D&D 5E Alchemical Savant and Greenflame Blade

[Warpiglet-7]

So I am going to play an alchemist.

I normally parse things and figure rules out to my satisfaction but am stumped here. Advice very appreciated!

Does Alchemical Savant grant an intelligence boost to greenflame blade?

For this to happen, you must use alchemical supplies as a focus. And you must use tools as a focus to cast artificer spells generally.

However, you must use a weapon as a material component of the spell!

I could see supplies in one hand and weapon in the other but wondered if this has ever been anywhere semi official, sage advice, etc. and how others handle it

 

[ichabod]

I would allow it if you had two hands free (one for the supplies and one for the melee weapon). However, green flame blade has two rolls: the target hit with the weapon, and the second target hit by the green flame. Alchemical Savant on applies to one roll, so you would have to choose which roll to apply the bonus to.

 

[Mistwell]

I would allow it if you had two hands free (one for the supplies and one for the melee weapon). However, green flame blade has two rolls: the target hit with the weapon, and the second target hit by the green flame. Alchemical Savant on applies to one roll, so you would have to choose which roll to apply the bonus to.

Savant is only applying to the fire damage anyway right, so it's the flame damage from green flame blade it's applying to.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Savant is only applying to the fire damage anyway right, so it's the flame damage from green flame blade it's applying to.

Correct—-but think it’s only primary OR secondary target if they are separate rolls…

Is it a separate roll?

 

[ichabod]

Savant is only applying to the fire damage anyway right, so it's the flame damage from green flame blade it's applying to.

At fifth level both the melee attack and the second target take fire damage. That's also where the rolls start. So it could apply to either.

 

[ichabod]

Correct—-but think it’s only primary OR secondary target if they are separate rolls…

Is it a separate roll?

They are always mentioned separately in the spell description (edit: in Tasha's), so I would say they are separate rolls.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The artificer can also use any of their infused items as a spellcasting focus, so if the weapon is infused you have no problem.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

The artificer can also use any of their infused items as a spellcasting focus, so if the weapon is infused you have no problem.

True! But my question is about the fact that you have to use alchemical supplies as a focus to get the bonus.

So let’s say I have a weapon which is a required focus, can I also hold alchemical supplies in my other had as a focus too?

The problem—if it’s even worth worrying about (I am a bit ocd about no cheese and following rules) is whether I can use the mandated focus of a weapon worth 1sp as well as the alchemical supplies to get the bonus.

I would hope the dm would allow it via the use of two hands but don’t know how others would rule it…

 

[Warpiglet-7]

It’s an extra 1-5 points of damage (int bonus) a round and you would have to forgo a shield…so not absurd either way…

 

[Paul Farquhar]

True! But my question is about the fact that you have to use alchemical supplies as a focus to get the bonus.

So let’s say I have a weapon which is a required focus, can I also hold alchemical supplies in my other had as a focus too?

The problem—if it’s even worth worrying about (I am a bit ocd about no cheese and following rules) is whether I can use the mandated focus of a weapon worth 1sp as well as the alchemical supplies to get the bonus.

I would hope the dm would allow it via the use of two hands but don’t know how others would rule it…

Specific beats general. So tool is your focus replaces the weapon as focus. So, so long as you have a tool in your off hand you gain the benefit of this ability. You cannot cast this spell at all unless you use a tool or an infused weapon.