For the price of a 3rd spell spell slot and the Mounted Combatant feat, you can have a mount with 100 feet/round of movement that opponents cannot directly target. While this is just okay on a Wizard, it can get really strong with a Lore Bard+Warlock and the spell Spider Climb. While strapped to your Phantom steed, have the Spider Climb-enchanted mount run up a wall. Use Grasp of Hadar on Eldritch Blast to force falling damage multiple times per round plus the prone condition on your foes.
Am I reading this right? This seems a bit broken even if it takes 9 levels for this to come online.
Grasp of Hardar can only trigger once on your turn. Also not too sure how easy it would be to fight while mounted on a creature moving vertically up a wall.
Edit: Also it can come online as early as level 7. Start V Human Warlock with Eldritch Adept feat for Grasp of Hardar. Then Lore Bard 6 gets you both Phantom Steed and Spider Climb.
Phantom steed can still take damage from an AoE spell or one requiring a saving throw. Once it takes any damage the spell ends. So, it's not that great if your opponents have a spellcaster.
If your opponents only have melee and ranged attacks then it is a powerful combo, but 9th level characters should have at least one powerful party trick.
Let's don't forget that with mounted combatant your character takes the attack instead. Sometimes that might not be a good idea.
Phantom steed can still take damage from an AoE spell or one requiring a saving throw. Once it takes any damage the spell ends. So, it's not that great if your opponents have a spellcaster.
Actually, I'm curious about how everyone interprets this part of the spell's description: "When the spell ends, the steed gradually fades, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount". Does that mean the steed stops in place and slowly vanishes for one minute, or can you continue to ride the steed for the full minute and at least finish your current combat before needing to re-summon it?
Grasp of Hardar can only trigger once on your turn. Also not too sure how easy it would be to fight while mounted on a creature moving vertically up a wall.
Edit: Also it can come online as early as level 7. Start V Human Warlock with Eldritch Adept feat for Grasp of Hardar. Then Lore Bard 6 gets you both Phantom Steed and Spider Climb.
Phantom Steed is a ritual, so you don't need the Bard multiclass at all. You just need Pact of the Tome/Book of Ancient Secrets
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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)
Well it'll take damage, but Phantom Steed takes a minute to fade away, so you'll have it for 10 rounds at least, before you fall from the wall.
An issue may be staying in the saddle while your steed is climbing. Maybe some sovereign glue to stick you to the saddle? The saddle disappears with the steed and the glue will have already set so no risk of it sticking to anything else.
Phantom steed can still take damage from an AoE spell or one requiring a saving throw. Once it takes any damage the spell ends. So, it's not that great if your opponents have a spellcaster.
Actually, I'm curious about how everyone interprets this part of the spell's description: "When the spell ends, the steed gradually fades, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount". Does that mean the steed stops in place and slowly vanishes for one minute, or can you continue to ride the steed for the full minute and at least finish your current combat before needing to re-summon it?
Well, RAW can be interpreted that the phantom steed slowly fades when it takes damage, but that makes it a ridiculously powerful combat spell. Note that this would apply to damage and dismissing it. Dismissing a spell would normally mean it stops immediately. So, I rule that it immediately stops when dismissed or take damage since both are mentioned in the same sentence.
Yet another example of poorly written rules. I hope they clean up issues like this in the 2024 edition.
Personally I would go with the Paladin spell Find Steed to provide a more stable mount compared to the one created by Phantom Steed.
Find Steed mount has a few advantages, but Phantom Steed is better in several ways: 1) It's a ritual, 2) movement speed is superior, and 3) the Steed gradually disappears if it takes damage, so you don't just suddenly fall down prone.
Phantom steed can still take damage from an AoE spell or one requiring a saving throw. Once it takes any damage the spell ends. So, it's not that great if your opponents have a spellcaster.
Actually, I'm curious about how everyone interprets this part of the spell's description: "When the spell ends, the steed gradually fades, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount". Does that mean the steed stops in place and slowly vanishes for one minute, or can you continue to ride the steed for the full minute and at least finish your current combat before needing to re-summon it?
Well, RAW can be interpreted that the phantom steed slowly fades when it takes damage, but that makes it a ridiculously powerful combat spell. Note that this would apply to damage and dismissing it. Dismissing a spell would normally mean it stops immediately. So, I rule that it immediately stops when dismissed or take damage since both are mentioned in the same sentence.
Yet another example of poorly written rules. I hope they clean up issues like this in the 2024 edition.
I don't think it's a editing error (this time). The PHB version I have says quite explicitly:
"When the spell ends, the steed gradually fades, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount. The spell ends if you use an action to dismiss it or if the steed takes any damage."
There's no textual implication of any kind that the Steed stops moving as a result of taking damage. It's a 3rd level spell, so it's supposed to be a lot better than your average mount and it's a higher level spell slot than Find Steed.
Why would giving the steed the Spider Climb spell pass any vertical ability to the rider?
The speed gets to run up the wall like its a horizontal surface but the rider would be hanging off of the saddle like some cartoon character.
If I was using spider climb and I wanted to raise another character off of the ground would I throw a rope "up" down to them while they are on the ground or would I just drop it down to them.
Seems like a really complicated way to achieve something simple.
Personally, I'd just cast fly. Or be a flying race and cast haste.
Same result. Must easier and much earlier.
Even then, even then, lotta work to do just an extra 1d6 of damage per round. Just cast fireball. Solved.
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Seems like a really complicated way to achieve something simple.
Personally, I'd just cast fly. Or be a flying race and cast haste.
Same result. Must easier and much earlier.
Even then, even then, lotta work to do just an extra 1d6 of damage per round. Just cast fireball. Solved.
To be honest I would probably try doing it once because it seems freaking cool. Can you imagine riding your mount onto the ceiling of a cave and pulling enemies up with Eldritch Blast. I definitely want to try that once before going back to Fireball lol.
Seems like a really complicated way to achieve something simple.
Personally, I'd just cast fly. Or be a flying race and cast haste.
Same result. Must easier and much earlier.
Even then, even then, lotta work to do just an extra 1d6 of damage per round. Just cast fireball. Solved.
The advantage to Phantom Steed with Spider Climb is that you don't take falling damage from losing concentration since the Steed is not a concentration spell. Plus you get a higher move speed than with just the Fly spell or using innate flying via Genie Warlock or Twi Clerk.
Also, the strong point of using Eldritch Blast + Grasp of Hadar isn't really the 1d6 falling damage, but forcing the Prone condition on your enemies so that your melee allies can go to town on them.
The advantage to Phantom Steed with Spider Climb is that you don't take falling damage from losing concentration since the Steed is not a concentration spell
Err, Spider Climb is though
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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)
The advantage to Phantom Steed with Spider Climb is that you don't take falling damage from losing concentration since the Steed is not a concentration spell
Err, Spider Climb is though
Hmmm. Okay, that's a good point. However, the Steed still doesn't disappear until a minute after it takes damage, so as a player, you might be able to argue that the Steed doesn't take full fall damage since its hooves are still connected to whatever surface it was climbing at the moment that you lost concentration - so not a free fall but a more like tumbling down a hill.
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For the price of a 3rd spell spell slot and the Mounted Combatant feat, you can have a mount with 100 feet/round of movement that opponents cannot directly target. While this is just okay on a Wizard, it can get really strong with a Lore Bard+Warlock and the spell Spider Climb. While strapped to your Phantom steed, have the Spider Climb-enchanted mount run up a wall. Use Grasp of Hadar on Eldritch Blast to force falling damage multiple times per round plus the prone condition on your foes.
Am I reading this right? This seems a bit broken even if it takes 9 levels for this to come online.
Grasp of Hardar can only trigger once on your turn. Also not too sure how easy it would be to fight while mounted on a creature moving vertically up a wall.
Edit: Also it can come online as early as level 7. Start V Human Warlock with Eldritch Adept feat for Grasp of Hardar. Then Lore Bard 6 gets you both Phantom Steed and Spider Climb.
Phantom steed can still take damage from an AoE spell or one requiring a saving throw. Once it takes any damage the spell ends. So, it's not that great if your opponents have a spellcaster.
If your opponents only have melee and ranged attacks then it is a powerful combo, but 9th level characters should have at least one powerful party trick.
Let's don't forget that with mounted combatant your character takes the attack instead. Sometimes that might not be a good idea.
Personally I would go with the Paladin spell Find Steed to provide a more stable mount compared to the one created by Phantom Steed.
Step 1: Play a Rogue
Step 2: Pick up the Ritual Caster Feat and acquire Phantom Steed
Step 3: Use Steady Aim while moving around the battle field with 100 feet of movement.
Step 4: Profit
Credit for this tactic: Treantmonk, who gave credit to one of his Patreon members.
Actually, I'm curious about how everyone interprets this part of the spell's description: "When the spell ends, the steed gradually fades, giving the rider 1 minute to dismount". Does that mean the steed stops in place and slowly vanishes for one minute, or can you continue to ride the steed for the full minute and at least finish your current combat before needing to re-summon it?
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Phantom Steed is a ritual, so you don't need the Bard multiclass at all. You just need Pact of the Tome/Book of Ancient Secrets
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)
Well it'll take damage, but Phantom Steed takes a minute to fade away, so you'll have it for 10 rounds at least, before you fall from the wall.
An issue may be staying in the saddle while your steed is climbing. Maybe some sovereign glue to stick you to the saddle? The saddle disappears with the steed and the glue will have already set so no risk of it sticking to anything else.
Well, RAW can be interpreted that the phantom steed slowly fades when it takes damage, but that makes it a ridiculously powerful combat spell. Note that this would apply to damage and dismissing it. Dismissing a spell would normally mean it stops immediately. So, I rule that it immediately stops when dismissed or take damage since both are mentioned in the same sentence.
Yet another example of poorly written rules. I hope they clean up issues like this in the 2024 edition.
Find Steed mount has a few advantages, but Phantom Steed is better in several ways: 1) It's a ritual, 2) movement speed is superior, and 3) the Steed gradually disappears if it takes damage, so you don't just suddenly fall down prone.
I don't think it's a editing error (this time). The PHB version I have says quite explicitly:
There's no textual implication of any kind that the Steed stops moving as a result of taking damage. It's a 3rd level spell, so it's supposed to be a lot better than your average mount and it's a higher level spell slot than Find Steed.
Why would giving the steed the Spider Climb spell pass any vertical ability to the rider?
The speed gets to run up the wall like its a horizontal surface but the rider would be hanging off of the saddle like some cartoon character.
If I was using spider climb and I wanted to raise another character off of the ground would I throw a rope "up" down to them while they are on the ground or would I just drop it down to them.
Seems like a really complicated way to achieve something simple.
Personally, I'd just cast fly. Or be a flying race and cast haste.
Same result. Must easier and much earlier.
Even then, even then, lotta work to do just an extra 1d6 of damage per round. Just cast fireball. Solved.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
To be honest I would probably try doing it once because it seems freaking cool. Can you imagine riding your mount onto the ceiling of a cave and pulling enemies up with Eldritch Blast. I definitely want to try that once before going back to Fireball lol.
The advantage to Phantom Steed with Spider Climb is that you don't take falling damage from losing concentration since the Steed is not a concentration spell. Plus you get a higher move speed than with just the Fly spell or using innate flying via Genie Warlock or Twi Clerk.
Also, the strong point of using Eldritch Blast + Grasp of Hadar isn't really the 1d6 falling damage, but forcing the Prone condition on your enemies so that your melee allies can go to town on them.
Err, Spider Climb is though
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)
Hmmm. Okay, that's a good point. However, the Steed still doesn't disappear until a minute after it takes damage, so as a player, you might be able to argue that the Steed doesn't take full fall damage since its hooves are still connected to whatever surface it was climbing at the moment that you lost concentration - so not a free fall but a more like tumbling down a hill.