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Message: <blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 7262982" data-attributes="member: 71699">On the one hand, I feel like it is not up to the DM what a spell template covers on a battle map: it covers what it covers. On the other hand, there are certainly situations and spaces in the published adventures we're playing that Sculpt spells would be handy. In my assessment, those cases are not as frequent as those other cases where the Bladesong advantages are solid.I think you drew Warcaster with BB to my attention, it's pretty powerful. In our combats we see participants shifting a great deal to gain the upper hand, even without leaving reach. BB punishes them for doing that. In particular, they won't reach the kiting characters without taking the extra damage. A key problem is that - like Sentinel - BB's secondary is DM fiat.Another factor that this depends on is whether your DM applies the core rule that intervening creatures count as half cover. If they do, anything that quells repositioning has better value.For the first ASI - at level 4 - it is best to take +Dex or +Int because that will push your AC up the curve. It's close which is better, but I believe +1 initiative, attack and damage marginally beats out higher DC and better Concentration save. At the same time, the cantrip damage hasn't ramped much yet. With my minimaxing hat on, it looks to me favoured to prioritise the ASI.At 8th, your second ASI depends on your exact ability scores and other factors. Warcaster could be okay here. But the ASI could also be better. However, by 12th I believe Warcaster is a solid pick for a Bladesinger. Advantage on your already high Concentration will make it nigh unbreakable, and the AoO will ramp your damage greatly (depending on your DM's ability to remain stoic in the face of cheese). It's worth stressing that the cantrips ramp at 5th, 11th and 17th. I think it is that double boost at 11th that most argues for Warcaster at 12th.I agree that a foes best option often becomes - let the BS do what it wants - focus on other characters. I don't feel that to be a particularly great outcome for enjoyable gameplay. A DM can of course switch to more foes casting spells like Hold Person. For me, warping scenarios around one ability is often a hint that the ability could be better designed.Certainly each group plays only a small slice of the total game space. That's why mathematical models and playtesting scenarios becomes important to more broadly inform insights. At the tables I've been playing and DMing at, we've been using published adventures. So in terms of the battlemaps and foe choices it is difficult to assign our experiences to our own idiosyncratic predilections. I have worked for decades as a professional game designer, and finding ways to achieve some objectivity is an essential skill. Another is listening to what players say, so I certainly take your strong feelings and reporting of your own experiences very much into account. For one thing, Warcaster and Sculpt spells have both moved up in my esteem!</blockquote>

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