You are a gamer. I know that. How? That is the reason you are here to know about War Caster 5e. No, you are not? No worries. This is your complete guide to know everything about War Caster.
Suppose you are a gamer. You are in the middle of a battle. There is only one monster left name ogre. He looks around just to find no monster is left. As he doesn’t want the same fate, he begins to run away. But, you don’t want this to happen. You raise the maul above your head and make an opportunity attack against the ogre as the monster ogre flees. But, this opportunity attack is not the normal one. The maul is glowing as you cast a spell, and the ogre-the monster is destroyed by thunderous energy.
How do you do that? How were you able to cast a spell as an opportunity attack? Also, what special do you have so that you were able to achieve such a powerful ability? Interesting right? All of your answers lie in the War Caster 5e feat.
What is War Caster 5e Feat?
The War Caster feat is a feat among many feats found in the Player’s Handbook in D&D 5e.
What is D&D 5e?
D&D 5e is the latest edition of the world-famous tabletop roleplaying game. Here the player can create their own character and can go on adventures. The adventures are led by a Dungeon Master(DM). He controls the non-playing characters(NPCs) and the surroundings of the game, also the monsters.
So, coming back to Feat, the feats are optional abilities that the player gets after reaching a certain level. Hence, whenever you as a player records a level, you get an ASI(Ability Score Improvement). You can accept the ASI or you can choose a feat instead.
Although the feats are mostly accepted at the D&D tables, they are optional in the game. It depends on your DM. Therefore, it is advisable to confirm it with your Dungeon Master. Now, if the feats are accepted and you choose a feat instead, below are the benefits you get in War Caster 5e. But remember, you can only select this feat if you have the ability to cast a minimum of one spell.
Benefits:
- Get an opportunity – Rather than making a melee attack, you get the chance to cast a cantrip as an opportunity attack.
- Ability to maintain concentration – You get an advantage on the constitution saving throws. By this, you can concentrate on a spell whenever you take damage.
- Defeat with hands full– Even though your hands are full, you get the benefit to perform somatic parts of the spell.
Let’s understand all these benefits in detail and what are the benefits of it.
YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY
In the game, whenever a creature is getting out of your reach and you want to stop or attack them, you make a move. You can use your reaction and can make an opportunity attack. So, this would be a melee attack as you are using whatever is there in your hand. But, what if the weapon is a simple weapon or if you don’t have anything in your hand? Then the opportunity attack is of not much advantage.
By using the War Caster 5e Feat, you get a chance to make a cantrip instead of a melee attack. But, do you think you use this for free without any damage? No, this will add damage and the damage will be bigger as you level up in the game. It is okay to use in the earlier stages of games, but more inviting to damage in higher levels.
ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONCENTRATION
In the war caster, many of the spells can last longer than just one turn. But, this requires concentration. So, you need to focus on retaining your concentration to make the effect of the spell last long.
If the concentration is lost, the effect of the spell will end early. Taking the damage is the most common way to lose concentration. But here when you take damage, you must make a Constitution saving throw. If you fail, you lose concentration and the spell effect will end.
DEFEAT WITH HANDS FULL
To cast a spell, you must fulfill all the pre-requisites needed. For example, if you want to perform a spell that needed a verbal component, you as a player must be able to speak.
Similarly, if a spell needs a somatic component, it means that one hand of the player must be free. If the material item is needed, it simply means that the player should have that physical component on it.
So, this feat allows you to perform somatic spells even if your hand is not free. But again, although indirect, this comes with its own consequences. Because the rule says that the player must have a hand free for this feat.
Now that we have seen what is War Caster 5e? What is D&D? What are the benefits of the feat? Let us understand which characters will get the most benefit from this feat.
As mentioned earlier there are many characters in the game and they do get affected by the feat. Some of the characters are mentioned below.
1. Paladin
First, understand who Paladin is? Paladin is a holy knight in D&D. The power of Paladins emerges from their faith in their oath. Now the Paladin mostly don’t take a feat. But, he uses it in case of casting a spell when both of his hands are full.
2. Rangers
The rangers here are literally the rangers. This means they are known for their survival skill, exploration, hunting the monsters, etc. The famous rangers of all time are Orion, Jack the giant killer, and the huntresses of Diana, etc. They are also very witty.
Similar to Paladin, Rangers also benefit War Caster 5e when their hands are full with weapons or shields. They tend to avoid it but the feat sometimes is very useful.
3. Wizards
Wizards are the ones in WarCaster Dungeons and Dragons who are famous for casting different spells and having their community of wizards. There are different subclasses of wizards in the game.
The feat got the big advantage to wizards. They won’t be juggling between many weapons and can maintain concentration on the spell.
4. Sorcerers
Generally arcane magic is the most powerful form of D&D magic. The Sorcerers are most proficient in arcane magic. They are the typical character holding a stick in hand. As a sorcerer is weak in melee combat, doing a cantrip is advisable. And therefore Sorcerers get benefit from the feat.
5. Eldritch Knights
Eldritch is the fighter just like rangers and paladins. But, they have minimum access to spells. The feat will help them to make an opportunity attack even when their hands are full of weapons.
6. Artificers
Artificers are the scientists in the game D&D War Caster 5e. They look at magic as a tool to create something new. They try to find solutions to every problem through magic. Therefore they are called the masters of invention.
The Artificers already have proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
7. Warlocks
Te warlocks are those in the game that wants to find the knowledge that is lying in the multiverse. The most important ability of the warlocks is the eldritch blast. This means firing a blast of magical energy at the target.
Warlocks use the feat but it needs to increase concentration.
8. Bards
Bards are the ones who are masters of song, speech, and the magic they possess. They use magic through words and music. It is used to inspire allies, manipulate minds, create illusions, and sometimes even to heal wounds.
Two types of Bards are there, College of Swords and College of Valor. The College of Swords bards uses swords as their focus. The feat helps to make an opportunity attack.
These are some of the characters that get benefit from the feat directly or indirectly.
Summary of War Caster 5e:
War caster 5e is a feat in the role-playing fictional game D&D. There are different characters and players in the game. They tend to go on an adventure journey with a DM. In the game, they need to face many difficulties and need to fight monsters too.
There they cast spells to fight, and go ahead in the game. But casting a spell needs concentration. The effect of a spell depends on your level of concentration.
There are major three benefits of using War Caster 5e as mentioned above. Different characters in the game can get benefit from the feat. But, it comes with a price to pay as they need to take damage.
FAQs:
1. Why use War Caster Feat if we need to take damage?
Sometimes there is the need to make an attack, but you are not in the position to make one. At that time making an opportunity attack by casting a spell is helpful as mentioned in the beginning.
2. What is Eldritch Blast?
Eldritch Blast is used by the Warlocks in the D&D. It is the beam of crackling energy towards a creature within range.
3. Can we use Eldritch Blast and War Caster together?
Yes, you can but the creature and the beam should be in the same range.
4. Which one is better between War Caster and Resilient?
Generally Resilient is better than war caster. But, in the lower level when your proficiency points are lower War Caster is better. In general, the resilient constitution is better for the higher levels.
5. Is it possible to Cast Cantrip with War Caster?
Yes, Of course. There are three benefits of War Caster and one among the three is this only.
6. What is the benefit of War Caster 5e Feat on Somatic and Material components?
In somatic components, you can perform it with your hands full with weapons or shields. In the material component, the hand that holds the shield will be emblazoned with the holy symbol, and the benefit is done.
7. Are the sorcerers and wizards similar in D&D War Caster 5e?
No, the sorcerers are the arcane magic specialist which is considered generally as the most powerful magic in D&D. Whereas, the wizards are the ones having deep knowledge and the ability to cast different spells.
