Booming Blade and Beast Masters

[Litania]

One for the number crunchers.

I have been thinking about playing a ranger (the unearthed arcane version, obviously!) and, wanting to go for a relatively more unusual race-class combination, I was thinking of high elf instead of wood elf.
Then I noticed: since beast masters never get a second attack, the new SCAG cantrip would be very good. Booming Blade more so than greenflame, since our int is bound to be low. Getting a wolf companion, I would be able to render the enemy prone with its attack, stab them with booming blade (with advantage) and then watch them as they take the extra damage just by virtue of standing up. Since they are using half their movement, I believe that triggers booming blade conditions.

Considering this build would use duelist and shield, how does this compare to simply using two-weapon fighting style?

Any other shenanigans with SCAG cantrips and Rangers?

 

[Gladius Legis]

Getting a wolf companion, I would be able to render the enemy prone with its attack, stab them with booming blade (with advantage) and then watch them as they take the extra damage just by virtue of standing up. Since they are using half their movement, I believe that triggers booming blade conditions.

It does not. http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/11/09/booming-blade-stand-up/

 

[Litania]

Ok. Even so, do you think that SCAG cantrips+duelist+shield is competitive against two-weapon fighting style for beast masters?

 

[Gladius Legis]

Beast Conclave - 5th level TWF w/ style, DEX 16, 2 shortswords: 2d6 + 6 = 13

Beast Conclave - 5th level Booming Blade w/ Dueling, DEX 16, rapier: 2d8 + 5 (+2d8 if enemy moves) = 14 (23 if enemy moves)

Even without the enemy moving, you deal more damage than TWF. If the enemy moves it's a lot more. And you still have a bonus action free. At Lv. 11, Booming Blade would blow TWF away, period.

 

[Blue]

Beast Conclave - 5th level TWF w/ style, DEX 16, 2 shortswords: 2d6 + 6 = 13

Beast Conclave - 5th level Booming Blade w/ Dueling, DEX 16, rapier: 2d8 + 5 (+2d8 if enemy moves) = 14 (23 if enemy moves)

Even without the enemy moving, you deal more damage than TWF. If the enemy moves it's a lot more. And you still have a bonus action free. At Lv. 11, Booming Blade would blow TWF away, period.

If you increased Dex at 4th to 18 and were using hunter's mark fifth level would more likely be:

TWF: 4d6+8 = 22
BB+Dueling: 2d8+d6+6 (+2d8 if move)=18.5 (27.5 if move).

That said, dueling doesn't take up your bonus action, leaves the possibility of a shield, only needs one magic weapon, and really doesn't warrant the bonus action and slot to cast hunter's mark.

Looking at that, I'm still with Gladius Legis's recommendation of BB+Dueling for Beast Conclave.

 

[Blue]

Tangential to your main point, a heavy crossbow makes a fine ranged weapon for a Beast Conclave ranger since without extra attack the loading issue never comes up.