D&D 5E Sun Soul Monk / Undying Light Warlock

[Dasem]

Honestly, the wording is a bit vague. Cantrips are spells, but this isn't a cantrip. Yet it's not a weapon attack. Really, from what I can tell, it's the only thing quite like this in the game; It's a spell attack, but not in any spellbook... Its unique. I don't think WotC knew quite what to call it. But they certainly do call it a spell attack, and it's certainly not any sort of a melee or weapon attack. They could've called it a "ranged attack" and left out the weapon keyword, but they didn't.

The fact that they decided to call it a spell is what convinces me it works.

 

[Blue]

Hi can you clarify something for me?
Radiant Soul says...
Starting at 1st level, your link to the Positive Plane allows you to serve as a conduit for radiant energy. You have resistance to radiant damage, and when you cast a spell that deals radiant damage or fire damage, you add your Charisma modifier to that damage.

the bit of interest is "when you cast a spell" but the sun soul monk says

RADIANT SUN BOLT
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can hurl searing bolts of magical radiance.
You gain a ranged spell attack that you can use with the Attack action.

this isn't casting a spell, so the Radiant Soul wouldn't trigger.
or have i missed something?

This may be up to how your DM views this. I think RAW, you're not casting it. (And all that means, like you can't counterspell it.) Or you can be even more technical and say that "cast" has no mechanical definition, it's just what you do to use spells. And a ranged spell attack is by definition a spell even if it doesn't match what a spell is described as in the PHB (pg 201) by not having a level.

Though this is 5e not 3.x - I'd probably just allow it as a flavorful combination. Been saying yes more often than I used to. There are costs in actions and spell slots for casting Hex and changing target, costs in Ki to use this ability more - it's not an at-will, every-round-including-first.

 

[Blue]

As a fun addendum to this, unlike the Martial Arts section, Radiant Sun Bolt works fine in armor with a shield if you can gain proficiency.

 

[Kithas]

No this does not work.
Radiant sun bolt is not casting a spell, it is not a cantrip even though it kinda acts like one.
Also Flurry of Blows is not using the "attack action" so you cannot radiant sunbolt on it.
You can Hex on it!

 

[faria]

Would Smite stack with this? You're still taking the Attack action, right?

How about Rogue's Assassinate?

How much damage could a Warlock 9/Sun Soul 5/Rogue 3/Pally 2 put out on a surprise round?

Could throw Fighter 2 in there instead of something too. We ran out of levels to dip with, heh.

I guess MAD would prevent multiclassing so much though...

 

[Kithas]

Smite only works with a melee attack, assassinate should work.

 

[Blue]

Also Flurry of Blows is not using the "attack action" so you cannot radiant sunbolt on it.

He didn't say it was, just that you could spend a Ki. If you read the Sun Soul monk, you can spend a ki point to get two extra attacks with your bonus action, like a flurry but specific to this.

 

[Herobizkit]

Radiance Monk and and Undying Warforged, eh...
[sblock] [/sblock]

 

[Kithas]

He didn't say it was, just that you could spend a Ki. If you read the Sun Soul monk, you can spend a ki point to get two extra attacks with your bonus action, like a flurry but specific to this.

ah I forgot about that part of the RSB ability.

 

[faria]

A Sun Soul Monk 5/Warlock 9/Assassin Rogue 3/Fighter 2 only needs DEX, WIS, and CHR at 13. This would be a viable combination.

This is only 19 levels, we have a choice for that last level. Monk 6 gives us another elemental discipline, a Ki point, and Ki-Empowered hits. 3rd level in Fighter to get Maneuvers from Battle Master. Or Rogue to 4 for an ASI.

Which would you take and what order would you guys build this?