D&D 5E (2024) Multi-Cantrip Build: 3 / round with BS Extra Attack, EK War Magic and Haste? (5 with Action Surge?)

[Zardnaar]

Welp… the latest Unearthed Arcana has yet another ability for replacing an attack with a cantrip!

The Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk subclass gets this 6th level ability:

View attachment 427554

That means a 19th level character (BS6/EK7/WotMA6) could theoretically get 3 cantrips per Attack action!

The rub is that unless you get to EK11, then you can’t have 3 attacks per Attack Action. However, if using the Nick weapon mastery, then, while TWF, technically you do get 3 attacks per Attack Action.

So that brings us to:

• 3 cantrips per round at will.
• 4 cantrips per round with Haste.
• 6 cantrips per round with Action Surge.
• 7 cantrips per round with Haste + Action Surge

And you still have your BA and Reaction available…!

That is… pretty sick

It will likely be changed to be similar to EK/BS/VB ability.

 

[Silam]

It will likely be changed to be similar to EK/BS/VB ability.

In what sense? So that it doesn’t stack? If so, then it’s probably easier to make it somehow "identical" to the EK War Magic, since it doesn’t grant an extra attack of its own. In that way, you could have a situation where you pick either EK or WofMA, and stack it with either BS or VB’s Extra Attack.

As currently spelled, however, it is different from EK’s War Magic as it specifically states that it works only on a Sorceror cantrip (as opposed to Wizard cantrip). These restrictions are to prevent using these abilities on Warlock cantrips, IIUC. But the narrow scoping does end up meaning they’re distinct abilities (at least in my interpretation of the RAW multiclass constraints). That quirk is actually a tiny bit bothersome, since it means 2 of your cantrips can come from either the BS or EK, while the 3rd cantrip must come from the WotMA’s list. So you can’t spam the exact same cantrip on every single attack (unless, I guess, if you picked it redundantly across multiple classes… now that’s commitment!)

 

[Silam]

And you still have your BA and Reaction available…!

BTW, if I’m not mistaken, no one yet mentioned taking the War Caster feat to convert Opportunity Attacks into any spell with a casting time of an Action.

So that can take us to 8 cantrips per round, situationally. Or 7 cantrips + any 1 Action casting time spell (which is probably less restrictive than only spells that have a Reaction casting time to begin with…).

 

[Zardnaar]

In what sense? So that it doesn’t stack? If so, then it’s probably easier to make it somehow "identical" to the EK War Magic, since it doesn’t grant an extra attack of its own. In that way, you could have a situation where you pick either EK or WofMA, and stack it with either BS or VB’s Extra Attack.

As currently spelled, however, it is different from EK’s War Magic as it specifically states that it works only on a Sorceror cantrip (as opposed to Wizard cantrip). These restrictions are to prevent using these abilities on Warlock cantrips, IIUC. But the narrow scoping does end up meaning they’re distinct abilities (at least in my interpretation of the RAW multiclass constraints). That quirk is actually a tiny bit bothersome, since it means 2 of your cantrips can come from either the BS or EK, while the 3rd cantrip must come from the WotMA’s list. So you can’t spam the exact same cantrip on every single attack (unless, I guess, if you picked it redundantly across multiple classes… now that’s commitment!)

You can only use it once per round. I doubt they will let this through as it.

Atm I think the record is 7 spells a round. If this gets through UA as is its now 9 spells a round.

This ones more theorcraft though. Other builds actually playable.

 

[mellored]

However, if using the Nick weapon mastery, then, while TWF, technically you do get 3 attacks per Attack Action.

Are you sure?
Thought you needed to attack with a Light weapon to do Nick. And if your casting cantrips, our not attacking.

 

[Silam]

Are you sure?
Thought you needed to attack with a Light weapon to do Nick. And if your casting cantrips, our not attacking.

That’s a good point! Maybe it doesn’t work then. Or maybe it only works with cantrips which make you do an attack (e.g., True Strike). Or touch cantrips? (A touch counts as light, I guess? EDIT: probably not, based on what I've been reading...)

In any case, re-reading the Nick property, it clearly states that it only works once per round. So even just making regular attacks, not even converting them to cantrips, if using Action Surge, the AS would not be able to use Nick if the regular Attack Action that came before it already did (which I hadn’t realized up to now…).

Light

When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don’t add your ability modifier to the extra attack’s damage unless that modifier is negative. For example, you can attack with a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other using the Attack action and a Bonus Action, but you don't add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage roll of the Bonus Action unless that modifier is negative.

Nick	When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.