D&D 5E Bladesingers And The “Average” Game

[Salthorae]

I've played it a couple of times in different games, and used it entirely melee focused, though occasionally I'd use range as necessary.

I mean, mage armor + Dex + Int + Shield Spell? I almost never got hit in melee and was able to use either my damaging cantrips and/or extra attack to decent melee effect.

The fact that I can toss a fireball out to the group on the right as needed is just icing on the cake.

 

[Zardnaar]

Eh eh... Tender Transformation. Ironic typo/autocorrect, or witty editorial on the spell?

Typo. Phone, price of fish in China.

 

[cbwjm]

I played one at 5th level. In encounters where I didn't need to focus on my spells too much I ran around with bladesong hitting people with Greenflame blade. I'd typically use blur as a defensive spell, easily cast before combat began. I'd still use spells like fireball or fire bolt but typically I would get up in the enemy's grill, falling back when necessary. I never used bladesong as a defensive buff and then stayed at range. If I was bladesinging then I was mixing it up in melee.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Loved bladesingers in 2E, they are entirely lackluster in 5E and I haven't seen one played, either.

They aren’t even a little lackluster in 5e.

I played one at 5th level. In encounters where I didn't need to focus my spells too much I ran around with bladesong hitting people with Greendale blade. I'd typically use blur as a defensive spell, easily cast before combat began. I'd still use spells like fireball or fire bolt but typically I would get up in the enemy's grill, falling back when necessary. I never used bladesong as a defensive buff and then stayed at range. If I was bladesinging then I was mixing it up in melee.

Yeah same. I like Mirror Image for defense, but some don’t. IME, Xanathar’s Absorb Elements is also a must have spell for any gish.

Mobile Feat means I can Booming Blade, then bounce, or later I can teleport away. Regardless, I don’t try to tank, I’m playing a skirmisher.

The Swashbuckler/Bladesinger is pretty incredible, as well. Last session I crit on a Booming Blade attack with SA, 1-shot killed that enemy, then moved and hid.

I’ve never seen the sort of play I’m reading about, where it’s treated purely as a defensive buff in a standard wizard.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They aren’t even a little lackluster in 5e.

They seem lacklustre compared to how they where in 2e, when they where ridiculously popular for a splatbook class - in those tables that didn't ban them outright.

Basically, they could do everything a wizard could do and everything a fighter could do.

 

[clearstream]

They seem lacklustre compared to how they where in 2e, when they where ridiculously popular for a splatbook class - in those tables that didn't ban them outright.

Basically, they could do everything a wizard could do and everything a fighter could do.

I think when you compare 5e 'singer with other schools of magic, they stand out. I probably like Diviner more because I think the sort of fiat over the narrative it exercises is profound, but I wouldn't want to argue that Diviner was necessarily stronger. Illusion could be incredible in the right campaign... depending on DM decisions about illusions.

There's (at least) two axes for evaluation; 1) of schools a wizard character could take, how good are they, and 2) and of classes/archetypes a player could take overall how good are they. They're full wizards, and in my view highly competitive as melee tanks if played for efficiency. They're mediocre melee attackers... although not weakest in that regard depending on spell and feat choices.

Everything in Bladesong, even the Acrobatics (to contest foe grapple attempts), is relevant in a combat-focused campaign.

 

[cbwjm]

They seem lacklustre compared to how they where in 2e, when they where ridiculously popular for a splatbook class - in those tables that didn't ban them outright.

Basically, they could do everything a wizard could do and everything a fighter could do.

I think they were popular in 2e because they were adding on to an already popular multiclass combination. Even without the bladesinger kit, a fighter/mage was very powerful. I think also that the bladesinger had a roleplaying penalty that I wouldn't be surprised wasn't enforced very hard.

 

[AngryTiger]

I play bladesinger mostly as a defensive wizard. Sometimes i get into melee with booming blade when i feel it's safe to do so.

 

[renbot]

In the game that I DM, the 6th level BS is mostly melee with upcast shadowblade, mirror Image, and Shield when necessary. Very effective in combat plus a standard wizard when necessary.

I play a BS (4th level) in another game where I am pretty evenly split between melee and control. I attribute the difference to my being more generous with healing in my game, but it could be I'm just a coward

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Interesting to me that the two “focused on Melee” choices, the 2 “focused on not-Melee” choices, and the “MC to make a gish work” choice, all have the same numbers of votes.

Definitely doesn’t match the claims I see that it’s almost always the “wizard with more defense” style of Bladesinger play.