D&D (2024) Abusing True Strike 2024

[Ancalagon]

this was done with 2 levels of fighter for 10 years, yeah it was once per short rest but still...

and now instead of being a once/short rest frequency, it's a once per 15 gp... yeah, definitely an "upgrade"

 

[Ancalagon]

I think a 2 level Warlock dip with Agonizing Truestrike is going to be more abusive than this will be.

Really? A two level dip for and extra 3-5 dpr? That doesn't seem really abusive to me... what am I missing?

 

[FrogReaver]

I doubt you can cast a scroll as a bonus action with fast hands. Though the rules are just ambiguous enough.

That said, a solid true strike rogue build that doesn’t involve the scroll.

Start as fighter 1 for archery style, medium armor and heavy crossbow proficiency.

Take a background that lets you get magic initiate and take true strike.

Rest of levels take rogue. Scale truestrike off int.

Go arcane trickster subclass

Eventually take sharpshooter and great weapon master (works with longbow or heavy crossbow).

At level 20 you do 1d10+13d6+11 = 57 @ +13 attack with advantage from steady aim.

Stats can be 13 14 14 16 11 8 (for all feat prerequisite).

 

[Ancalagon]

I doubt you can cast a scroll as a bonus action with fast hands. Though the rules are just ambiguous enough.

The PHB doesn't tell us what action is required to read a scroll, so because we don't know if it's a magic action, we don't know if it's legal. I hope the DMG will clear it up.

That said, a solid true strike rogue build that doesn’t involve the scroll.

Start as fighter 1 for archery style, medium armor and heavy crossbow proficiency.

Take a background that lets you get magic initiate and take true strike.

Rest of levels take rogue. Scale truestrike off int.

Go arcane trickster subclass

Eventually take sharpshooter and great weapon master (works with longbow or heavy crossbow).

At level 20 you do 1d10+13d6+11 = 57 @ +13 attack with advantage from steady aim.

Stats can be 13 14 14 16 11 8 (for all feat prerequisite).

It's solid, but it's hardly "abuse". 90% of the build has little to do with true strike. True strike does nothing for your damage at tier 1, + 1d6 at tier 2, +2d6 at tier 3... decent, but there is an opportunity cost - you can't focus on dex, you have to take magic initiate (it's not bad, but it means you aren't taking something else). I'm pretty sure there are more powerful archery builds.

I, for one, am quite happy with the new True Strike. It's allowing alternative builds, and it can also be good "flavor". A mage that uses a crossbow and true strike instead of firebolt (it's better at tier 1, equivalent at tier 2, better if you have a magic crossbow)... it tells you something about said mage. And I like how a feat like magic initiate allows a martial to "dip" their toes in casting, true strike allows full casters to dip their toes in sword fighting.

 

[ECMO3]

Outdamages normal ranged build past lvl 5 because of the bonus damage from the cantrip and gives some customization of skills you wouldnt think about normally, but you're right

Using 3 actions a round, if you get sneak attack on every single attack and have unlimited numbers of scrolls. In such a white room it outdamages what some other middle-of-the road ranged builds can do using a single action.

 

[FrogReaver]

The PHB doesn't tell us what action is required to read a scroll, so because we don't know if it's a magic action, we don't know if it's legal. I hope the DMG will clear it up.

Right.

It's solid, but it's hardly "abuse".

And I never claimed it was…

90% of the build has little to do with true strike. True strike does nothing for your damage at tier 1, + 1d6 at tier 2, +2d6 at tier 3... decent, but there is an opportunity cost - you can't focus on dex, you have to take magic initiate (it's not bad, but it means you aren't taking something else). I'm pretty sure there are more powerful archery builds.

For a late tier rogue, I don’t think so. Maybe earlier.

I think an archer fighter is probably comparable.

But outside that archery is in a rough spot.

I, for one, am quite happy with the new True Strike. It's allowing alternative builds, and it can also be good "flavor". A mage that uses a crossbow and true strike instead of firebolt (it's better at tier 1, equivalent at tier 2, better if you have a magic crossbow)... it tells you something about said mage. And I like how a feat like magic initiate allows a martial to "dip" their toes in casting, true strike allows full casters to dip their toes in sword fighting.

Right, I’m just saying it may be a little too good for ranged rogues, especially when coupled with a single level dip of fighter. Not OP but better than almost all other options.

 

[Ashrym]

The PHB doesn't tell us what action is required to read a scroll, so because we don't know if it's a magic action, we don't know if it's legal. I hope the DMG will clear it up.

It shouldn't really matter. This is how Fast Hands has changed:

Level 3: Fast Hands​

As a Bonus Action, you can do one of the following.

Sleight of Hand. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to pick a lock or disarm a trap with Thieves’ Tools or to pick a pocket.

Use an Object. Take the Utilize action, or take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.

Fast Hands can be used to take the Magic action required to cast a spell from a magic item.

Casting without Slots​

There are several ways to cast a spell without expending a spell slot:

Cantrips. A cantrip is cast without a spell slot.

Rituals. Certain spells have the Ritual tag in the Casting Time entry. Such a spell can be cast following the normal rules for spellcasting, or it can be cast as a Ritual. The Ritual version of a spell takes 10 minutes longer to cast than normal, but it doesn’t expend a spell slot. To cast a spell as a Ritual, a spellcaster must have it prepared.

Special Abilities. Some characters and monsters have special abilities that allow them to cast specific spells without a spell slot. This casting is usually limited in another way, such as being able to cast the spell a limited number of times per day.

Magic Items. Spell Scrolls and some other magic items contain spells that can be cast without a spell slot. The description of such an item specifies how many times a spell can be cast from it.

The PHB does tell us that using a spell scroll falls under casting a spell without using a spell slot, however, which would be that Magic action.

 

[mellored]

Using 3 actions a round, if you get sneak attack on every single attack and have unlimited numbers of scrolls. In such a white room it outdamages what some other middle-of-the road ranged builds can do using a single action.

If you have infinite money and downtime, then Truestrike isn't what i would pick to spam.

Get infinite wands of magic missile or whatever.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I feel like I must be missing something. How can you pair TS with EB/AG? TS requires a weapon, and EB is a spell.

"Guided by a flash of magical insight, you make one attack with the weapon used in the spell’s casting."

 

[ECMO3]

Really? A two level dip for and extra 3-5 dpr? That doesn't seem really abusive to me... what am I missing?

Yeah that is my point .... and this doesn't seem really abusive to me either.

Like others have said this is something you could do since 2014 being hasted or as a fighter with less impact on action economy and no need for a big pile of scrolls or a specific subclass.