I don’t see why not. You would have had disadvantage on the ranged attack, since you’re within 5 feet of an enemy. But if that ranged attack hits, then you could damage that enemy in melee range. Seems like a fair reading of RAW.
Nowhere in the College of Swords Description does it say that the Slashing Flourish must be with a melee weapon. If that's the case, than you could theoretically shoot someone 100 feet away, before dealing damage in melee combat with the same weapon. I as DM would rule against this, but what are your thoughts?
Slashing Flourish. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.
Slashing Flourish is the only one with that limit of 5', you have to be within 5' of the target, technically there isn't for the other abilities. Would I allow that for College of Swords in my game, no. If I have a player who wants to be College of Bows, I'd work something out more aimed towards range than take the sword version.
Nowhere in the College of Swords Description does it say that the Slashing Flourish must be with a melee weapon. If that's the case, than you could theoretically shoot someone 100 feet away, before dealing damage in melee combat with the same weapon. I as DM would rule against this, but what are your thoughts?
You are right that it is not written to require melee weapons, only in name and exemple, being called College of Swords and performing stunts such as sword swallowing, knife throwing and juggling. The ability you are referring to is Blade Flourish, another indication for melee weapon.
But the abilities themselves do not require a melee weapon as written, and therefore can be used with a ranged weapon.
So for Slashing Flourish, when you take the Attack action on your turn, and your weapon attack hits a creature, you can use it to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. In other words, the target of the attack need not be within 5 feet of you, only others you damage with this ability.
@DankCF College of Swords in XGTE don't actually require a sword afaik and RAW is the flourishes only require "an attack" – means can be trigged from a ranged attack. Is this expected/intended?
@JeremyECrawford Blade Flourish intentionally requires a weapon attack—not necessarily an attack using a sword.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I don’t see why not. You would have had disadvantage on the ranged attack, since you’re within 5 feet of an enemy. But if that ranged attack hits, then you could damage that enemy in melee range. Seems like a fair reading of RAW.
Slashing Flourish. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.
Slashing Flourish is the only one with that limit of 5', you have to be within 5' of the target, technically there isn't for the other abilities. Would I allow that for College of Swords in my game, no. If I have a player who wants to be College of Bows, I'd work something out more aimed towards range than take the sword version.
You are right that it is not written to require melee weapons, only in name and exemple, being called College of Swords and performing stunts such as sword swallowing, knife throwing and juggling. The ability you are referring to is Blade Flourish, another indication for melee weapon.
But the abilities themselves do not require a melee weapon as written, and therefore can be used with a ranged weapon.
So for Slashing Flourish, when you take the Attack action on your turn, and your weapon attack hits a creature, you can use it to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. In other words, the target of the attack need not be within 5 feet of you, only others you damage with this ability.
The Dev answered on twitter https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/930575467974860800?s=20