Flame tongue vs sword of wounding

[Drizztguen]

So we got TPK'd during our curse of strahd campaign. Our DM has allowed us to roll new characters, starting at level 7, and as a nice bonus allow us to start with one item that's rare or lower.

I'm creating a half-orc eldritch knight. I've looked at taking a ring of spell storing, but feel I'd rather take a weapon instead. I've been eying a flame tongue, but the sword of wounding has me intrigued. The description says the damage caused by the weapon cannot be healed outside a long or short rest. Plus cumulative 1d4 necrotic damage with a con save.

The flame tongue does 2d6 with each attack, but the sword also creates light. BTW, our party TPK was caused by one of our team using a weapon that created light which attracted the attention of something that we really wished didn't notice us.

So while I like the additional up front damage of the flame tongue, I also like the "no easy recovery" of the sword of wounding.

Which do you think would be the best choice?

Is there a better rare item that I should take?

FYI: I intend for my eldritch knight to be in the front lines, attacking with weapons for the most part and doing magic damage from a distance or when attacking groups.

[hymer]

How about a +2 weapon of your choice? If you're using GWM, then the +2 to hit is marvellous and very probably gives you a greater damage bump than the 2d6 fire damage from flametongue.
The sword of wounding is pretty good against boss type monsters, at least in theory. But they can still recover damage dealt by everyone else, and fights are ususally so short that you won't get much actual wounding damage in. And that's before the bookkeeping element, and then there's the save.

[Sigreid]

Might I suggest a Longsword of Life Stealing. Extra necrotic damage that gives you temp HP sounds really nice.

[NecroDancer]

Although these aren't swords you may find them useful.

I'd suggest maybe taking the wand of wonder as all other choices pale in comparison.

A ring of x-Ray vision could be very useful in CoS just for exploring the castle (although it is pretty niche).

Also you may find that wings of flying are a tad more useful overall but I may be biased because I love flying.

[PeteNutButter]

The sword of wounding in practice is actually very weak. I'd take a +1 weapon over it in the majority of situations.

A regular +2 weapon does do best for a GWM, but if you prefer S&B, a flametongue longsword is where it's at. A champion with Shield Master feat can fairly regularly have advantage on his attacks a 19.1% crit chance. More dice are fantastic for crit farming. The only downside is the damage type is commonly resisted.

Another option if you go S&B is a sunblade. It's a +2 weapon with all kinds of goodies, can be used like finesse etc. It does totally break the CoS campaign. Notice both of these weapons glow. I like to be target though. :smallbiggrin:

If you really like to sneak though, I'd suggest the ultimate cheese of PAM with staff and shield using a staff of the woodlands. A +2 weapon with lots of good spells including the amazing pass without trace, at will. Although that would require at least one level in druid.

[Kane0]

Berserker Axe is where it's at. +1 Weapon that also gives bonus HP, and all you pay for it is needing to have it on hand all the time (no problem, EK bonus action summon weapon) and the ocasional Wisdom save or kill everything near you. Which you were going to do anyway, because you're playing CoS :smalltongue:

Or if you're boring a +2 sword is good I guess.

[djreynolds]

Cos, undead and necrotic.... no

Flame tongue and fire... yes

Sun Sword... if your DM has lost his mind.... yes

[Drizztguen]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm convinced the sword of wounding isn't as good as I thought.

However I'm curious about the math on how a +2 greatsword would be better than a flame tongue greatsword with great weapon master, as several people have stated.

I can see where adding +2 to the -5 to attack would be nice, but the trade off on damage seems too high. Flame tongue adds 2d6 ~ 7 average vs just 2 from the +2 greatsword. Even worst case youd roll snake eyes on the flame tongue and get +2 fire damage.


Statistics wasn't be best class in high school so maybe the +2 to hit is worth a lot more than I think it is. Can someone explain it to me?

[PeteNutButter]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm convinced the sword of wounding isn't as good as I thought.

However I'm curious about the math on how a +2 greatsword would be better than a flame tongue greatsword with great weapon master, as several people have stated.

I can see where adding +2 to the -5 to attack would be nice, but the trade off on damage seems too high. Flame tongue adds 2d6 ~ 7 average vs just 2 from the +2 greatsword. Even worst case youd roll snake eyes on the flame tongue and get +2 fire damage.


Statistics wasn't be best class in high school so maybe the +2 to hit is worth a lot more than I think it is. Can someone explain it to me?

Well 2d6 is 7 damage. That's 5 more than the +2 would be. The +2 to hit is adding at least 10% chance to hit. Really it's more complicated because if you had a 50% chance to hit it going up by 10% is a 20% increase but even at 10% it's enough to show the value.

Increasing your chance to hit by a certain % is equal to increasing your damage by the same % since true DPR is found by multiplying your chance to hit times your damage.

So for example you have a 40% chance to hit to deal 4d6+5+10 average of 29. That's 11.6.

Or a 50% chance to deal 2d6+7+10 average 24. That's 12.

The greater your chance to hit already the less value the +2 weapon has. Increasing your base damage increases the value of the regular +2 weapon.

All math aside the increased consistency is worth it to make sure your chances of hitting are max. Anything like rage bonus damage just pushes the math even further in favor of the +2 weapon.

[Kane0]

+2 to hit is worth far more than +5 damage (that may or may not get resisted)
Also literally waving around a signal flare.

[Drizztguen]

Thanks for the explanation, makes sense. I think I'm going with the +2 greatsword.

[PeteNutButter]

Should take the sun blade, and TWF. Who knows you might find another one...

[NecroDancer]

Should take the sun blade, and TWF. Who knows you might find another one...

If your chaotic neutral and own a bar It would be always sunny in Barovia

[hymer]

Also literally waving around a signal flare.

Ian, freeze! :smalleek:

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