My group just finished our 2014 campaign and will be starting a 2024 campaign soon. One of my players is planning on going Eldritch Knight. We are disagreeing about some rule interpretations and I was hoping to get community feedback.
I'll start with the easy ones. Shillelagh, would the extra damage apply to the extra attack from Polearm master? I believe no, and sage advice says that as well but the argument is that's 2014 sage advice not 2024 and the spell has changed. IMO the spell has not changed the key points and it should therefore still apply.
The rest of the questions all have to do with War Magic, and when it can apply.
The way I read it is that it is attack provided by the attack action, which would mean just the base attacks. The way my player reads it is any attack. This includes the extra attacks from polearm master and using a light weapon, even saying knick would qualify under my earlier reading since its now part of the base attack action.
I still don't think they would apply, since the prerequeste for those extra attacks is that they are made with specific weapons, meaing if you cast a spell you don't get the attack anymore. The one condition I somewhat could see, and would probably allow, even if if may not be RAW/RAI would be if truestrike were used, since it just does weapon damage anyways and doesn't make much of a difference if it was used on the main attack or the extra attack.
I'll start with the easy ones. Shillelagh, would the extra damage apply to the extra attack from Polearm master? I believe no, and sage advice says that as well but the argument is that's 2014 sage advice not 2024 and the spell has changed. IMO the spell has not changed the key points and it should therefore still apply.
This is rough. Shillelagh changes the weapon die, but so does Polearm master. I agree that the 2014 Sage Advice is still valid. The wording of both the feat and the spell are fundamentally the same. It is possible, though unlikely that a 2024 Sage Advice will upend the 2014 ruling. I assume the player is using a quarterstaff and casting Shillelagh to use their casting stat for attack and damage? (Polearm Master + Shillelagh only works with Quarterstaves) There is nothing saying the attribute modifier doesn't apply. For a balance comparison, this is equivalent to Shillelagh cast on two clubs + the Two Weapon Fighting Style (to get the attribute modifier on the bonus action attack). If you decide to allow the combo of Polearm Master with a Quarterstaff, on the surface it is just saving one Bonus Action to set up, but be aware that the weapon mastery for Quarterstaff which could result in the enemy being prone, causing advantage for follow-up melee attacks. There is nothing saying that the bonus action does not also carry the Topple mastery. It's probably not broken, but be cautious.
The way I read it is that it is attack provided by the attack action, which would mean just the base attacks. The way my player reads it is any attack. This includes the extra attacks from polearm master and using a light weapon, even saying knick would qualify under my earlier reading since its now part of the base attack action.
You are correct. This applies only to attacks made during the attack action. Bonus Action attacks, Magic Action Attacks (such as the one as part of True Strike), Attacks of Opportunity (but see the Warcaster feat) do not qualify. I suppose theoretically the bonus attack from nick would apply since it does get changed to be part of the base attack action, but that attack must be with a "different light weapon" so I wouldn't allow it; if you don't make an attack with a "different light weapon", you don't have the extra attack to convert to a spell.
I still don't think they would apply, since the prerequeste for those extra attacks is that they are made with specific weapons, meaing if you cast a spell you don't get the attack anymore. The one condition I somewhat could see, and would probably allow, even if if may not be RAW/RAI would be if truestrike were used, since it just does weapon damage anyways and doesn't make much of a difference if it was used on the main attack or the extra attack.
True Strike is a Wizard Cantrip with a casting time of one action. You can cast it in place of one of your Attack Action attacks. You cannot cast True Strike and replace the attack you make as part of casting the spell with the casting of another spell (nor would there be a benefit in doing so).
Ah sorry for truestrike I meant replacing the previously mentioned true bonus attack with truestrike, not replacing the strike from true strike.
So for example going back to Nick, would you allow the war caster to replace the nick attack with true strike since it still ends up being an attack with a different weapon. I think no since you're casting a spell, not doing an attack, but like I said the end result is the same whether you used it on a regular attack or a bonus nick attack that's done with a weaker weapon and no attribute modifier for damage.
I'll start with the easy ones. Shillelagh, would the extra damage apply to the extra attack from Polearm master? I believe no, and sage advice says that as well but the argument is that's 2014 sage advice not 2024 and the spell has changed. IMO the spell has not changed the key points and it should therefore still apply.
I also think the Polearm Master Bonus Action attack is a specific thing, so it won't interact with Shillelagh.
And I also agree you cannot use War Magic with Bonus Action, Magic Ation or Reaction attacks.
But about the Nick question, if you choose to make the extra attack of the Light property as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action, why wouldn't it be possible to use War Magic for that extra attack?
I mean, you could delay War Magic until the extra attack Nick is providing you as part of the Attack action.
But about the Nick question, if you choose to make the extra attack of the Light property as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action, why wouldn't it be possible to use War Magic for that extra attack?
Because if you don't do the attack with a different Light weapon then it doesn't exist any more. It isn't just a requirement of how you make the attack (a normal attack action attack should be made with a weapon/unarmed), it is a requirement for getting to make the attack at all. War Magic can change how you make the attack (just as it changes a normal attack from weapon -> spell) but as soon as you do you no longer have the attack to make and thus nothing to change into the casting of a spell. It's kind of a Schrödinger's attack type of situation.
But about the Nick question, if you choose to make the extra attack of the Light property as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action, why wouldn't it be possible to use War Magic for that extra attack?
Because if you don't do the attack with a different Light weapon then it doesn't exist any more. It isn't just a requirement of how you make the attack (a normal attack action attack should be made with a weapon/unarmed), it is a requirement for getting to make the attack at all. War Magic can change how you make the attack (just as it changes a normal attack from weapon -> spell) but as soon as you do you no longer have the attack to make and thus nothing to change into the casting of a spell. It's kind of a Schrödinger's attack type of situation.
But you're attacking with a different Light weapon, right? The one with the Nick property that was moved to the Attack action. That's the one I’m guessing you could use with War Magic.
I believe the main idea behind War Magic is to take advantage of your Extra Attacks, similar to how the College of Valor Bard's Extra Attack works. So, it should be equivalent to either use your Extra Attacks or the Light property and Nick.
Probably just me being slow today, and I'm missing something. Sorry :(
But you're attacking with a different Light weapon, right? The one with the Nick property that was moved to the Attack action. That's the one I’m guessing you could use with War Magic.
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with a casting of one of your Wizard cantrips that has a casting time of an action.
Light
When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon
Nick
When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.
I think, because of the highlighted phrase, I would rule that War Magic and Nick are not generally compatible. As Thezzaruz said, a cantrip is not a Light weapon
However, a club -- which has the Light property -- with shillelagh already cast on it would be fine for the extra Nick attack, and I would rule that true strike or legacy BB/GFB are also fine, provided you make that melee attack with a Light weapon. You're checking both boxes -- you are making an attack as part of the Attack action (War Magic) and it's being made with a different Light weapon (Light)
Also, this is a 7th-level fighter feature, so the character already has Extra Attack. If you want to cast fire bolt or whatever in addition to making a pair of Light/Nick melee attacks, you can do it
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
While you already have the extra attack your bonus/nick attack is typically weaker than a regular attack, either do to a lower damage die or no attribute damage being added or a combination of both, so being able to replace it would be a slight buff at a minimum.
However, a club -- which has the Light property -- with shillelagh already cast on it would be fine for the extra Nick attack, and I would rule that true strike or legacy BB/GFB are also fine, provided you make that melee attack with a Light weapon. You're checking both boxes -- you are making an attack as part of the Attack action (War Magic) and it's being made with a different Light weapon (Light)
A ShillelaghClub I would definitely allow, it is just using a "better" weapon. True Strike or BB/GFB I would likely not allow as those still cast a spell before any attack happens.
However, a club -- which has the Light property -- with shillelagh already cast on it would be fine for the extra Nick attack, and I would rule that true strike or legacy BB/GFB are also fine, provided you make that melee attack with a Light weapon. You're checking both boxes -- you are making an attack as part of the Attack action (War Magic) and it's being made with a different Light weapon (Light)
A ShillelaghClub I would definitely allow, it is just using a "better" weapon. True Strike or BB/GFB I would likely not allow as those still cast a spell before any attack happens.
Yeah, I just don't see in the rules why "before" would matter. If it's even truly "before" -- the attack is part of the casting, unlike shillelagh
Did you take the Attack action? Yes. War Magic is satisfied
Are you making an attack with a second Light weapon? Yes. Light/Nick are satisfied
In most situations, you probably end up making four attacks split between two light weapons on that turn (Attack, Bonus Action Light Attack, Extra Attack, Nick Attack). One of them can be boosted by True Strike, and it can't be the BA Attack. Being a stickler about it being the Attack or Extra Attack instead of the Nick Attack seems like a waste of energy to me
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I think that the War Magic/Nick interaction is simply out of the scope of the available rules. DM's call. I find the arguments that you can't persuasive, but they're not supported any more than the other interpretation. It is a fairly technical question -- "Can you use War Magic to replace an attack with conditions on it?" Looked at that way, I think the answer for True Strike, etc. must be the same as the answer for Firebolt.
To back up everyone's answers on Shillelagh vs Polearm Master: it's a "specific beats general" question. Or, in this case, "more specific beats less specific". Shillelagh's effect is a blanket replacement, while PAM changes only one specific attack made with the weapon, an attack that only exists because PAM enables it.
Alternately, you can look at it as a priority question, and again PAM wins: Shillelagh was cast at a specific point, and replaced the die at that point. When you use PAM, it overrides the weapon's damage at that point, taking precedent over the older replacement.
The shillelagh spell and the polearm master feat are both specific changes to the general rule of what a weapon can do and how it can be used. Ultimately Its a DM call probably a DM call that should be made with the knowledge of previous sage advice.
The nick attack made as part of your attack action should be able to be replaced with truestrike or another blade cantrip so long as the attack is made with a different light weapon. It does not apply to a bonus acton attack or reaction attack.
A thought I had regarding the changing of weapon die is if or how the simultaneous effect rule would apply regarding the damage die changes.
Yeah, I just don't see in the rules why "before" would matter. If it's even truly "before" -- the attack is part of the casting, unlike shillelagh
Yea I might be a bit too strict and I could accept someone allowing it. Just remember not to add your ability mod to the damage (as stipulated by the Light property).
In most situations, you probably end up making four attacks split between two light weapons on that turn (Attack, Bonus Action Light Attack, Extra Attack, Nick Attack). One of them can be boosted by True Strike, and it can't be the BA Attack. Being a stickler about it being the Attack or Extra Attack instead of the Nick Attack seems like a waste of energy to me
Perhaps. To me this is a lot like the question that came up quite often about Metamagic (2014 rules), why it matters if you quicken the levelled spell (as the rules requires) or the cantrip. And most of the time it doesn't matter but it would leave an opening to add a different Metamagic option on the levelled spell that wouldn't be possible if you followed the RAW.
So in short, it might matter even if it feels like a waste of energy most of the time.
Reading the last replies from Thezzaruz and AntonSirius, I think I didn't explain myself well. Or maybe I did, and I'm still not understanding something.
Let's put aside Shillelagh and PAM.
For this example, let's say you have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other, and you take the Attack action:
First Attack with the Shortsword.
Extra Attack with the Dagger as part of the Attack action.
You took the Attack action, so the War Magic requirement is fulfilled. And then you replace one of the attack with the True Strike cantrip.
For this example, let's say you have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other, and you take the Attack action:
First Attack with the Shortsword.
Extra Attack with the Dagger as part of the Attack action.
You took the Attack action, so the War Magic requirement is fulfilled. And then you replace one of then with the True Strike cantrip.
Which part is incorrect?
The question boils down to this, can you use War Magic to replace the attack granted by the Nick property with a spell? And does it matter if the spell is one that allows you to makes a weapon attack?
The Nick attack comes from the Light property which says that the attack "must be made with a different Light weapon". And my POW is that since a spell isn't a weapon then trying to replace the attack with a spell means that you no longer are allowed to make the attack and thus there is nothing for War Magic to replace. Others disagree (to varying extent).
For this example, let's say you have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other, and you take the Attack action:
First Attack with the Shortsword.
Extra Attack with the Dagger as part of the Attack action.
You took the Attack action, so the War Magic requirement is fulfilled. And then you replace one of then with the True Strike cantrip.
Which part is incorrect?
The question boils down to this, can you use War Magic to replace the attack granted by the Nick property with a spell? And does it matter if the spell is one that allows you to makes a weapon attack?
The Nick attack comes from the Light property which says that the attack "must be made with a different Light weapon". And my POW is that since a spell isn't a weapon then trying to replace the attack with a spell means that you no longer are allowed to make the attack and thus there is nothing for War Magic to replace. Others disagree (to varying extent).
Oh, my, I just understood your reasons... thanks for your time and patience with me.
Reading the last replies from Thezzaruz and AntonSirius, I think I didn't explain myself well. Or maybe I did, and I'm still not understanding something.
Let's put aside Shillelagh and PAM.
For this example, let's say you have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other, and you take the Attack action:
First Attack with the Shortsword.
Extra Attack with the Dagger as part of the Attack action.
You took the Attack action, so the War Magic requirement is fulfilled. And then you replace one of the attack with the True Strike cantrip.
Which part is incorrect?
Here’s my opinion,
with War Magic it’s talking about 1/2 attacks. The first attack you get and the extra attack at 5th level. So one of those “attack” would be spent on war magic to cast true strike. The nick mastery is still a “bonus attack” but because you have this mastery you can use it in the attack action. It’s the bonus granted by the weapon mastery. So the character would either cast true strike, then attack with (ex dagger) triggers nick- bonus attack. Because if you don’t attack with a nick weapon no bonus attack. Short sword will get you vex but you can still use the light property as a bonus action, or do something else.
As far as Shillelagh and pole arm, I don’t think the dice is changed because of the spel with the additional bonus attack. It would stay as d4 as stated. If it stated as the damage stayed the same with the other end then sure, but it says as additional, same as the bonus rules above. I would keep it as written with pole arm master.
I'm fairly sure War Magic is intended to replace of the attacks from the Attackaction itself and not other soruce.
Would you allow War Magic to be used on the extra attack granted by haste?
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
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My group just finished our 2014 campaign and will be starting a 2024 campaign soon. One of my players is planning on going Eldritch Knight. We are disagreeing about some rule interpretations and I was hoping to get community feedback.
I'll start with the easy ones. Shillelagh, would the extra damage apply to the extra attack from Polearm master? I believe no, and sage advice says that as well but the argument is that's 2014 sage advice not 2024 and the spell has changed. IMO the spell has not changed the key points and it should therefore still apply.
The rest of the questions all have to do with War Magic, and when it can apply.
The way I read it is that it is attack provided by the attack action, which would mean just the base attacks. The way my player reads it is any attack. This includes the extra attacks from polearm master and using a light weapon, even saying knick would qualify under my earlier reading since its now part of the base attack action.
I still don't think they would apply, since the prerequeste for those extra attacks is that they are made with specific weapons, meaing if you cast a spell you don't get the attack anymore. The one condition I somewhat could see, and would probably allow, even if if may not be RAW/RAI would be if truestrike were used, since it just does weapon damage anyways and doesn't make much of a difference if it was used on the main attack or the extra attack.
Thanks for any and all advice on this!
This is rough. Shillelagh changes the weapon die, but so does Polearm master. I agree that the 2014 Sage Advice is still valid. The wording of both the feat and the spell are fundamentally the same. It is possible, though unlikely that a 2024 Sage Advice will upend the 2014 ruling. I assume the player is using a quarterstaff and casting Shillelagh to use their casting stat for attack and damage? (Polearm Master + Shillelagh only works with Quarterstaves) There is nothing saying the attribute modifier doesn't apply. For a balance comparison, this is equivalent to Shillelagh cast on two clubs + the Two Weapon Fighting Style (to get the attribute modifier on the bonus action attack). If you decide to allow the combo of Polearm Master with a Quarterstaff, on the surface it is just saving one Bonus Action to set up, but be aware that the weapon mastery for Quarterstaff which could result in the enemy being prone, causing advantage for follow-up melee attacks. There is nothing saying that the bonus action does not also carry the Topple mastery. It's probably not broken, but be cautious.
You are correct. This applies only to attacks made during the attack action. Bonus Action attacks, Magic Action Attacks (such as the one as part of True Strike), Attacks of Opportunity (but see the Warcaster feat) do not qualify. I suppose theoretically the bonus attack from nick would apply since it does get changed to be part of the base attack action, but that attack must be with a "different light weapon" so I wouldn't allow it; if you don't make an attack with a "different light weapon", you don't have the extra attack to convert to a spell.
True Strike is a Wizard Cantrip with a casting time of one action. You can cast it in place of one of your Attack Action attacks. You cannot cast True Strike and replace the attack you make as part of casting the spell with the casting of another spell (nor would there be a benefit in doing so).
How to add Tooltips.
Ah sorry for truestrike I meant replacing the previously mentioned true bonus attack with truestrike, not replacing the strike from true strike.
So for example going back to Nick, would you allow the war caster to replace the nick attack with true strike since it still ends up being an attack with a different weapon. I think no since you're casting a spell, not doing an attack, but like I said the end result is the same whether you used it on a regular attack or a bonus nick attack that's done with a weaker weapon and no attribute modifier for damage.
I also think the Polearm Master Bonus Action attack is a specific thing, so it won't interact with Shillelagh.
And I also agree you cannot use War Magic with Bonus Action, Magic Ation or Reaction attacks.
But about the Nick question, if you choose to make the extra attack of the Light property as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action, why wouldn't it be possible to use War Magic for that extra attack?
I mean, you could delay War Magic until the extra attack Nick is providing you as part of the Attack action.
Because if you don't do the attack with a different Light weapon then it doesn't exist any more. It isn't just a requirement of how you make the attack (a normal attack action attack should be made with a weapon/unarmed), it is a requirement for getting to make the attack at all. War Magic can change how you make the attack (just as it changes a normal attack from weapon -> spell) but as soon as you do you no longer have the attack to make and thus nothing to change into the casting of a spell. It's kind of a Schrödinger's attack type of situation.
But you're attacking with a different Light weapon, right? The one with the Nick property that was moved to the Attack action. That's the one I’m guessing you could use with War Magic.
I believe the main idea behind War Magic is to take advantage of your Extra Attacks, similar to how the College of Valor Bard's Extra Attack works. So, it should be equivalent to either use your Extra Attacks or the Light property and Nick.
Probably just me being slow today, and I'm missing something. Sorry :(
No, a spell is not a Light weapon.
Hmm
I think, because of the highlighted phrase, I would rule that War Magic and Nick are not generally compatible. As Thezzaruz said, a cantrip is not a Light weapon
However, a club -- which has the Light property -- with shillelagh already cast on it would be fine for the extra Nick attack, and I would rule that true strike or legacy BB/GFB are also fine, provided you make that melee attack with a Light weapon. You're checking both boxes -- you are making an attack as part of the Attack action (War Magic) and it's being made with a different Light weapon (Light)
Also, this is a 7th-level fighter feature, so the character already has Extra Attack. If you want to cast fire bolt or whatever in addition to making a pair of Light/Nick melee attacks, you can do it
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
While you already have the extra attack your bonus/nick attack is typically weaker than a regular attack, either do to a lower damage die or no attribute damage being added or a combination of both, so being able to replace it would be a slight buff at a minimum.
A Shillelagh Club I would definitely allow, it is just using a "better" weapon. True Strike or BB/GFB I would likely not allow as those still cast a spell before any attack happens.
Yeah, I just don't see in the rules why "before" would matter. If it's even truly "before" -- the attack is part of the casting, unlike shillelagh
In most situations, you probably end up making four attacks split between two light weapons on that turn (Attack, Bonus Action Light Attack, Extra Attack, Nick Attack). One of them can be boosted by True Strike, and it can't be the BA Attack. Being a stickler about it being the Attack or Extra Attack instead of the Nick Attack seems like a waste of energy to me
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I think that the War Magic/Nick interaction is simply out of the scope of the available rules. DM's call. I find the arguments that you can't persuasive, but they're not supported any more than the other interpretation. It is a fairly technical question -- "Can you use War Magic to replace an attack with conditions on it?" Looked at that way, I think the answer for True Strike, etc. must be the same as the answer for Firebolt.
To back up everyone's answers on Shillelagh vs Polearm Master: it's a "specific beats general" question. Or, in this case, "more specific beats less specific". Shillelagh's effect is a blanket replacement, while PAM changes only one specific attack made with the weapon, an attack that only exists because PAM enables it.
Alternately, you can look at it as a priority question, and again PAM wins: Shillelagh was cast at a specific point, and replaced the die at that point. When you use PAM, it overrides the weapon's damage at that point, taking precedent over the older replacement.
The shillelagh spell and the polearm master feat are both specific changes to the general rule of what a weapon can do and how it can be used. Ultimately Its a DM call probably a DM call that should be made with the knowledge of previous sage advice.
The nick attack made as part of your attack action should be able to be replaced with truestrike or another blade cantrip so long as the attack is made with a different light weapon. It does not apply to a bonus acton attack or reaction attack.
A thought I had regarding the changing of weapon die is if or how the simultaneous effect rule would apply regarding the damage die changes.
Yea I might be a bit too strict and I could accept someone allowing it. Just remember not to add your ability mod to the damage (as stipulated by the Light property).
Perhaps. To me this is a lot like the question that came up quite often about Metamagic (2014 rules), why it matters if you quicken the levelled spell (as the rules requires) or the cantrip. And most of the time it doesn't matter but it would leave an opening to add a different Metamagic option on the levelled spell that wouldn't be possible if you followed the RAW.
So in short, it might matter even if it feels like a waste of energy most of the time.
Reading the last replies from Thezzaruz and AntonSirius, I think I didn't explain myself well. Or maybe I did, and I'm still not understanding something.
Let's put aside Shillelagh and PAM.
For this example, let's say you have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other, and you take the Attack action:
You took the Attack action, so the War Magic requirement is fulfilled. And then you replace one of the attack with the True Strike cantrip.
Which part is incorrect?
I'm fairly sure War Magic is intended to replace of the attacks from the Attack action itself and not other soruce.
The question boils down to this, can you use War Magic to replace the attack granted by the Nick property with a spell? And does it matter if the spell is one that allows you to makes a weapon attack?
The Nick attack comes from the Light property which says that the attack "must be made with a different Light weapon". And my POW is that since a spell isn't a weapon then trying to replace the attack with a spell means that you no longer are allowed to make the attack and thus there is nothing for War Magic to replace. Others disagree (to varying extent).
Oh, my, I just understood your reasons... thanks for your time and patience with me.
Here’s my opinion,
with War Magic it’s talking about 1/2 attacks. The first attack you get and the extra attack at 5th level. So one of those “attack” would be spent on war magic to cast true strike.
The nick mastery is still a “bonus attack” but because you have this mastery you can use it in the attack action. It’s the bonus granted by the weapon mastery. So the character would either cast true strike, then attack with (ex dagger) triggers nick- bonus attack. Because if you don’t attack with a nick weapon no bonus attack. Short sword will get you vex but you can still use the light property as a bonus action, or do something else.
As far as Shillelagh and pole arm, I don’t think the dice is changed because of the spel with the additional bonus attack. It would stay as d4 as stated. If it stated as the damage stayed the same with the other end then sure, but it says as additional, same as the bonus rules above. I would keep it as written with pole arm master.
Would you allow War Magic to be used on the extra attack granted by haste?
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)