DnD 5e Booming Blade Explained
Have you ever heard of the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Booming Blade spell? Or perhaps you’ve seen DMs referring to it in your games and were curious about what it does? If so, you’re not alone!
Dungeons & Dragons have been a popular pastime for decades. And with the rise of its 5th edition, more gamers than ever are experiencing the classic joys of DnD. One of the most interesting spells available to players is called Booming Blade, which was introduced with this latest version.
So get ready to cast some magic: Booming Blade explained lies just ahead! Booming Blade is an evocation cantrip that can come in handy when fighting off hostile creatures. In this article, we’ll walk through what Booming Blade does and how to use it most efficiently during your game sessions.
What is Booming Blade?
Booming Blade is an Evocation Cantrip from the book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. It is available to Wizards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks and can be a powerful tool in their arsenal. When cast, it allows you to make a melee attack against a target, and if they move before the start of your next turn, they take Thunder Damage. At the 5th level, the initial hit also deals with Thunder Damage, and the movement damage is increased. This makes Booming Blade a great way to deal extra damage in close-range combat.
The power of Booming Blade lies in its ability to punish enemies for moving away from you. Dealing with thunder damage when they move away encourages them to stay still or risk taking extra damage. This can be especially useful against enemies that rely on mobility, such as rogues or monks. With proper use of this cantrip, you can easily gain an edge over your opponents in melee combat.
How does Booming Blade work?
Booming Blade is a powerful cantrip that can be used effectively in combat. It requires a melee attack, and if the attack hits, the creature is shrouded in booming energy and takes 1d8 thunder damage if it moves at least 5ft before your next turn. This can be used strategically to limit enemy choices and deal extra damage when combined with certain feats and class archetypes. At higher levels, both the additional attack damage and the movement damage increase by an extra d8.
It can be difficult to see the value in Booming Blade since it only works if the enemy is already in melee range. However, this spell can be used to great effect when combined with other spells or abilities that allow you to move enemies into range quickly or keep them from escaping. Booming Blade also has some utility outside of combat; for example, it could be used to scare away wild animals or intimidate someone trying to flee from you.
What is Booming Blade best for?
Booming Blade is a great cantrip for anyone who wants to add extra damage to a single attack. It can be cast as a bonus action or reaction, making it ideal for characters with enhanced mobility. Fighters (specifically Eldritch Knights), Rogues, and Sorcerer/Paladin multi-classes are all able to take advantage of Booming Blade. Booming Blade may not be worth it at higher levels for single-classed Paladins due to Improved Divine Strike. Sorcerers can use Metamagic to Quicken Spell and Twinned Spell, making Booming Blade even more powerful. Wizards, specifically Bladesingers, can use Booming Blade as part of their Extra Attack feature.
Gish characters will find that Booming Blade adds extra oomph to their attacks, making it an ideal choice for them. It is also a versatile cantrip that can be used by both Wizards and Fighters alike. To maximize its effectiveness, players must understand how to use it in conjunction with a blade that can do better mean damage at high levels (11+)
Booming Blade is a powerful spell that can be used to great effect at higher levels. At level 11 and above, Booming Blade deals the damage of one weapon attack plus 2d8/3d8 thunder damage on a hit. This means that at level 17, Booming Blade can do more mean damage than one weapon attack with Extra Attack, assuming all attacks hit. On levels 11-16, the difference in mean damage between Booming Blade and one weapon attack with Extra Attack is less significant. It may even be negative depending on modifiers and weapons.
The added thunder damage from Booming Blade can also be beneficial in bypassing enemy resistances to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Thunder damage is rarely resisted throughout the Monster Manual, making it an effective way to deal consistent damage regardless of enemy resistance. In addition, Booming Blade has no material or somatic components, making it easier to cast than other spells. All these factors make BoBlade increases the damage of opportunity attacks by using the Warcaster feat.
Booming Blade is a powerful spell that can be used to great effect when combined with the Warcaster feat. This spell allows a character to make an opportunity attack with their weapon, adding 1d8/2d8/3d thunder damage depending on their level. The Warcaster feat is costly, but it may be worth it if other advantages are also gained. Booming Blade requires the Cast a Spell action, and as part of the spell, you make a melee weapon attack. You cannot take an offhand attack with Booming Blade, but you can use features like maneuvers to add to the weapon attack.
The combination of Booming Blade and the Warcaster feat can be devastating in combat situations. It increases the damage of opportunity attacks and thunder damage which can help against enemies resistant or immune to other types of damage. It is important to note that this spell requires the Cast a Spell action and cannot be used in conjunction with an offhand Booming Blade adds a different damage type to your punch.
Booming Blade is a powerful spell that adds thunder damage to a character’s attack. This type of damage is rarely resisted by enemies, making it an effective way to bypass resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Booming Blade deals the damage of one weapon attack plus 2d8/3d8 thunder damage (levels 11-16/levels 17-20) on a hit. At higher levels, this can be incredibly effective as it can add up to 11.72523.45 average damage when taking the Attack action as well as Extra Attack. On lower levels, however, this difference may not be as significant and may even be negative depending on modifiers and weapons used.
Overall, Booming Blade is an incredibly useful spell for characters looking to increase their offensive power in combat. It can be used to bypass resistances that would otherwise make certain attacks ineffective and can deal significant amounts of extra damage at higher levels. For those looking for an edge in combat
Booming Blade works well with Smites/Crit-Fishing
Booming Blade is a great way to add extra damage dice on critical hits, as the damage is doubled. It can be accessed through the Magic Initiate Feat, by being a High Elf, or by dipping into Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, or Arcana Cleric. Booming Blade deals 2d8/3d8 thunder damage, and running away after casting it will provoke an attack of opportunity. This makes it beneficial to use Booming Blade when the chance of scoring a critical hit is high enough to deplete resources over the course of one day.
Combining Booming Blade with Improved Divine Smite provides an extra 1d8 radiant damage when making a weapon attack. There are many variables that determine when it is advantageous to use Booming Blade instead of the Attack action + Extra Attack. Players can use Booming Blade successfully by taking advantage of its range and area of effect. This makes it an effective tool for crit-fishing and dealing extra damage in combat situations.
