Epic Boon for an Eldritch Knight

[Vorenus]

Hello, Adventurers:

I'm considering whether the following Epic Boon would be appropriate for an Eldritch Knight (Level 20, since that's the level you can start receiving Epic Boons):

Whirlwind of Devastation:

Once per long rest you may cast Steel Wind Strike.


What are everyone's thoughts/insights?

Thanks.

--Vorenus

[Damon_Tor]

Hello, Adventurers:

I'm considering whether the following Epic Boon would be appropriate for an Eldritch Knight (Level 20, since that's the level you can start receiving Epic Boons):

Whirlwind of Devastation:

Once per long rest you may cast Steel Wind Strike.


What are everyone's thoughts/insights?

Thanks.

--Vorenus

It doesn't feel very epic. An Eldritch Knight has been casting Fireball for 7 levels, and SWS isn't better than Fireball. Okay, so the boon saves him a spell slot 1/day? I suppose it would depend on what the rest of the party was getting, but if it were me I would be underwhelmed.

[Vorenus]

Well, Epic Knights normally do not get access to 5th level spell slots at all. A 20th-level EK caps out at 4th level spell slots. Steel Wind Strike is a 5th level spell. Normally, an EK would not be able to take this spell at all. And although the damage is comparable to Fireball, the flavor is not--to me, the flavor seems to fit the Eldritch Knight quite well. So the Epic Boon does more than just let the EK get a free spell slot, it lets the EK get a spell slot of a higher level than normally available, and get a spell that the EK normally doesn't have access to.

With that in mind, do you still think it's a terrible Epic Boon?

[Vorenus]

Also, Steel Wind Strike can be used to teleport across impassable terrain, over chasms, over lava, etc, which is utility you don't get from fireball. And this enhanced mobility seems in-line with the flavor of the Eldritch Knight's 15th level teleport-on-Action-Surge ability.

[Reevh]

Also Steel Wind Strike doesn't cause friendly fire, it's slightly higher damage than fireball, and it does the almost never resisted force damage instead of the commonly resisted fire damage.

[Spiritchaser]

What was the source of the epic boon? Would it make sense to tie the boon to the story?

What role does this EK play? High AC high durability tank? Machine gun archer? Melee DPR? Something else? At level 20 they’re probably pretty good at what they do, but there are always gaps. What would help them fill that role?

From the above, what are this characters strengths and weaknesses in that role? What could amplify a strength or shore up a weakness? If they already have this we’ll covered, what secondary role could be supported in a minor, or intermittent way?

What does the player want their character to be better at?

[Dalebert]

An Eldritch Knight has been casting Fireball for 7 levels, and SWS isn't better than Fireball.

*Confused stare in your direction*

1) Uses hit modifier instead of saves. (EKs usually have mediocre spell DCs but good hit modifiers which include things like magic weapon bonuses)
2) Ignores magic Resistance.
3) Ignores legendary saves.
4) Uses one of the least resisted dmg types instead of the most resisted AND immune to type.
5) Is selective! You can do it point-blank amongst allies and hit exactly the enemies you want.
6) Has a rider that teleports you.

I would say it's an EXCELLENT EK boon.

[Damon_Tor]

Well, Epic Knights normally do not get access to 5th level spell slots at all. A 20th-level EK caps out at 4th level spell slots. Steel Wind Strike is a 5th level spell. Normally, an EK would not be able to take this spell at all. And although the damage is comparable to Fireball, the flavor is not--to me, the flavor seems to fit the Eldritch Knight quite well. So the Epic Boon does more than just let the EK get a free spell slot, it lets the EK get a spell slot of a higher level than normally available, and get a spell that the EK normally doesn't have access to.

With that in mind, do you still think it's a terrible Epic Boon?

Sure, its flavor is fitting, but mechanically speaking the boon isn't particularly significant. I suppose I'm being biased by the fact you're calling it an epic boon and judging it accordingly: are other players in the campaign getting boons as well? What are they getting?

It seems to me the fighter would be better off getting a boon that reads "You have one 5th level spell slot a day" with no added spells at all. It would be boring, but undoubtedly more useful.


Also, Steel Wind Strike can be used to teleport across impassable terrain, over chasms, over lava, etc, which is utility you don't get from fireball. And this enhanced mobility seems in-line with the flavor of the Eldritch Knight's 15th level teleport-on-Action-Surge ability.

It has a range of 30 feet, which means at most we're talking about a 25 foot chasm. At level 20 a fighter can jump 20 feet without any sort of magical assistance or even making an athletics check. And there would have to be a creature standing exactly on the edge of the other side of the chasm. So in the precise example of a 25 foot chasm (not 20, not 30, exactly 25 feet) and a creature being exactly on the ledge of that chasm, yes, this allows you to close the gap where you would otherwise be unable to do so. That seems like a bit of an edge case. And besides, if chasm clearing was a regular problem for the fighter he could be expending fewer resources casting Jump or Misty Step than using up what amounts to a 5th level slot.


Also Steel Wind Strike doesn't cause friendly fire, it's slightly higher damage than fireball, and it does the almost never resisted force damage instead of the commonly resisted fire damage.

There's no friendly fire, that's true. I'm not convinced that in any way makes up for the fact that SWS is a PBAoE while Fireball can be thrown 150 feet. The slightly higher damage of SWS and the advantage of the better damage type evaporates as soon as you account for the fact that SWS deals no damage on a miss.


*Confused stare in your direction*

1) Uses hit modifier instead of saves. (EKs usually have mediocre spell DCs but good hit modifiers which include things like magic weapon bonuses)

These are melee spell attacks, not melee weapon attacks. The fighter will have to use his Int for this like he would with any other spell, and the enchantment on his weapon is entirely irrelevant.

***

But hey, it looks like I'm in the minority here. It looks like most people would be happy with this, and that's fine and good. You know your player, so you know what's going to make him happy.

[Vorenus]

These are all interesting points. Thank you. Here's an alternative I'm considering for an Epic Boon for the Lvl 20 Eldritch Knight:


Master of War Magic

As a Bonus Action you may cast a spell (or cantrip) that has a casting time of 1 Action or less, and then use your Action to make the full Attack Action. After you use this ability, you may not use it again until you have completed a long rest.




So what I'm going for is reversing the way that War Magic usually works. Normally, you take your Action to cast a cantrip or spell (with Improved War Magic), and then you get to use your Bonus Action to make an Attack. This means that a Lvl 20 Eldritch Knight is leaving three of his/her four attacks on the table, and with the spells available to an EK it is not likely offsetting that lost damage. With this proposed Epic Boon, once per day the order of operations is reversed, and the EK casts a spell or cantrip as the Bonus Action, and then takes the full Attack Action.


I still like the Steel Wind Strike Boon I posited above, and I would still like to hear other people's thoughts about it, but I would also like to hear people's thoughts about this proposed alternative. (Maybe I should open a completely different thread for this alternative since a lot of people will only read the original post and then respond without seeing my new alternative proposal here?)

Thanks again.

--Vorenus

[KRSW]

I think you should compare the Steel Wind Strike to other boons. One of the other boons is Boon of High Magic, which just gives another 9th level spell slot. That is super powerful in comparison to the Steel Wind Strike boon. I like the idea of it, but I also think the EK should get something else in addition to it. If the Whirlwind of Devastation is like a title for the character, maybe giving them something like the Boon of the Stormborn as part of the same boon.

Also, another good point is if the other players are getting boons, what are they getting?

The new War Magic Boon is also neat. No matter what you decide, try to keep in mind relative fun and power increases that the other players are/aren't getting when giving things like these out.

[Reevh]

As an epic boon, how about this:

When you take the attack action on your turn, you may use a bonus action to cast any wizard cantrip that has a casting time of 1 action or 1 bonus action (whether or not you have learned it). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your intelligence modifier, and regain expended uses upon a short or long rest.

That gives them a 3d8+whatever their attack is as a bonus action up to 5 times per short rest (though let's be real. It's probably no more than 3 times per short rest), in addition to their normal attacks.

[Damon_Tor]

As a Bonus Action you may cast a spell (or cantrip) that has a casting time of 1 Action or less, and then use your Action to make the full Attack Action. After you use this ability, you may not use it again until you have completed a long rest.

Your new boon is better, but still somewhat underwhelming. In particular, I find the 1 use a day to be the biggest issue I have with it: if you look at the Epic Boons in the DMG most of them recharge on a short rest unless they are extremely potent.

Some effects are already always on. The best comparison to what you've written here is the Boon of Quick Casting from the DMG:

"Choose one of your spells of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That spell's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you."
It's only one of your spells, but you can cast it as a bonus action every single turn.


As an epic boon, how about this:

When you take the attack action on your turn, you may use a bonus action to cast any wizard cantrip that has a casting time of 1 action or 1 bonus action (whether or not you have learned it). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your intelligence modifier, and regain expended uses upon a short or long rest.

That gives them a 3d8+whatever their attack is as a bonus action up to 5 times per short rest (though let's be real. It's probably no more than 3 times per short rest), in addition to their normal attacks.

This is much better. Limited to a cantrip, and if your table runs the recommended encounters per day you'll have it available 1-2 times per encounter.

[Reevh]

Your new boon is better, but still somewhat underwhelming. In particular, I find the 1 use a day to be the biggest issue I have with it: if you look at the Epic Boons in the DMG most of them recharge on a short rest unless they are extremely potent.

Some effects are already always on. The best comparison to what you've written here is the Boon of Quick Casting from the DMG:

"Choose one of your spells of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That spell's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you."
It's only one of your spells, but you can cast it as a bonus action every single turn.



This is much better. Limited to a cantrip, and if your table runs the recommended encounters per day you'll have it available 1-2 times per encounter.

I like it because in addition to giving you a big damage boost a few times per day (and especially good on nova rounds against a paralyzed foe), it gives you a great deal of utility. Superbad enemy threatening your caster? Lightning Lash it away from your friend and blow it up. Up against a pesky self-healing enemy? Throw out a chill touch after your attacks.

[Dalebert]

These are melee spell attacks, not melee weapon attacks. The fighter will have to use his Int for this like he would with any other spell, and the enchantment on his weapon is entirely irrelevant.


I'll correct my post as soon as I get a chance. I'd still take this 1/day over a level 5 slot that's only good for upcasting other spells.