Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
Now there may be some individuals or builds that really like or even value True Strike. But for me, it's just terrible. Now I know this isn't the first thread to bring this up, and it certainly won't be the last. But after watching this video from the Animated Spell Book (found here: https://youtu.be/6KXLID2oZYI ) I was reminded how bad the cantrip is. But I also got to thinking of a different solution to the cantrip. And this was the thought that popped into my head.
True Strike
cantrip divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: 1 round
Your magic grants you a brief insight into a target’s defenses. You gain advantage on your next attack roll made before the end of your next turn. If you hit, you deal an additional force damage equal to your spellcasting modifier.
The spell's extra damage increases to 1d8 + your spellcasting modifier when you reach 5th level. This damage increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
What are the changes?
Removed the concentration and the requirement to choose your target when you cast the spell. The biggest change is adding additional damage similar to Green-Flame Blade.
Reasoning Behind the Change
Well, the cantrip at 1st level now evens out to about the average damage of 2 cantrips that successfully hit. The damage is a bit more reliable since you roll the first damage, and add a static modifier rather than a dice. And that seems about right. You trade off 2 attacks for one more reliable attack. It also helps offset some potential issues if you are facing something with resistance.
Cautions
I know builds such as the Eldritch Knight and other classes with the ability to cast a cantrip as a bobus action will just love True Strike. And so, I don't know if this kind of cantrip may be unbalancing at all. But I don't think it is terribly better than, for example, Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade. If anything, it fills a different kind of niche within the ecosystem of those 2 cantrips, at least so far as I can tell.
What do people think?
True Strike
cantrip divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: 1 round
Your magic grants you a brief insight into a target’s defenses. You gain advantage on your next attack roll made before the end of your next turn. If you hit, you deal an additional force damage equal to your spellcasting modifier.
The spell's extra damage increases to 1d8 + your spellcasting modifier when you reach 5th level. This damage increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
What are the changes?
Removed the concentration and the requirement to choose your target when you cast the spell. The biggest change is adding additional damage similar to Green-Flame Blade.
Reasoning Behind the Change
Well, the cantrip at 1st level now evens out to about the average damage of 2 cantrips that successfully hit. The damage is a bit more reliable since you roll the first damage, and add a static modifier rather than a dice. And that seems about right. You trade off 2 attacks for one more reliable attack. It also helps offset some potential issues if you are facing something with resistance.
Cautions
I know builds such as the Eldritch Knight and other classes with the ability to cast a cantrip as a bobus action will just love True Strike. And so, I don't know if this kind of cantrip may be unbalancing at all. But I don't think it is terribly better than, for example, Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade. If anything, it fills a different kind of niche within the ecosystem of those 2 cantrips, at least so far as I can tell.
What do people think?