Bonus action spells for a Bladesinger.

[Elric VIII]

I plan on trying out a Bladesinger in an upcoming game and I am considering playing it as an archer using a crossbow (this should work with bladesong).

I'm looking for spells like Flaming Sphere that can be manipulated as a bonus action while I attack with my weapon. Any suggestions that work well with archery?

[hymer]

Bigby's Hand isn't particularly powerful for the slot, but Interposing Hand can be useful to all who prefer to stay at range. Misty Step you probably already thought of, and it's not so much bonus action use as bonus action cast. But if you want primarily to be an archer, your main shtick isn't prevented by casting Misty Step, at least.
That's all I can think of right now.

Edit: If you're going to be a crossbow user, though, you may want to use your bonus action on shooting again once you get Crossbow Expert (which you'll need at the latest when you get Extra Attack).

[Aymon]

I plan on trying out a Bladesinger in an upcoming game and I am considering playing it as an archer using a crossbow (this should work with bladesong).

I'm looking for spells like Flaming Sphere that can be manipulated as a bonus action while I attack with my weapon. Any suggestions that work well with archery?


Unseen servant can be useful, and is a ritual so doesn't need a spell slot if you have time to prepare.

[D-naras]

I have the perfect Bladesinger spell! Melf's Minute Meteors from elemental evil companion!
On your first turn, you cast it as an Action and throw up to 2 meteors, start dancing as a Bonus Action.

On your subsequent turns you can throw up to 2 as a Bonus Action, leaving you free to hack away with your Action.

It also scales nicely. At first it deals 12d6 spread out in doses of 4d6 per round, dealing more than Fireball.

I fell in love with that spell and my current character is a Bladesinger 6/Swashbuckler 3 built around it. With this setup, I deal up to 2d6 scimitar attacks + 8 dex + 2d6 sneak attack + 4d6 meteors per turn and have an AC of 21 while dancing, with Shield pushing it to 26 and move away without provoking with my increased speed.

[Saiga]

I have the perfect Bladesinger spell! Melf's Minute Meteors from elemental evil companion!
On your first turn, you cast it as an Action and throw up to 2 meteors, start dancing as a Bonus Action.

On your subsequent turns you can throw up to 2 as a Bonus Action, leaving you free to hack away with your Action.

It also scales nicely. At first it deals 12d6 spread out in doses of 4d6 per round, dealing more than Fireball.

I fell in love with that spell and my current character is a Bladesinger 6/Swashbuckler 3 built around it. With this setup, I deal up to 2d6 scimitar attacks + 8 dex + 2d6 sneak attack + 4d6 meteors per turn and have an AC of 21 while dancing, with Shield pushing it to 26 and move away without provoking with my increased speed.

Yeah, that definitely seems to be the perfect spell for what the OP was looking for. It's a really cool ability, at that.

[mephnick]

I plan on trying out a Bladesinger in an upcoming game and I am considering playing it as an archer using a crossbow (this should work with bladesong).

Hand crossbow, I'm assuming? Bladesong dies if you use 2 hands to attack with a weapon which includes bows and crossbows.

[Elric VIII]

I plan on trying out a Bladesinger in an upcoming game and I am considering playing it as an archer using a crossbow (this should work with bladesong).

I'm looking for spells like Flaming Sphere that can be manipulated as a bonus action while I attack with my weapon. Any suggestions that work well with archery?


I have the perfect Bladesinger spell! Melf's Minute Meteors from elemental evil companion!
On your first turn, you cast it as an Action and throw up to 2 meteors, start dancing as a Bonus Action.

On your subsequent turns you can throw up to 2 as a Bonus Action, leaving you free to hack away with your Action.

It also scales nicely. At first it deals 12d6 spread out in doses of 4d6 per round, dealing more than Fireball.

I fell in love with that spell and my current character is a Bladesinger 6/Swashbuckler 3 built around it. With this setup, I deal up to 2d6 scimitar attacks + 8 dex + 2d6 sneak attack + 4d6 meteors per turn and have an AC of 21 while dancing, with Shield pushing it to 26 and move away without provoking with my increased speed.

Oh yeah, that's great. Thanks.


And I do plan on using hand crossbows.

[Citan]

Bigby's Hand isn't particularly powerful for the slot, but Interposing Hand can be useful to all who prefer to stay at range. Misty Step you probably already thought of, and it's not so much bonus action use as bonus action cast. But if you want primarily to be an archer, your main shtick isn't prevented by casting Misty Step, at least.
That's all I can think of right now.

Edit: If you're going to be a crossbow user, though, you may want to use your bonus action on shooting again once you get Crossbow Expert (which you'll need at the latest when you get Extra Attack).
I'd slightly disagree on Bigby's Hand utility for a Bladesinger playing as an archer: grappling the creature with the hand also means you prevent it from ever coming closer to you: on a Wizard (d6 die) even Bladesinger (at least 18 AC while Bladesinging), that can still mean the world.

So as far as "avoiding a single melee threat goes (and helping with turn per turn damage)", it's actually a great deal.
With that said, Misty Step is certainly a great spell to have as any Bladesinger (or rather any Wizard, or rather any caster) since it allows safe repositioning from several enemies.

Beyond that, I don't have more to say for a pure Wizard, although I'm personally fond of Cleric dips or Rogue dips especially to get more uses of bonus action. :)
Except for Dust Devil which can be used in several ways, including a "keep at bay" spell, for only a 2nd level slot, but it comes from Elemental Evil.