Just trying to understand the combat mechanics. Say our character is Paladin2/Sorcerer1 and has taken the Booming/Green-Flame Blade cantrips and has prepared Thunderous Smite (or Searing Smite etc.). Can there attack go as follows:
The order of operations is a bit wrong there. The smite spells - Thunderous smite, Wrathful smite, etc - need to be cast first to 'charge up' your weapon, then they trigger when you hit an enemy with a melee attack, provided you haven't lost concentration first.
So the order goes like this:
1- as a bonus action cast Thunderous Smite
2- as an action, cast Booming Blade (a cantrip, so you can cast it as an action in the same turn that you cast another spell as a bonus action)
2.5- if you hit with the melee attack you make as part of casting Booming Blade, then Thunderous Smite triggers and its effects are added to that of the melee attack and Booming Blade
3- assuming you hit, you may also spend an additional spell slot to trigger Divine Smite and add that damage to the rest
Note that if you miss with the Booming Blade attack, Thunderous Smite doesn't trigger but it also doesn't end. You can trigger it with another melee attack on a later turn, or even an opportunity attack when it isn't your turn, provided you're still concentrating on it.
All that said, the smite spells are not particularly efficient for the spell slot investment, especially when you consider that they use your concentration. There are some exceptions - Wrathful Smite, for instance, can be decent against big but relatively dim witted melee brute type enemies like ogres, trolls, & the like. But in general if a sorcadin wants to turn spell slots into melee damage then plain old Divine Smite is the way to do that, while concentration is better invested in ongoing buffs like Bless, Magic Weapon, or Haste.
Hi everyone,
Just trying to understand the combat mechanics. Say our character is Paladin2/Sorcerer1 and has taken the Booming/Green-Flame Blade cantrips and has prepared Thunderous Smite (or Searing Smite etc.). Can there attack go as follows:
1. Cast (1 action) Booming Blade (or Green-Flame Blade);
2. cast Thunderous Smite (bonus action); and
3. assuming we hit, add our Divine Smite.
All at once?
The order of operations is a bit wrong there. The smite spells - Thunderous smite, Wrathful smite, etc - need to be cast first to 'charge up' your weapon, then they trigger when you hit an enemy with a melee attack, provided you haven't lost concentration first.
So the order goes like this:
1- as a bonus action cast Thunderous Smite
2- as an action, cast Booming Blade (a cantrip, so you can cast it as an action in the same turn that you cast another spell as a bonus action)
2.5- if you hit with the melee attack you make as part of casting Booming Blade, then Thunderous Smite triggers and its effects are added to that of the melee attack and Booming Blade
3- assuming you hit, you may also spend an additional spell slot to trigger Divine Smite and add that damage to the rest
Note that if you miss with the Booming Blade attack, Thunderous Smite doesn't trigger but it also doesn't end. You can trigger it with another melee attack on a later turn, or even an opportunity attack when it isn't your turn, provided you're still concentrating on it.
All that said, the smite spells are not particularly efficient for the spell slot investment, especially when you consider that they use your concentration. There are some exceptions - Wrathful Smite, for instance, can be decent against big but relatively dim witted melee brute type enemies like ogres, trolls, & the like. But in general if a sorcadin wants to turn spell slots into melee damage then plain old Divine Smite is the way to do that, while concentration is better invested in ongoing buffs like Bless, Magic Weapon, or Haste.
Thank you Sception. That was a very clear explanation. :)