D&D General Shillelagh on a Longbow?

[the Jester]

A bow is neither a club nor staff, so no.

Not sure if the spell is different in the 2024 version; my answer might be different if it is.

 

[Oofta]

A bow is neither a club nor staff, so no.

Not sure if the spell is different in the 2024 version; my answer might be different if it is.

To me the question is "Would I allow this on a table leg?" or similar. The bow is being used in this way as an improvised weapon. Since I'd let someone pick up a heavy stick and cast shillelagh on it, I'd allow it.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Sounds a little too much like power creep for my taste.

I'd say it was less powerful than True Strike 2024 in most cases - particularly all situations where you only have one attack anyway.

With True Strike 2024 you get an attack Cantrip (like Green Flame Blade etc.) which gives you:

1) Attack with spellcasting ability

2) Can choose to do Radiant damage instead of the normal.

3) Gain +1d6 damage damage at 5/11/17.

This works on any weapon (including ranged). Hilariously Clerics cannot get it, despite it being deeply Cleric-y.

Whereas even with Shillelagh 2024 you only get attack with spellcasting ability and the damage of the weapon is set to 1d8/1d10/1d12/2d6 (1/5/11/17), and sure that's ongoing and only cost a Bonus Action, so if you have multiple attacks it's okay, but it only works with specific weapon types.

So if it's just being used to hit people, I definitely can't see any power objection to a bow being used that way, and whilst I can see a solid thematic objection to having it work on bows which are being used for shooting, I don't think the power argument holds much water.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

It's admittedly a fair amount stronger in 5.0.

Is it? All I saw was that it scaled to 1d8/1d10/1d12/2d6 (1/5/11/17) which is like, a fairly tiny power gain, in the grand scheme of things. And given various nerfs/changes to PAM etc. it's less abusable there.

I could be missing something though!

 

[Fanaelialae]

Is it? All I saw was that it scaled to 1d8/1d10/1d12/2d6 (1/5/11/17) which is like, a fairly tiny power gain, in the grand scheme of things. And given various nerfs/changes to PAM etc. it's less abusable there.

I could be missing something though!

I think you misread that. I said it's a somewhat stronger option in original 5e. Because to gain the benefit of wielding a longbow in melee requires Crossbow Master. Since Sharpshooter and Crossbow Master don't give +1 ASI in 5.0, you're probably not getting Crossbow Master until 12th level (maybe 8th, if you don't mind the hit to Dex). Which is why I consider Shillelagh on a longbow a stronger option in the original version of 5e (since it gives you a reasonable melee option using your longbow at a significantly earlier level than you would otherwise have it).

 

[Xeviat]

I would allow it if the bow was unstrung. But no fast switching. It's either a bow or a stave, not both at the same time!

Sounds like a magic item at that point. A bow that can change into a staff and can be used as a spellcasting focus would be pretty neat.

 

[Xeviat]

To make it function as both a melee and ranged weapon? Could be cool.

To let them use their spellcasting modifier for ranged attacks? Maybe not.

To be able to smack someone with the bow, yes. Wasn't even thinking about ranged attack casting mod.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sounds like a magic item at that point. A bow that can change into a staff and can be used as a spellcasting focus would be pretty neat.

Do some research. English longbow is a staff. Why do you think staff fighting features in Robin Hood?

A wizard's staff is rather different - you can tell because it has a knob on the end.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I could be missing something though!

True Strike is a spell attack, and so can't benefit from Extra Attack; also it doesn't work for opportunity attacks.
Shillelagh changes the nature of a weapon, and can benefit from Extra Attack and can do opp attacks.

They are differently powerful, suited for different builds.

 

[MGibster]

Do some research. English longbow is a staff. Why do you think staff fighting features in Robin Hood?

Because a stick is the most basic weapon there is and it's something medieval Englishman would have had easy access to. I don't know how tough an English long bow might be, but I'm having a hard time thinking you can use it like a quarterstaff and still have a decent bow at the end.