The 2024 Bladesinger! D&D Ep

[@DnDDeepDive]

Battlezoo Bestiary: Elemental Storm is out on Kickstarter! New monsters, spells, PC options, crafting rules, and more for D&D 5e or Pathfinder Await! www.kickstarter.com/projects/rollforcombat/battlezoo-bestiary-elemental-storm-for-5e-and-pathfinder?ref=2nbbib

[@eleishar18]

Going Fighter 2 would let You cast CME, activate Bladesong, and start attacking in the 1st turn. Slightly less dmg, but minimized ramp up.

[@DnDDeepDive]

@@eleishar18 absolutely. To be fair though, I wouldn’t be using cme at my table (and I think a lot of others wouldn’t either, at least not without some Homebrew nerfing), so needing a ba for both Bladesong and our spell doesn’t get much from Action Surge :(

[@eleishar18]

@@DnDDeepDive True, You'd need DM to allow using normal action in place of bonus action to make it work on Round 1.

[@goldenknightdrake4158]

i love that now that Eldritch Knight and Bladesinger are now mechanically extremely similar, it now depends on whether or not you wanna lean more towards martial or lean towards spell casting

[@BLynn]

The 2024 Bladesinger! D&D Ep #185 Level 01 (see above) [fighter 1, fighting-style, weapon-masters species & background] Level 02 (see above) [wizard 1] Level 03 (@18:54) [wizard 2 & scholar] Level 04 (@19:42) [wizard 3 & subclass] Level 05 (@25:46) [wizard 4 & feat] Level 06 (@29:20) [wizard 5 & memorize spell] Level 07 (see above) [wizard 6] Level 08 (@37:23) [wizard 7] Level 09 (@39:44) [wizard 8 & feat] Level 10 (see above) [wizard 9] Level 11 (@42:58) [wizard 10] Level 12 (@43:22) [wizard 11] Level 13 (@45:36) [wizard 12 & feat] Level 14 (see above) [wizard 13] Level 15 (@48:54) [wizard 14] Level 16 (@49:17) [wizard 15] Level 17 (@49:52) [wizard 16 & feat]

[@cianwade5599]

Thanks for this!

[@Kirk9019]

God tier comment

[@brocklewis7624]

I really like your blending between 2014 and 2024 rules. It feels very clunky to me rn, so watching you build a 2014 bladesinger using 2024 is helping smooth that out.

[@nathanh2664]

I prefer the 2014 Shadar Kai or Tabaxi and the 2024 classes so I blend them

[@Cookieboi658]

best class, best subclass. Solving practical problems with impractical solutions. ngl, kinda unfortunate to do this before they officially re-add the magic swords like SB and BB, but may as well. (They will def add them back in another book, need to have something for people to buy)

[@thelitchfieldexperiment6269]

SB? Is that different than GFB?

[@thelitchfieldexperiment6269]

Shadow Blade. Never mind, I'm not entirely awake yet.

[@mjp121]

Shadow Blade maybe, but I think BB/GFB were intentionally left out/replaced by True Strike- they just scale too hard if you have ways to use them as a gish/martial. If they are added I expect less scaling on the front end and slightly more scaling on the secondary effect.

[@Cookieboi658]

@@mjp121 I truly hope they do get brought back. They function differently enough from true strike so they could be. I don’t think they were that good for martial though. Most that would want it (paladin and fighter and barb, for example) give up their extra attack. Combined with the first and secondary effect damage in the late game, it may seem worth it, but you will prob have a good magic sword by then to promote extra attack

[@jesseseva2219]

It's not like they're not legal to use. SCAG content is just as usuable as it was before. Strictly 2024 PHB is just like playing 2014 PHB only.

[@Connoclear]

Currently playing your dual wield Bladesinger shadow blade build and absolutely loving it. We won't be playing new 2024 rules until we start another campaign

[@Satchel_Gizmo]

Classic Colby. What is this, Bladesinger #6???

[@DnDDeepDive]

Hm... that feels low ;)

[@nm2358]

I will never judge a man's love for their favorite meal

[@Satchel_Gizmo]

@@nm2358 BASED

[@Satchel_Gizmo]

@DnDDeepDive I think it's rather high like that Tier score 😂 Never stop being you Colby, never stop.

[@Bardaffo77]

​@@DnDDeepDivedearest, I wanted to challenge you: create the character who can grab as many people as possible at the same time and then exploit the "growth of thorns" spell obviously a thri-kreen or a simic hybrid with grappling appendages, the 2024 monk class with the astral self path subclass for the extra astral arms

[@jaexiong4114]

The moment I saw blade singer I started drooling 🤤 Thank you for making so many blade singer builds

[@joshuaclendenon]

Came for the build, stayed for the black cat. Love seeing the mixing of '14 and' 24... Good stuff.

[@johndefazio4341]

I feel like a second level in fighter could be a solution for anyone looking to avoid set up rounds. Action surge let's you take an additional action that isn't the magic action, but with your bladesinger extra attack you're taking the attack action. Main action to set up conjure minor elementals and action surge to start swinging on round 1. Only for one combat, but for many of us we only have one combat per short rest

[@jeffadams9807]

I Love Your's & Chris's Bladesinger Build's, That's Why I Play Them, U Rock, Great Video...

[@Mr0tin]

Im playing a Bladesinger currently, well a Elven Pirate Swashbuckler/Bladesinger multiclass. this combination allows you to get around so many of the "normal" rules for rogues and wizards and just generally show off. I can see why its your favourite.

[@lukesorensen2912]

38:50 “Compared with No-Holds Bard” sounds an awful lot like a super-slippery College of Dance build in the future.

[@josephjohnson631]

Damn Colby. Thank you for touching words at the end of the video! I didn’t know I needed to hear that. …..also, keep the bladesinger builds coming, brother! My favorite class too!

[@johnnorton1405]

I'm a simple man. I see Colby uploads a bladesinger build, I watch and like.

[@frankiepineda9]

I’d love a video where you and Chris explain the logic behind the True Strike/Nick attack ruling! The way I read it, Bladesinger extra attack makes True Strike part of its attack action, and all Nick needs is an attack with a light weapon that is part of the attack action, so I don’t see why they wouldn’t work together RAW

[@alejandrogomezdelmoralguer3502]

This. Attack with a shillelagh’d club. do the true strike scimitar. Nick scimitar bc you attacked with a light weapon and took the attack action (specifically, your club attack). Done. With that said, if you have booming blade available, shortsword plus scimitar can get you absurd amounts of advantage, four attacks per round at level 7 with dual wielder, and then at level 8 (Ftr1/Wiz7)…Conjure Minor Elementals. RIP, enemies.

[@alejandrogomezdelmoralguer3502]

I will also add that the combination below (which is not anything esoteric), might also be peak damage on an eldritch knight, and while CME only comes online super late, you have things like Hex and Spirit Shroud in the meanwhile

[@lordptk4115]

Honestly I would just homebrew Conjure Minor Elementals Upcasting to work exaclty like the upcasting from Spirit Shroud: "When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 4th. So nothing at lvl 5, 3d8 in total at lvl.6, 4d8 at lvl.8. Easy peasy, balanced (the way it should have been)

[@drewsaddler8414]

Finally!!!! I just started a bladesinger because of you on Saturday!!!

[@Odisseia-hh2td]

16:50 rules say: 1) "When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack"... ..."as part of the Attack action."... ..."That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless that modifier is negative." 2) "You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. In addition, you can cast one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action in place of one of those attacks." 3) "you make one attack with the weapon used in the spell's casting" So, at level 6 BS, if you take the attack action and replace one of the attacks by True Strike using Scimitar(verbatim): "*you take the Attack action on your turn*" and "(you make one) *attack with the [Light] weapon* (used in the spell's casting)", which are the two conditions for Nick. It looks to me it is Rule as Written, though might not be Rules as Intended.

[@Odisseia-hh2td]

18:10 since its a cantrip, you can cast Shillelagh every 30s or something without any cost and always have it on.

[@randomnobody660]

Don't think this works. Bladesinger and valor bard can only replace "one of those attacks" granted by the Extra Attack feature. The nick mastery bonus attack is not one such attack and thus cannot be replaced. EK thou doesn't have "one of THOSE attack" as restrictions. War Magic does have that wording, but it doesn't reference ones granted by Extra Attack, only "[w]hen you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks". So Nick mastery extra attack made as part of the attack action would qualify.

[@Gnarlf]

Ignore the cantrip for a while and look how the rules work in their base form: Extra Attack Feature, Shortsword (Light,Vex), Scimitar(Light,Nick) - When you take the attack action, you can make 2 weapon atacks, with whatever weapon you like. Preferably Shortsword, to gain advantage on the second attack, due to the vex property. - Since you made an attack with the attack action and a light weapon, you are now entitled to use a different light weapon, to make a bonus action attack. - The Nick property now allows you to make that bonus action attack as part of your attack action instead, leaving your bonus action free. This allows you to make 3 attacks as part of a single attack action. The second and third of which, would gain advantage, if the previous attack hit of course. Now we modify this setup: Shortsword -> Club(Slow) enables the use of Shillelagh(bonus action) Using a class that can substitute a cantrip for an attack. Would enable you to make - One attack with the club using your Spellcasting Modifier - A second attack with the club using SC-M or making a true strike with the scimitar using SC-M - A third attack using the nick property of the scimitar, using Str. or Dex. modifier instead IF you go for a warlock dip to get a pact weapon, you could however: - 2 Shillielagh attacks with the attack action using SC-Modifier (if you have extra attack) - 1 Nick Attack with your scimitar pact weapon, using SC-M(Cha only) - 1 Bonus action attack with your pact weapon or shillelagh, if you also have dual wielder That's 4 attacks using SC-M without the need for True Strike at all.

[@Odisseia-hh2td]

@randomnobody660 so, idea is, assuming lvl 6 bladesinger: Attack Action: Club attack (Shillelag), True Strike with Scimitar. True strike specifically says you make "one attack with the weapon". Since the Light property + Nick only requires (1) Attack Action and (2) a light weapon attack, we are fulfilling that with True Strike (explicitly an attack with the weapon) as part of Atack Action. Then we get an extra attack, which can not use the Scimitar.

[@randomnobody660]

@@Odisseia-hh2td No I get that you can trigger Light extra attack with true strike. The problem is Light extra attack costs BA unless you make it with a Nick weapon, which has to be the simitar. If you take the Light extra attack with the club then you miss out on the Dual Wielder BA attack. Here think about it this way instead. How do you get the Nick free extra attack to use your spellcasting modifier?

[@brendancarter5431]

Began my second long term campaign a few months ago, my wood elf bladesinger feels so powerful to play, and we’re not even at level 6 yet for the true Gish-y goodness! Thanks for putting me onto this amazing subclass!

[@brendancarter5431]

Talked my dm into letting me have the weapon mastery for my blade singing weapon, big fan. Went criminal background personally

[@JimDA1000]

Proud of you for waiting a bit before doing a bladesinger wizard. Thumbs up. EDIT: LMAO the Rick Roll!!! 😂😂😂😂

[@Gargoyle2830]

Yay ! Been waiting for the 2024 Bladesinger build ever since the 2024 books were announced !! Thanks, you did not disappoint 🙂

[@alexpratt8533]

Bladesinger Tally: Bladesinger 1.0, Bladesinger 2.0, Bladesinger Nova, Bladesinger Monk, Bladesinger Tank, Flamesinger, Smiting Bladesinger, Eldritch Blademaster, The Shadow Blade, The HexBladeSinger, The Moonsinger, Bladesinger 2024 Total of 12 Bladesingers I'm certainly not complaining, I love all of these builds. Just kinda crazy.

[@Stevensenegal222]

Baldesinger here we go. It's especially great when you are really passionate about a build :D .

[@TheMarcuslindberg]

What's your bald Bard build? 😅

[@leofachin]

I'm almost a bald singer

[@LegitimateComenter4Yesme-hg4dg]

Top ten comments. Great job, about a dagger duke build using dueling and thrown weapon fighting. I used fighter levels paired with ranger for good burst damage and then went spores Druid to do boatloads of damage. Thanks for these builds.

[@LegitimateComenter4Yesme-hg4dg]

It was saying there were only 8 comments but it’s wrong there are more my bad.

[@flamefyr]

Once more the blade sings of victory! And as is tradition for me, I await the Berzerker build! Thanks for all you do Kolby!

[@JollySmalley]

At my table, my familiar (owl stat block flavored as a bat) uses the help action landing on my shoulder to help balance my next swing of a weapon, so it practically guarantees advantage on turns 2+.

[@deadku6150]

id love to see a build utilizing spells like cloud of daggers or moonbeam where you grapple your targets and hold them there so they would take the damage twice a round I know you did something similar to this with your grappling bard build but sadly damage only procs once per turn now, so if we are talking about self reliance, you could hold them there and make them take the damage twice a turn while punching the hell out of them Stars druid for dragon form (to keep concentration against people smacking you while you hold them) + 1 monk dip for bonus action grapple / little more damage (praise the spreadsheet) love the videos

[@DnDDeepDive]

@@deadku6150 on the to do list!

[@deadku6150]

@@DnDDeepDive so excited 🔥

[@deadku6150]

@@DnDDeepDive I think with something like dance bard you would be able to do it 3x a round, "if someone ends turn within 5ft of you (so turn already ended) u can move half your speed, this would mean u could make them re-enter the cloud of daggers (I think if im reading it correctly) 1) your turn u cast it on them 2) they end their turn 3) after they end their turn u use a reaction to drag them away and put them back thus it entering their square

[@vKILLZ0NEv]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but RAW familiars don't go after you, they role their own initiative. So they COULD role higher than you. Then you could grab Alert and then always swap with them if they go after.

[@SeanBoyce-gp]

I think They act on your turn now, immediately after you.

[@vKILLZ0NEv]

@@SeanBoyce-gp Not according to the Find Familiar spell description: "Combat. The familiar is an ally to you and your allies. It rolls its own Initiative and acts on its own turn. A familiar can’t attack, but it can take other actions as normal."

[@WizardVolovik]

Funny thing about Alert + Find Familiar is having a virtual advantage in initiative, since you will roll two dice and take the highest score

[@vKILLZ0NEv]

@@WizardVolovik Assuming you would rather go before your familiar, thus giving up the Advantage on your first attack each turn.

[@WizardVolovik]

@@vKILLZ0NEv I mean, I was just saying a general situation. As a wizard, I would rather starting asap in combat, even if this means acting before my familiar, than swap my turn with my familiar to go after it, but also after the enemies. Control spells can win combats by their own.

[@thundyrcat]

I have never been a fan of playing gish characters (Love having them in my campaigns when I am the DM), but this one seems very fun to play. Your excitement is so contagious! I think I want to play one!

[@seangrant8871]

I know it's all but certainly barking up the wrong tree with 5.24 out but man I would love to see more PF2e Builds from you some time soon. At this point I listen to these builds for you more than interest in DnD. Although, where DnD lacks a lot of balancing and DM QoL it does have lots of cool Player-facing tools for theorycrafting that helps keep these entertaining :)

[@krillkilo]

I’ve been playing around with a Celestial Warlock-Monk with the new players handbook and it seems like it might be a fun cousin to the Wizard/fighter, mainly because of the massive amount of healing and tanking it can perform for the party.

[@KingTBrew09]

Perfect timing! I just started a new campaign with the new last weekend and I'm playing the bladesinger. I plan on multi classing into rogue.

[@theresnoracelikegnome]

I’ve been working on an idea for a Sorcerer that uses Flame Blade and the new Sorc ability to always get advantage. Quicken Dissonant Whispers(from Aberrant or Magic Initiate) and Warcaster with True Strike. It looks okay at level 3-8, but it can’t quite keep up later. I’d love to see if you can come up with anything.

[@DukeTrout]

I agree that applying the 2014 Bladesinger to the 2024 rules kinda needs that Fighter dip. I would hope that, when an official Bladesinger subclass becomes available, that they make it feasible to skip the Fighter dip. I could see the addition of an origin feat that allows some of the functions of Training in War and Song - light armor proficiency (at least until Bladesong comes along), one weapon proficiency, one weapon mastery, and maybe a fighting style? That would at least help such a wizard survive until the subclass features kick in.

[@sohkaswifteagle2604]

The find familiar "going before the caster" instead of after as per RAW is still RAW, it's simply a short hand and as you said easier to keep track of. Here how: Out of combat, I tell my familiar to be ready to give me the help action on my first attack against my target. Round 1: I attack my target, triggering the ready action of my familiar who gives me the help action and advantage. At the end of my turn when it's my familiar turn I give him this action to follow: "Ready an action to help me attack my target on my next attack" Round 2: I attack my target, triggering the ready action of my familiar who gives me the help action and advantage. At the end of my turn when it's my familiar turn I give him this action to follow: and so on So yes my familiar can give me the help action every round even by RAW. Yes, technically the ready action does not allow the familiar to attack AND flyby to safety. But most DM I played with are smart enough to realize that if they waste an attack on a 10gp familiar, I can resummon with a 10 minutes ritual. Let's remember that a ritual only require you to do the magic action for the duration of the ritual cast. So you can still move with the party and even use your bonus action for exploration stuff, if you have the observant feat for example you can still look for traps, while casting a ritual) So attacking the familiar is pity and useless. And If I play with a pity Dm or an unexperienced DM who didn't learn that yet... well... cool for 10g I prevented an attack on the barbarian. Abd with the new Telepathic connection tht no longer make the caster blind and deaf when he's using his familiar sense, if you take a bat, it's basically a free blindsight 60ft.

[@vKILLZ0NEv]

RAW, your familiar has its own turn in the initiative order. It does NOT share your initiative and go after. Also, find familiar is a 1 hour cast. As a ritual that's 1hr 10min. Also, sharing a familiars senses requires a Bonus Action and only lasts until your next turn. For clarification. So not exactly "free", especially in a bonus action heavy build.

[@Lizard008]

Nothing wrong with showin gyour Gen X :D Thanks for the awesome content!

[@idontknowyt3434]

Another amazing video Colby, absolutely the best subclass for one of the best classes in the game ❤ Since you’ve remade a Bladesinger I’d love to see what you would do if you remade the sustained damage Eldritch Knight Fighter since they get the Bladesinger extra attack at level 7

[@m.r.r.2636]

18:54 As for Scholar's skill options to get expertise in, I'd say in the campaigns I've played in, Knowledge skills (with an emphasis on Arcana) have come up more often than Investigation, especially beyond tier 1 play. Plus a Familiar can be argued to Help during an Investigation check, whereas a Knowledge check is... more dubious. But yeah, pick your preference.

[@m.r.r.2636]

Additionally for our pod we've played around with using Knowledge checks in combat for free once per enemy type - in essence mirroring recalling knowledge from your subconscious - instead of dawdling around for 6 seconds trying to wrack your brain if this creature has any weaknesses (mainly damage vulnerabilities) or strengths (mainly damage resistances) to look out for, which a Study Action would essentially be. If 5e was a lot slower in combat (aka not generally taking 3-5 rounds per encounter) it might not have been such an opportunity-cost to use an Action to Study the enemy and recall information - alas here we are and we've worked slightly around it. Since our pod's free combat check is not studying the creature, it is limited what the DM might provide on a success but it has made Knowledge skills a lot more useful and more sensible. Depending on the rarity of the creature the DC increases for more rare creatures. In addition if we fail the check, we may recall information that is wrong (as per the DM's discretion) - like identifying a ghoul as a wraith or apply some of the knowledge about a wraith to a ghoul, like its swarm of damage resistances. If used sparingly, it can add a bit of extra fun to encounters, either by downplaying a threat or exaggerating one.

[@zardok11]

I have been looking forward to this one! Have to wait till after work to watch, but it'll one of the first things I do!

[@MykoWree]

I love Jason Mraz (and even own a few albums that I never use because of Spotify). Don't let Bucky dissuade you, Colby! Sing the (blade)song in your heart!

[@LP-zn8sc]

So happy this finally came out. I think I'm gonna try a straight wizard dwarf with magic initiate druid if I play with the new rules. Weapon masteries seem great but being a melee wizard with extra health is enough for me.

[@mjp121]

I guessed in advance that your aversion to Shillelagh would be the bonus action casting- for random encounters while traveling I agree with your assessment, which is a good reason not to over-invest, but in dungeons and other areas where my character reasonably is walking with weapons at the ready, I’m announcing to my DM that I am using a bonus action once per minute (trivial) to cast Shillelagh and to please roll a d10-1 to determine how many rounds remain. On a 3+ there’s a reasonable chance combat will end before the duration does, and anything except 0 and 1 my bonus action is Less valuable, though losing a Shadow Blade attack is sad yes.

[@trevorgreenough6141]

Im playing a Space campaign at the moment, my engineer Theri, is a cybernetic Krogan, she has so much bulk, no other creatures can move through her space and she's considered 1 size larger for carrying, lifting blah blah, and Grappling and Shoving. At large sized she can grapple everything. I thought it would be fun to have a smart barbarian, homebrew path, Mindbreaker. She would absolutely benefit and appreciate Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron.

[@lukenator115]

Ahh, fighter-rolled again! A very fun meme that im glad to see returning.

[@Jimmy-p9n]

Ooh, i didn't think of Goliath with the hill giant topple ability. Also if use the "Large Form" ability and can get enlarge on the character. Do an extra 2d4 damage per hit coz you go from medium to huge. I like the idea now of popping around the battlefield with Goliath Echoknight toppling everyone with my maul and pounding into ground.

[@HandsomeRagz]

How ironic that i'm looking for a dual wield bladsinger build, and here you have one for me today. I should have known to look here. You're such a sucker for Gishes.

[@Steel_Manning2]

I just had a crazy thought. Not sure if it’s ideal for this type of channel: but what about an Echo Knight Trickery Cleric? See how many duplicates you can get on the field. Call it the Multiple Man build

[@SuperAndrewpalmer]

REJOICE! Colby has graced us with another Bladesinger! I wish I could play my Bladesinger build who is a human worshiper of Elistraee, in honor of his Drow wife (Cleric of Elistraee) who was killed in a Drow Lolth raid. Alas… the curse of a forever DM coupled with a busy life.

[@DukeTrout]

I don’t get why people are hung up about True Strike and weapon masteries. The text of True Strike makes it clear it is a weapon attack (so do the descriptions of Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade, BTW). As long as the cantrip is used during the Attack action (per the exact wording for Valor Bard, Bladelock, and Bladesinger extra attack features, it is), if you are using Light weapons and have Nick Mastery, those bonus action attacks or extra attacks apply as a result of the blade cantrip attacks. It’s certainly a lot less of a stretch than using Shadow Blade with those blade cantrips. It’s also not a game breaker the way that upcast Conjure Minor Elementals is RAW.

[@apjapki]

Bladesinger CANNOT replace a nick attack with a True Strike. "Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of **those** attacks." The word "those" makes it clear you can only give up one of the attacks granted by the extra attack feature. The Valour Bard is the same. Eldritch Knight has no such restriction and can give up the Nick attack to cast a cantrip.

[@DukeTrout]

@@apjapki You’ve got it backwards. No one is saying they are REPLACING the Nick extra attack with True Strike. We’re saying that the True Strike can trigger the Nick Attack just like any weapon attack can, as long as a Nick weapon is wielded and both weapons have the Light property. Note that prior to getting the subclass Extra Attack, the combination of True Strike and Nick (or Light) is not possible, just like you lay out, because casting True Strike is the Magic action rather than the Attack action. But it’s very clear in the Gish subclasses extra attack description, the cantrip is part of the Attack action, not the Magic action.

[@apjapki]

​@@DukeTrout Yes. I did misunderstand. I don't think that's what Colby said in the video though.

[@apjapki]

​​​@@DukeTrout Wait, what's the point of triggering Nick with TS? If you are making two attacks, what's there to gain by triggering it with TS (dubious) rather than with your 2nd attack? You may well be right....but what's the point?

[@DukeTrout]

@@apjapki You are exactly right, if we’re talking about levels 1-4 (which can’t benefit from this, anyway, as True Strike would be a Magic Action). The dubious benefit would be replacing Dex as the attack and damage modifier with a different attribute (INT for Bladesinger or CHA for Warlock or Bard). I tend to pump DEX for a Bladesinger, anyway so True Strike doesn’t really do anything for me until 5th Level and the subclasses extra attack (which is needed for True Strike to be part of the Attack action, anyway.) The benefit at Level 5 is a whopping 1d6 extra damage. This is the thing that has people screaming “OVERPOWERED!!!” Meanwhile, a Fighter with Dual Wielder is getting 4 weapon attacks as long as one of them is Light with Nick, and can swap in a d8 weapon for their Bonus Action attack. That means, apples to apples, the lvl 5 fighter is getting d6 weapon, d6 weapon, d6 weapon, d8 weapon vs the lvl 5 Bladesinger’s d6 weapon, d6 weapon + d6 True Strike, d6 weapon. The Bladesinger can’t use Dual Wielder yet because they have to have Warcaster as their General Feat. So the Fighter is doing 1 dpr more damage at level 5 just comparing melee combat.

[@bshorrar]

57:24 buying music is still the best ways to support artists. So you're doing better than us Spotify folks.....😅

[@jeffadams9807]

I Just Love This Build, It's Sooo Sick !!!!

[@matthewmiller1847]

I would love to see an Eldritch Knight build with 2024 rules. Now that they can attack 3 times and replace one with a cantrip at level 11 with a bonus action free. Maybe they're also a dual wielder but I love my strength based tanky gishes (which is why I lean towards Eldritch Knight). Maybe a Great Weapon using EK? 3 great sword attacks (one with booming blade) with PB added from GWM and potentially a bonus action attack from GWM. Also spirit shroud and magic weapon eventually to bolster each hit. Sounds fun (albeit not as strong as any CME builds because yowza) Plus fighters get so many tactical options now, and the much improved indomitable.

[@apjapki]

Remember when Bladesingers were Elves?

[@rylanfitzgerald6085]

Pepperige farm remembers

[@Tusitala1967]

In the campaign I am running now, a powerful Elven Bladesinger taught the bladesong to a mortal he was in love with. This was forbidden, and his Moonsword shattered into 9 pieces at the breaking of his oath to protect Elven knowledge. Currently a bladesinger/gunslinger PC in my game, who is a descendant of the oathbreaker, is trying to reassemble the blade. The Oathbreaker became The King in Shadow, a rival to the Raven Queen and current ruler of the Shadowfell. The Moonsword's hold the spirits of their prior wielders. It takes 9 spirits to complete a moonblade and each spirit adds a different power. The Oathbreaker was meant to be the final spirit to complete his blade, but if the PC dies while wielding it, that will also complete the blade since he is also of the Korthys bloodline. The KIng in Shadow plans to kill the PC once he gains the last piece of the blade, and place the pieces somewhere out of the reach of his enemies forever. However, even with his additional powers as the King in Shadow, the blade would allow the PC to kill him.

[@ericrbacher9371]

yup

[@NiteGamerRhayel]

As a bladesinger I took the magic initiate to get warlock stuff and used Eldritch blast with lv 6 extra attacks with spirit shroud so I could attack with 4 attacks (2 weapons and 2 beams) which is pretty fun too. I also have the illusionist braces that lets me do the cantrip twice so thats pretty awesome. :D Also you mentioned a flametongue sword and I giggled because I have that and also the frostbrand as my duelwielding weapons that I use.

[@GhostWriter520]

Idea to run by your DM if you want to use Shillelagh but don't like the club or staff restriction: see if they'll let you make a character with woodcarving proficiency and carve the wood into a different weapon (I usually keep it to simple weapons like short swords). It's basically a "practice weapon" that gets empowered through the spell. Keep the damage type bludgeoning but match the correct mastery where it makes sense as well as adapting to it being finesse

[@apjapki]

I think it's a design choice that Finesse weapons are never bludgeoning.

[@TehSpessPiret]

my gish build for 2024 dnd is 1 level paladin, the rest sorcerer (draconic subclass is preferred, but any subclass works as long as you're willing to go human and grab the tough feat to mitigate low HP), and the 2024 version of true strike. Paladin gives you armor, weapons, mastery, and smites, and because multiclassing spell casters round up their caster level instead of down, being a sorcerer with a single level of paladin counts as being a full caster. From then on out, you can stab your enemies with a great sword (or whatever weapon you prefer) and true strike. It might not seem that great at first because you can only attack once with true strike, but because true strike is treated as both a spell and a weapon attack, you can get advantage on your attacks thanks to innate sorcery, imbue your attacks with smites, or attack before, during or after you cast a spell as a bonus action with quicken spell, allowing for plenty of combo potential. All this, and yet you can still function as a perfectly normal full caster who can flee to the back lines and cast fire ball after you have taken too man hits to the face

[@bennettellis1154]

My favorite way to build a bladesinger with the new 2024 rules is a two level dip into sorcerer since now thats all you need for metamagic to get quicken. Especially since sorcerers can now burn spell slots for points without action economy, allowing you to keep the quicken goodness going. Not only does this make it easier to spell sling or set up spells without taking turns off, you can also skip dual wielder and still attack with a bonus action by quickening a blade cantrip. Origin feats also help out with the rough ability score requirements, take Tough and go to a 12 in CON and that allows the 13 CHA while still having ok HP

[@aceofaces0007]

On the subject of the Dual Wielder Feat and which weapon can be used with the Bonus Action attack, I've even seen some people take it a step further to where the Bonus Action weapon attack from Dual Wielder doesn't even need to be one of your two light weapons, that it can be a third entirely different weapon that doesn't even have the Light property through what people are referring to as "weapon juggling" since RAW the act of drawing your weapon is part of the same body movement as "attacking" and the Dual Wielder feat allows for two weapons to be drawn at once. The Dual Wielder feat does not specify that the weapon used for that Bonus Action attack needs to be a Light weapon, so imagine this scenario where you're a Level 5 Fighter with Extra Attack and you have a Rapier in your main hand (since it is a one-handed weapon, even though it lacks the Light property) and a scimitar in your off hand, with a short sword sheathed on your back. First attack could be with your Rapier, then switch to your short sword for your second attack, and since this weapon is Light, it would trigger your Nick attack with the off-hand scimitar. Then, because the scimitar is a light weapon itself, it would trigger the Bonus Action Dual Wielder attack, and you would make this by swapping out your short sword for the Rapier again, making 4 attacks and completing the "juggling loop" back to square one. I think this wording for the Dual Wielder feat is a bit of a consolation from how the old version of Dual Wielder allowed for non-light weapons to benefit from Two-Weapon Fighting, like as if you were Dual Wielding Rapiers or Long Swords instead of short swords and scimitars. The ability to now make your bonus action Dual Wielder attack with a non-light weapon appears to be a leftover vestige of that ability. So yeah, I'm in complete agreement that the Bonus Action Dual Wielder attack can be made with literally any weapon you want, including a third weapon separate from your two Light weapons.

[@Sonareklipse]

Bladesinger, my beloved. Excited for this one!

[@007ohboy]

Still rocking the Bladesinger/Kensai Monk in 2024 - 8 Bladesinger/12 Kensei build. If you Dogde and fight defensively, the Monsters may ignore you and thus you can just unleash on them with very little fear of taking a lot of damage. The norm each battle is coming out completely unscathed. 😅😊

[@RedCoolade]

Doing the god's work son. Thank you 🔥🤟

[@drizzledaddygaming994]

Ok, intro just started, time to make my predictions: Firstly, with the new stow and draw weapons rules, I am going to assume that Warcaster is not needed to cast spells while dual wielding, if this assumption is not made, start with 15 (+1) CON and 15 INT take Warcaster at level 4, and push all other feats back 4 levels. Starting stats are: STR 8, DEX 15 (+2), CON 14, INT 15 (+1), WIS 10, CHA 8 Species is Goliath for 35 ft movement speed and Cloud's Jaunt to teleport pbtpd Background is Criminal for +2 Dex and +1 Int as well as the Alert origin feat Taking level 1 in fighter or rogue to get weapon masteries, I would, personally, lean toward fighter for the fighting style and get two weapon fighting, as well as for constitution saving throw proficiency. The weapon masteries taken will be Scimitar, Shortsword, and Rapier (this is for post level 5) level 2-7 are all in wizard taking Bladesinger as the subclass at wizard 3. At wizard 4, character 5, taking the Dual Wielder feat and bumping Dex to 18, giving us a 3rd attack, and allowing us to use a rapier instead of a shortsword for a nice lil +1 damage (lol) At wizard 6, we get our fancy extra attack that is no longer unique to our favorite class (thank you WotC, we needed this in more gish classes

[@PinkMuffin2104]

You can make a dual wielding pact of the blade warlock with a club you cast Shillelagh on and any light weapon with vex as our pact weapon. I’ve played a little bit with that idea and really enjoy that you can actually choose some invocations for pure flavour instead of just picking the necessary ones as 2014 hexblade

[@mattdahm4289]

Thanks Colby! ❤

[@pyureable]

Been waiting for this! Time to settle in and enjoy 😊

[@RubberGamesHD]

Good job keeping that restraint for that long Colby! We know it was hard to not build a bladesinger that long 🙏

[@rinkakyuhome951]

Thank you for your work!!

[@slimee8841]

This is what I really wanted, Bladesinger ftw

[@deadku6150]

ive been avoiding playing a bladesinger for so long but I think its time (ignoring conjure minor elementals)

[@scotttaylor1479]

Came for the bladesinger build, stayed for Jason Mraz’s Remedy 🎶😁

[@wallapi1188]

Personally, on the dual wielder BA attack, it would follow the order that you attacked with. So you club, scimitar, scimitar (nick), the BA attack would be the club.

[@apjapki]

Sorry, what? EDIT: Wait, I get it. You attack with the first weapon and then both of the others must be different weapons, so yes, order matters.

[@MentalNewb]

Bladesinger is by far my favorite. I can't seem to play anything else. Even in BG3 I've played multiple runs to completion with it.

[@henrymalinowski5125]

Regarding forcecage: Just because you have the gold doesn’t mean the item is for sale.

[@Barbosanaarea]

Looking the "numbers" feels pretty good... however the assumption to get 2 set up rounds is complicated! On my campaign we have a Bladesinger, and he is more efficient in Boss/Long fights. I love bladesingers, but I think having 2 magic weapons, ignoring Shadowblade is normally a better strategy!

[@joshuahampton6141]

Colby: Goes Fighter at level 1 Me: Welcome back, my old friend.

[@randomnobody660]

Re: true strike as Nick extra attack. IMO it was a mistake to group eldritch knight with the others. I see why it doesn't work for bladesingers or 2024 valor bard, whose feature reads "you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of THOSE attacks" and specifically references the 2 attacks instead of 1 when taking the attack action. However the same should clearly work for, say, eldritch knight, whose War Magic feature instead just lets you "replace one of the attacks with a casting of your wizard cantrip" "[w]hen you take the Attack action", not necessarily specifically the ones from extra attack. In this case, the Nick mastery extra attack made "as part of the Attack action" is clearly ONE of the attacks that's part of the attack action.

[@ReallyRobEgan]

This is what I was thinking too. For Eldritch Knight specifically, I think the wording works. I'll be on the lookout for an official WOTC ruling

[@capnhook33_]

Colby i love the vids but i had to come back to this one because after thinking on it some more I think people are misinterpreting nick (and it could absolutely be written more clearly). So for dual wielding here is what im seeing- First, just like in 2014 you could technically hold two non light weapons, but you wouldn't be able to attack with both. Light property says you can make a BA attack if two light weapons, no mods on second weapon. TWF says you can add mods to the BA attack. Nick says you can move the BA to attack. The one sentence that is included that is being glossed over in nick states that the extra light action attack can be made only once per turn. So all nick is doing is moving the off hand attack to the attack action, NOT granting another bonus action attack in the process. Now you could cast shillelagh and still get two attacks with this setup, but not 3, unless you had extra attack from fighter, monk, valor bard etc. Dual Wielder grants an extra bonus action attack, which i think does make what you are describing potentially possible, since there isn't anything stated you cant have true strike interact with nick, although i dont think that is RAI. This probably would change how you feel a bit about dual wielding, but i know once you are getting to mid levels of play your BA uses arent always weapons anyway.

[@Indigo1559]

Bladesinger is always fun, but I don't think anything could top my love for Light Cleric. Would love to see you do a build video for it, although it kinda builds itself haha

[@DnDDeepDive]

@@Indigo1559 I assume you saw my original one already?

[@ZariesTheHealadin]

Not sure if you took this into account for the numbers, but theoretically, since the wording of Nick says you make the light weapon attack as part of the attack action, you could swing twice with Shadow Blade, Nick with the Scimitar, and still qualify for bonus action Shadow Blade.

[@MyRegularNameWasTaken]

11:08 It's wild to me that optimization KZbinrs spent months talking about how the 2024 rules were more balanced and now there's no clear best weapon setup... only to then immediately make every single build dual wield. It was fun to imagine things were balanced for a little bit, I guess.

[@vKILLZ0NEv]

??? I've seen just as many GWM or CBE builds as dual wield builds.

[@DnDDeepDive]

@@MyRegularNameWasTaken I’ve definitely done more twf builds so far than heavy weapon builds, but part of that I think is a result of being excited that it’s actually good now. Look back on my old builds and see how many were GWF or Sharpshooter/hand crossbow builds compared to dual wielders… not too surprising that I/we are excited to do something different ;). I think the “New Baseline” vid did a pretty good job of showing how sometimes one is better than the other but it depends on level, if you’re adding damage to attacks etc etc, and I LOVE that both are viable now, depending on the situation.

[@TheSensei88]

As I'd rule conjure minor elementals, till it's revised, you either cannot upcast it, or upcasting it will increase it's damage in accordance to other more balanced spells scaling, like Shadow Blade's for example.

[@aidencaterwall9146]

Unless you are a blade singer, eldritch knight, or valor bard, which can cast a cantrip during their attack action.

[@steve-ru9sy]

I just want to point out I was never a big wizard fan until I found your channel a year or so ago. Wizard supremacy is contagious, like a fever, except the only prescription is more wizard. 😂

[@rivenstone7035]

On the shillelagh, true strike, dual wield issue, I don't think it works for valor bard or bladesinger because the cantrip as an attack language references the attacks with extra attack. I do think it works with the eldritch knight's war magic feature though which is separate from the extra attack feature and simply references any attack made as part of the attack action. Using Nick, you are making a weapon attack as part of the attack action with true strike. I don't think the Nick weapon would allow you to replace it's attack with firebolt using that feature but I do think a 7th level eldritch knight can replace the Nick attack with true strike, booming blade, or green-flame blade. Would be interested in a deeper dive as to why that specific circumstance doesn't work RAW if you don't think it does.

[@Shamalaya311]

I usually have a command word to trigger contingencies. It's not the best for defensive contingencies but it's wonderful for any kind of buff/cc

[@michaelsmahler]

I wonder if there’s a world in which the Alert feat, combined with Find Familiar, beats lucky for reliable advantage? Like you swap initiative order with a party member or even your familiar to make sure it always takes the help action right before your attack? Bonus - it means the familiar advantage would work RAW for the rules lawyers!

[@DnDDeepDive]

@@michaelsmahler love it!

[@raphaelchiavelli8731]

Loved the no doubt reference

[@rexgar0092]

Colby: A bunch of people asked me for a new bladesinger build… I swear! Me/everyone: Did you really need any convincing to make another one 😏😂

[@MrMoggl]

Hey There. Great Vid. As always. Did you see the new awesome changes at „Armor of Agathys“? It last as long as you have any Temp HP! So builds who give you more and constant temp hp will love this spell. Like… a Moon Druid 🤔

[@juLi0n1337]

Ty, just in time ❤️

[@vvsandgaming4648]

A Thief/Warlock can theoretically cast two EBs each round. It's a hungry thing because he's going to need scrolls to cast it a second time as a Bonus Action.

[@apjapki]

Sorlock: Hold my beer.

[@WoWDontu]

Just had session zero for our new campaign. I’m going with a circle shepherd druid. I usually only play CHA classes so I’m going outside my comfort to expand my horizons. Using the new 2024 rules!

[@chadculotta8278]

I don't think the intent is you can draw/stow per (individual) attack, but rather per Attack action; i.e., one draw/stow (or two if you have Dual Wielder). I want an errata and/or Sage Ruling on this.

[@theshadowcult]

If you couldnt use the elementals spell, you could go 7-8 levels in ek, as the new ek ability allows two cantrips in the action when combined with valor bard or bladesinger. I doubt it would be close to the same damage, but it could be an alternate.

[@Chris_the_Nerd]

You should do a Pact of the Blade Shadow Blade build now that binding the weapon doesn’t take a bonus action-it could make a nasty dual wielding Hexblade!

[@MatthewBartley-bd8lc]

We're starting the Vecna module soon. Starting at 2 Lock, 6 Wizard (Bladesinger), Bard 2 (moving into glamour later). - Lock allows for Eldritch Blast with Agonizing and Repelling Blast as well as Pact of the Blade -Bladesinger allows second attack to be Eldritch Blasts. - Using a Whip with first ASI being Weapon Master feat to increase Dex to 14 (Prio on CHA over DEX due to pact of blade and agonizing blast) and get Weapon Mastery in order to Slow into eldritch blast push for some flavor battle field control. Honorable mention is Mind Sliver off the extra attack into Glamour Bard bonus action Command/Charm shenanigans Hex scales well here as it triggers Glamour, scales with Eldritch blast beams. Love your content!

[@CL-jq1xs]

seems very MAD though. You need Int,Dex,Cha & Con.

[@MatthewBartley-bd8lc]

@@CL-jq1xsIt was assuredly hard to design as there are so many synergies and paths for a Bladesinger with dips to take. For me the stat priority was CHA>INT>CON>DEX Vecna Hand of Ruin is designed to start at level 10. As such the table has been granted 1 rare magic item and 1 uncommon. Thusly 2 stats are covered if you choose headband of Int and Amulet of health. Now to not just be fully reliant on those to enable the build I decided to use the uncommon slot on headband and forgo the powerful Amulet of health. Backstory narratives support the Ability Score of 13 base INT but work with the idea of a Blade Singer Wizard. My thoughts on the rest without sharing the full AS assignment and feature pathways are a balance of power and diminishing returns. DEX - 14 likely in the end as the Lock dip allows for 3 Invocations and Pact allows us to use CHA for both the melee attack and the Eldritch blast cantrip. So Dex is relegated to AOE damage throws and AC. AC is augmented with Mage Armor (or studded) Bracers of Defense (chose over Amulet of health AND will use mage armor to enable), Bladesong and Shield (spell) . Initial AC level 10 is 21/26 (note you can forgo the flavor of the slow/push to grab a Defensive duelist to grab an AC bonus that doesn't use a spell slot) CHA 17 (end 20)- Priority, this is Bard and Lock Save DC, melee attack and Eldritch blast INT 13 (19 headband) - Augments our Concentration Saves, AC, Wizard spells. Depending on how we play I may allocate futures ASI/Feats to augment this and move away from headband but unlikely. Con 14 (end 16) - This is the fun one. HP, Con saves, Concentration. The AC AND the level 10 Class feature of the Bladesinger are extremely good at mitigating damage (ignoring the many defensive tools wizards have). Noting the final build has access to high level spells but nothing of that level (outside of upcasts) the spell slot conversion to mitigate large hits is nice. In addition blade singer augments Concentration and the lock dip could allow you to choose advantage on those. I do have a Resilient CON feature baked into the build to help with Con saves that aren't concentration. Absolutely love Theory crafting and definitely found the right channel. This build is a bit different to present as it's starting at 10 which kind of goes against the general gameplay. But as PHB 24 is designed to encompass endgame and we're seeing modules releasing as well, we can start putting more thought into it!w

[@aidencaterwall9146]

True Strike literally says "make an attack with the weapon used in the spell's casting." so if you used a scimitar with the light property, you've fulfilled the requirement to make an attack with a weapon with the light property. Can't really get more clear cut than that.

[@vKILLZ0NEv]

The Light weapon property reads: "When you take the Attack action..." Not all attacks are the "attack action". You used a Magic action to attack.

[@adriangoetz5108]

Having trouble seeing your issue with Nick + Shillelagh... Bladesinger Level 6: You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks. Nick Weapon Mastery: When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. So Nick secures the attack as part of the Attack Action. The Light Weapon Property only has the restriction that it "must be made with a light weapon". BA: Shillelagh A: Attack Action - Club - Club - Nick via scimitar, as it's an Attack made as part of the Attack Action, you can replace it with True Strike, no? You are still making an Attack with a Light Weapon?

[@CantripN]

Tasha's Cauldron lasts until you cast it again, just cast it on your off-adventure days. It doesn't actually cost you any slots.