D&D 5E Booming Blade vs Extra Attack for rogue

[Mistwell]

I plan on multiclassing a rogue and want to know which is better combat wise for rogue. Booming Blade or Extra Attack. Let’s say the choices are 4 levels of ranger to get booming blade through Magic Initiate or 3 levels and get a level of Arcana Cleric for BB and GFB for wisdom stat, or 5 levels of ranger for extra attack. If you want to know the fighting style, it’s going to be Druidic Warrior (UA) so I can grab Shillelagh and Magic Stone. DM allows me to SA with a quarterstaff. The secondary effects of BB and GFB seem to allows flexibility in the situation, while Extra Attack allows me to have a higher chance of landing SA. Your thoughts?

Just be an arcane trickster and getting booming blade through...rogue. It's what I did. And you have the bonus of find familiar as a first level spell, so your owl familiar can give you the help action to attack with advantage sometimes.

I would not worry about a second attack. The damage from the weapon is just not your thing - it's sneak attack that is your thing. Stay focused on what you do well. Unless all these multiclass options are more attuned to the role playing idea you're trying to accomplish, in which case dive into your shillelagh thing.

 

[Mistwell]

BUT, Booming Blade means getting only one shot. You can't even make an offhand attack with it.

Why is that?

Oh I see, from Sage Advice: "neither green-flame blade nor booming blade works with Extra Attack or any other feature that requires the Attack action. Like other spells, these cantrips require the Cast a Spell action, not the Attack action" and two-weapon fighting says, "When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand." Gotcha.

I guess I need to decide it my rogue is going to use booming blade and a single attack, and dual short swords for a single rapier, or if my rogue is going to replace that booming blade cantrip and stick with two short swords. Decisions decisions.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Why is that?

Oh I see, from Sage Advice: "neither green-flame blade nor booming blade works with Extra Attack or any other feature that requires the Attack action. Like other spells, these cantrips require the Cast a Spell action, not the Attack action" and two-weapon fighting says, "When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand." Gotcha.

I guess I need to decide it my rogue is going to use booming blade and a single attack, and dual short swords for a single rapier, or if my rogue is going to replace that booming blade cantrip and stick with two short swords. Decisions decisions.

BB is good when you want to discourage the enemy from moving, which may or may not be a Thing That Happens in your campaign, depending on dm style. (You can always bonus action Disengage to tempt them, but many smarter monsters will often choose to do something else. That's often a good thing for you.)

 

[Mistwell]

BB is good when you want to discourage the enemy from moving, which may or may not be a Thing That Happens in your campaign, depending on dm style. (You can always bonus action Disengage to tempt them, but many smarter monsters will often choose to do something else. That's often a good thing for you.)

I've been using hide behind ally (halfling) and fire crossbow with advantage, or close and attack with shortsword and move away. My AC is squishy low, as are my hit points, so staying in melee is usually a bad idea. Seems like rapier and booming blade with moving off as a bonus action is the better choice.

 

[FrogReaver]

If you are going to use a staff then you need shileleagh. If you you use shillelagh then booming blade is the easiest addition IMO.

there is also polearm master. Which is worth considering IMO.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

BB is good when you want to discourage the enemy from moving, which may or may not be a Thing That Happens in your campaign, depending on dm style. (You can always bonus action Disengage to tempt them, but many smarter monsters will often choose to do something else. That's often a good thing for you.)

I usually find the disengage to be a win/win for my character and team.

 

[Mistwell]

I usually find the disengage to be a win/win for my character and team.

You should try that tactic here at ENWorld more!

 

[doctorbadwolf]

You should try that tactic here at ENWorld more!

You have a persistent habit of making it personal. Please don’t reply to me unless it’s on topic to the thread.

 

[Morrus]

You should try that tactic here at ENWorld more!

C'mon, man.

 

[Mistwell]

nevermind moved to PM