was the wording an oversite, given that it says 5' radius?
This would be an easy question if "sheathed in booming energy" was a phrase that meant anything.
I /think/ it's meant to be a sort of shell or cage. Something you can feel the edges of, though it's not matter. There are similar sensations in real life, although none of them really make sense as a direct analogue -- putting your hand near one of those static electricity orbs; those hand dryer machines that emit a thin sheet of rushing air. Idk.
If we're gonna quote the text, let's quote the text:
"You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends."
The material component is "a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp," so they already did say 'melee weapon.' THAT part of the spell has been well and truly settled by now. You can't use natural weapons, conjured weapons, or improvised weapons. And since the spell says you make a melee attack, you can't pick a thrown melee weapon and throw it for the spell.
When i play using Roll20, i display all attack, features and spell effects both for characters, NPCs and monsters so someone knows exactly what it is being under the effect of.
How i've described it to my players the last time this question came about this spell specifically, i said that the target of booming blade sheathed in booming energy feel slight movement is damaging.
If we're gonna quote the text, let's quote the text:
"You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends."
The material component is "a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp," so they already did say 'melee weapon.' THAT part of the spell has been well and truly settled by now. You can't use natural weapons, conjured weapons, or improvised weapons. And since the spell says you make a melee attack, you can't pick a thrown melee weapon and throw it for the spell.
Yeah, but if I have a 10' reach and cast it on a melee weapon, should it not still work?
You can talk with your DM, a case can be made for the Spell Sniper feat to extend the reach of Booming Blade to 10 ft ( not going to start a discussion here if it is RAW or RAI)
I did find a video which states that Jeremy Crawford corrected it. He said it is cast on the weapon and the effect happens in a 5' cube, not necessarily within 5'. He referred to the axact Bugbear/reach situation.
What happens at higher levels, when the fighter has multiple attacks? Can it be cast multiple times, because it's a cantrip?
The spell received an errata in 2017 but even its original print never allowed reach to factor in as the spell range was 5 feet.
Booming Blade: As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails.
I did find a video which states that Jeremy Crawford corrected it. He said it is cast on the weapon and the effect happens in a 5' cube, not necessarily within 5'. He referred to the axact Bugbear/reach situation.
What happens at higher levels, when the fighter has multiple attacks? Can it be cast multiple times, because it's a cantrip?
The video talking about the spell is the Dragon Talk Sage Advice: Targeting Revisited at 09:50 marks that speak about spell range of Self ( X Feet) The errata and reprint in Tasha Cauldron of Everything is to prevent working with game feature such as War Caster, Twinned Spell and Distant Spell for exemple.
The spell booming blade never works with Extra Attack because the former rely on using the Cast a Spell action, and the latter the Attack action.
If an enemy/creature is affected by this spell, would you expect them to pass an Arcana check to know what would happen to them if they move? It seems weird that they would just know, for no reason.
It's not "for no reason," they just don't want to spell out the flavor exactly so that you can describe it the way you want. At any rate, I feel like being "sheathed in energy" is something you would notice.
If an enemy/creature is affected by this spell, would you expect them to pass an Arcana check to know what would happen to them if they move? It seems weird that they would just know, for no reason.
The way I play it they have an idea that moving = bad, but not the details. That is, not unless they are familiar with the spell or have survived it or something. But I’ve seen other people play it where, if the creature is not familiar with the spell then it has no idea whatsoever until it has already moved. Then they will have learned it if it happens a second time, presuming it survived the first.
Id expect the intelligence level of the affected creature to play a big role in figuring out how they should react.
A trained mage would likely know whats up
A person with very little knowledge of magic would probably be cautious because something magical has happened, but they wouldnt know to stand still untill after learning through experience.
A less intelligent creature like like a wolf probably wouldnt understand the connection between the cantrip and them taking damage.
My rule of thumb: an intelligent creature may know a spell if it beats an arcana ( religion for divine magic) check of DC 10 + Spell lvl. Spellcasters of any kind don’t need to roll if their passiv arcana is already high enough.
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]What is everyone's thought on the spell range? My Bugbear will automatically hit at 10' and I plan to use a "reach" weapon, putting me at 15'. Was the wording an oversite, given that it says 5' radius?
It says the same thing for Green-Flame Blade.
This would be an easy question if "sheathed in booming energy" was a phrase that meant anything.
I /think/ it's meant to be a sort of shell or cage. Something you can feel the edges of, though it's not matter. There are similar sensations in real life, although none of them really make sense as a direct analogue -- putting your hand near one of those static electricity orbs; those hand dryer machines that emit a thin sheet of rushing air. Idk.
Can you tell I hate this spell?
You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it...
It sounds to me, like it's on the weapon, not the target. Could they have say "melee weapon"? Maybe I need to cat it on my arms??
If we're gonna quote the text, let's quote the text:
"You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends."
The material component is "a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp," so they already did say 'melee weapon.' THAT part of the spell has been well and truly settled by now. You can't use natural weapons, conjured weapons, or improvised weapons. And since the spell says you make a melee attack, you can't pick a thrown melee weapon and throw it for the spell.
When i play using Roll20, i display all attack, features and spell effects both for characters, NPCs and monsters so someone knows exactly what it is being under the effect of.
How i've described it to my players the last time this question came about this spell specifically, i said that the target of booming blade sheathed in booming energy feel slight movement is damaging.
Yeah, but if I have a 10' reach and cast it on a melee weapon, should it not still work?
No because booming blade doesn't rely on reach, you make a melee attack against one creature within 5 feet of you regardless of it.
So, the Bugbear is not allowed to use that spell?
You can talk with your DM, a case can be made for the Spell Sniper feat to extend the reach of Booming Blade to 10 ft ( not going to start a discussion here if it is RAW or RAI)
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]Bugbears can cast it, and they can even cast it using a glaive. But only against targets within 5ft.
They can cast it the same way any others do, targeting creature within 5 feet.
I did find a video which states that Jeremy Crawford corrected it. He said it is cast on the weapon and the effect happens in a 5' cube, not necessarily within 5'. He referred to the axact Bugbear/reach situation.
What happens at higher levels, when the fighter has multiple attacks? Can it be cast multiple times, because it's a cantrip?
The spell received an errata in 2017 but even its original print never allowed reach to factor in as the spell range was 5 feet.
The video talking about the spell is the Dragon Talk Sage Advice: Targeting Revisited at 09:50 marks that speak about spell range of Self ( X Feet) The errata and reprint in Tasha Cauldron of Everything is to prevent working with game feature such as War Caster, Twinned Spell and Distant Spell for exemple.
The spell booming blade never works with Extra Attack because the former rely on using the Cast a Spell action, and the latter the Attack action.
So, I assume that I can use ACTION SURGE to cast the cantrip?
It's not "for no reason," they just don't want to spell out the flavor exactly so that you can describe it the way you want. At any rate, I feel like being "sheathed in energy" is something you would notice.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm