D&D 5E Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade Nerfed in TCoE

[cbwjm]

I'm actually a little torn between flame blades current form and wanting it to work the same as shadow blade. On the one hand, it is quite likely that the druid will have a better spell attack modifier than melee attack modifier. On the other hand, I really like how shadow blade can work with things like extra attack. It's more of a consideration for multiclass druids, but I still kind of wish it worked the same as shadow blade... or maybe not because my druid's wisdom tends to be higher than their dexterity...

 

[Prebata]

They’re actually direct ports of the at Will powers of the 4e Bladesinger, which is a Wizard.

No, that is wrong.

From the 4e Forgotten Realms Player Guide, page 27, under 1st-level Swordmage At-Will powers, you find: "Booming Blade" and "Greenflame Blade". Reading up on those powers, they read much alike the 5e versions.

From the 4e Neverwinter Campaign Setting, page 71 to 74, under 1st-level Bladesinger, Wizard At-Will powers, you find: "Bladespells" granting an option to pick three from the following "Dancing Fire", "Dazzling Sunray", "Frost Bite", "Lightning Ring", "Shadow Sever" and "Unseen Hand". Finally Bladesinger Wizards got "Magic Missile".

Bladespells were triggered by a melee basic attack, and together with the Bladesong encounter power turned the class spec. more into a striker.

Swordmages were defenders, which is why Booming Blade for instance, made them stickier.

Nowhere in the history of 4e did wizards use Booming Blade or Greenflame Blade as class powers. Those powers belonged to another class entirely, the swordmage.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

No, that is wrong.

From the 4e Forgotten Realms Player Guide, page 27, under 1st-level Swordmage At-Will powers, you find: "Booming Blade" and "Greenflame Blade". Reading up on those powers, they read much alike the 5e versions.

From the 4e Neverwinter Campaign Setting, page 71 to 74, under 1st-level Bladesinger, Wizard At-Will powers, you find: "Bladespells" granting an option to pick three from the following "Dancing Fire", "Dazzling Sunray", "Frost Bite", "Lightning Ring", "Shadow Sever" and "Unseen Hand". Finally Bladesinger Wizards got "Magic Missile".

Bladespells were triggered by a melee basic attack, and together with the Bladesong encounter power turned the class spec. more into a striker.

Swordmages were defenders, which is why Booming Blade for instance, made them stickier.

Nowhere in the history of 4e did wizards use Booming Blade or Greenflame Blade as class powers. Those powers belonged to another class entirely, the swordmage.

You should read subsequent posts before posting several paragraphs on a solved topic.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You should read subsequent posts before posting several paragraphs on a solved topic.

It's a useful summary, especially for someone like me who is unfamiliar with 4e, and so is drawing on the 2nd/3rd edition versions of bladesinger.

 

[Charlaquin]

Lightning Lure was a 4e sword mage at-will too. I remember a friend of mine accidentally killed an innocent villager with it once trying to put on a magic show.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

This has always been the case. The thing about material components is they have to be, you know material....

Shadow Blade creates a weapon, the material component for BB/GFB was a weapon. It never says that the weapon cannot be created by a spell. However, you are correct about it not working with Flame Blade.

 

[ChaosOS]

Crawford hates all of you individually

 

[cbwjm]

Honestly, I feel like they shouldn't even bother trying to "fix" some things. Instead, just write it up and let players sort it out.

 

[Seramus]

No longer being able to use those cantrips with Reach weapons (with Distant Spell or Spell Sniper) is a tragedy. I think the wording is better in general, but it should be usable with any melee weapon.

 

[Charlaquin]

No longer being able to use those cantrips with Reach weapons (with Distant Spell or Spell Sniper) is a tragedy. I think the wording is better in general, but it should be usable with any melee weapon.

Yeah, that one’s a head scratcher.