D&D 5E (2024) Druids, Muskets, True Strike and Shillelagh

[Horwath]

Pulling the trigger isn't the part that takes time.
Aiming takes time (and reloading)

yup.
I wish that crossbows were balanced around all being simple and having loading time of 1 Action.
1 Action is still too fast in reality, but that is probably the slowest that would be playable.
shooting every other turn.

 

[Tessarael]

IMHO, the Shillelagh cantrip should work with Greatclub as D&D 2024 Druids have simple weapon proficiency, which includes Greatclubs. By the rules as written, it is more ambiguous. I haven't found any Sage Advice specifying either way.

I would be somewhat hesitant as a DM to allow Shillelagh to be extended to other items. My criteria would be is it a wooden bludgeoning simple melee weapon? Club, greatclub, and quarterstaff qualify on those grounds. A wooden mace also qualifies. This seems reasonable if you look at the style of the weapons on page 216 of the 2024 Player's Handbook, a Mace looks quite similar to a club with a slightly different head on it.

With those criteria, I would not allow a musket or rifle to benefit from the Shillelagh cantrip. However, mechanically when used in melee, it would not be unbalanced to allow it to benefit from Shillelagh. Sometimes in D&D we get too strict about what a character can do within the rules as written. If the concept is not unreasonable and not unbalanced, it can be more fun to play with a "Yes, you can" approach.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I allow any non-magical improvised club to be used as as a Shillelagh (but it has no special stats and cannot be used for anything else’s whilst shillelaghing). Largely because rule of cool say that a bard who picks up this spell can use it on a lute.

So, yes, you can cast it on your musket - however, for the duration of the spell it is only a Shillelagh, it no longer functions as a musket.

 

[Tessarael]

I would also allow Shillelagh to be cast on a Staff Sling (Slingstaff), but you'd only get the benefits thereof in melee. You could still use it to throw stones, but that wouldn't benefit from the Shillelagh cantrip.