4
\$\begingroup\$

By RAW can a Rogue High Elf wearing Illusionist's Bracers use Hold Action with Booming Blade to trigger Illusionist's Bracers feature to then use their Bonus Action (on their turn) to cast Booming Blade?

  • The Rogue has Spellcasting through the High Elf race.
  • The High Elf subclass gives access to 1 Wizard Cantrip.
  • The purpose of splitting the attacks is to get Sneak Attack with Booming Blade multiple times per round (Sneak Attack is once per Turn).
Improve this question
\$\endgroup\$
4
  • \$\begingroup\$ Note that a target with two booming blades stacked on them who then moved before your next turn would take thunder damage from only one of them, per the rule on magical effects with the same name. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Jul 27 at 6:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ Just to clarify: the high elf rogue is a spellcaster because they can cast spells without use of a magic item, but that does not mean they have the Spellcasting feature, which is a specific way to cast spells. For your purpose, being a spellcaster however is enough to attune to the bracers. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nobody the Hobgoblin
    Jul 27 at 6:43
  • \$\begingroup\$ @KirtnoQA4mewhilemodsstrike couldn't the Rogue technically "Hold Action to Booming Blade after the opponent has taken ONE step or before my next turn"? Grids are a Variant Option and a full 5' movement could constitute as multiple opportunities to deal two Booming Blade secondary features (Damage Upon Movement)? The receiver could choose not to move after the first instance, but they should (IMO) be able to be struck twice within a 5' area if the Held Action is worded right. \$\endgroup\$
    – Clipped Dragon
    Jul 29 at 21:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ClippedDragon Yes, if your game resolves movement at a scale finer than 5 feet, then stacked Booming Blades could trigger separately and sequentially. However, note that your Readied Action trigger needs to be a circumstance that you are capable of perceiving. So you will also need to argue to your DM that you are both capable of perceiving when your target has moved more than one foot but less than five feet and then striking with your blade at that precise time. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Jul 29 at 22:31

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4
\$\begingroup\$

This works

My understanding of your question is that you want to:

  1. Use the Ready Action (there is no "Hold" action) to cast Booming Blade with a trigger of "when that guy acts".
  2. Having cast a cantrip, use the Illusionist's Bracers and your Bonus Action to cast Booming Blade and immediately attack "that guy", applying Sneak Attack if you hit.
  3. "When that guy acts", use the trigger to make the original Booming Blade attack, applying Sneak Attack if you hit.

The rules casting using the Ready Action are:

When you ready a spell, you cast it as normal but hold its energy, which you release with your reaction when the trigger occurs.

So, on your turn, you have cast a cantrip. Per the Illusionist's Bracers "whenever you cast a cantrip, you can use a bonus action on the same turn to cast that cantrip a second time." So you can do that.

As per the errata, you must use a weapon as a material component to cast the spell and must use that weapon to make the subsequent attack, which is not part of the casting, it is part of the effect.

The Ready Action Booming Blade attack and the Bonus Action Booming Blade attack occur on different turns so they are each eligible for Sneak Attack which can be used "once per turn".

Improve this answer
\$\endgroup\$
3
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @KirtnoQA4mewhilemodsstrike I agree this would be good to address. I think DaleM got it right though, because brandishing the weapon and making the attack are part of the spell effect. The weapon is a material component needed for casting, but that does not mean that the attack is part of the casting, or am I missing something? \$\endgroup\$
    – Nobody the Hobgoblin
    Jul 27 at 6:46
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ @KirtnoQA4mewhilemodsstrike That's no more true, Booming Blade has been errataed, see here and/or on dndbeyond: "You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you." \$\endgroup\$
    – Eddymage
    Jul 27 at 7:15
  • 4
    \$\begingroup\$ @Eddymage Ah yes, with the errata you must use the blade as part of the casting but the attack is an effect of the spell itself (as Groody said). Thus would work as answered. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Jul 27 at 15:00

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .