D&D 5E Opinions on Bladesinger

[Mirtek]

This ties into a fundamental rule of this edition, on page 14 of the PHB:

Actually this rule is unneeded just as the rule about extra attack on page 164, as the wording on these abilities already prevents any stacking even if the rules on page 14 and page 164 were never included. All the do is to hammer the fact home for those trying to find a vagueness were there is none.

But not all abilities are like that.

All class based abilities save for bladesond are like that.

The other kind of ability as regards AC is the one giving a bonus to AC. That includes everything from the Shield spell via a Ring of Protection to, yes, the Bladesinger ability.

And bladesong is the only class ability on this list

The first kind of ability is phrased one, distinct, way. The second kind of ability is phrased another, distinctly different, way.

And I am not sure that whoever wrote bladesong was aware of that or simply chose the first wording he saw (or made up on his own without checking prior cases of wording similar abilities) without second thought.

And since the Bladesinger ability is phrased exactly right for the second kind of ability, it is the second kind of ability.

I never refuted that, I am questioning whether it was supposed to become that

No mistakes. Nothing uncertain.

Agreed

Everything says it is fully intentional.

Disagree, since we have no way to know that.

In fact, until you question your assumptions, nothing I say will ever make you change your mind.

And nothing I say will ever change your minst until you question your assumptions and accept the possibilty that designers may write a certain part of the game by simply blindly picking the first wording "from the bucket" (or from the top of his mind) without knowing that there are several variants or the reasons for those variants

It happened frequently in earlier editions. 4e was full of arguments caused by wordings more or less stating the same thing with slight differences caused by the designers not agreeing on or sticking to a standard formula or just chosing the wrong standard formula for what they actually intended to say.

Cases like this are one of the main causes of differences between RAI and RAW

 

[garnuk]

You know, you can ask Jeremy Crawford on Twitter if this is intentional or not. You don't have to guess!

 

[Mirtek]

You know, you can ask Jeremy Crawford on Twitter if this is intentional or not. You don't have to guess!

I don't do twitter or facebook or whatever. Forums like this are the top of my involvement in modern social media.

But if someone would do, that would indeed settle it

 

[CapnZapp]

for those trying to find a vagueness were there is none

You said it, Mirtek. You said it best yourself.

Your chosen path leads to insanity. By your reasoning every single word of the rules could be a mistake.

 

[Mirtek]

You said it, Mirtek. You said it best yourself.

Your chosen path leads to insanity. By your reasoning every single word of the rules could be a mistake.

You make a good point.

That's why I limit my insinuation to cases that cross my arbitrarily line of appearing doubtfull to me

 

[Jaelommiss]

I feel it is important to note that if Bladesong were to set base AC rather than being an additional bonus, it and Mage Armour would be mutually exclusive. To me, a wizard subclass focused on combat that prevents effective use of such an iconic defensive spell feels all kinds of wrong (in the unnatural and strange sense, not as a matter of truthfulness).

For this reason alone I find it unlikely that the specific phrase used was a mistake.

 

[Xeviat]

For a single classed Bladesinger, Bladesong isn't a problem; they can get higher AC than other classes if they max their Dex and Int, but they have lower HP than those other classes to (they can push 23 with 20 Int, 20 Dex, and mage armor, or 22+X with +X magic Studded Leather armor). The problem is that the ability is very frontloaded, and can be picked up by other classes. 2 uses per short rest, just like wildshape, basically means "every fight" unless you're stuck in an endurance match (and then, ideally, the encounters aren't going to be super hard anyway).

I would have rather seen "can make a melee attack as a bonus action when casting a cantrip" instead of extra attack, personally. It would have been better for the blade singer; it's what the 4E bladesinger had.

 

[Edwin Suijkerbuijk]

[MENTION=44305]da[/MENTION]ganev Can you confirm that the Bladesinger Int bonus to AC is supposed to stack with other AC bonuses?
[MENTION=4036]Jeremy[/MENTION]ECrawford If the bonus didn't stack with other bonuses, its description would say so. #DnD

 

[Minsc]

[MENTION=44305]da[/MENTION]ganev Can you confirm that the Bladesinger Int bonus to AC is supposed to stack with other AC bonuses?
[MENTION=4036]Jeremy[/MENTION]ECrawford If the bonus didn't stack with other bonuses, its description would say so. #DnD

Is that from Twitter? Can you please post a link or screenshot?

TY

 

[Mouseferatu]

Is that from Twitter? Can you please post a link or screenshot?

TY

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/663509566747865088