So both of these spells do 1d6 damage, however ensnaring strike has the possibility to restrain the creature with a strength saving throw. Is there any other benefit that I don't see to hunter's mark beside the ability to get advantage on tracking your mark. I don't understand why hunter's mark is praised so highly in the ranger class when ensnaring strike exists.
Ensnaring strike is just one attack, hunter's mark allows you to do that extra 1d6 every time you hit the enemy with a weapon attack and when it dies you can put it on a different enemy.
Really? The way it is worded led me to believe otherwise. Its a bonus action with concentration and says "The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack before this spell ends, a writhing mass of thorny vines appears at the point of impact," does this mean that only one hit counts?
Yep, "the next time" means only the very next shot/strike ensnares. One thing I overlooked was that as long as that target remains ensnared it takes 1d6 damage at the start of each of its turns. The concentration is the caster either keeping the spell ready to execute on that next attack or keeping the target ensnared until it dies, escapes, or the spell expires. If the target escapes, the spell ends immediately.
You choose a creature you can see within range and mystically mark it as your quarry. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target whenever you hit it with a weapon attack
This means if you've got multiple attacks in a round - you get an extra d6 of damage on each successful hit - the spell lasts an hour which should be plenty of time - it is a concentration spell - so your DM should have you roll to maintain your concentration if you get hit etc - and as a bonus action you can move it to another target. Also its casting time is only a bonus action so cast it at the beginning of your turn - and attack with the bonus damage
Lather, rinse, repeat as needed to finish the encounter :)
Ensnaring strike is useful if you want to give advantage to the rest of your party (as long as the target doesn't make its save - which it can try to do on each of its turns) on top of the extra d6 of damage each turn it is restrained but it is also a concentration spell and only lasts 1 minute
So both of these spells do 1d6 damage, however ensnaring strike has the possibility to restrain the creature with a strength saving throw. Is there any other benefit that I don't see to hunter's mark beside the ability to get advantage on tracking your mark. I don't understand why hunter's mark is praised so highly in the ranger class when ensnaring strike exists.
Ensnaring strike is just one attack, hunter's mark allows you to do that extra 1d6 every time you hit the enemy with a weapon attack and when it dies you can put it on a different enemy.
Really? The way it is worded led me to believe otherwise. Its a bonus action with concentration and says "The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack before this spell ends, a writhing mass of thorny vines appears at the point of impact," does this mean that only one hit counts?
Yep, "the next time" means only the very next shot/strike ensnares. One thing I overlooked was that as long as that target remains ensnared it takes 1d6 damage at the start of each of its turns. The concentration is the caster either keeping the spell ready to execute on that next attack or keeping the target ensnared until it dies, escapes, or the spell expires. If the target escapes, the spell ends immediately.
This means if you've got multiple attacks in a round - you get an extra d6 of damage on each successful hit - the spell lasts an hour which should be plenty of time - it is a concentration spell - so your DM should have you roll to maintain your concentration if you get hit etc - and as a bonus action you can move it to another target. Also its casting time is only a bonus action so cast it at the beginning of your turn - and attack with the bonus damage
Lather, rinse, repeat as needed to finish the encounter :)
Ensnaring strike is useful if you want to give advantage to the rest of your party (as long as the target doesn't make its save - which it can try to do on each of its turns) on top of the extra d6 of damage each turn it is restrained but it is also a concentration spell and only lasts 1 minute
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There's also no save against Hunter's Mark. If you hit you do extra damage. No save to avoid it.
Also it lasts an hour or up to 24 hours. You may cast this one spell and use one spell slot and deal extra damage all day long.
Extended Signature