For my first question, for a PAM-Sentinel cavalier, is PAM necessary? Cavaliers' HTL feature can already do OAs against anyone that moves within your 10 feet reach. From my understanding, if you do not take PAM, creatures can enter your reach, but once they are within your reach, as long as they do not move after entering, you cannot do an OA against them since they have not moved while in your reach. However, if the Cavalier's primary duty is to just stop the enemy from moving further, if the enemy decides to not move while within you reach, I am not sure I see the point in taking PAM since they have already voluntarily "reduced their speed to 0" by not moving further. If they still decide to move later, I can always hit them with OA via HTL to hold them in place then.
For my second question, can I use Warcaster to replace VD's OA with a spell attack? My character concept for the cavalier is that instead of being the traditional brutish beefy tank, she is an elegant, graceful, and refined warrior. She is an Eladrin who utilizes whips and magic (Thornwhip, Lightning Lure, Green Flame Blade, and Booming Blade) to keep her foes at bay in order to protect her allies.
You don't get HTL until level 10. You could get Sentinel or PM at level 4.
PM attacks them when they move into the area covered by your reach. HTL attacks them if they try to maneuver within your reach, not when they first enter your reach - such as trying to circle around you.
With a polearm, a monster with only 5 ft reach still needs to move a further 5 ft closer to you, so you get the HTL attack at that point. But since you used your reaction for the OA from PM, you won't get it from HTL on the same round.
The wording of Warcaster seems to work in these situations, since it is replacing an OA with casting a spell.
Are you in a campaign starting at level 1? If so, it will take a long time before you get to try out HTL.
You don't get HTL until level 10. You could get Sentinel or PM at level 4.
Are you in a campaign starting at level 1? If so, it will take a long time before you get to try out HTL.
It is not for a campaign. I just like to think of character concepts and try to create them. Since she is not for a campaign, not getting PM early is not a big deal since it feels a bit redundant with HTL.
PM attacks them when they move into the area covered by your reach. HTL attacks them if they try to maneuver within your reach, not when they first enter your reach - such as trying to circle around you.
With a polearm, a monster with only 5 ft reach still needs to move a further 5 ft closer to you, so you get the HTL attack at that point. But since you used your reaction for the OA from PM, you won't get it from HTL on the same round.
Cool, good to know. So as long as they stop moving once they enter, I have already achieved my objective, so I do not think I need PM if I can just hit them later if they decide to move later.
The wording of Warcaster seems to work in these situations, since it is replacing an OA with casting a spell.
Nice. I just want to confirm since VD says you can only use the special reaction to make OAs with it, but War Caster also says you can replace OAs with a spell.
What if you combine Polearm Master with War Caster... and Spell Sniper, so you can cast Booming Blade on them at 10 ft, if they have already decided to move further they automatically take the secondary damage 😄
You have the most ASI/Feats with Fighter, so you could combine this with Eldrich Knight for synergy of an entirely different sort.
It is their turn, they are not required to complete their move. Just as you can stop them using effects that reduce their speed, they can choose not to complete their move.
Booming Blade is best used with a highly mobile character, forcing them to chase after you.
What if you combine Polearm Master with War Caster... and Spell Sniper, so you can cast Booming Blade on them at 10 ft, if they have already decided to move further they automatically take the secondary damage 😄
You have the most ASI/Feats with Fighter, so you could combine this with Eldrich Knight for synergy of an entirely different sort.
She got Artificer Initiate, Magic Initiate (Wizard), and Spell Sniper, for the four whip spells, and Sentinel and Warcaster to make the concept work. If she is in combat, she would probably mostly use Thorn Whip and Lightning Lure to drag enemies back towards her. Against weak enemies though, then yeah, she will probably just use Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade to finish them off immediately. Spellsniper does not work on the new Booming Blade since it got a range of self.
I wanted to stick with cavalier for the unlimited OAs.
They’ll probably still chase you or go after a different party member. Most enemies will either not care or not realize what you did to them til after they take the extra damage. Also from a mechanical standpoint it would be useless to stand stationary as a melee combatant. They probably wouldn’t care if they have range options but getting completely locked down by an effect that doesn’t really deal that much damage probably isn’t going to happen. If the enemy is intelligent enough to realize what you are doing to it they’ll probably just give up to have its life spared. Booming blade isn’t that great on its own as a lock down. It’s more of just a sprinkle of extra damage from my experience. Booming Blade however can be a great incentive to lockdown an enemy with OA, especially from Cavalier but you have to maintain the melee range to keep them on you making you fill a tank role. Hold the Line works fantastic with that cantrips since they have to move to activate that attack meaning they’ll take two hits in one movement no matter if it’s with your weapon or a spell from warcaster.
For my first question, for a PAM-Sentinel cavalier, is PAM necessary?
It's not necessary but it can be complementary in offering more ways to provoke opportunity attack from you when either entering in your reach or moving while within it. Even though you only have one reaction you can take, having more options to provoke one is still good. The feat also allow you to make attack as a bonus action that is worth considering.
Here are the links to Cavalier fighter, Polearm Master, Sentinel, Warcaster, and opportunity attacks for quick reference.
For my first question, for a PAM-Sentinel cavalier, is PAM necessary? Cavaliers' HTL feature can already do OAs against anyone that moves within your 10 feet reach. From my understanding, if you do not take PAM, creatures can enter your reach, but once they are within your reach, as long as they do not move after entering, you cannot do an OA against them since they have not moved while in your reach. However, if the Cavalier's primary duty is to just stop the enemy from moving further, if the enemy decides to not move while within you reach, I am not sure I see the point in taking PAM since they have already voluntarily "reduced their speed to 0" by not moving further. If they still decide to move later, I can always hit them with OA via HTL to hold them in place then.
For my second question, can I use Warcaster to replace VD's OA with a spell attack? My character concept for the cavalier is that instead of being the traditional brutish beefy tank, she is an elegant, graceful, and refined warrior. She is an Eladrin who utilizes whips and magic (Thornwhip, Lightning Lure, Green Flame Blade, and Booming Blade) to keep her foes at bay in order to protect her allies.
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You don't get HTL until level 10. You could get Sentinel or PM at level 4.
PM attacks them when they move into the area covered by your reach. HTL attacks them if they try to maneuver within your reach, not when they first enter your reach - such as trying to circle around you.
With a polearm, a monster with only 5 ft reach still needs to move a further 5 ft closer to you, so you get the HTL attack at that point. But since you used your reaction for the OA from PM, you won't get it from HTL on the same round.
The wording of Warcaster seems to work in these situations, since it is replacing an OA with casting a spell.
Are you in a campaign starting at level 1? If so, it will take a long time before you get to try out HTL.
It is not for a campaign. I just like to think of character concepts and try to create them. Since she is not for a campaign, not getting PM early is not a big deal since it feels a bit redundant with HTL.
Cool, good to know. So as long as they stop moving once they enter, I have already achieved my objective, so I do not think I need PM if I can just hit them later if they decide to move later.
Nice. I just want to confirm since VD says you can only use the special reaction to make OAs with it, but War Caster also says you can replace OAs with a spell.
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What if you combine Polearm Master with War Caster... and Spell Sniper, so you can cast Booming Blade on them at 10 ft, if they have already decided to move further they automatically take the secondary damage 😄
You have the most ASI/Feats with Fighter, so you could combine this with Eldrich Knight for synergy of an entirely different sort.
It is their turn, they are not required to complete their move. Just as you can stop them using effects that reduce their speed, they can choose not to complete their move.
Booming Blade is best used with a highly mobile character, forcing them to chase after you.
She got Artificer Initiate, Magic Initiate (Wizard), and Spell Sniper, for the four whip spells, and Sentinel and Warcaster to make the concept work. If she is in combat, she would probably mostly use Thorn Whip and Lightning Lure to drag enemies back towards her. Against weak enemies though, then yeah, she will probably just use Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade to finish them off immediately. Spellsniper does not work on the new Booming Blade since it got a range of self.
I wanted to stick with cavalier for the unlimited OAs.
Do you mean not chase after you? Because if they move and chase after you, they get damaged.
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They’ll probably still chase you or go after a different party member. Most enemies will either not care or not realize what you did to them til after they take the extra damage. Also from a mechanical standpoint it would be useless to stand stationary as a melee combatant. They probably wouldn’t care if they have range options but getting completely locked down by an effect that doesn’t really deal that much damage probably isn’t going to happen. If the enemy is intelligent enough to realize what you are doing to it they’ll probably just give up to have its life spared. Booming blade isn’t that great on its own as a lock down. It’s more of just a sprinkle of extra damage from my experience. Booming Blade however can be a great incentive to lockdown an enemy with OA, especially from Cavalier but you have to maintain the melee range to keep them on you making you fill a tank role. Hold the Line works fantastic with that cantrips since they have to move to activate that attack meaning they’ll take two hits in one movement no matter if it’s with your weapon or a spell from warcaster.
It's not necessary but it can be complementary in offering more ways to provoke opportunity attack from you when either entering in your reach or moving while within it. Even though you only have one reaction you can take, having more options to provoke one is still good. The feat also allow you to make attack as a bonus action that is worth considering.
No Vigilant Defender's reaction can only be used to make an opportunity attack which aren't doing when casting a spell via War Caster .