When I first saw GFB, I felt it might be OP. After seeing it in play, I find that it's right were it should be. It has the benefits of dealing some magical damage (not all, since the weapon damage is based on the weapon) if you need it, and the splash effect is useful against swarms. It's not an optimal choice for most characters, but it's not a trap (despite the OP opinion).
D&D 5E Why Green Flame Blade is Over Rated- And You Are Doing it Wrong.
Ganymede81
First Post
I suspect the OP forgot that rogues get cunning action, and how not using an off-hand weapon frees up its use.
GFB and BB's problem is not necessarily with its damage (which is still a bit high considering it has a rider and it stacks on top of weapon damage), it is its weird progression. It falls into this weird niche where generally only characters with one attack like it; for some characters, the cantrips are a redundancy, but are no-brainers for other characters. That's bad design.
GFB and BB's problem is not necessarily with its damage (which is still a bit high considering it has a rider and it stacks on top of weapon damage), it is its weird progression. It falls into this weird niche where generally only characters with one attack like it; for some characters, the cantrips are a redundancy, but are no-brainers for other characters. That's bad design.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
Also, any one mentioned Bladesingers, yet?
Seems like literally any gish that has good uses of their bonus action that aren't dual wielding will want it.
Seems like literally any gish that has good uses of their bonus action that aren't dual wielding will want it.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
It's also completely unnecessary. Most classes can do plenty of damage, 5e monsters aren't mountains of HP, and regardless of edition, combat is only 1 part of the game.
Heck, my 4e rogues aren't optimized for DPR or NOva damage, because my 4e games don't revolve around combat, and I use the Monster Vault HP values so combat doesn't slow down due to HP inflation.
In 5e, I've got plenty of criticisms, but one thing is has going for it, is I don't need to mess with anything to keep damage optimization from being needed. It just isn't, right out of the box. I mean, it wasn't in the last editon, either, until somewhere around halfway through the level progression, and it was always really easy to fix, but whatever. The point is it's even less important in 5e.
Optimizing for DPR, especially when it's as small a difference as we're talking about here, at the expense of versatility...is just weird.
Jester David
Hero
This is waaaay more attention devoted to a single cantrip that I would every devote to any spell short of wish. If I spent as much time thinking about the plot of my adventures as was spent planning and writing this post, I'd have a campaign worthy of publication. It's a lot of concern related to something that gets two or three minutes of screentime over the course of a single session...
Sword of Spirit
Legend
It's best for (I'd even say essential to take full advantage of) Eldritch Knights. It is your best attack at levels 1-4, excellent at levels 7-10, still the best choice at 11-16th level when used against multiple targets, and at levels 17-19 it is simply the best option. The only levels where it isn't much use to an Eldritch Knight are 5-6, and 20 (and even then it can rock against multiple targets). The rest of the time, if your Eldritch Knight isn't using it they are doing it wrong.
Bards (Valor or Lore) are the other best choice for it. It's actually the easiest way to let a Lore Bard do something in melee. (Not excel by any means, but do something.)
Bards (Valor or Lore) are the other best choice for it. It's actually the easiest way to let a Lore Bard do something in melee. (Not excel by any means, but do something.)
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
same for non blade warlocks, I'd say, and any gish starting from a magic class but not using a gish focused subclass.
BMaC
Adventurer
Yep. I discovered this with my aasimar tomelock who used the UA patron the Undying Light. OK, a bit filthy, but aasimar+undying light patron was RP heavy, really.
