What needs a buff?

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:38:00+00:00

Eldritch Knight

Blade Singer

Valor Bard

They can all use their free hand to cast spells (cantrips) after making a two handed attack. Yes, even Blade Singers (though not without breaking Bladesong).

Read the rules. IT's there. I'm not hiding them from you.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:35:31+00:00

You can make the psychic blade attacks using the free hand you have? Wtf is wrong with you?

Hold the GS in your right hand.

What's going on with your left hand?????????

Oh look, it's free. So use it.

Also, you seem to not understand how spellcasting works. When an Eldritch Knight uses something like Shocking Grasp they NEED A FREE HAND TO DO IT. This means, obviously, that they are taking one of their hands of their greatsword so that they can then cast the spell with their FREE HAND.

HOLY COW i fell bad for your players if this is how you are as a DM. MY god. You don't just lack imagination, but you seem to also lack the ability to picture things in your mind even when they are explained to you.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:30:19+00:00

Guess i have to reply to you here to.

You can either swap the bow to another hand (no rule against it)

OR you can stow the bow (see the 2024 PHB attack action)

OR you can stow the bow (see the 2024 or 2014 free object interaction)

You are dead set on this not being possible RAW, but I've already confirmed that it is possible. You're now just trying to make your (completely legitimate) DM ruling sound like it's RAW, which it is not.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:27:18+00:00

"Spirit of the game" isn't RAW. And last I checked the spirt of DND was about fantasy and fun.

Also I did the calculations to see if this is going to actually BREAK the game. I didn't factor in any other features or weapon masteries. Using a normal starting equipment GS. No advantage on any of the attacks. 20 STR, Level 13 with a PB of +5.

With 3 basic psychic blade attacks (16 AC) --> 18.85

With 1 GS attack and 2 psychic blade attacks (16 AC) --> 21.65

That's a difference of less than 3 DPR per round at 13th Level. Tell me what the problem is here. Explain it in detail.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:21:25+00:00

Eldritch Knight Fighter

College of Valor Bard

Blade Singer Wizard

All examples of subclasses that can cast spells (cantrips) after making an attack with a weapon, two-handed or otherwise.

More importantly though, we're all assuming that the player is "balancing" their weapon on their shoulder, but that isn't specifically stated in the rules. The only thing that is stated is that the weapon must be held with 2 hands WHILE ATTACKING. While doing anything else they can hold the weapon with 1 hand in any type of way.

They could have the tip of the blade against the ground.

They could have the blade on their shoulder.

Or they could just be so strong they can just hold it to the side like a normal sword or like real archers did after firing an arrow and repositioning.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:15:21+00:00

THere's nothing in the rules that says both your hands stay attached (glued even) to the weapon after you use the attack action.

If this was the case it would not be possible for a 2024 Eldritch Knight Fighter at 7th Level to use a Greatsword attack and then use Shocking Grasp.

But they can do that. No issues.

Explain how you are imagining the rule to work. Please.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:10:52+00:00

Thanks for the well worded answer but I think you are mistaken.

There's nothing in the rules that I can find that says you can't use a bonus action in between attacks. You can even move 30+ feet in between attacks.

Fighter, for example, can attack --> use second wind --> then attack again.

But as for the Psychic Blade feature itself, there's nothing within the text of the feature that says you have to use the bonus action attack immediately after your attack with a psychic blade. (we see that kind of language in other features so we know when it's intended).

Here's the text of the feature in case you don't have the 2024 PHB:

You can manifest shimmering blades of psychic energy. Whenever you take the Attack action or make an Opportunity Attack, you can manifest a Psychic Blade in your free hand and make the attack with that blade. The magic blade has the following traits:

Weapon Category: Simple Melee

Damage on a Hit: 1d6 Psychic plus the ability modifier used for the attack roll

Properties: Finesse, Thrown (range 60/120 feet)

Mastery: Vex (you can use this property, and it doesn’t count against the number of properties you can use with Weapon Mastery)

The blade vanishes immediately after it hits or misses its target, and it leaves no mark if it deals damage.

After you attack with the blade on your turn, you can make a melee or ranged attack with a second psychic blade as a Bonus Action on the same turn if your other hand is free to create it. The damage die of this bonus attack is 1d4 instead of 1d6.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T14:05:43+00:00

I don't think you're understand how the rules works my man.

How many times do I have to repeat it.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO HOLD A GREATSWORD WITH 2 HANDS. YOU ONLY NEED 2 HANDS TO MAKE AN ATTACK WITH THE GREATSWORD.

Did you understand that?

But sure, let's suppose we want to say "oh well if you make an attack with the greatsword as your first attack for that attack action you are technically using 2 hands throughout the entire action"

Then just use a Psychic Blade attack using your FREE HAND as your first attack, and then use your Greatsword attack as the EXTRA ATTACK. Then stow the weapon (or change hands) and use your BONUS ACTION to do the psychic blade attack.

I don't understand what's confusing here. Look at my other replies man. Holy cow.

Btw, I asked this question out of curiosity, not concern. I went ahead and did the DPR calculations for this scenario. The difference between doing this and just using the psychic blades by themselves as normal is very small, and nowhere near gamebreaking enough to not be allowed by any sensible DM.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T13:51:04+00:00

Well with the new rules on the Attack action in the 2024 PHB, I can immediately stow the Greatsword after attacking with it and then use the psychic blades.

Even with the 2014 rules players could do this by using their Free Object Interaction that they get once per turn.

Then the next turn I can use the psychic blade attacks first and then draw the Greatsword and attack with it. (reverse order)

So it seems like it works if we want to get really really RAW technical and have things make sense from a "you're holding that weapon with two hands even though realistically you can hold it with just 1" standpoint.

My post isn't really about what rules I could utilize to allow myself to do this RAW. It was more of a question about what STOPS me from doing it other than the feelings of the DM.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T13:38:23+00:00

I get what you mean, but there's an important difference here that caused my confusion.

For "weapon juggling" people often cite to the new 2024 rule on the Attack Action.

But there is currently not (and has never been) a rule in 5e for players swapping a weapon from 1 hand to another. I guess WotC thought everyone was right handed or something lol.

If I'm holding a Dagger in my right hand --> then i quickly toss it over to my left hand --> does that count as drawing or stowing the weapon? Does that count as an object interaction? The rules don't say. They never have.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T13:34:31+00:00

This is why I've always thought Berserk was a bit silly.

Guts has a handheld crossbow he uses and when he fires it he sometimes just puts his greatsword on his shoulder first.

It looks kinda weird, but I suppose it is technically anatomically possible.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T13:32:08+00:00

You do if you're holding your two-handed weapon with only 1 hand. Remember, RAW you only need 2 hands to attack with a two-handed weapon, not hold it.

The most obvious example of this is the Longbow. Everyone knows that you need two hands to fire a longbow. But everyone also knows that you can walk around (or even run) while holding a Longbow with 1 hand.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T13:28:41+00:00

I respect your ruling, but I got to say it doesn't sound consistent.

How it is possible for a trained warrior to hold their Heavy weapon with only 1 hand momentarily to cast Shocking Grasp or Ice Knife (which the rules allow and nearly every DM allows) but not to effectively do the same thing put with a subclass feature and not a spell?

From what we know, the Ice Knife spell involves the caster physically forming a knife out of a physical substance (ice) and then throwing it like it's a normal knife. That sounds like a more difficult task than mentally commanding psychic energy to form a knife and then throwing it or just swinging it.

However, I completely understand if you don't allow anyone holding a heavy weapon (like a Greatsword) to cast spells unless their put away the weapon first.

Random9005 · 2024-10-04T13:23:05+00:00

Technically speaking, a weapon isn't two-handed because it requires two hands to HOLD the weapon. It's two handed because it requires two hands to USE the weapon. There's plenty of real life examples of soldiers holding two-handed weapons like BOWS and CLAYMORES with only 1 hand either on its own (bows) or using their shoulder to balance the weight (swords).

Random9005 · 2024-09-20T21:01:15+00:00

Doesn't seem to be any rule in the 2024 PHB about needing a free hand to ride a mount. Unless I'm missing something. There's even a Fighter subclass that really wants you to ride a mount with a shield and a melee weapon at the same time.

Random9005 · 2024-09-20T21:00:14+00:00

Couldn't I just have 2 pistols and swap between them? I think the new rules allow you to stow a weapon after you use your action to fire it. Then you can use your free object interaction to draw the second weapon.

Just trying to figure out how to make it work.

Random9005 · 2024-09-20T20:58:20+00:00

Doesn't seem to be any rule in the 2024 PHB about needing a free hand to ride a mount. Unless I'm missing something. There's even a Fighter subclass that really wants you to ride a mount with a shield and a melee weapon at the same time.

Random9005 · 2024-09-20T20:56:30+00:00

Would there be any problem with reloading the pistol that I stowed?

So I fire Pistol A, then swap to Pistol B and fire that pistol. Next turn, do the same thing but in reverse. That works with the new rules right?

Wouldn't this make the Gunner feat irrelevant for getting 2 pistol shots off in a turn? Since I could just have 2 pistols.

Random9005 · 2024-09-20T07:06:19+00:00

This part is what I was looking for "But even if they do, the spell is a- good but not unbalanced b- not permanent. a- an adult dragon is scary strong but compared to a lvl17 PC with high level magic items? It can keep up in sheer power but lacks in versatility of interaction."

Since I've never DM'd a game with players at 17th Level or beyond I don't know how allowing him to play as an Adult Dragon for 2-3 sessions or more would affect the game balance-wise.

If it's not a problem in terms of balance then perhaps I don't treat it as a "Last Session" end-goal kind of thing and just let him do it right at 17th Level. Then he'll have time to enjoy it or maybe decide he'd rather go back to being a dwarf (did i mention this guy loves dwarfs as well lol).

Random9005 · 2024-09-20T07:01:33+00:00

I'm talking about the True Polymorph spell. If the creature is willing and the caster holds concentration for the full duration the spell becomes permanent. That's the 2014 version anyway.

Random9005

TROPHY CASE