Hello magic casters of all shapes and sizes! Welcome to my spellbook and thank you so much for checking out the 65th episode of our 2nd level spell series. Today we have a very excellent, very cool spell in store for us. We are looking at shadow blade spell dnd 5e which is just as cool as it sounds let me tell you.
It is usable by the sorcerer, warlock and the wizard and it is found in the good old xanathar’s guide to everything which is a must-have for anyone who plays 5e. Now this blade is not to be taken by the faint of heart, it is only to be selected by the strongest edge lords out there. Now before we get into the exact details let’s actually take a quick look at its mechanics. So you can better understand exactly what we’re talking about.
Mechanics
- Level: 2nd
- Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
- Range/Area: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration)
- School: Illusion
- Attack/Save: None
- Damage/Effect: Psychic
Your damage die is 2d8 and it’s up casting works a little bit strangely. So if you up cast it using the spell slot of 3rd or 4th level it becomes 3d8 and if you cast it using spell slot of 5th or 6th level it becomes 4d8 and 7th level or above becomes 5d8 so kind of weird in that regard but just roll with it. You may also interested in what is the shadow weapon spell?.
The effect at a glance is as followed: Create a blade with finesse, light and thrown properties with a normal range of 20 feet but if you’re willing to accept the disadvantage you can go as long as 60 feet which is pretty cool if you actually think about how that plays mechanically. Also while attacking in dim light and darkness you have advantage. You can reconstitute the sword as a bonus action. Don’t miss this shadar kai 5e.
The cast time is also just one bonus action which is great, the range is self, the duration is 1 minute and it is a concentration spell as with most of these melee spells i know but this was actually a little bit better than most i’ll explain why in a little bit. Also check out this shadow 5e.
The components are somatic and verbal. The school is illusion and the damage type is psychic. Which is pretty cool, i like psychic damage a lot in 5e. Now let’s take a look at the full description here to figure out exactly how the spell works. You can also check out this spirit guardians 5e.
Description
You weave together threads of shadow to create a sword of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic sword lasts until the spell ends. It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage.
If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, while the spell persists, you can use a bonus action to cause the sword to reappear in your hand.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a 3rd- or 4th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d8. When you cast it using a 5th- or 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 4d8. When you cast it using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases to 5d8.
Very interesting stuff. So something i do want to point out something that i think makes this concentration spell a lot better than a couple of the other ones we’ve covered is you can actually throw this one and it actually encourages it if anything, also the fact that has the light property means you can technically dual weild it. So this is one of the more perfect spells for those gish characters out there. Also check out this shambling mound 5e.
And if you couple that with the fact that it is finassable which means you can either pick a strength or dexterity modifier. This works really well with virtually every multi class you could think of. In any case let’s take a quick look at some alternative uses here to just get our creative juices flowing a little bit. In any case you can also check out this shadow monk 5e, shadow demon 5e, shadow sorcerer 5e.
Alternative Uses
So this is by far the most ideal spelled use when you’re hunting creatures of the night. Be the vampires, werewolf, what-have-you ideally you’re gonna want darkvision or devil’s sight or something like that just to get the maximum bang for your buck out of this but basically guaranteed advantage is never going to be a bad thing.
Outside of that this is a great weapon to use when you’re forced into those melee quarters and you just really want to perform your best, once again it is concentration which is a downside but that being said, this also deals decent damage it can be used at a range and you can still use a shield 5e with it which is really nice.
And a third use would be using it for assassinations, this is particularly useful if you factor in that you can just reconstitute it as a bonus action and then attack immediately with your action thereafter. I think that is a very cool, not to mention the fact that is basically made out of shadows, makes for a very just thematically interesting attack. You may also like to read blade spell 5e.
Conclusion
That being said, if you have any alternative uses, thoughts, questions, comments, concerns or ideas please put them down beneath in the comment section i really do appreciate it. That being said i hope you all have a great day and as always happy casting everyone.
Keep reading: booming blade 5e | green flame blade 5e | shadow of moil 5e | spike growth 5e | stone shape 5e | shatter 5e | sleep 5e | shocking grasp 5e | see invisibility 5e | suggestion 5e | shadow touched 5e | sharpshooter 5e | shape water 5e | short rest 5e.