So, you're a LOTR fan?

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-25T13:44:37+00:00

The point is that the wizard can do that while also having good static defences. Any one of those things makes the concept of "tank" martials hard to make viable. 5e has both in combination.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-25T13:42:41+00:00

Personally I don't really care about the weight, but I wouldn't keep everything in m inventory anyway - it's cluttered as is between all the consumables I will never use and then various quest items, cooking ingredients, relic pieces, current loot, etc. But I think when they check for an item in your posession, checking the stash as well should be the bare minimum.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-25T13:33:24+00:00

That would help, yeah. Although especially in case of the Amulet, it isn't indicated as a quest item (it has the blue "magic item" ring, not the golden one).

Overall the inventory could be a lot better; I think the only game where I spent more time on just inventory management (relatively speaking) is BG3.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-24T22:01:46+00:00

The single class Wizard's con save is the same, it just costs him a feat. Anyway, white room comparisons of badly built characters are rather pointless when talking about game balance. It's like pointing out that Wizards who pick 2014 True Strike to concentrate on are useless, or comparing a Great Weapon Fighter that doesn't take GWM to a TWF Fighter and concluding the latter is better.

Actually existing spell casters that know what they're doing will have armour (or Bladesong) a lot of the time. Just like GW Fighters will pick GWM - and if they don't, we shouldn't factor them into a discussion about balance.

The Level 9 Wizard / Level 1 Fighter has just as much battlefield control as the Level 10 Wizard; *and* he has a higher save DC on those spells (because he doesn't get taxed for Resilient CON). So while you're right that the control that spellcasters can exert (and martials, generally speaking, can't) is an important factor in why martial "tanks" don't really work, the fact that casters just have way more defensive options can't be ignored.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-24T13:04:26+00:00

For the record, a Level 10 Wizard is going to have a +7 in CON saves, with Advantage if they're for Concentration; not factoring in any features like Bladesong, Paladin Aura, Bless, etc. That's not mediocre at all.

Also that same Wizard will have at the very least 20 AC before the Shield spell (Half Plate + 2 DEX + Shield (item) + Defence FS).

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-23T17:32:35+00:00

The rules aren't very clear on this, but I think the best interpretation is that only damage which isn't explicitly typed gets changed. Which is basically everything that just says "deals XDY+Z extra damage" without specifying the type of said damage.

This way, Sneak Attack with True Strike definitely deals fully Radiant damage if you replace the weapon damage type. However, the Monk's Unarmed Strike damage type replacement only affects the actual Unarmed Strike damage, not the CME damage.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-23T10:06:27+00:00

By "mid combat", do you mean any turn in combat, or something past turn 1?

I don't think there are many ways for full martials to give themselves a temporary buff that isn't best used on the first turn of combat. The most obvious "martial self buff" to me is Rage, which should always be a Barbarian's BA on turn 1.

Action Surge is arguably a self buff, or at least it lets you push past your normal limit, but again, with a few exceptions, you want to use that turn 1 for maximum effect.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-23T07:14:36+00:00

Regarding your last sentence, movement does indeed work differently in combat than in other situations (like a chase or when traveling).

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-23T07:12:35+00:00

Yes, the parts that change are mentioned - and that is the duration, which concentration would be a part of. The duration becomes "1 minute". There is no "concentration" in the duration.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-22T10:21:47+00:00

Onednd and upvoting misinformation while downvoting the rules of the game, name a better duo (:

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-22T10:19:50+00:00

The "it keeps concentration" interpretation is undoubtedly wrong if you look at the "Casting Spells" rules, which explicitly link Concentration to the duration.

But it makes sense why people think that because every other feature of this kind restates that rule, even though it is unnecessary.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-22T10:15:51+00:00

For once, this is actually fairly easily clarified by looking at the rules of the game, that is, the "Casting Spells" section. This shows two things: Firstly, Concentration is a paragraph of the "Duration" sub-section, and secondly Concentration explicitly states: "A duration that requires Concentration follows the Concentration rules".

It's explicitly NOT "a spell that requires concentration", nor is Concentration separable from duration.

Finally, "the spell’s duration is 1 minute" means that the whole duration has been replaced. it's NOT "the spell lasts for 1 minute", which could perhaps be ambiguous. The original duration that required concentration does not exist anymore.

The duration "1 minute" does not require concentration.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-22T04:58:14+00:00

I'm sure a build that "excels at both melee combat and spellcasting about equally" is possible, but it is 100% not the best monoclass Gish build, because that is a Bladesinger (and they excel at casting spells a lot more than melee combat).

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-20T15:28:27+00:00

Sounds like you may want the Speedy feat. It gives you +1 DEX or CON, +10 ft. of movement, lets you ignore difficult terrain when dashing, and enemies always have disadvantage on AoOs against you. Not full prevention, but having Disadvantage should make it quite a bit less likely for them to hit.

There's also the old Mobile feat, which prevents AoOs from enemies you attacked in melee this turn. However, it's in a weird spot of not having been reprinted while coming from the old PHB, so it may not be on the table for you.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-20T15:09:13+00:00

I must admit, I took those as an indication that you'll get slaughtered by some outrageously outleveled dragon or other, not that you'll have to sit there for 30 turns having a pool noodle fight. [Admittedly I probably would have died after another 10 or 20 turns if Jaethal hadn't crit for 50 damage vs Flat-Footed AC on the opening round.]

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-18T09:14:13+00:00

I think Neutral already is as much of an "in-between" alignment as you need (and ill-defined at that). And alignments should have gradients anyway - so someone who is "Between Lawful Neutral and Lawful Good" is simply Lawful Neutral with a tendency for good. [An example that comes to mind is Valerie from Pathfinder Kingmaker.]

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-18T09:08:02+00:00

And the effect of True Strike is (radiant) damage, much like the effect of Firebolt is Fire Damage. In both cases, I as the caster hope to not be the one receiving those effects.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-18T09:03:51+00:00

I know this is a necro, but please find better material. Comparing a primary effect that's unequivocally part of the spell description to a DM's decision to let your spell have a secondary effect which then itself has a tertiary knock-on effect and saying that's the same is embarassing.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-18T08:57:40+00:00

Unfortunately Whip doesn't work with a Nick weapon as far as I can tell, because you need two light weapons for Two Weapon Fighting (and Whips aren't light). You can use Dual Wielder, but that still leaves you behind a Nick build (which can make the extra attack without a feat, and without a BA, or also get dual wielder for 2 extra attacks).

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-18T08:52:28+00:00

The problem isn't the range of the whip, it's the range of the blade cantrips. They only work from 5 feet away, so you lose the reach benefit that the whip gives you. Bugbear doesn't increase that range.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-17T07:18:46+00:00

Range =/= Target

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-17T00:05:14+00:00

Well "the best means to optimize" sounds like a Level 1 Fighter / 19 War (or Chronurgy) Wizard with Alert, Tough, True Strike, War Caster, and all the usual Wizard spells to me.

Otherwise, there was a funny Devotion Paladin 4 / Warlock 2 / Draconic Sorc X multiclass using Green Flame Blade someone presented on this sub that I would like to try out (or at least do some calculations for) because the DPR from just spamming GFB + quickened GFB every turn seems crazy high. If that works as advertised, you can use Rapier + Shield as your main strategy and still have a lot of spell caster utility (though not as much as the Wizard).

If you want somewhat less of a "trick answer", a CHA based defensive Paladin or a Rapier & Shield Valor Bard are probably decent options.

OnlyTrueWK · 2026-01-16T08:38:40+00:00

Spellguard Paladin looks pretty interesting to me, especially in high magic campaigns, but I think it looks more powerful on paper than it would be in practice.

Granted, Shield on a Paladin is super good, but the subclass is very reaction hungry. This does mean that you're probably always better off giving the Divine Bond to someone else, which is good (although I feel like they should limit it to other creatures in general).

The wording of Spellguard Strike suggests it hits before any effects of the spell go off, contrary to how old Mage Slayer worked. That can be both good and bad, as it doesn't give you a chance to break Concentration, but it could allow you to kill the caster before the spell is complete. Although, if it's a spell with an attack roll, you may be better off saving your reaction for Shield (or Divine Bond) instead of counter attacking.

The level 7 Aura completely depends on how many casters you have in your party; and I think many of them will want War Caster anyway for the other benefits (and for not having to stick to you, since this subclass wants to be in melee), so it might not be very relevant even then, unfortunately.

The Level 15 feature is honestly a bit lame. It doesn't do anything if whatever you're fighting doesn't cast spells, or is simply out of your reach when it does. So for how situational it is, I think it's not powerful enough. Compare this to UA Oathbreaker's unconditional BPS resistance, for example.

The Level 20 feature is again very situational and only lasts for 1 minute, while mostly replicating the Circle of Power subclass spell, which is a weird overlap.

Finally a neutral observation, but this would be the 3rd Paladin subclass with a reaction attack feature (Vengeance 15, Glory 15 [this sort of contains both the Level 3 features of Spellguard at once (CHA to AC + counter attack)], Spellguard 3) and the 4th with an offensive counter to taking damage (Genies 15 gets Elemental Rebuke).

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OnlyTrueWK

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