Arcana cleric: booming blade or green flame blade?

[krunchyfrogg]

Which is a more optimal choice?

You gain two wizard cantrips with this class and these two cantrips really help mitigate the loss of an extra attack.

[Arkhios]

I'd say that since you probably (will) have a high wisdom, Green-Flame Blade ≥ Booming Blade.

BB relies a little too much on the target's willing movement, while GFB doesn't have such a condition.

[Sirdar]

Which is a more optimal choice?

You gain two wizard cantrips with this class and these two cantrips really help mitigate the loss of an extra attack.

They are both great and you do gain two wizard cantrips... :smallwink:

[Citan]

Which is a more optimal choice?

You gain two wizard cantrips with this class and these two cantrips really help mitigate the loss of an extra attack.
Both are fine really, it depends on your tactics. If you want to stick into melee and aggro, then Booming Blade would actually work against your goal, so GreenFlame Blade will be perfect.
Now if your mid-level tactic is to keep people within an "auto"-damage AOE such as SPirit Guardians (or Spike Growth, Moonbeam, Walls X from other casters) then Booming Blade will be better because it will create a catch-22 situation for the enemy ("I don't move, I get hurt. But if I move I also get hurt").

If you really don't care about other cantrips, just take both (I would advise against it though, since there are too many other great cantrips in Wizard list, both offensive and otherwise. Unless you plan on grabbing Magic Initiate later for purely utility ones ;)).

[krunchyfrogg]

They are both great and you do gain two wizard cantrips... :smallwink:

I know. But I'm really liking the idea of chill touch for a really good ranged attack.

[Spiritchaser]

Party big on stealth? GFB

Party seriously desperate for control? BB

[krunchyfrogg]

Party big on stealth? GFB

Party seriously desperate for control? BB

I see where you're going, but this is AL. I don't know what the party has.

I guess I can swap stuff around until level 5 though, so I should have a pretty good idea.

[JackPhoenix]

AL? I'd say GFB. Sure, worse damage type (so the usefulness may vary with the season), but less dependant on tactical cooperation. BB doesn't do much if other party member insists on staying in the affected enemy's reach, does it?

[Klorox]

GFB, although I've seen plenty of optimizes recommend BB.

As your DM if you can use GFB if there's no second target. If he says there must be a second target, then BB.

[8wGremlin]

I recommend BB, GFB blade only becomes more efficient if you have targets next to each other, which is outside of your control.

The classic is to take BB, and Chill touch, as you may want to have something with a greater range that Sacred Flame. Chill touch is long range, and does a reasonable amount of damage for a cantrip, with a lesser resisted element, and has a rider effect.

You'll get to add your Wis to damage on these at 8th, and if you take Magic initiate: Druid, you can take shillelagh, Thornwhip and Absorb Elements. These combine to make you very sticky, pulling people back into your range with Thornwhip when you get Warcaster.

I recommend VHuman if you can so you can get both these feats early.

[Klorox]

I recommend BB, GFB blade only becomes more efficient if you have targets next to each other, which is outside of your control.

The classic is to take BB, and Chill touch, as you may want to have something with a greater range that Sacred Flame. Chill touch is long range, and does a reasonable amount of damage for a cantrip, with a lesser resisted element, and has a rider effect.

You'll get to add your Wis to damage on these at 8th, and if you take Magic initiate: Druid, you can take shillelagh, Thornwhip and Absorb Elements. These combine to make you very sticky, pulling people back into your range with Thornwhip when you get Warcaster.

I recommend VHuman if you can so you can get both these feats early.
I got the idea for this character from this guy. I'd listen to him!

[Foxhound438]

I generally prefer BB since both can be restricted to the initial damage by smart tactics from the enemy (or if you're particularly uncharitable to your dm's intention, metagaming), but thunder damage is relatively less resisted than fire. Granted, the secondary is probably harder to pull off with BB than it is with GFB, so there's really no wrong answer in an objective sense.

But for your second cantrip I would look at acid splash over chill touch... range drop is bad, as is the loss of die size, but the dual target does synergise nicely with potent casting. That said, I personally would skip SCAG cantrips altogether and double up on ranged utility- acid splash and ray of frost. You do lose a bit of damage at point blank, which is lame, but the greater utility is sometimes worthwhile. Not to mention staying single attribute without needing a feat or druid dip.

[djreynolds]

I generally prefer BB since both can be restricted to the initial damage by smart tactics from the enemy (or if you're particularly uncharitable to your dm's intention, metagaming), but thunder damage is relatively less resisted than fire. Granted, the secondary is probably harder to pull off with BB than it is with GFB, so there's really no wrong answer in an objective sense.

But for your second cantrip I would look at acid splash over chill touch... range drop is bad, as is the loss of die size, but the dual target does synergise nicely with potent casting. That said, I personally would skip SCAG cantrips altogether and double up on ranged utility- acid splash and ray of frost. You do lose a bit of damage at point blank, which is lame, but the greater utility is sometimes worthwhile. Not to mention staying single attribute without needing a feat or druid dip.

There is not much out there resistant to thunder damage

[Kadarai]

Quick question on the combo: The Arcane cleric gets to add his wisdom to damage on cleric cantrips. For those two cantrips, does the bonus apply to both instances of the damage (both to primary and secondary targets for GFB and both to initital and secondary damage to BB) or is it a one-off deal where you have to choose the instance of damage to apply it to.

[djreynolds]

Daniel Branton ‎@danthebran

@JeremyECrawford Does the Arcana Cleric's Potent Spellcasting add +WIS mod damage to the 1st target of Green-Flame Blade, the 2nd, or both?


Jeremy Crawford ‎@JeremyECrawford

Potent Spellcasting adds to dmg. dealt by a cantrip. GFB: add to 2nd target, then to both targets at 5th lvl. #DnD https://twitter.com/danthebran/status/747845009739636737 …

So I'm guessing it might

[Kadarai]

Daniel Branton ‎@danthebran

@JeremyECrawford Does the Arcana Cleric's Potent Spellcasting add +WIS mod damage to the 1st target of Green-Flame Blade, the 2nd, or both?


Jeremy Crawford ‎@JeremyECrawford

Potent Spellcasting adds to dmg. dealt by a cantrip. GFB: add to 2nd target, then to both targets at 5th lvl. #DnD https://twitter.com/danthebran/status/747845009739636737 …

So I'm guessing it might

Yep found the reference too. That means that you can add WIS only to damage caused directly by the cantrip, not the initial attack. So that means only the elemental damage on both spells.

So, at lvl8 when you get the ability, you add 1d8+WIS fire to initial target and deal d8+2xWIS to secondary with GFB. Good to know.