Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 JS20 Feb 18, 2015 22:52:27	At 7th level, fighters can attack twice when they use the attack action. Warmagic states that when you use your ACTION to cast a cantrip, you can make a melee attack as a bonus action.   Does this mean that you can't make any melee attacks that round? Is your choice basically: 2 melee attacks OR cantrip + melee or can you still make the second melee attack?   It seems even more worrisome at lvl 18, when you can attack 3 times. Does that mean you have the choice of 3 melee attacks OR 1 spell + 1 melee attack? Does casting spells really mean that the fighter gives up all their extra melee attacks?
#2 FrogReaver Feb 18, 2015 23:11:10	JS20 wrote:
#3 blindhamster Feb 19, 2015 0:53:16	War magic is a trap for a pure eldritch knight, but it's very good for a multi class eldritch knight wizard. This is because your choice is effectively 2d6+str (if two handed sword) + 2 d8 (chill touch for example) which scales up to 4d8 eventually... Or... 8d6+4xstr.. There is a point for 2 levels where you'd be comparing 3 weapon attacks to one weapon attack + a full powered cantrip which may make it worth while... barely between 17th and 20th level improved war magic is marginally better but limited use due to very few spell slots. And you don't get it till really late game. Valor bards get battlemagic at 14th which is identical to improved war magic, so if they have a level in sorcerer or warlock, they do cantrip and attack better than eldritch knight and can do the spell and attack earlier too. I was making an eldritch knight wizard originally but switched to paladin wizard due to paladin wizard getting much better spell progression, still getting 2 attacks and being able to use smite with the large number of slots I will have (5 paladin 15 wizard) means I have better nova damage than I'd otherwise have had. thay being said, war magic does give an overall damage increase over using two attacks as soon as it has 3 dice on the cantrip side, and you could take evoker wizard to get your int to that damage too, it just means you can 'keep up' with a pure fighter type better than most non fighters can every round.
#4 Illithidbix Feb 19, 2015 11:07:52	JS20 wrote:
#5 ObeseBoyWonder Feb 19, 2015 16:08:06	There are times that cantrip + attack is better than strictly attacking. If you know you won't kill whatever you're attacking this turn and want some better positioning, especially if it'll kill you on its next turn, using shocking grasp to avoid an attack of opportunity and getting a free extra swing, is better than taking the disengage action and action surging to get some damage before you leave. I know it's not a particularly common occurence in game, but I'm sure there are other combos that give an edge as well.
#6 mellored Feb 20, 2015 5:36:21	blindhamster wrote: