aramis erak
Legend
every offensive cantrip I've seen scales with Character Level.
D&D 5E Why do wizards STILL have to use daggers, etc.?
every offensive cantrip I've seen scales with Character Level.
Rune
Once A Fool
In the rare situation that a straight wizard would want to make an opportunity attack (Warcaster's replacement spell attack is not actually an OA), having a melee weapon would be handy. Of course, a quarterstaff would be better...
I could see a dual-dagger wielding & throwing wizard/rogue, though. No sneak attack for damage cantrips, after all. And that build would have reason to want to make OAs.
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Nebulous
Legend
My friend, your argument doesn't even make sense within the rules established. Spellcasters can spam low level magic again and again instead of daggers.
Even if your wizard picked all non attack cantrips, if the Wizard is a dwarf or elf, the Wizard could attack with bigger weapons, like a longsword in the Elfs case.
Or take a feat to gain profiency in 4 weapons of your choice, or multiclass.
Or if you choice to go with daggers, say for old times sake, duel wield daggers for an extra attack.
Or take a feat to gain profiency in 4 weapons of your choice, or multiclass.
Or if you choice to go with daggers, say for old times sake, duel wield daggers for an extra attack.
The Crimson Binome
Hero
Going with the previous assumption, about DEX 14 and INT 16, the wizard really should be dual-wielding daggers at first level. There's no reason to not dual-wield, unless circumstances require you to keep both hands open. Most of the time, you can just make two attacks, or put away one dagger (as a non-action) before casting.
Granted, without the fighting style it only increases your damage by 1d4 points, but that's still enough to put it ahead of any other option (in terms of pure damage, at level 1).
Because this is D&D, and a D&D wizard is a very specific type of character. You're supposed to save your magic as an absolute last resort, and rely upon your meager weapon until such time as you absolutely need to use a spell.
It's a resource-management puzzle, and they've completely thrown that out the window by allowing at-will cantrips.
It's much safer to stand back and attack than to get up in a Bugbears face with 15AC and ~8 hitpoints.
The Crimson Binome
Hero
Dual-wielding daggers is always better than using a single dagger, but there's little reason to ever use either since a cantrip is always an option...
...unless you have reason to believe that the extra damage will make a difference. Sometimes, +1d4 damage is enough to bring a target down, preventing it from getting any attacks whatsoever for that round.
transtemporal
Explorer
Yes they do. They scale with character level (firebolt for example does 1d10 at 1st, 2d10 at 5th, 3d10 at 11th, 4d10 at 17th). Dagger for show, cantrips for a pro!
pukunui
Legend
The only ones that don't are the druid's shillelagh and magic stone.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
14 dexterity is not enough to risk melee. A d10 can trip is better.
I didn't want to derail the thread.
The wizard is quite flexible. We had an elf wizard that used her longbow to great effect up to level 4. Dexterity was 16 and Int was 14. She was one of the best damage dealers. And it was an exception, because high dexterity elfs with bows are that good.
I didn't want to derail the thread.
The wizard is quite flexible. We had an elf wizard that used her longbow to great effect up to level 4. Dexterity was 16 and Int was 14. She was one of the best damage dealers. And it was an exception, because high dexterity elfs with bows are that good.
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