Hi everyone

One of my players has homebrewed up a spell for his Bladesinger Wizard, aaaaand... I'm a little sceptical balance-wise. It hasn't come up very much until last night, when he started making 2-3 attacks every turn... here it is:

2nd Level Illusion
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range/Area: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You weave together threads of shadow to create a spear of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic spear lasts until the spell ends. It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d6 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, Versatile (d8)and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the spear to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage.

If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, while the spell persists, you can use a bonus action to cause the spear to reappear in your hand.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 3rd- or 4th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d8. When you cast it using a 5th- or 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 4d8. When you cast it using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases to 5d8.

 I mean, it doesn't *look* too crazy. Am I just being paranoid? :)

Thanks,
Michael.

That looks like a reskinned, slightly weaker shadow blade. If you remove the versatile property and raise the damage to 2d8 it is literally the spell shadow blade.

How does this differ from shadow blade except that it is a spear instead of a sword?

"SHADOW BLADE
2nd—leve] illusion
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You weave together threads of shadow to create a sword of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic sword lasts until the spell ends. It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage. If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, while the spell persists, you can use a bonus action to cause the sword to reappear in your hand.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 3rd- or 4th—level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d8. When you cast it using a 5th— or 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 4d8. When you cast it using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases to 5d8."

A couple of notes:

1) A blade singer can use it 1 handed but they can't use the versatile property since it ends the bladesinging ability "if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon."

2) This spell does not give the character a bonus action attack unless the player is trying to game the system by taking the Polearm master feat and combining it with the spear to get a bonus action attack as well. However, in that case, the bonus action attack would still do d4 damage from Polearm Master and not 2d6. Otherwise, the character would be limited to the 2 attacks available through extra attack at level 6.

Quote from David42 >>

 

2) This spell does not give the character a bonus action attack unless the player is trying to game the system by taking the Polearm master feat and combining it with the spear to get a bonus action attack as well. However, in that case, the bonus action attack would still do d4 damage from Polearm Master and not 2d6. Otherwise, the character would be limited to the 2 attacks available through extra attack at level 6. 

And that is exactly what happened. I think maybe we just mishandled the Polearm Master bonus attack. Nice to know that it's still just a d4.

But all of the attacks still add ability modifier, right? So, 2d6+3 (DEX let's say) and 1d4+3?