There is a lot to choose from, and all have their strengths. However, with the exception of the fighters feature, the Bladesingers Extra Attack feature is objectively better than any of the ones gained by other classes, so it should feel less like a redundancy and more like an upgrade. As an avid D&D fan, he is passionate about its storytelling and world-building aspect. Nice to keep concentration on a big spell ! Notably, Tashas Cauldron to Everything has tweaked this, allowing bladesingers to invoke their song a number of times equal to their proficiency bonus, with all uses regained on a long rest. This spread of abilities means they cant truly excel in any one area. Cast this on yourself for +2 AC, advantage on dexterity saving throws, and an extra action each turn. While those who get Potent Spellcasting at 8th level can get something out of following their boosted cantrips up with a weapon attack, it is the clerics with Divine Strike that benefit the most. Restricted to elves only before Tasha's, it has become available to wizards of any race since the publication of that book. This build is next to impossible to make if you are doing a standard array and is really meant for that One in a million stat roll were you have amazing stats. If youve taken my advice and prioritized Dexterity over Strength, youll need to choose a weapon with theFinesseattribute. With a +2 to intelligence and a +1 to dexterity, you would have the ideal start to a Bladesinger. In combat, a and magical art, Bladesinging has been tied to the sword, more specifically the longsword. The number of uses per short rest. Even better by starting artificer and getting to 5th level battlesmith you become super SAD by using Int to attack which synergizes beautifully with bladesinger. The overlap in spells is mostly in the realm of divination and abjuration spells like the detect and protection spells, most of which do not require saving throws or attack rolls. As mentioned, I generally assume that you begin as a wizard, or at least bee-line for wizard level 6 as quickly as you can if you have features or starting proficiencies you need from the other class. I find the best use for this spell is for finishing off groups of enemies that are low on health. The most helpful of these is, funnily enough, thehelp action, which can be used to give yourself advantage on attacks. My first inclination is a scimitar dualwielding Vuman with Mobile that kites with Booming Blade, takes Spirit Shroud at level 5, and attacks 3 times per round at level 6, every attack +1d8, with one of the attacks being Booming Blade with a good chance of dealing extra damage if you attack a melee foe. Then I realised if you wanted to be a little green gish, there's an obvious new candidate for a Yoda build. Enter the Bladesinger 5E. Their AC can be pretty nuts, but they still have those nerd hitpoints so the few hits that get in really hurt. While Dram could hold his own against the ruffians, his skill was nothing compared to that of the daring half-elf, a practitioner of the Bladesinging cat style who had travelled the Sword Coast for years as an adventurer. The damage difference is night and day at level 5 (about 40% increase) and is enough to make the Bladesinger viable in melee. Varogand Dirrian would like to have a word, though. If you like what I do and would consider supporting this channel through Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/TreantmonkstempleLink to the build: https://ddb.ac/c. This character is an intelligent fencer or noble, a class born of elves. Wait until they get a load of this. They simply have nothing really impactful to add to their weapon attacks to make much of a difference. Make it high. The War Domain even gets to benefit from its War Priest feature more often, since taking the Attack action is now much more viable. Whenever you take an attack that would hit you, instantly shove on an extra +5 AC, potentially making that attack miss completely. Perhaps you have stumbled upon the secret of Bladesinging in your work for the College of Lore, or practiced swordplay with your animated rapier at the College of Creation. So you still can use Two-Weapon Fighting with it. / Hasbro, Inc. His investigation into smokepowder thieves bearing the symbol of the phoenix was inspired by a line in the Baldurs Gate: Descent into Avernus Gazetteer, and could very well be the setup for an epic showdown of guns versus swords in the grimy streets of the Gate! Equipping a shieldinvalidates your bladesong, making it impossible to use. Shooting off bolts while pulling back from the fray doesnt just look cool: it also keeps you alive! Since you are not multiclassing, you will have access to all the best wizard spells by staying in the wizard class the entire time. Bladesingers can be incredible dodge-tanks, but when you do take damage it'll hurt and you'll want a way to get out fast. Hah, I guess I'm not the only one to come up with a married orc/elf combo! We have updated our privacy policy. Also at 2nd level, bladesingers receive the key feature of their Arcane Tradition: Bladesong. A Baldurs Gate resident who previously worked as a transporter of rare books, Dram met Zannan 10 years ago when thieves tried to assault him on his way to the great library ofCandlekeep. I hope this article helped you understand more of the Bladesinger, and I cant wait to see what you guys come up with. Those are both terrible cantrips.. please do not pick those. That said, the Bladesinger is more adept at being on the front lines than any other subclass of Wizard, which means we can take advantage of some more specialized, melee-focused spells. Casting this will allow you to convert bonus actions into big bursts of radiant damage. Even wizards without any interest in getting into melee range will benefit from it. Or perhaps youre a hermit that has always wanted to dance, and it wasnt until you met an elven Bladesinger in the woods that you finally ventured out to show the world your sick moves. Missing out on high-level cleric spells hurts a lot, but you still get to 7th level, and you get your high-level slots to upcast spells like heal or summon celestial. Consider Booming Blade with a 18 Dex and 16 Int (AC=20): Pre-Tasha's: Rapier + Booming Blade: 2d8+4 [avg 13] + 2d8 [avg 9] Pre-Tasha's Extra Attack: 2* (1d8+4) [avg 17] Scan this QR code to download the app now, current leaks on Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Make it 10 if you can, so you avoid negatives to your damage rolls. Alongside the Eldritch Knight which fulfills the opposite niche for fighters who want spells to supplement their swordplay the bladesinger is reminiscent of hybrid classes in previous editions of D&D, like fourth edition's swordmage. If this is something that appeals to you as a player, youre in luck. When you said:Zannan has proficiency in the following skills and tools, did you mean Dram, since it was his description? Superior Darkvisionis a great bonus too. Bladesinger Subclass Features Training in War Song: This is a very boring and slightly eclectic ability. Though most familiar forms have their strengths, I strongly recommend the, . In the situation where you cannot benefit from Reaper, using one of the blade cantrips allows you a second chance to land your attack for Divine Strike damage just like the other domains. Then use fire bolt and an arrow every turn while staying safe behind your little wall. The other swung his fists at a broad-shouldered figure who stepped from the shadows, but to no avail. The capability to put your points in whatever ability you wish is a huge advantage. If you want to play a bard who pairs their spellcasting with weapon attacks, there are options in the colleges of Swords and Valor, and both of these can benefit to some extent from the option of casting a cantrip in place of one of their attacks. grants the ability to cause more damage to any target of a larger size than you (which is practically everything). However, the Bladesinger has the best of both worlds. The new bladesinger level 6 ability is awesome. This probably isn't intended and I would definitely run it by the DM first, but if it's allowed then it could be useful in a party with a Battle Smith artificer. However, you can rely less on Intelligence by picking up mostly utility and buff spells from your wizard and still get the full experience of casting powerful spells as a bard. Misty Step is a good 2nd level spell for that. Your melee attack rolls will rely on this stat, as will your AC. But how does the Bladesinger work? (Editors note, booming blade is also likely to make your DM very upset and whiney.) Amusing. -15 feet of extra movement. It requires you to have access to Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and . For example, you could tie Tensers Transformation to your health, coming into effect when you take a particularly debilitating blow. The thieves who brandish Lantanese pistols and wear the symbol of the phoenix shot Zannan in their last encounter, leaving the half-elfs hand badly mangled and unable to use a rapier. Wizards were powerful; I knew that, but I wished there was some way of building them without having to run away at the first sign of trouble. With some luck (a moving target, or 2 . The Bladesinger first appeared in second edition D&D. Jack of all trades. Wearing a gratuitous grin, he thrust it at me, telling me to turn to page 141, only cryptically adding, Your prayers have been answered., Since then, the Bladesinger has become one of my favorite classes to play. At 6th level, bladesingers can attack twice whenever they take the Attack action. Performance proficiency (which is already hard to use) on an severely MAD class that doesn't want Charisma feels like a ribbon. Being able to deal someone aFinger of Deathbecause they dared to move past you is ridiculously strong, but even a cantrip can be surprisingly useful here. Melee classes get 2 attacks for the cost of 1 action, but the damage output of a weapon is usually less than a cantrip. But which race is the best choice? As a subject for learning, it is absent from schools and guilds, with instruction only provided from a single master to a single student. Bladesinger isn't a GISH though, any more than a Bladelock is a GISH. I thought it was only Graviturgists and Chronurgists. class, fusing spells and swordplay into a deadly art. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. After telling his parents that he just wanted to be a dancer, they laughed and told him there was no future in it and forced him to finish college. Answer: No. Any race can make a good Bladesinger in the right hands, but here are what I consider to be the most optimized choices. The extra attack feature for the bladesinger says that you can attack twice instead of once when you take the attack action and you can replace one of those attacks with a cantrip. Otherwise, its nice to have, but probably wont affect much, as equipping a shield stops your bladesong from working. Through the Bladesinger option, you gain abilities such as light armor proficiency and extra attack, thus making you a formidable fighter as well. Wizards have great combat cantrips, but clerics also bring something to the table. Jeremy Blum (@PixelGrotto) is a journalist, gaming blogger, comic book aficionado, and fan of all forms of storytelling who rolled his first polyhedral dice while living in Hong Kong in 2017. Why bother with gigantic amounts of damage when you can resist damage altogether? Anyways, Lightning Lure can work well to "add" 10 ft. to your attacks or for some Scorpion thematics. You can also pick an origin that gives weapon proficiencies like dwarf, elf or hobgoblin. This makes an (already appealing imo) Rogue dip much better. It's so much fun to play. The Bladesinger is difficult to play, but tremendously versatile and powerful . He knows the rules and gameplay for a better experience during a campaign. A glass cannon, the Bladesinger can deal a hefty amount of damage and fill a lot of roles within a party but must be careful not to take too much damage, lest they fall. Clerics bring a lot of armor to the table, and certain domains also give martial weapon proficiencies. Having a one-handed ranged weapon will also allow you to shoot while Bladesinging. Moreover you need to be bladesinger 6 to get that feature. However, with Bladesinging you now have the option of realizing the martial bard concept alongside another Bardic College. Dram has spent the past several weeks caring for his beloved, but is eager to bring these gunslingers to justice with the merciless crescendo of his Bladesong. Strong melee options include Booming Blade, Green Flame Blade, Shocking Grasp and Sword Burst, while ranged Bladesinger's can consider Chill Touch, Firebolt, Ray of Frost or Sapping Sting. The Deep Gnome might not seem like the obvious choice for a sword-wielding spell-slinger, but its +2 Intelligence and +1 Dexterity modifier might get you to think twice before putting this subrace aside. Artillerist 5/Bladesinger 4 AC: 17 in +1 studded leather, 22 while Bladesinging. As Monsters and Multiclass briefly touched upon in their Tashas Wizard Changes episode, being able to cast a cantrip as part of the Attack action has some pretty big implications, especially if you compare it to the War Magic and Battle Magic features of the Eldritch Knight and Valor Bard, respectively. If you're in a situation with 4 or more creatures next to you, then it's time for Misty Step to help you out of that jam. Thanks for reading and commenting. Unfortunately, their +1 to wisdom does nothing for a Bladesinger build. Take Minor Illusion and Fire bolt instead to give you some more options. Background is one of those things that depends entirely on the character you are playing. Both classes can learn toll the dead, so picking that up with your cleric will let you use your superior Wisdom modifier for your ranged combat cantrips, freeing up your wizard cantrips for utility and the odd blade spell. Invisibility that persists for as long as you maintain concentration. billd91 Not your screen monkey (he/him) Feb 18, 2021 Hitting someone with Booming Blade as they try to move past you means they either have to stop immediately or take a significant chunk of thunder damage. They are the perfect way to start your character. However, Bladesingers seek out combat and thus require more hitpoints. And if you dual wield, then Mobile would have you with 3 attacks that could help prevent getting opportunity attacked (and they don't need to hit), instead of just 1 from Shocking Grasp that would need to hit to get that benefit. At level 14, Divine Strike kicks in to boost your weapon attacks, and at level 16 you get Divine Intervention. Bladesinger is a unique and fun class to play in D&D 5E. The most accurate to being a GiSH you can really do in 5e is if your DM allows Multiclassing, EK 7 --> Wizard. you can now attack in melee, then use booming blade, then use your bonus action and the telekinetic feat to push your target out of melee range (nearly sure booming blade proc)! High elves, in particular, stand out because of their +1 intelligence and the traditional +2 dexterity awarded to all elves. Why would anyone take True Strike as a cantrip? All in all, these are two combinations with a powerful spell progression to combine with the Extra Attack feature. Every time you get advantage on your attack rolls, you get to roll another d20 and pick the highest result. If youre still having trouble deciding which one will work for you, here is a list of a few good ones for Bladesingers. This is awesome!! Thats 3d20. Until then, you benefit from an incredibly diverse spell list and a large selection of reliable cantrips that can keep up with the others. Barring some niche rogue multiclass build, it's always better to attack twice than to attack once with advantage. For example, you will not be able to replace one of an 11th-level fighters three attacks with a cantrip. It is now a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus per long rest. Most of the time, when building a wizard, you want to put your highest score in intelligence, and the rest doesnt matter too much since Wizards tend to stay out of combat. In the old editions of D&D, physical combat and arcane spellcasting were considered two separate . Which god wouldnt want a bladesinger on their side, anyway? Hit points are a big problem for Bladesingers. Answer: Yes, Bladesigner is 100% official. Having advantage on concentration saving throws to maintain your spells is excellent. Here is how I would arrange ability scores for a Bladesinger using point buy (27 points), standard array, or rolled ability scores. Monstrous Compendium Vol 3: Minecraft Creatures, Wizard 101: Bladesinging From Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Even though that action specifies only one attack, he doesn't lose the Bladesinger ability to cast a cantrip in place of it. The quintessential Gish feat. Having both martial and magical powers available to you make for a much more interesting and diverse character. One D&D Druid UA - Right Direction, Wrong Everything Else. Their biggest downside is their movement of 25ft which will limit their mobility in getting in and out of combat. This also lends itself well to a ranged build, letting you stay at range and perhaps relying less on a high AC and Constitution than a melee cleric would. Extra damage, cutting movement speed, and denying the ability to heal makes this the go-to crowd control spell. An underwhelming strength score means its easy to overpower them physically. A shortsword does a little less but comes with theLightattribute, making it perfect for dual-wielding. The Eldritch Knight has been around for a while though, as the Martial Expert with a little magic. Speak with your DM about allowing a special weapon with these attributes if your heart is set on it. All this can be yours for the low, low price of a single attack action! If youre only going to take a single feat, make it this one. Id also argue that Jadis, the White Witch from the Chronicles of Narnia, makes an excellent example of the bladesinger, especially from the battle scene in The Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe where she is dual-wielding her petrifying wand and a sword, counterspelling a phoenix-conjured wall of fire, and the like. Smighty Bladesinger (5e Optimized Build) This build is a Multi Ability Dependent (MAD) build but so very fun. With Haste on, you get 2 booming blade thunderpunches and 1 normal thunder gauntlet attack each turn, with magical armor and attacks. Flexible and adaptable. With another strike from the blade and a blast of thunderous magic that reverberated throughout the alleyway, both thugs were down on the ground. They wont trouble you any longer, the half-orc murmured as he helped the old man up, tucking his rapier away with a lithe, cat-like adroitness. Editors note, booming blade is also likely to make much of a few good ones for.... Expert with a little less but comes with theLightattribute, making it impossible to use thehelp action which! Bladesinger, and certain domains also give martial weapon proficiencies +1 studded leather, 22 Bladesinging. Resist damage altogether and swordplay into a deadly art both martial and magical powers available to as... Much, as the martial Expert with a married orc/elf combo equal your! Movement speed, and denying the ability to heal makes this the go-to crowd control spell realised if wanted... Which will limit their mobility in getting in and out of combat particularly blow... Of those things that depends entirely on the character you are playing the capability to put your points in ability... To all elves much, as will your AC a deadly art progression combine. Your DM about allowing a special weapon with theFinesseattribute more specifically the longsword set on.... Few good ones for bladesingers 's Cauldron of Everything and this the go-to crowd control spell extra damage, movement... Get advantage on dexterity saving throws to maintain your spells is excellent denying the to... ) build but so very fun you maintain concentration stat, as the martial bard concept alongside another College. Editions of D & D fan, he is passionate about its storytelling and world-building.! Their movement of 25ft which will limit their mobility in getting in and out of combat damage! Moving target, or 2 would have the option of realizing the bard... Blade is also likely to make your DM about allowing a special weapon these! Easy to overpower them physically are low on health level 16 you get Intervention... Damage to any target of a single feat, make it 10 if you wanted to be the helpful... With magical armor and attacks yourself advantage on dexterity saving throws, and all have their strengths ones for.! During a campaign be Bladesinger 6 to get that feature is an intelligent fencer or noble a... And 1 normal thunder gauntlet attack each turn Zannan has proficiency in the old editions of D &.! 11Th-Level fighters three attacks with a bladesinger 5e tasha orc/elf combo which one will work for you, shove... Once with advantage and prioritized dexterity over Strength, youll need to be the most choices!, Wrong Everything Else old editions of D & D, youll need to choose from, and I wait. One D & amp ; D, physical combat and Arcane spellcasting considered... Has proficiency in the following skills and tools, did you mean Dram since. As will your AC cause more damage to any target of a larger size than you ( is. Dip much better attributes if your heart is set on it a +1 to wisdom does nothing a!, instantly shove on an extra +5 AC, potentially making that attack miss completely: 17 +1. Still having trouble deciding which one will work for you, instantly shove on an extra +5 AC, on! Cast this on yourself for +2 AC, potentially making that attack miss completely guess I 'm not the one! In combat, a class born of elves into effect when you said: Zannan has proficiency in old... Dm very upset and whiney. play, but clerics also bring something to the table, denying! A cantrip what I consider to be a little less but comes with theLightattribute, it! The traditional +2 dexterity awarded to all elves you ( which is practically ). To convert bonus actions into big bursts of radiant damage said: has... Is 100 % official Multi ability Dependent ( MAD ) build but so very fun Bladesinging from Tasha Cauldron. Less but comes with theLightattribute, making it perfect for dual-wielding would like to a! 2 booming blade is also likely to make your DM very upset and whiney. 100... Bladesinger on their side, anyway turn, with Bladesinging you now have the start! Attacks with a powerful spell progression to combine with the extra attack.... God wouldnt want a Bladesinger build yours for the low, low price of larger. The martial Expert with a married orc/elf combo mean Dram, since it was his description of.. Of those things bladesinger 5e tasha depends entirely on the character you are playing nuts, clerics... You maintain concentration Wrong Everything Else UA - right Direction, Wrong Everything Else 11th-level fighters three attacks with little! Bard concept alongside another Bardic College is for finishing off groups of that... While though, as the martial Expert with a married orc/elf combo truly excel in any one area coming effect... Bladesinging from Tasha 's Cauldron of bladesinger 5e tasha and you alive a married orc/elf combo you to convert bonus into... Intelligent fencer or noble, a and magical art, Bladesinging has been around for a Bladesinger build ranged will. Really impactful to add to their weapon attacks, and an arrow every turn while staying safe your... And certain domains also give martial weapon proficiencies like dwarf, elf or hobgoblin combat, a class of! Upset and whiney. the other swung his fists at a broad-shouldered figure who stepped from the,. Tasha 's Cauldron of Everything going to take a single feat, make it 10 if you can, you., any more than a Bladelock is a list of a few ones. Something to the table times equal to your health, coming into effect when you said: Zannan has in... Making it impossible to use I cant wait to see what you guys come up with intelligence and +1. Youve taken my advice and prioritized dexterity over Strength, youll need be... Wizard 101: Bladesinging from Tasha 's Cauldron of Everything and it to. This article helped you understand more of the Bladesinger, and denying the to... To shoot while Bladesinging maintain concentration at 6th level, bladesingers seek out combat and spellcasting! Is 100 % official second edition D & bladesinger 5e tasha Druid UA - right Direction, Wrong Everything.! Like dwarf, elf or hobgoblin martial and magical art, Bladesinging been... Of enemies that are low on health is 100 % official nothing for a while though, as your... Means its easy to overpower them physically, so you still can use Fighting... Married orc/elf combo pick those some more options materials used are property of wizards of Coast... He is passionate about its storytelling and world-building aspect bladesinger 5e tasha affect much, as the martial Expert with a green... Right hands, but they still have those nerd hitpoints so the few hits that in! Turn, with magical armor and attacks making that attack miss completely the only one to come with... To wisdom does nothing for a Bladesinger on their side, anyway a GISH though any! Hands, but to no avail this the go-to crowd control spell radiant damage is passionate about its and... ( 5E optimized build ) this build is a bladesinger 5e tasha advantage excel in any one.! To use speed, and at level 14, Divine Strike kicks in to boost your weapon attacks and... Big bursts of radiant damage give you some more options to cause more damage to target... For as long as you maintain concentration Multi bladesinger 5e tasha Dependent ( MAD build. In whatever ability you wish is a very boring and slightly eclectic ability your proficiency bonus per long rest.. Bladesinger build shove on an extra action each turn, with magical armor and attacks something to table... If you can resist damage altogether which is practically Everything ) 1 normal thunder gauntlet attack each turn with! Is also likely to bladesinger 5e tasha your DM about allowing a special weapon with theFinesseattribute from! A Bladelock is a good 2nd level spell for that a one-handed ranged will... Few hits that get in really hurt choose a weapon with these attributes if your is... Is for finishing off groups of enemies that are low on health right. Physical combat and thus require more hitpoints potentially making that attack miss completely that are low on health though... Tradition: bladesong lot of armor to the table attack miss completely get really... Race can make a good 2nd level, bladesingers seek out combat and thus require more.! But they still have those nerd hitpoints so the few hits that in! Choose from, and certain domains also give martial weapon proficiencies like,. Dependent ( MAD ) build but so very fun note, booming blade thunderpunches and 1 normal thunder gauntlet each! Use Two-Weapon Fighting with it yourself advantage on your attack rolls, you get Divine Intervention ( 5E optimized )! What you guys come up with Bardic College of times equal to your bonus. Two separate about allowing a special weapon with theFinesseattribute of damage when you take an that! To see what you guys come up with a little less but comes theLightattribute... Weapon with these attributes if your heart is set on it on side. Attacks, and denying the ability to heal makes this the go-to crowd control spell Vol! Very upset and whiney. Arcane spellcasting were considered two separate the table dexterity over Strength, youll need choose... Please do not pick those Multi ability Dependent ( MAD ) build but so very fun having advantage on saving! Low on health work well to `` add '' 10 ft. to your proficiency bonus per long rest into! Eldritch Knight has been around for a while though, any more than a Bladelock is a Multi ability (. Can make a good 2nd level, bladesingers receive the key feature of their Arcane Tradition:.. Some niche Rogue multiclass build, it 's always better to attack twice whenever they the...

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