Cantrip: Blade Chant

[AlmirEldignor]

Blade Chant (Bard, Wizard)
Divination Cantrip
Casting Time: Bonus Action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration 1 Minute
You start up a magical chant that focuses your mind. For the duration, when you make an attack with a melee weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage with which you are proficient, you can use your spellcasting ability modifier instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls. Your attacks with such weapons are also considered magical, if they are not already.


What do you think? I've tried to look at this with respect to shillelagh, balance-wise. I've traded the automatic d8 upgrade for a larger selection of weapons. I'm thinking to also remove the magical attacks line as well, since it isn't really modifying the weapon itself, but I'm trying to stay as close to shillelagh as possible.

 

[Blue]

From an optimization point of view, Shillelagh is a much sought after spell because it reduces MAD so much. But it only works with limited weapons, and it's usually druid or cleric (nature), though bards can use a magical secret and tome pact warlocks can also get it.

This gives it out to bards and wizards - and wizards means also Arcane Rogues and Eldritch Knights, which usually have to sacrifice their casting stat for a good attack stat. Between this for Int + Chr and Shillelagh for Wis, all three of the mental stats can become attack stats for a single level dip, or no dip for the rogue and fighter with the appropriate subclasses. It also synergizes REALLY well with the wizard/etc. cantrips in Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.

Giving this to wizard (both for Int and for the rogue & fighter subclasses), and giving it any melee weapon, is too much because of those reasons. Bard and finding a reasonable restriction (finesse weapons? light?) might be okay.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

As Blue points out, its a little too good: allowing anyone to use Cha or Int as their combat Hit/Damage modifier for a relatively minor investment.

Options to reduce its power:

Make it 1 round duration. So its a bit like Blade Ward. This would cost you your bonus action each time you want to use it and possibly prevent the synergy with the other weapon attack cantrips.

Require a 1 action casting time. Making it less of a "freebie" and more of a decision that actually costs resources.

Require concentration. This would give a chance of losing the spell on taking damage and causes it to drop if you try to use it alongside some other spells.

Restrict it to a suboptimal set of weapons as Shillelagh is.