D&D (2024) Abusing True Strike 2024

[Zardnaar]

I don't even own the PHB yet and my resident power gamer (AKA the wife) has already spotted this spell. And the new Sorcerers (she was fine with the old ones cheers WotC).

Between the two of we came up with things like wisdom based clerics skipping heavy armor. Arcane and nature clerics were better at fighting than the war clerics. Long before BG3 landed.

Anyway this spell looks good for classes with one attack that have a spellcasting stat. Clerics are obvious here along with rogues to a lesser extent.

Spiritual weapon+spirit guardians got nerfed. Usually didn't combo them anyway but worth noting.

In 2014 you also had racial armor on Dwarves and Gith. Origin feats now but colliding with being able to get True Strike via feat.

Sorcerer is another potential but not 100% sure. One weapon attack without green flame blade or spirit guardians isn't that exciting really. Melee sorcerer with quicken and haste is how we used to cheese it though usually with GFB.

I'm assuming you can cheese this with potent cantrip? Not sure how that worked (arcane cleric+gfb or BB+potent cantrip was funny with spiritual weapon/guardians).

Spell looks good but may actually be an occasional thing vs building around it.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Anyway this spell looks good for classes with one attack that have a spellcasting stat. Clerics are obvious here along with rogues to a lesser extent.

Yes, Cleric, Rogue, and non-Valor Bards are the best bets for a True Strike build. Others are possible, but the spell doesn't synch with Extra Attack.

All of those need to get the spell through Magic Initiate (Wizard), though.

In 2014 you also had racial armor on Dwarves and Gith. Origin feats now but colliding with being able to get True Strike via feat.

No armor proficiencies in the origin feats or in the 2024 species abilities.

I'm assuming you can cheese this with potent cantrip? Not sure how that worked (arcane cleric+gfb or BB+potent cantrip was funny with spiritual weapon/guardians).

If you're investing three levels in Wizard in order to be able to do half damage with a cantrip on a miss, that's not cheese. Yes, they'd interact with each other, but not in any way is it game-breaking.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

Yes, Cleric, Rogue, and non-Valor Bards are the best bets for a True Strike build. Others are possible, but the spell doesn't synch with Extra Attack.

All of those need to get the spell through Magic Initiate (Wizard), though.

It also works great on Valor Bards, Eldritch Knights, and Bladesingers since they can use True Strike as one of their Extra Attacks. Also another way to get the spell is being a High Elf

I don't see how any of this is "abusing true strike" though. It's a good spell that some classes will benefit from, that's about it

 

[jmartkdr2]

weird workaround: have your bladelock take true strike and then you don't need thirsting blade. Great if you plan to use shadow blade often.

 

[Kobold Stew]

It also works great on Valor Bards, Eldritch Knights, and Bladesingers since they can use True Strike as one of their Extra Attacks.

That's true, but it means you need to invest in two separate attack stats.

Also another way to get the spell is being a High Elf

Yes -- forgot to say.

I don't see how any of this is "abusing true strike" though. It's a good spell that some classes will benefit from, that's about it

Exactly.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

weird workaround: have your bladelock take true strike and then you don't need thirsting blade. Great if you plan to use shadow blade often.

I don't follow - how does True Strike give a Warlock the effects of Extra Attack scaling up to three attacks?

 

[ECMO3]

I don't even own the PHB yet and my resident power gamer (AKA the wife) has already spotted this spell. And the new Sorcerers (she was fine with the old ones cheers WotC).

Between the two of we came up with things like wisdom based clerics skipping heavy armor. Arcane and nature clerics were better at fighting than the war clerics. Long before BG3 landed.

Anyway this spell looks good for classes with one attack that have a spellcasting stat. Clerics are obvious here along with rogues to a lesser extent.

Spiritual weapon+spirit guardians got nerfed. Usually didn't combo them anyway but worth noting.

In 2014 you also had racial armor on Dwarves and Gith. Origin feats now but colliding with being able to get True Strike via feat.

Sorcerer is another potential but not 100% sure. One weapon attack without green flame blade or spirit guardians isn't that exciting really. Melee sorcerer with quicken and haste is how we used to cheese it though usually with GFB.

I'm assuming you can cheese this with potent cantrip? Not sure how that worked (arcane cleric+gfb or BB+potent cantrip was funny with spiritual weapon/guardians).

Spell looks good but may actually be an occasional thing vs building around it.

I think the best single-class Rogue combat wise is going to max a casting stat and get Truestrike through Elf, Magic Initiate or Arcane Trickster.

I think the absolute cat's meow for a Rogue will be a 2-level Warlock dip with max Charisma for Agonizing Blast-Truestrike along with two more Invocations.

I know this is an oversimplification but:

a 5th level Rogue with an 18 Dex is doing Weapon + 4 + 3d6 on a sneak attack

A 3rd level Rogue with 2 levels of Warlock and a 16 Charisma TS-AB is doing Weapon + 6 + 3d6 on a sneak attack

And it only gets better from there as Truestrike gains +2 damage with every ASI and another +1d6 at 11 and 17 in addition to staying on the sneak attack tree.

Comparing these at 11th level:

Rogue 11 (20 Dex): Weapon+5+6d6

Rogue 9/Warlock2 (20 Charisma): Weapon + 10 + 7d6

In addition to doing more damage the multiclass can change damage to Radiant or if he has Pact of Blade to Psychic, Necrotic or Radiant.

 

[ECMO3]

Yes, Cleric, Rogue, and non-Valor Bards are the best bets for a True Strike build. Others are possible, but the spell doesn't synch with Extra Attack.

It synchs well on a Valor Bard, Bladesinger or high intelligence EK because they combine Cantrips with Attacks.

With Agonizing Blast it can be effective on a Warlock who wants to use weapons but does not want to get all the Invocations required to be effective with pact of Blade.

Also it provides an excellent ranged attack for a high Int/High Strength EK who dumps dex.

All of those need to get the spell through Magic Initiate (Wizard), though.

Or High Elf or Magic Secrets for the Bard or Arcane Trickster for the Rogue.

 

[ECMO3]

I don't follow - how does True Strike give a Warlock the effects of Extra Attack scaling up to three attacks?

It doesn't directly, but using it with Agonizing Blast means you get the cantrip scaling plus twice Charisma and lets you attack on Charisma. This means you do not need to invest in as many Invocations for extra attacks and will keep up with Thirsting Blade fairly well and using less Invocations.

Also because it is usable with any weapon it is less limiting than POB.

 

[MarkB]

Between the two of we came up with things like wisdom based clerics skipping heavy armor. Arcane and nature clerics were better at fighting than the war clerics. Long before BG3 landed.

Heavy armour proficiency is no longer linked to subclass in any case.

Spiritual weapon+spirit guardians got nerfed. Usually didn't combo them anyway but worth noting.

This is dependent upon subclass. From level 6, War clerics can cast either shield of faith or spiritual weapon without concentration.