I'm trying to understand Shillelagh and bonus action. I've read a caster can use a cantrip and a bonus action on one turn. So, can I use a Cantrip and also attack using Shillelagh as a bonus action?
Also, with the two weapon fighting ability could I use Shillelagh as an action to attack and then also attack with a simple weapon (dagger for instance, or even the same quarterstaff)?
So shillelagh can be cast as a bonus action and temporarily changes the stats of an appropriate weapon.
The attack is still using the attack action, so you don't get a bonus action attack from the spell.
Dual wielding offhand attacks require both weapons to have the light property (without feats) so you don't get a bonus action attack with a club(altered by shillelagh) and a dagger.
If you are using/have access to feats you could take the feat dual wielder(two weapon fighting no longer needs light property and other bonuses) to use club/dagger or club and club. Or the feat polearm master which gives a bonus action attack with quarterstaffs along with other bonuses.
Yeah, the intent is that you can cast Shillelagh as a Bonus Action on your turn and then use the Attack Action on the same turn. After that Noska has it nailed.
I'm trying to understand Shillelagh and bonus action. I've read a caster can use a cantrip and a bonus action on one turn. So, can I use a Cantrip and also attack using Shillelagh as a bonus action?
Also, with the two weapon fighting ability could I use Shillelagh as an action to attack and then also attack with a simple weapon (dagger for instance, or even the same quarterstaff)?
First, let's address bonus actions and spellcasting because I think most of your confusion likely stems from that. It would be worth your time to read the entire section on casting a spell from the PHB. The rule on casting spells as a bonus action is that, if you cast a spell with a casting time of 1 bonus action, the only type of spell that you can then cast with your action must be a cantrip. Shillelagh has a casting time of 1 bonus action. The fact that is also a cantrip is irrelevant, and the spellcasting restriction is irrelevant since it seems like you want to use your action for the Attack action (smacking things) instead of casting another spell.
You don't need to use your action on Shillelagh (and you can't anyway, but it's irrelevant) because you are already using your 1 bonus action to cast it. You can use your action to take the Attack action, and make a single melee weapon attack using your (now magically better) quarterstaff using Wisdom (instead of Strength) and a 1d8 damage die (instead of 1d6).
Now as to your actual question about Two-Weapon Fighting... hard no, for a lot of reasons. Most importantly, a quarterstaff is not eligible for use with Two-Weapon Fighting. It doesn't have the light property, so you do not qualify for TWF while using it unless you have the Dual Wielder feat. If you were instead using a Club as your main weapon, and the Dagger in your offhand, you would be eligible for using TWF (both weapons are light).
However, that's only valid on a different turn from the one that you used Shillelagh. You only get a max of one bonus action per round, no matter how many features you have that use bonus actions. On your next turn, you would be able to use your action on the Attack action (requirement for TWF) to attack with one of your light weapons, and then use your bonus action to attack with the otherlight weapon.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Thanks. I've read the relevant section (and all other sections) and that's the reason I posted. It doesn't explain this in the bonus action area as it's obviously specific to this unique spell/weapon combination.
There are a lot of things in game that are disputed and interpreted differently by different DMs. That's the fun of it for a DM I guess but it's confusing for a new player.
Hi! I am visiting this thread because I have a separate but related question.
Say I am wielding two clubs and cast shillelagh on them using bonus actions from two turns.
On my next turn, would both main-hand and offhand attacks have bonus damage from the Wisdom Modifier?
No. Here's the last line of shillelagh's description: "The spell ends if you cast it again or if you let go of the weapon." When you cast it on your second club, the spell ends on the first one, returning it to a normal club.
Also worth noting that Shillelagh has a Material and Somatic component which means under most circumstances you cannot cast it if you have both hands full with weapons. You would need one of the weapons to be a spellcasting focus.
I’m not sure on that, Emmber. The Material components include a staff or club, ostensibly the weapon you are casting the spell on, and you only need one hand to deal with all of the material components of a spell. If you are using a component pouch, you could seemingly use the hand holding the club to get the shamrock.
I’m not sure on that, Emmber. The Material components include a staff or club, ostensibly the weapon you are casting the spell on, and you only need one hand to deal with all of the material components of a spell. If you are using a component pouch, you could seemingly use the hand holding the club to get the shamrock.
You don’t need to, simply having one hand free to interact with the pouch and perform the somatic components, and the weapons in the other fulfills all requirements. You cannot “wield” two weapons in the same hand, but you can hold two in the same hand.
I certainly didn't ever think whenever I've used the spell on my druid that I was supposed to put my shield or club away (it would probably have to be the shield, right? Because you still need the weapon as a component...) to pull out a totem to count for the material components of the spell. I don't think that it is intended to be used that way. Maybe the intent is that you have to cast it before you don your shield, using your focus if you chose a club, a shield, and a focus?
Most commonly I'd imagine that it is used with a wooden staff that doubles as a quarterstaff, meaning that the weapon could count as a focus. This means that the additional shamrock/mistletoe component only really hinders people who are not using it with a staff, which seems like unintentional and poor design -- since it turns a player choice into a choice between the "not exactly obvious yet correct" option and the "similar seeming yet incorrect" option.
Should this spell have been caught up in the new errata that indicated that spells that act on weapons should indicate that the weapon has value so that you can't replace the weapon with a focus?
Also worth noting that Shillelagh has a Material and Somatic component which means under most circumstances you cannot cast it if you have both hands full with weapons. You would need one of the weapons to be a spellcasting focus.
Yeah, this is incorrect. Druids can use their quarterstaff as a spell-casting focus, and usually there is a story behind it to make that item special. You'll also not be using this much after level 2 when you can wildshape anyway.
Also worth noting that Shillelagh has a Material and Somatic component which means under most circumstances you cannot cast it if you have both hands full with weapons. You would need one of the weapons to be a spellcasting focus.
Yeah, this is incorrect. Druids can use their quarterstaff as a spell-casting focus, and usually there is a story behind it to make that item special. You'll also not be using this much after level 2 when you can wildshape anyway.
Actually it is correct. if a spell has M components you cannot be holding two weapons, unless one of those weapons is either A) the component for the spell or B) A spell casting focus.
Hi! I am visiting this thread because I have a separate but related question.
Say I am wielding two clubs and cast shillelagh on them using bonus actions from two turns.
On my next turn, would both main-hand and offhand attacks have bonus damage from the Wisdom Modifier?
No. Here's the last line of shillelagh's description: "The spell ends if you cast it again or if you let go of the weapon." When you cast it on your second club, the spell ends on the first one, returning it to a normal club.
There are a bunch of ways to accomplish full spellcasting while holding two weapons, but there are no scenarios where you can benefit from Shillelagh on more than one item at a time. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are any metamagic or other features that could be in play here.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Hi! I am visiting this thread because I have a separate but related question.
Say I am wielding two clubs and cast shillelagh on them using bonus actions from two turns.
On my next turn, would both main-hand and offhand attacks have bonus damage from the Wisdom Modifier?
No. Here's the last line of shillelagh's description: "The spell ends if you cast it again or if you let go of the weapon." When you cast it on your second club, the spell ends on the first one, returning it to a normal club.
There are a bunch of ways to accomplish full spellcasting while holding two weapons, but there are no scenarios where you can benefit from Shillelagh on more than one item at a time. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are any metamagic or other features that could be in play here.
Cool so the answer was done neat..... \, most likely was seen by the person that needed help but there was a second issue brought up and that needed to be addressed. So I guess we should all leave the thread and ignore incorrectly corrected info.
This is the rules and mechanics forum, I believe it is in the spirit of the forum o make sure no rules are incorrectly stated even if they are off-topic/the thread was answered.
Am I wrong in thinking that the way this spell is set up for use in DND beyond is wrong? My attack with Shillelagh only shows up in the bonus action tab. But it sounds like this thread is saying this attack should always be with the attack action.
In an earlier example, Sigred wrote:
If you were instead using a Club as your main weapon, and the Dagger in your offhand, you would be eligible for using TWF (both weapons are light).
However, that's only valid on a different turn from the one that you used Shillelagh. You only get a max of one bonus action per round, no matter how many features you have that use bonus actions. On your next turn, you would be able to use your action on the Attack action (requirement for TWF) to attack with one of your light weapons, and then use your bonus action to attack with the otherlight weapon.
In this dagger and club shillelagh scenario, would the shillelagh would have to be the main attack and the dagger the bonus action? If you could use the shillelagh as the bonus action, it seems you could get your damage modifier (e.g., dex modifier because it is a finesse weapon) on the dagger attack and the Shillelagh modifiers on the bonus attack. A little extra boost to damage that wouldn't be game breaking but perhaps is inconsistent with the rules as intended?
I think I get what you are saying, but the answer is No. Shillelagh doesn't change how your melee attacks work it only changes their ability modifiers, so if you make an offhand attack that does not add your ability modifier to damage, "You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative."
Am I wrong in thinking that the way this spell is set up for use in DND beyond is wrong? My attack with Shillelagh only shows up in the bonus action tab. But it sounds like this thread is saying this attack should always be with the attack action.
It certainly gives the wrong impression. Notice it also says range of Touch, which clearly doesn't apply to the attacks you will make with your new magic weapon.
As stated here, you cast Shillelagh as a bonus action onto your club/quarterstaff and it makes them magical. Done. Now you attack with them as you would any other melee weapon, using an Attack action. In the DnDBeyond interface, instead of clicking the attack and dmg buttons beside your club or quarterstaff when you take that attack action, you need to go down to the Shillelach entry under Bonus actions and click the Attack and Dmg buttons in that entry so it uses your spell modifiers.
Personally, I think I would have preferred them to have made it an entry in the Attack table with a note saying "only available after casting the spell Shillelach as a bonus action."
Am I wrong in thinking that the way this spell is set up for use in DND beyond is wrong? My attack with Shillelagh only shows up in the bonus action tab. But it sounds like this thread is saying this attack should always be with the attack action.
It certainly gives the wrong impression. Notice it also says range of Touch, which clearly doesn't apply to the attacks you will make with your new magic weapon.
As stated here, you cast Shillelagh as a bonus action onto your club/quarterstaff and it makes them magical. Done. Now you attack with them as you would any other melee weapon, using an Attack action. In the DnDBeyond interface, instead of clicking the attack and dmg buttons beside your club or quarterstaff when you take that attack action, you need to go down to the Shillelach entry under Bonus actions and click the Attack and Dmg buttons in that entry so it uses your spell modifiers.
Personally, I think I would have preferred them to have made it an entry in the Attack table with a note saying "only available after casting the spell Shillelach as a bonus action."
The spell is not a weapon or attack. I'm assuming you're going to the spell, and checking the "display as attack" button, yeah? All that does is make the spell itself appear in your attack list, and it gets listed as a bonus action there because... the spell is a bonus action.
What you need to do is go to your weapon, and customize that for stats while under the effect of Shillelagh. Alternatively, you can make a custom action for your sheet.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
A newish player here playing a Druid.
I'm trying to understand Shillelagh and bonus action. I've read a caster can use a cantrip and a bonus action on one turn. So, can I use a Cantrip and also attack using Shillelagh as a bonus action?
Also, with the two weapon fighting ability could I use Shillelagh as an action to attack and then also attack with a simple weapon (dagger for instance, or even the same quarterstaff)?
So shillelagh can be cast as a bonus action and temporarily changes the stats of an appropriate weapon.
The attack is still using the attack action, so you don't get a bonus action attack from the spell.
Dual wielding offhand attacks require both weapons to have the light property (without feats) so you don't get a bonus action attack with a club(altered by shillelagh) and a dagger.
If you are using/have access to feats you could take the feat dual wielder(two weapon fighting no longer needs light property and other bonuses) to use club/dagger or club and club. Or the feat polearm master which gives a bonus action attack with quarterstaffs along with other bonuses.
Yeah, the intent is that you can cast Shillelagh as a Bonus Action on your turn and then use the Attack Action on the same turn. After that Noska has it nailed.
First, let's address bonus actions and spellcasting because I think most of your confusion likely stems from that. It would be worth your time to read the entire section on casting a spell from the PHB. The rule on casting spells as a bonus action is that, if you cast a spell with a casting time of 1 bonus action, the only type of spell that you can then cast with your action must be a cantrip. Shillelagh has a casting time of 1 bonus action. The fact that is also a cantrip is irrelevant, and the spellcasting restriction is irrelevant since it seems like you want to use your action for the Attack action (smacking things) instead of casting another spell.
You don't need to use your action on Shillelagh (and you can't anyway, but it's irrelevant) because you are already using your 1 bonus action to cast it. You can use your action to take the Attack action, and make a single melee weapon attack using your (now magically better) quarterstaff using Wisdom (instead of Strength) and a 1d8 damage die (instead of 1d6).
Now as to your actual question about Two-Weapon Fighting... hard no, for a lot of reasons. Most importantly, a quarterstaff is not eligible for use with Two-Weapon Fighting. It doesn't have the light property, so you do not qualify for TWF while using it unless you have the Dual Wielder feat. If you were instead using a Club as your main weapon, and the Dagger in your offhand, you would be eligible for using TWF (both weapons are light).
However, that's only valid on a different turn from the one that you used Shillelagh. You only get a max of one bonus action per round, no matter how many features you have that use bonus actions. On your next turn, you would be able to use your action on the Attack action (requirement for TWF) to attack with one of your light weapons, and then use your bonus action to attack with the other light weapon.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Thanks. I've read the relevant section (and all other sections) and that's the reason I posted. It doesn't explain this in the bonus action area as it's obviously specific to this unique spell/weapon combination.
There are a lot of things in game that are disputed and interpreted differently by different DMs. That's the fun of it for a DM I guess but it's confusing for a new player.
Hi! I am visiting this thread because I have a separate but related question.
Say I am wielding two clubs and cast shillelagh on them using bonus actions from two turns.
On my next turn, would both main-hand and offhand attacks have bonus damage from the Wisdom Modifier?
No. Here's the last line of shillelagh's description: "The spell ends if you cast it again or if you let go of the weapon." When you cast it on your second club, the spell ends on the first one, returning it to a normal club.
Also worth noting that Shillelagh has a Material and Somatic component which means under most circumstances you cannot cast it if you have both hands full with weapons. You would need one of the weapons to be a spellcasting focus.
Mega Yahtzee Thread:
Highest 41: brocker2001 (#11,285).
Yahtzee of 2's: Emmber (#36,161).
Lowest 9: JoeltheWalrus (#312), Emmber (#12,505) and Dertinus (#20,953).
I’m not sure on that, Emmber. The Material components include a staff or club, ostensibly the weapon you are casting the spell on, and you only need one hand to deal with all of the material components of a spell. If you are using a component pouch, you could seemingly use the hand holding the club to get the shamrock.
You don’t need to, simply having one hand free to interact with the pouch and perform the somatic components, and the weapons in the other fulfills all requirements. You cannot “wield” two weapons in the same hand, but you can hold two in the same hand.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Yea it's iffy - I'll give you that. I think most DM's just ignore that kind of thing anyway - but there's definitely room for a DM to say no can do.
Mega Yahtzee Thread:
Highest 41: brocker2001 (#11,285).
Yahtzee of 2's: Emmber (#36,161).
Lowest 9: JoeltheWalrus (#312), Emmber (#12,505) and Dertinus (#20,953).
I certainly didn't ever think whenever I've used the spell on my druid that I was supposed to put my shield or club away (it would probably have to be the shield, right? Because you still need the weapon as a component...) to pull out a totem to count for the material components of the spell. I don't think that it is intended to be used that way. Maybe the intent is that you have to cast it before you don your shield, using your focus if you chose a club, a shield, and a focus?
Most commonly I'd imagine that it is used with a wooden staff that doubles as a quarterstaff, meaning that the weapon could count as a focus. This means that the additional shamrock/mistletoe component only really hinders people who are not using it with a staff, which seems like unintentional and poor design -- since it turns a player choice into a choice between the "not exactly obvious yet correct" option and the "similar seeming yet incorrect" option.
Should this spell have been caught up in the new errata that indicated that spells that act on weapons should indicate that the weapon has value so that you can't replace the weapon with a focus?
Yeah, this is incorrect. Druids can use their quarterstaff as a spell-casting focus, and usually there is a story behind it to make that item special. You'll also not be using this much after level 2 when you can wildshape anyway.
Actually it is correct. if a spell has M components you cannot be holding two weapons, unless one of those weapons is either A) the component for the spell or B) A spell casting focus.
You folks are all missing the point. Saga answered the real question already.
There are a bunch of ways to accomplish full spellcasting while holding two weapons, but there are no scenarios where you can benefit from Shillelagh on more than one item at a time. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are any metamagic or other features that could be in play here.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Cool so the answer was done neat..... \, most likely was seen by the person that needed help but there was a second issue brought up and that needed to be addressed. So I guess we should all leave the thread and ignore incorrectly corrected info.
This is the rules and mechanics forum, I believe it is in the spirit of the forum o make sure no rules are incorrectly stated even if they are off-topic/the thread was answered.
Am I wrong in thinking that the way this spell is set up for use in DND beyond is wrong? My attack with Shillelagh only shows up in the bonus action tab. But it sounds like this thread is saying this attack should always be with the attack action.
In an earlier example, Sigred wrote:
In this dagger and club shillelagh scenario, would the shillelagh would have to be the main attack and the dagger the bonus action? If you could use the shillelagh as the bonus action, it seems you could get your damage modifier (e.g., dex modifier because it is a finesse weapon) on the dagger attack and the Shillelagh modifiers on the bonus attack. A little extra boost to damage that wouldn't be game breaking but perhaps is inconsistent with the rules as intended?
I think I get what you are saying, but the answer is No. Shillelagh doesn't change how your melee attacks work it only changes their ability modifiers, so if you make an offhand attack that does not add your ability modifier to damage, "You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative."
It certainly gives the wrong impression. Notice it also says range of Touch, which clearly doesn't apply to the attacks you will make with your new magic weapon.
As stated here, you cast Shillelagh as a bonus action onto your club/quarterstaff and it makes them magical. Done. Now you attack with them as you would any other melee weapon, using an Attack action. In the DnDBeyond interface, instead of clicking the attack and dmg buttons beside your club or quarterstaff when you take that attack action, you need to go down to the Shillelach entry under Bonus actions and click the Attack and Dmg buttons in that entry so it uses your spell modifiers.
Personally, I think I would have preferred them to have made it an entry in the Attack table with a note saying "only available after casting the spell Shillelach as a bonus action."
The spell is not a weapon or attack. I'm assuming you're going to the spell, and checking the "display as attack" button, yeah? All that does is make the spell itself appear in your attack list, and it gets listed as a bonus action there because... the spell is a bonus action.
What you need to do is go to your weapon, and customize that for stats while under the effect of Shillelagh. Alternatively, you can make a custom action for your sheet.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.