I'd say yes, yes, yes and yes. Radiant energy can be nifty, but in most cases doesn't matter.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
It can be used with the Polearm Master feat and Reach weapons.
Depends on what you mean, if you cast true strike as your action, you can not use the pole strike feature of the Polearm Master Feat as it requires you take the attack action, however if you can cast the cantrip in a way where you can still take the attack action (such as College of Valor Bard's Extra Attack or Eldritch Knight Fighter's War Magic) then you could still use Pole Strike
It can be used with the War Caster feat.
It's a bit complicated but usually assumed to be a yes with booming blade, and True Strike works in the same way. However I think there is more nuance to your question than is really being asked, just encase you're asking about this particular scenario, War Caster does not work with Polearm Master's Reactionary Strike.
If that's the case, I’d like to know your thoughts: is it better or worse than Booming Blade?
It depends, it's different based on build, booming blade works better with War Caster since you can punish a creature for trying to move away from you whereas true strike would work better on a caster that lacks extra attack or the shillelagh spell and does not have a high investment in Strength or Dexterity. Additionally true strike works on ranged weapon attacks where booming blade does not. Additionally Booming Blade has a 5 foot restriction, which makes it not work with Reach weapons attacking at 10 foot, whereas True Strike would work with Reach weapons at 10 foot.
I would say overall, Booming Blade is slightly better, but not by much. Mostly it's just more usable in it's appropriate uses, when playing a valor bard or eldritch knight, you are likely high STR/DEX and booming blade adds more damage. Also for war caster it's better for all melee weapons except for reach weapons.
For using your spell modifier to attack, Shillelagh is a better choice for melee (5 ft) over true strike, albeit, it does limit itself to club and quarterstaff but that is not a big cost and it works with all versions of extra attack, it just costs a single bonus action. Most classes that get true strike do not get Shillelagh, but it can be picked up in a couple of other ways, such as the magic initiative origin feat or via pact of the tome eldritch invocation for warlock (altho pact of the blade would generally be the better choice by that point).
It can be used with the Polearm Master feat and Reach weapons.
You can't use the bonus action attack from Polearm Master after taking the Magic action and attacking, you can only after taking the Attack action and doing so.
Polearm Master: Immediately after you take the Attack action and attack with a Quarterstaff, a Spear, or a weapon that has the Heavy and Reach properties, you can use a Bonus Action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. The weapon deals Bludgeoning damage, and the weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4.
I think Booming Blade is better than True Strike with higher damage and movement deterrent, but the latter is more flexible in letting you use your spellcasting ability for the attack and damage rolls instead of using Strength or Dexterity and dealing Radiant instead of the weapon’s normal damage type.
It can be used with the Polearm Master feat and Reach weapons.
Depends on what you mean, if you cast true strike as your action, you can not use the pole strike feature of the Polearm Master Feat as it requires you take the attack action, however if you can cast the cantrip in a way where you can still take the attack action (such as College of Valor Bard's Extra Attack or Eldritch Knight Fighter's War Magic) then you could still use Pole Strike
Sorry, I forgot to mention I was thinking of a Bladesinger (I've added a note in my post)
As for the interaction between Polearm Master and War Caster, I didn’t realize War Caster got updated and now only works when a creature is leaving your reach. Is that why it doesn’t work anymore?
Reactive Spell. When a creature provokes an Opportunity Attack from you by leaving your reach, you can take a Reaction to cast a spell at the creature rather than making an Opportunity Attack. The spell must have a casting time of one action and must target only that creature.
It can be used with the Polearm Master feat and Reach weapons.
You can't use the bonus action attack from Polearm Master after taking the Magic action and attacking, you can only after taking the Attack action and doing so.
Polearm Master: Immediately after you take the Attack action and attack with a Quarterstaff, a Spear, or a weapon that has the Heavy and Reach properties, you can use a Bonus Action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. The weapon deals Bludgeoning damage, and the weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4.
Sorry, I forgot to mention I was thinking of a Bladesinger (I've added a note in my post)
It can be used with the Polearm Master feat and Reach weapons.
Depends on what you mean, if you cast true strike as your action, you can not use the pole strike feature of the Polearm Master Feat as it requires you take the attack action, however if you can cast the cantrip in a way where you can still take the attack action (such as College of Valor Bard's Extra Attack or Eldritch Knight Fighter's War Magic) then you could still use Pole Strike
Sorry, I forgot to mention I was thinking of a Bladesinger (I've added a note in my post)
Valor Bard's(2024) Extra Attack is the same as Bladesingers but...
1) You'd need to pick up the proficiency for the Polearm for somewhere, the Proficiency offered by Bladesinger is limited to a 1-handed melee weapon
2) you lose bladesong if you perform an attack with a 2-handed weapon, this would limit Polearm Master to Spear or too quarterstaff (as long as you only use one hand/do not use the versatile property). Spear unironically would work quiet well, it is a versatile melee weapon (so can be used 1-handed, if that is enough to qualify for Bladesinger's proficiency is another question), it is not a reach weapon (so can use booming blade with war caster) and you'd still be able to use Pole Strike.
As for the interaction between Polearm Master and War Caster, I didn’t realize War Caster got updated and now only works when a creature is leaving your reach. Is that why it doesn’t work anymore?
Reactive Spell. When a creature provokes an Opportunity Attack from you by leaving your reach, you can take a Reaction to cast a spell at the creature rather than making an Opportunity Attack. The spell must have a casting time of one action and must target only that creature.
It's two fold:
first off, yes, Reactive Spell is limited to when a creature is leaving your reach.
secondly, Reactive Strike is not an Opportunity Attack.
If your goal is to do damage, True Strike is probably better. If your goal is keeping a target locked down so they don’t go someplace else, Booming Blade is probably better.
Essentially, True Strike is a damage spell and Booming Blade is a tank spell. Different purposes for different goals.
Ha yes in such case if your character has a feature letting you cast a spell instead of making an attack when taking the Attack action, you can use any Feat, Features, Property or Mastery allowed when taking the Attack action.
As for War Caster, 2024 nix synergy with Polearm Master Opportunity Attack as R3sistance said..
If you're a bladesinger, there's a good chance you have a high dexterity in which case there's no real benefit to True Strike.
I only see True Strike being useful if you don't have high STR or DEX and only have one attack. Bladesingers usually have high DEX, and they get two attacks.
If you're a bladesinger, there's a good chance you have a high dexterity in which case there's no real benefit to True Strike.
I only see True Strike being useful if you don't have high STR or DEX and only have one attack. Bladesingers usually have high DEX, and they get two attacks.
Booming Blade also does 1d8 vs True Strike's 1d6.
Very much this. What True Strike can do for a Bladesinger is allow you to focus on your INT score first, and use True Strike in Tier 1 play. However, by 6th level I would think the Bladesinger would want to swap out True Strike for Booming Blade. Really, the new True Strike is best for Clerics, who still lack an attack roll cantrip.
Is it truly usable with ranged weapons even though it says on the spells page under Attack/Save: Melee?
Yes. The spell True Strike let you make one attack with the weapon used in the spell’s casting, which can be any melee or ranged weapon with which you have proficiency and that is worth 1+ CP
Is it truly usable with ranged weapons even though it says on the spells page under Attack/Save: Melee?
Yes. The spell True Strike let you make one attack with the weapon used in the spell’s casting, which can be any melee or ranged weapon with which you have proficiency and that is worth 1+ CP
But what about the fact that it says Melee under Attack/Save?
Is it truly usable with ranged weapons even though it says on the spells page under Attack/Save: Melee?
Yes. The spell True Strike let you make one attack with the weapon used in the spell’s casting, which can be any melee or ranged weapon with which you have proficiency and that is worth 1+ CP
But what about the fact that it says Melee under Attack/Save?
That fact doesn't mean anything. It's not in the book and it's not in the free rules. It's just some website data entry bug.
This post is just to confirm my thoughts and read your opinions. Not for any special reason, really.
True Strike has been redesigned, and because its range is "Self" without a specified distance:
If that's the case, I’d like to know your thoughts: is it better or worse than Booming Blade?
EDIT: considering as a character a level 6 Bladesinger.
I'd say yes, yes, yes and yes. Radiant energy can be nifty, but in most cases doesn't matter.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
It can be used with any weapon
Depends on what you mean, if you cast true strike as your action, you can not use the pole strike feature of the Polearm Master Feat as it requires you take the attack action, however if you can cast the cantrip in a way where you can still take the attack action (such as College of Valor Bard's Extra Attack or Eldritch Knight Fighter's War Magic) then you could still use Pole Strike
It's a bit complicated but usually assumed to be a yes with booming blade, and True Strike works in the same way. However I think there is more nuance to your question than is really being asked, just encase you're asking about this particular scenario, War Caster does not work with Polearm Master's Reactionary Strike.
It depends, it's different based on build, booming blade works better with War Caster since you can punish a creature for trying to move away from you whereas true strike would work better on a caster that lacks extra attack or the shillelagh spell and does not have a high investment in Strength or Dexterity. Additionally true strike works on ranged weapon attacks where booming blade does not. Additionally Booming Blade has a 5 foot restriction, which makes it not work with Reach weapons attacking at 10 foot, whereas True Strike would work with Reach weapons at 10 foot.
I would say overall, Booming Blade is slightly better, but not by much. Mostly it's just more usable in it's appropriate uses, when playing a valor bard or eldritch knight, you are likely high STR/DEX and booming blade adds more damage. Also for war caster it's better for all melee weapons except for reach weapons.
For using your spell modifier to attack, Shillelagh is a better choice for melee (5 ft) over true strike, albeit, it does limit itself to club and quarterstaff but that is not a big cost and it works with all versions of extra attack, it just costs a single bonus action. Most classes that get true strike do not get Shillelagh, but it can be picked up in a couple of other ways, such as the magic initiative origin feat or via pact of the tome eldritch invocation for warlock (altho pact of the blade would generally be the better choice by that point).
You can't use the bonus action attack from Polearm Master after taking the Magic action and attacking, you can only after taking the Attack action and doing so.
I think Booming Blade is better than True Strike with higher damage and movement deterrent, but the latter is more flexible in letting you use your spellcasting ability for the attack and damage rolls instead of using Strength or Dexterity and dealing Radiant instead of the weapon’s normal damage type.
@R3sistance thanks for your answer!
Sorry, I forgot to mention I was thinking of a Bladesinger (I've added a note in my post)
As for the interaction between Polearm Master and War Caster, I didn’t realize War Caster got updated and now only works when a creature is leaving your reach. Is that why it doesn’t work anymore?
Sorry, I forgot to mention I was thinking of a Bladesinger (I've added a note in my post)
Valor Bard's(2024) Extra Attack is the same as Bladesingers but...
1) You'd need to pick up the proficiency for the Polearm for somewhere, the Proficiency offered by Bladesinger is limited to a 1-handed melee weapon
2) you lose bladesong if you perform an attack with a 2-handed weapon, this would limit Polearm Master to Spear or too quarterstaff (as long as you only use one hand/do not use the versatile property). Spear unironically would work quiet well, it is a versatile melee weapon (so can be used 1-handed, if that is enough to qualify for Bladesinger's proficiency is another question), it is not a reach weapon (so can use booming blade with war caster) and you'd still be able to use Pole Strike.
It's two fold:
first off, yes, Reactive Spell is limited to when a creature is leaving your reach.
secondly, Reactive Strike is not an Opportunity Attack.
If your goal is to do damage, True Strike is probably better. If your goal is keeping a target locked down so they don’t go someplace else, Booming Blade is probably better.
Essentially, True Strike is a damage spell and Booming Blade is a tank spell. Different purposes for different goals.
Ha yes in such case if your character has a feature letting you cast a spell instead of making an attack when taking the Attack action, you can use any Feat, Features, Property or Mastery allowed when taking the Attack action.
As for War Caster, 2024 nix synergy with Polearm Master Opportunity Attack as R3sistance said..
Ok! Amazing guys! I've learned a lot today thanks to your über answers!
If you're a bladesinger, there's a good chance you have a high dexterity in which case there's no real benefit to True Strike.
I only see True Strike being useful if you don't have high STR or DEX and only have one attack. Bladesingers usually have high DEX, and they get two attacks.
Booming Blade also does 1d8 vs True Strike's 1d6.
Very much this. What True Strike can do for a Bladesinger is allow you to focus on your INT score first, and use True Strike in Tier 1 play. However, by 6th level I would think the Bladesinger would want to swap out True Strike for Booming Blade. Really, the new True Strike is best for Clerics, who still lack an attack roll cantrip.
Is it truly usable with ranged weapons even though it says on the spells page under Attack/Save: Melee?
Yes. The spell True Strike let you make one attack with the weapon used in the spell’s casting, which can be any melee or ranged weapon with which you have proficiency and that is worth 1+ CP
But what about the fact that it says Melee under Attack/Save?
That fact doesn't mean anything. It's not in the book and it's not in the free rules. It's just some website data entry bug.
Yes, the same question was posted a few days ago: 2024 Spell "True Strike" for melee weapons only?