16
\$\begingroup\$

So I've been playing D&D 5th edition with a few guys and I'm going to roll a new character, which they are all in favor of. I've taken a liking to an archer, but more specifically an archer with arcane routes.

This has lead me to discover the "Bladelock" or, officially, the Warlock with the Pact of the Blade feature. Additionally, with the Unearthed Arcana's release of new Warlock subclasses and features (found here) there is an invocation called the "Moonbow".

The Moonbow is the Warlock's only means of having a ranged pact weapon, and it's pretty neat. It has advantage on attack rolls against lycanthropes - meh. It can also merge with a magic bow you may possess, but it's main draw is its Holy Smite-esque feature; it allows you to expend a spell slot that can add 2d8 worth of extra damage per spell slot level.

This is my dilemma. While I know you can use other class' spell slots to fuel this ability, say a Sorcerer's 9th level spell slot, I can't determine if it is specifying that you can only use "one" spell slot at a time, or if you can stack multiple spell slots together.

Moonbow

You can create a longbow using your Pact of the Blade feature. When you draw back its string and fire, it creates an arrow of white wood, which vanishes after 1 minute. You have advantage on attack rolls against lycanthropes with the bow. When you hit a creature with it, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage to the target per spell level.

If it is specifying only one spell slot at a time, does that mean one per hit (multiattack features), or merely once per turn?

If anyone had any ideas or interpretations on this, please let me know. Thank you!

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Just an aside: have you gotten permission from your DM to use Unearthed Arcana (unfinished material that is released for playtesting) in their campaign? \$\endgroup\$ Commented May 10, 2017 at 14:46

1 Answer 1

24
\$\begingroup\$

You may expend one spell slot per hit

The text says:

When you hit a creature with it, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage to the target per spell level.

Every time you hit, you can expend a single spell slot to deal extra radiant damage. If you can attack twice a turn, then you can also hit twice a turn if you roll high enough. For each hit, you may expend one spell slot.

\$\endgroup\$
4
  • \$\begingroup\$ The comment-chain was starting to get into a discussion on optimization, and was flagged for chattiness. I've gone ahead and moved it to chat. See also why are site comments being deleted? \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60
    Commented May 10, 2017 at 13:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ I feel like this answer would benefit from mentioning that UA is a) "unofficial" playtest material and therefore b) not exactly balanced. \$\endgroup\$
    – ammut
    Commented Jul 17, 2018 at 11:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ Might also be worth noting that the Improved Pact Weapon invocation was published in Xanathar's, allowing a shortbow, longbow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow to be conjured as a pact weapon (meaning the Moon Bow invocation is no longer the "only means of having a ranged pact weapon"), the Moon Bow invocation has not been published outside of UA yet. But then it looks like the user who answered this question deleted their account? \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Commented Jul 17, 2018 at 17:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ It kinda looks like it, yeah, can somebody confirm that? @nitsua60 ? \$\endgroup\$
    – ammut
    Commented Jul 17, 2018 at 21:21

You must log in to answer this question.

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