If a barbarian were to use a quarterstaff/club and use the shillelagh cantrip,would the rage/reckless buffs apply,despite "useing your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon"?
If you're using any ability modifier aside from strength for attack rolls while raging, you don't get the rage's damage bonus. That includes Shillelagh, the Hexblade and Battlesmith abilities to use Charisma and Intelligence, respectively, or using a Finesse weapon with Dex.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
There are a couple of things at work here, so let's look at everything.
First is the fact that Rage prevents barbarians from casting spells at all, which means shillelagh would need to be cast before Rage occurs. This would delay any benefits of Rage for at least one turn of combat. Under most circumstances, this would not be preferable.
Second, the damage bonus from Rage expressly requires attacks to be made with Strength. Shillelagh says you can use your spellcasting ability, not that you must. Even if the barbarian were to attack with Strength, it would still be a 1d8 magic weapon. This is potentially huge at early levels; before the party has access to magic weapons. Seemingly, the optimum pairing would be with a shield. But there are other options. Maybe the barbarian wants a free hand to grapple. Either way, this now raises some questions.
How did the barbarian gain access to the spell? Did they take a feat or multiclass?
How are they meeting all the requirements to cast the spell? Are they using a component pouch or spellcasting focus?
It's definitely possible, but it also requires making use of optional rules the DM may disallow. Remember, every feat and multiclass is subject to DM veto. But, assuming the barbarian can gain access to the spell...
Yes, the barbarian can benefit from both the Rage Damage bonus and shillelagh (which must be cast before entering a rage) at the same time.
If a barbarian were to use a quarterstaff/club and use the shillelagh cantrip,would the rage/reckless buffs apply,despite "useing your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon"?
Shillelagh gives you the ability to use your spellcasting ability as your attack stat instead of Strength. It does NOT however effect any other abilities you have. If something says it only triggers when you're attacking with Strength, that requirement still holds.
I was just checking on this playing a Goliath barbarian and was going to pick up a few levels multi into druid figured if a cast the spell then rage using strength as the mod witha great club yeet the ever love bejebus out of somethin
I was just checking on this playing a Goliath barbarian and was going to pick up a few levels multi into druid figured if a cast the spell then rage using strength as the mod witha great club yeet the ever love bejebus out of somethin
Firstly, a few levels in that d8+magical isn't much different from what you should have access to anyway. But if you want to MC for other reasons it can be a useful fallback in some situations.
Secondly, a great club already have a d8 dmg die but it is two-handed. A regular club or a quarterstaff is a better choice for the spell (and easy to keep a spare one as backup if you use the great club normally).
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If a barbarian were to use a quarterstaff/club and use the shillelagh cantrip,would the rage/reckless buffs apply,despite "useing your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon"?
If you're using any ability modifier aside from strength for attack rolls while raging, you don't get the rage's damage bonus. That includes Shillelagh, the Hexblade and Battlesmith abilities to use Charisma and Intelligence, respectively, or using a Finesse weapon with Dex.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Unless of course Strength also happens to be your Spellcasting Ability.
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There are a couple of things at work here, so let's look at everything.
First is the fact that Rage prevents barbarians from casting spells at all, which means shillelagh would need to be cast before Rage occurs. This would delay any benefits of Rage for at least one turn of combat. Under most circumstances, this would not be preferable.
Second, the damage bonus from Rage expressly requires attacks to be made with Strength. Shillelagh says you can use your spellcasting ability, not that you must. Even if the barbarian were to attack with Strength, it would still be a 1d8 magic weapon. This is potentially huge at early levels; before the party has access to magic weapons. Seemingly, the optimum pairing would be with a shield. But there are other options. Maybe the barbarian wants a free hand to grapple. Either way, this now raises some questions.
It's definitely possible, but it also requires making use of optional rules the DM may disallow. Remember, every feat and multiclass is subject to DM veto. But, assuming the barbarian can gain access to the spell...
Yes, the barbarian can benefit from both the Rage Damage bonus and shillelagh (which must be cast before entering a rage) at the same time.
Shillelagh gives you the ability to use your spellcasting ability as your attack stat instead of Strength. It does NOT however effect any other abilities you have. If something says it only triggers when you're attacking with Strength, that requirement still holds.
I was just checking on this playing a Goliath barbarian and was going to pick up a few levels multi into druid figured if a cast the spell then rage using strength as the mod witha great club yeet the ever love bejebus out of somethin
Firstly, a few levels in that d8+magical isn't much different from what you should have access to anyway. But if you want to MC for other reasons it can be a useful fallback in some situations.
Secondly, a great club already have a d8 dmg die but it is two-handed. A regular club or a quarterstaff is a better choice for the spell (and easy to keep a spare one as backup if you use the great club normally).