I suspect you’re going to have a bit of a love/hate reaction to 2024 revisions. Gloomstalker’s rnd 1 nova is being nerf while it’s rnd 2+ is getting enhanced. Further, the changes to the rules for light weapons and TWF are going be helpful. If I read the changes correctly you don’t need to use a bonus action to attack a second time when wielding two light weapons but can then use a bonus action to get a 3rd attack with a light weapon getting your stat bonus on all three attacks if you have the 2weapon fighting feat. I haven’t seen if they are changing zephyr strike but you may want to use it somewhat differently than I think you are using it now from your description. It sounds like you are using it all up in a single round to get the speed boost and extra damage on rnd 1. It’s real strength is that it removes opportunity attacks from those you bypass as long as it’s up so you can move around without risking losing concentration from the opportunity attacks the movement would otherwise generate. That lets you move around using those 3-5 attacks to eliminate minions quickly and effectively.
TWF seems to be more complex (to the point of being a bit confusing) now. In general, it works like it did before: If you attack with a light weapon, you can use a bonus action to make an attack with a light weapon, and you do not get your ability score bonus for that second (TWF) attack. That changes SLIGHTLY with weapon masteries. If you have a character with weapon masteries (I don't think you get all of them) and have actually selected the proper weapon masteries ('nick' in this case), that bonus attack does not cost your bonus action.
I am uncertain if you learn the nick mastery, or if you learn how to use the nick mastery with a singular nick weapon, such as scimitar. I need to read the final text to really understand that. I THINK it's on a per weapon basis, so if I may be able to free attack with a scimitar which has nick, but perhaps not with a sickle which also has nick. Again, I am not entirely certain how that's going to work. Regardless, you still do not get your stat bonus to the TWF attack, unless you have the TWF fighting style feat (NOT the Dual Wielder feat, will talk about that momentarily), and no EXTRA attacks are added.
Then there's the Dual Wielder feat. Here's where things get confusing, because they use pretty awkward language. Here's the relevant text, taken from Treeantmonk's video on feats (1of3):
Enhanced Dual Wielding. When you take the Attack option on your turn and attack with a weapon that has the Light property, you can make one extra attack as a bonus action later on the same turn with a different weapon which must be a melee weapon that lacks the Two-Handed property. You don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless the modifier is negative.
Of note here, this weapon does not NEED to be light, it merely needs to lack the two handed property. THIS uses your bonus action, even if you already have made the TWF attack as part of your action, using the nick weapon mastery. So, you get to swing your primary light weapon (used by the attack action). This enables two things: An attack with a secondary weapon using the nick mastery as part of the attack action, then from the Dual Wielder feat, you can use your bonus action to take an attack with another weapon (not the primary weapon, so secondary OR a third, drawn weapon)
So, getting a 'free' attack is going to require at the minimum, use of a nick weapon on a character that can learn the nick mastery, AND level 4 to qualify for Dual Wielder AND spending that feat on taking Dual Wielder.
Out of the box (without the nick mastery), generic TWF is virtually identical to what it is now: lightweapon with action -> bonus action with light weapon
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I use zephry for burst dmg and the additional movement speed. I try to target the biggest threat from the shadows. I pile on the dice damage for the assassinate ability since it's an autocrit when suprised. My stats are pretty decent to tank hits from the smaller minions.
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TWF seems to be more complex (to the point of being a bit confusing) now. In general, it works like it did before: If you attack with a light weapon, you can use a bonus action to make an attack with a light weapon, and you do not get your ability score bonus for that second (TWF) attack. That changes SLIGHTLY with weapon masteries. If you have a character with weapon masteries (I don't think you get all of them) and have actually selected the proper weapon masteries ('nick' in this case), that bonus attack does not cost your bonus action.
I am uncertain if you learn the nick mastery, or if you learn how to use the nick mastery with a singular nick weapon, such as scimitar. I need to read the final text to really understand that. I THINK it's on a per weapon basis, so if I may be able to free attack with a scimitar which has nick, but perhaps not with a sickle which also has nick. Again, I am not entirely certain how that's going to work. Regardless, you still do not get your stat bonus to the TWF attack, unless you have the TWF fighting style feat (NOT the Dual Wielder feat, will talk about that momentarily), and no EXTRA attacks are added.
Then there's the Dual Wielder feat. Here's where things get confusing, because they use pretty awkward language. Here's the relevant text, taken from Treeantmonk's video on feats (1of3):
Enhanced Dual Wielding. When you take the Attack option on your turn and attack with a weapon that has the Light property, you can make one extra attack as a bonus action later on the same turn with a different weapon which must be a melee weapon that lacks the Two-Handed property. You don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless the modifier is negative.
Of note here, this weapon does not NEED to be light, it merely needs to lack the two handed property. THIS uses your bonus action, even if you already have made the TWF attack as part of your action, using the nick weapon mastery. So, you get to swing your primary light weapon (used by the attack action). This enables two things: An attack with a secondary weapon using the nick mastery as part of the attack action, then from the Dual Wielder feat, you can use your bonus action to take an attack with another weapon (not the primary weapon, so secondary OR a third, drawn weapon)
So, getting a 'free' attack is going to require at the minimum, use of a nick weapon on a character that can learn the nick mastery, AND level 4 to qualify for Dual Wielder AND spending that feat on taking Dual Wielder.
Out of the box (without the nick mastery), generic TWF is virtually identical to what it is now: lightweapon with action -> bonus action with light weapon
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
I use zephry for burst dmg and the additional movement speed. I try to target the biggest threat from the shadows. I pile on the dice damage for the assassinate ability since it's an autocrit when suprised. My stats are pretty decent to tank hits from the smaller minions.