D&D 5E Mystic Step as a Magical Secret

[AaronOfBarbaria]

I'm not a min/maxer but Misty Step+Vicious Mockery sounds like a really fun combo.

*bamf*
"You hit like a girl"

*bamf*
"You couldn't hit the floor with your shadow"

*bamf*
"Ner ner"

...and he dies. Of shame. Whilst suffering Disadvantage.

Awe.Some.

Last session I ran in which one of my players is a bard, he got to celebrate the first time in the campaign that he had finished off a combatant with vicious mockery. He was very glad to have finally "made fun of someone so hard that they died," even though we went with a description of a demoralized surrender rather than actual death.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

As I conceive it, Mystic Step would be used in combat only once per combat, maybe twice. If my Bard teleports 30ft away from the enemy, he can position himself so the meat shield is interposed between him and the enemy. Even that is only when, for some reason, the enemy can close distance with my Bard unexpectedly (and Cutting Words to the enemy's initiative, the Alert feat, and expertise in Perception should make that a pretty rare event). So, I'm not too worried that it will eat up my bonus actions.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

Since I'm going to be in the same position soon, my view is that there are so many spells competing for the two Magical Secrets positions that it's always a tough choice. Misty Step is a very viable option. It's usefulness is however, as mellored states, situational. Is the 'get out of danger' spell going to be useful enough for it to be chosen over some other spell? Only you can decide that.

Personally, for my 6th level Magical Secrets, I'm looking at one spell for support and one spell for defense. I'd love to also have one spell for attack, but I only get to choose two....

We have seven PCs at the table. I'm playing my character like a mastermind. Offensively speaking, I get more than enough dpr by buffing and nerfing. The only offensive spells I've taken have multiple outside of combat uses (like phantasmal force and charm person).

 

[OB1]

While I absolutely love Misty Step as a spell, I would say that it works better if you plan on playing a character who tends to get herself surrounded (on purpose or not) and wants an easy way to escape. I've used it to great effect with both an Eldrich Knight and a Wild Sorcerer (a gnome who likes to alter self into a gremlin to go grapple enemies with his fangs after swigging a potion of giant strength). If you are trying to avoid being in melee mirror image or shield may be a better choice, but I don't think misty step is a bad one.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

If you are trying to avoid being in melee mirror image or shield may be a better choice, but I don't think misty step is a bad one.

I'm 8th lvl. I have an AC of 15. Shield would bump my bard's AC to 20 for one turn. Even 20 AC is pretty negligible if you are on the front line and you can't use Cutting Words.
Shield seems subpar.

 

[OB1]

[MENTION=6805686]Darkwing Duck[/MENTION] I'm saying that Shield is better if you are NOT on the front line, since you are more likely to need to bump your AC to avoid a single ranged attack rather than need to misty step away from several potential opportunity attacks. On the front line I think Misty Step is the way to go, but I thought you were trying to avoid that situation all together.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

...20 AC is pretty negligible if you are on the front line...
Shield seems subpar.

These are things I genuinely never expected I would see someone say regarding 5th edition.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

[MENTION=6805686]Darkwing Duck[/MENTION] I'm saying that Shield is better if you are NOT on the front line, since you are more likely to need to bump your AC to avoid a single ranged attack rather than need to misty step away from several potential opportunity attacks. On the front line I think Misty Step is the way to go, but I thought you were trying to avoid that situation all together.

There's always a chance you end up on the front line as the enemy can ambush you from an unexpected angle. I don't plan on never being on the front line. I plan on getting out of it asap.

 

[OB1]

Very true! Again I love misty step and feel like it lets me take chances that I wouldn't otherwise because of it. I say go for it!

 

[Darkwing Duck]

These are things I genuinely never expected I would see someone say regarding 5th edition.

An 8th lvl fighter, at the minimum, would have at least a +6 to hit (+3 from strength, +3 from proficiency). They would need a 14 on the die to hit my bard on the round that my bard casts shield. That's not all that hard and my hit die are worse than his (and he probably has a higher Con than I do). A 20 AC on the front line for one round just is not going to save my bard.
That's why my bard is much better off staying where AC and hit points aren't as important (taking cover behind a tree or keeping the enemy busy with my meat shield). I'm a mastermind, not a meat shield.