If it's that important then you use a better spell or ability to get advantage lol.
...such as?
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I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Invisibility, Hold Person, hiding, steady aim, an ally using the Help Action just to name a few. Need I go on?
Probably since none of those seem better. Why use a 2nd level spell to do what a cantrip does, for example. Or why risk needing the enemy to failing a save when you don't need to? Or why risk a skill contest for advantage when you can guarantee it? And maybe you can wrangle up an ally to coordinate their action to spend for your advantage instead if using your own action, but that's about a wash. The only good option you listed here is steady aim, but that requires specifically being a level 3+ rogue at a table that uses the optional class features...
Idk. Not at all convinced. True Strike absolutely is still the option here.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Invisibility, Hold Person, hiding, steady aim, an ally using the Help Action just to name a few. Need I go on?
Probably since none of those seem better. Why use a 2nd level spell to do what a cantrip does, for example. Or why risk needing the enemy to failing a save when you don't need to? Or why risk a skill contest for advantage when you can guarantee it? And maybe you can wrangle up an ally to coordinate their action to spend for your advantage instead if using your own action, but that's about a wash. The only good option you listed here is steady aim, but that requires specifically being a level 3+ rogue at a table that uses the optional class features...
Idk. Not at all convinced. True Strike absolutely is still the option here.
Why use a level 2 spell slot? Well if the attack roll is as important to the game as you made it out to be then why wouldn't you use the resources to increase the chance of success? Invisibility not only makes you untargetable by spells that requires vision of you but will also most likely generate disadvantage to enemy attacks against you while you get in to position to make that all important attack thus decreasing the chance you lose concentration. Also co ordinating Help is not as hard as you seem to think it is. For example you just need to hold your Action to attack when an ally distracts the enemy. Heck the Help can even come from a familiar. Also why would you not co ordinate with your allies if the attack roll is that important?
Again there are many many better options than the next to useless True Strike. Speaking of which I just remembered a couple more in the form of Zephyr Strike and the Feinting Attack maneuver lol.
Guidance is a problem spell for the opposite reason it is so powerful you feel as if you have to take it, a wizard at level 1 gets ot pick 3 cantrips in theory but in practice they get to pick two to add to guidance.
Just a quick correction but Guidance is only available to Druids, Clerics and Artificers. It isn't a tax on wizards. :)
In terms of cantrip usefulness, some are very situational and some are more generally useful. Resistance does for saving throws what Guidance does for skill checks. Considering that the consequences of a failed save are typically more severe than a failed skill check, Resistance could actually be considered more powerful. I've seen it used in several situations where a save is either though to be likely or the party has to move past an obstacle requiring a save. The most common reason for Resistance not being used in those situations is because the caster didn't take it, not because it wasn't useful. Resistance also has an overlap with Bless which Guidance does not.
Invisibility, Hold Person, hiding, steady aim, an ally using the Help Action just to name a few. Need I go on?
Probably since none of those seem better. Why use a 2nd level spell to do what a cantrip does, for example. Or why risk needing the enemy to failing a save when you don't need to? Or why risk a skill contest for advantage when you can guarantee it? And maybe you can wrangle up an ally to coordinate their action to spend for your advantage instead if using your own action, but that's about a wash. The only good option you listed here is steady aim, but that requires specifically being a level 3+ rogue at a table that uses the optional class features...
Idk. Not at all convinced. True Strike absolutely is still the option here.
Why use a level 2 spell slot? Well if the attack roll is as important to the game as you made it out to be then why wouldn't you use the resources to increase the chance of success? Invisibility not only makes you untargetable by spells that requires vision of you but will also most likely generate disadvantage to enemy attacks against you while you get in to position to make that all important attack thus decreasing the chance you lose concentration. Also co ordinating Help is not as hard as you seem to think it is. For example you just need to hold your Action to attack when an ally distracts the enemy. Heck the Help can even come from a familiar. Also why would you not co ordinate with your allies if the attack roll is that important?
Again there are many many better options than the next to useless True Strike. Speaking of which I just remembered a couple more in the form of Zephyr Strike and the Feinting Attack maneuver lol.
Idk why you still think a 2nd level spell slot is a better use of resources to gain the same advantage on the attack as the cantrip offers for no slots. And again, trading your friends action for advantage or your own is a wash.
Zephyr Strike is not valid, ie doesn't work. And fieting attack requires that you be a fighter, or I guess spend a feat.
None of these are better. I'm not even sure why you're trying to convince me. I'm very certain true strike has a niche use. But it does have a use if you do find yourself in that niche.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
I’ve used resistance and blade ward. Have not used truestrike.
i played a war wizard with a 1 lvl order domain cleric dip. At higher wizard levels I stacked cantrip spell effects on myself and dispelled them to gain a bunch of power surges with a single 3rd level slot. Blade ward duration is 1 round, but also the end of your next turn, so it was the last cast before I dispelled.
resistance cantrip, with its concentration, synergized well with durable magic feature for +2 AC from concentration and a 1d4+2 to a save. Arcane deflection to be used on a failed save for an additional +4.
But resistance and blade ward can be situationally useful.
Resistance would be ok in a situation where you expect a Save. It lasts 1 min, so enough to let you walk through a sketchy doorway etc. Could also hold it repeatedly while observing a conversation where someone is expected to use Charm gimmicks.
Blade Ward works for a moderately high HP but low AC character, who wants to avoid damage. Let's say they want to survive for a while to escape. They use Blade Ward instead of Dodge, because the disadv probably wouldn't make a difference with their poor AC. (For example a low dex Eldritch Knight who was attacked at night without their plate armor) .
But that's very situational, so it's hard to justify picking it. 😅
Why is it that there are some very powerful cantrips, like guidance, that can be used to a great extent outside of combat, and then there are practically useless cantrips like Blade Ward, Resistance, and True Strike.
You get one action inside of combat, and using it to gain a small boost on your NEXT TURN ends up being a detriment more than a benefit!
Technically, you can take the metamagic adept feat and take Quickened spell, but that ends up being limited use, and usable for other things.
The only possible benefit I see is as an immediately prior to combat measure, where you give yourself a little edge before fighting.
Do you agree? Have their been instances where you have used these cantrips to a great effect?
It happens because the edition was new, and they didn't have near 10 years of experience with these to look back on. There are quite a few things besides cantrips that WotC now feels like they had a misstep and are trying to rectify it in the 1D&D playtest. And I'm sure once the core 2024 rulebooks come out, we will still find issues like these.
It also has unusual synergy with the Find Steed and Find Greater Steed spells. This is because of the following line in both: "While mounted on it, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target the mount." (The "it" is the mount.) Therefore, with one cantrip you are protecting yourself and your mount, which is great when you can't or don't want to spend a feat on Mounted Combatant. As such, Blade Ward can be quite useful for some Bard builds: Magical Secrets to acquire Find Greater Steed is a fairly popular choice. Or, ya know, Paladins with a feat to spare.
It also has unusual synergy with the Find Steed and Find Greater Steed spells. This is because of the following line in both: "While mounted on it, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target the mount." (The "it" is the mount.) Therefore, with one cantrip you are protecting yourself and your mount, which is great when you can't or don't want to spend a feat on Mounted Combatant. As such, Blade Ward can be quite useful for some Bard builds: Magical Secrets to acquire Find Greater Steed is a fairly popular choice. Or, ya know, Paladins with a feat to spare.
If a paladin has a feat to spare they should be taking mounted combatent if they want to protect their steed.
It also has unusual synergy with the Find Steed and Find Greater Steed spells. This is because of the following line in both: "While mounted on it, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target the mount." (The "it" is the mount.) Therefore, with one cantrip you are protecting yourself and your mount, which is great when you can't or don't want to spend a feat on Mounted Combatant. As such, Blade Ward can be quite useful for some Bard builds: Magical Secrets to acquire Find Greater Steed is a fairly popular choice. Or, ya know, Paladins with a feat to spare.
If a paladin has a feat to spare they should be taking mounted combatent if they want to protect their steed.
That's certainly an option. Magic Initiate doesn't just equal one cantrip, though. So it's all about the desired build. I'm just posting the information, not saying it's particularly optimized.
Given that Paladin is combined with Sorcerer (or in the case of a Bard with Magical Secrets) fairly often, the combo of Find Steed and cantrips like Blade Ward or Resistance can be quite useful, along with a lot of other levelled buff spells that can target just the Paladin.
If it's that important then you use a better spell or ability to get advantage lol.
...such as?
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Invisibility, Hold Person, hiding, steady aim, an ally using the Help Action just to name a few. Need I go on?
It’s for all the reasons listed by everyone here that I wrote my “strike true” cantrip: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/421057-strike-true).
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Probably since none of those seem better. Why use a 2nd level spell to do what a cantrip does, for example. Or why risk needing the enemy to failing a save when you don't need to? Or why risk a skill contest for advantage when you can guarantee it? And maybe you can wrangle up an ally to coordinate their action to spend for your advantage instead if using your own action, but that's about a wash. The only good option you listed here is steady aim, but that requires specifically being a level 3+ rogue at a table that uses the optional class features...
Idk. Not at all convinced. True Strike absolutely is still the option here.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Why use a level 2 spell slot? Well if the attack roll is as important to the game as you made it out to be then why wouldn't you use the resources to increase the chance of success? Invisibility not only makes you untargetable by spells that requires vision of you but will also most likely generate disadvantage to enemy attacks against you while you get in to position to make that all important attack thus decreasing the chance you lose concentration. Also co ordinating Help is not as hard as you seem to think it is. For example you just need to hold your Action to attack when an ally distracts the enemy. Heck the Help can even come from a familiar. Also why would you not co ordinate with your allies if the attack roll is that important?
Again there are many many better options than the next to useless True Strike. Speaking of which I just remembered a couple more in the form of Zephyr Strike and the Feinting Attack maneuver lol.
Just a quick correction but Guidance is only available to Druids, Clerics and Artificers. It isn't a tax on wizards. :)
In terms of cantrip usefulness, some are very situational and some are more generally useful. Resistance does for saving throws what Guidance does for skill checks. Considering that the consequences of a failed save are typically more severe than a failed skill check, Resistance could actually be considered more powerful. I've seen it used in several situations where a save is either though to be likely or the party has to move past an obstacle requiring a save. The most common reason for Resistance not being used in those situations is because the caster didn't take it, not because it wasn't useful. Resistance also has an overlap with Bless which Guidance does not.
Idk why you still think a 2nd level spell slot is a better use of resources to gain the same advantage on the attack as the cantrip offers for no slots. And again, trading your friends action for advantage or your own is a wash.
Zephyr Strike is not valid, ie doesn't work. And fieting attack requires that you be a fighter, or I guess spend a feat.
None of these are better. I'm not even sure why you're trying to convince me. I'm very certain true strike has a niche use. But it does have a use if you do find yourself in that niche.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
I’ve used resistance and blade ward. Have not used truestrike.
i played a war wizard with a 1 lvl order domain cleric dip. At higher wizard levels I stacked cantrip spell effects on myself and dispelled them to gain a bunch of power surges with a single 3rd level slot. Blade ward duration is 1 round, but also the end of your next turn, so it was the last cast before I dispelled.
resistance cantrip, with its concentration, synergized well with durable magic feature for +2 AC from concentration and a 1d4+2 to a save. Arcane deflection to be used on a failed save for an additional +4.
True Strike is IMO pretty much useless.
But resistance and blade ward can be situationally useful.
Resistance would be ok in a situation where you expect a Save. It lasts 1 min, so enough to let you walk through a sketchy doorway etc. Could also hold it repeatedly while observing a conversation where someone is expected to use Charm gimmicks.
Blade Ward works for a moderately high HP but low AC character, who wants to avoid damage. Let's say they want to survive for a while to escape. They use Blade Ward instead of Dodge, because the disadv probably wouldn't make a difference with their poor AC. (For example a low dex Eldritch Knight who was attacked at night without their plate armor) .
But that's very situational, so it's hard to justify picking it. 😅
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It happens because the edition was new, and they didn't have near 10 years of experience with these to look back on. There are quite a few things besides cantrips that WotC now feels like they had a misstep and are trying to rectify it in the 1D&D playtest. And I'm sure once the core 2024 rulebooks come out, we will still find issues like these.
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Re: Blade Ward
It also has unusual synergy with the Find Steed and Find Greater Steed spells. This is because of the following line in both: "While mounted on it, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target the mount." (The "it" is the mount.) Therefore, with one cantrip you are protecting yourself and your mount, which is great when you can't or don't want to spend a feat on Mounted Combatant. As such, Blade Ward can be quite useful for some Bard builds: Magical Secrets to acquire Find Greater Steed is a fairly popular choice. Or, ya know, Paladins with a feat to spare.
If a paladin has a feat to spare they should be taking mounted combatent if they want to protect their steed.
That's certainly an option. Magic Initiate doesn't just equal one cantrip, though. So it's all about the desired build. I'm just posting the information, not saying it's particularly optimized.
Given that Paladin is combined with Sorcerer (or in the case of a Bard with Magical Secrets) fairly often, the combo of Find Steed and cantrips like Blade Ward or Resistance can be quite useful, along with a lot of other levelled buff spells that can target just the Paladin.
What do you mean?
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