Steel Wind Strike

[VoxRationis]

Does this spell seem odd to anyone else? Don't get me wrong; it's very fun. It's just that it seems rather odd for the people who can use it (mid- to high-level wizards). The spell has so incredibly martial a character that reducing the damage and making it of a level low enough that eldritch knights could get it would seem more appropriate. Do people take it as bladesingers? Is it a spell you have commonly used?

[LuccMa]

Its a powerfull ability for rangers/eldritch knights later in the game. But its true, it seems like the "battle-wizard" is being pushed lately (which i like a lot).
Nobody is stopping you from scaling it down to a lvl 3 spell :) A bit less dmg, less opponents hit and youre fine.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Its a powerfull ability for rangers/eldritch knights later in the game. But its true, it seems like the "battle-wizard" is being pushed lately (which i like a lot).
Nobody is stopping you from scaling it down to a lvl 3 spell :) A bit less dmg, less opponents hit and youre fine.

Steel Wind Strike is a 5th level spell, which means that Eldritch Knights can never learn it.

[jaappleton]

Steel Wind Strike was originally designed for Rangers.

But they also added it to Wizards because of course they did.

[JakOfAllTirades]

It's probably a Blade Singer thing, because Elves Are Just Better.

The question is: Did they think to give this to BladeLocks? I'll bet they didn't, because that would actually make sense, now wouldn't it!

[Specter]

They created this spell because melee rangers deserved some love.

[JakOfAllTirades]

Blade and Valor Bards might also benefit from this via Magical Secrets at 10th level.

Also, my Githyanki melee Wizard will wreck face with this.

[jaappleton]

It's probably a Blade Singer thing, because Elves Are Just Better.

The question is: Did they think to give this to BladeLocks? I'll bet they didn't, because that would actually make sense, now wouldn't it!

Alas, no. I had hoped it’d be on the Hexblade list at least. However, because they want to be able to reprint archetypes in future books, any bonus spell lists have to be restricted to the PHB.

Which SUCKS, but I get it.

[Chaosmancer]

Steel Wind Strike was originally designed for Rangers.

But they also added it to Wizards because of course they did.

Yeah this frustrates me. It felt awesome when our high level ranger got that spell, but in a new game our mid-level wizard was considering it and it just felt wrong.

Wizards don't need every spell

[Sicarius Victis]

Alas, no. I had hoped it’d be on the Hexblade list at least. However, because they want to be able to reprint archetypes in future books, any bonus spell lists have to be restricted to the PHB.

Which SUCKS, but I get it.

Alternatively, they could just reprint the spells at the same time they reprint the archetypes. There might be issues with that option as well, but I'm not really seeing any at the moment.

[MrStabby]

Yeah this frustrates me. It felt awesome when our high level ranger got that spell, but in a new game our mid-level wizard was considering it and it just felt wrong.

Wizards don't need every spell

Just making it a melee weapon attack rather than a spell attack would even it out: viable for a mid level wizard but the high level ranger gets a lot more from it.

[jaappleton]

Yeah this frustrates me. It felt awesome when our high level ranger got that spell, but in a new game our mid-level wizard was considering it and it just felt wrong.

Wizards don't need every spell

The worst aspect of it is their justification was, "Well Bladesingers really should get it."

But they want PHB+1.

And the Bladesinger isn't in the same book at Steel Wind Strike.

Sooooooooooooooo WHAT THE ****, WOTC?!

[Willie the Duck]

Yeah this frustrates me. It felt awesome when our high level ranger got that spell, but in a new game our mid-level wizard was considering it and it just felt wrong.

Wizards don't need every spell


Does this spell seem odd to anyone else? Don't get me wrong; it's very fun. It's just that it seems rather odd for the people who can use it (mid- to high-level wizards). The spell has so incredibly martial a character that reducing the damage and making it of a level low enough that eldritch knights could get it would seem more appropriate. Do people take it as bladesingers? Is it a spell you have commonly used?

My take is that 1) the spell is suboptimal for the ranger as it comes on too late for them, but 2) it is not great for the average wizard, however, as they really shouldn't be within 30' of 5 opponents (although if you are, I guess this does get you 5' from the farthest one, and then get your move, so that's something).
So the question of who is this for feels like it is that one guy who multiclassed fighter1/Wizard 9 or the like and wants to have a 'spell for gishes.' It's not a bad concept, but pretty niche. In the meantime, as others have said it'll probably land in a few valor bard MS slots and otherwise kinda languish (and I'm sure some people playing high level rangers will take it, and work hard to make it worth the cost).

[Sigreid]

The worst aspect of it is their justification was, "Well Bladesingers really should get it."

But they want PHB+1.

And the Bladesinger isn't in the same book at Steel Wind Strike.

Sooooooooooooooo WHAT THE ****, WOTC?!

I don't think they make their choices based on AL. I think they thought AL would be the pusher on the corner offering a free sample.

It's a solid pick for a bladesinger. And my evoker will copy it to his book if he ever finds it. But I really don't see him ever preparing it.

[Kaliayev]

Do people take it as bladesingers? Is it a spell you have commonly used?

Personally, I like to combine steel wind strike with a contingency greater invisibility when a situation calls for it. You're likely to hit each of your targets and have a good chance of critting at least one of them.


It's probably a Blade Singer thing, because Elves Are Just Better.

The question is: Did they think to give this to BladeLocks? I'll bet they didn't, because that would actually make sense, now wouldn't it!

It's a more limited resource for a bladesinger, bard, or ranger. Giving it to a class that regains all expended, fifth level spell slots on a short rest would quickly get out of hand. Hexblades wouldn't even bother with eldritch smite, which was the warlock baby in XGtE.

[Specter]

It's a thematic fit for a Bladesinger, but Bladesinger's class features have no synergy with the spell whatsoever. Any Wizard with five enemies close to him will be happy to deal up to 30d10 damage.

[Willie the Duck]

It's a thematic fit for a Bladesinger, but Bladesinger's class features have no synergy with the spell whatsoever. Any Wizard with five enemies close to him will be happy to deal up to 30d10 damage.

Yes, but (and the number of times this isn't true is where this might have application) the number of enemies of a level 9+ wizard who will be dropped by avg. 33 damage are relatively rare, and leaving each of them alive (but with 33 less hp and said wizard in their crosshairs) is relatively risky.

[DracoKnight]

I don't think they make their choices based on AL. I think they thought AL would be the pusher on the corner offering a free sample.

It's a solid pick for a bladesinger. And my evoker will copy it to his book if he ever finds it. But I really don't see him ever preparing it.

Except that AL is the reason all expanded spell lists are comprised of spells from the PHB. So that they don't violate the PHB + 1 rule.

[Crgaston]

Except that AL is the reason all expanded spell lists are comprised of spells from the PHB. So that they don't violate the PHB + 1 rule.

That would make sense... unless the subclass with the expanded spell list was in the same book as the new spell.

This spell on a hex blade would be insanity. They could theoretically use it 16x/LR.

[DracoKnight]

That would make sense... unless the subclass with the expanded spell list was in the same book as the new spell.

It still makes sense. Because if they then reprint the subclass (like how four of the subclasses in Xanathar's are reprints) then they only have to worry about reprinting the subclass itself, not any of its spells.

HOWEVER: I still feel that this is bullcrap, because a ton of the spells in Xanathar's were themselves reprints from Elemental Evil. But for future books, I could see them wanting to include a subclass without necessarily wanting to include a spell.

Really, the book should've been called Xanathar's Guide to Reprints. JK there was lots of new stuff in it, but the frustrating bit to me was how many spells in it were reprints and not just new spells.