D&D 5E Shadow Sorcerer + Warcaster + Polearm Master + Eye of Darkness = Is It insane?

[clearstream]

I think counterspelling a counterspell or provoking an OA and using shield are probably the only times I've seen someone need a reaction on their turn but, yes, you're right. Up thread they're talking about getting a polearm opportunity attack on your own turn though, which is I can't even imagine coming up.

I guess if an opponent had readied an action to close with you upon some trigger they could perceive, that can occur within your turn. Kind of corner case, certainly.

 

[Xetheral]

I think counterspelling a counterspell or provoking an OA and using shield are probably the only times I've seen someone need a reaction on their turn but, yes, you're right. Up thread they're talking about getting a polearm opportunity attack on your own turn though, which is I can't even imagine coming up.

Dissonant Whispers and fear effects are the main ways one can get a War Caster reaction spell on one's turn, although they don't involve PAM. For PAM to enter the picture the situation would probably need to involve readied actions, as @clearstream noted above.

 

[Charlaquin]

The Sorcerer just hit and run. The Darkness moves with him, the hound (with advantage) and allies can attack normally without disadvantage. It's not 100%, but It just move out and your friends will do their job normally.

I think you may be underestimating the proportion of the battlefield a 15 foot radius sphere will take up. Yes, you can try to hit and run, but you can only move so far on your turn, and ultimately you will still be blocking your allies’ lines of sight to everything within 3 squares of you to either side, and everything “behind” that area from their perspective. Smart opponents can actually take advantage of this, using your darkness to hide from your allies, without even putting themselves within your reach.

 

[NaturalZero]

I think you may be underestimating the proportion of the battlefield a 15 foot radius sphere will take up. Yes, you can try to hit and run, but you can only move so far on your turn, and ultimately you will still be blocking your allies’ lines of sight to everything within 3 squares of you to either side...

It really is pretty obnoxious, in play. I was in a game with a devil's sight warlock and a shadow sorc. We played up to level 12 and guess how many times we were able to use the darkness trick to get advantage? Zero. Not one time was it tactically advantageous to pull off without messing up melee players in the combat.

Technically, I did get to try it once when I got separated from the party but... the mark I was chasing ended up being a devil with devil's sight.

 

[AtomicPope]

I played a vanilla Warlock from the PHB all of the way to level 20. Darkness is a huge problem for your allies. I traded it in for Greater Invisibility. For a while I was the only one with Devil Sight. Then we were fighting Devils and my friends were the only ones without Devil Sight. Even at 20th Level, Darkness can be a problem for allies.

 

[Mort]

It really is pretty obnoxious, in play. I was in a game with a devil's sight warlock and a shadow sorc. We played up to level 12 and guess how many times we were able to use the darkness trick to get advantage? Zero. Not one time was it tactically advantageous to pull off without messing up melee players in the combat.

Technically, I did get to try it once when I got separated from the party but... the mark I was chasing ended up being a devil with devil's sight.

Yeah, between Tremorsense, blindsight, trusesight etc. There are A LOT of monsters that this trick doesn't work on - while there are not many ways at all to make it party friendly!

Plus, most of the time, the LAST place a pure sorcerer wants to be is melee - especially alone in melee!

 

[Hohige]

Yeah, between Tremorsense, blindsight, trusesight etc. There are A LOT of monsters that this trick doesn't work on - while there are not many ways at all to make it party friendly!

Plus, most of the time, the LAST place a pure sorcerer wants to be is melee - especially alone in melee!

That why It is insane. The Shadow Sorcerer doesnt need fight in melee, you are a Full Caster, With metamagic and The hound. You can easily move out of melee players.

If The enemies try melee, well, good Lucky

 

[TheSword]

A 7th level sorcerer?

You just used 3 sorcery points to summon the hound to affect, one enemy. How many empowered quickened scorching rays are you casting? The answer is not many.

30’ diameter orb of ally annoyance.

If the DM wants to make his BBEG safe, it moves 5’ into your darkness and then readies it’s attacks. You get an attack… once it’s your turn and everyone else is left waiting.

Darkness does nothing to protect you from AOE powers and spells

It also stops your friends being able to find you when you drop to 0 hp and need stabilizing.

All these powers… the hound, the scorching ray warcaster etc all affect one foe. Making them limited use only. An interesting gimmick but not worth building a character around. Long term warcaster PAM is going to get used for single target cantrips which are not much better than a normal attack.

 

[Mort]

That why It is insane. The Shadow Sorcerer doesnt need fight in melee, you are a Full Caster, With metamagic and The hound. You can easily move out of melee players.

If The enemies try melee, well, good Lucky

My point is, the shadow sorcerer combo (Hound and everything else) works well enough without devoting 2 melee focused feats.

IMO the feats provide a benefit that's just too fringe to justify 2 full ASIs and the shadow sorcerer's schtick works just as well without them.

 

[Mort]

It also stops your friends being able to find you when you drop to 0 hp and need stabilizing.

Nah, Darkness is concentration so once your unconscious body hits the floor your party will see it.

The real question is, are they so irritated with your schtick by this point that they just leave you lying there!