Am I reading this right?

[PitaChip]

So let's say for the sake of power gaming, that we're a warlock using a quarterstaff.

We have the repelling blast eldritch invocation and two feats.

We take War caster and Polearm Master for our feats.

So, if a hostile creature attempts to walk up to us with a lovely jaunt, and enters our 5-foot melee range, it would trigger an attack of opportunity thanks to Polearm Master.

"When you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, or quarterstaff, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter the reach you have with that weapon."

And thanks to our War Caster feat, we can cast a spell instead of making a weapon attack for our attack of opportunity.

"When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only the creature."

Luckily, it doesn't specify that it has to be a spell of 1st level or higher, so we're clear to cast Eldritch Blast as our opportunity attack. Now, say we're level 8, which would explain why we have two feats. That gives us two shots of eldritch blast, both of which have the capacity to push back our hostile friend 10 feet each, for a maximum of 20 feet.

Have I broken this at any point? or can I just say STAY AWAY FROM ME just because I have a quarterstaff and polearm master?

[SleepyShadow]

Looks clean to me. I like it, and I'll definitely have to steal that build for later :smalltongue:

[PitaChip]

You can also tack on Lance of Lethargy to further decrease their movement speed by 10 feet so if you only hit 1 eldritch blast, it still moves them away by a functional 20 feet. For a maximum of 30.

[OldTrees1]

Often this interaction will help less than you might think but it is a fair interaction. Just don't be surprised if they continue to move after being hit.


For example I am 11th level and a Wolf (speed 40ft) is approaching from 20ft away. They move towards me, I hit them with 2 of my 3 blasts, they continue to close and attack me.

[Segev]

Hey, something a Pact of the Blade boon would be useful for! Give yourself a reach weapon!

Of course, I say that, but you don't actually need to be proficient with the weapon, do you? So pick up a glaive you just kind-of carry around.

[PitaChip]

I mean of course this isn't a cure-all and there will be scenarios where it's not as useful like with creatures with flying speeds or just fast creatures, but I think removing 20-30 feet of movement from a creature can account for almost 90% of the creatures in the monster manual's entire movement speed, or at least most of it.

And that's the funny thing, you don't even need proficiency with any weapons. You can do this with a quarterstaff, which is usually used by spellcasters. The big thing for me with this combination is that it's not something that you use by a big guy with a glaive that can probably handle taking a hit anyways. This is used by a wee ol' spellcaster that wants to keep you away so it can keep blasting you.

You could even use this to keep people in your AoE spells. Think of it like a creature trying to escape your wall of fire or some other AoE effect. You could position yourself so they'd have to run past you to escape and you'd just knock them back in. AS A REACTION, no less.

[Contrast]

Note that if you're using a quarterstaff you only have a reach of 5ft so the creature will be within 5ft of you when you make the attack (it must be, else you wouldn't be able to attack it). Therefore you'd have disadvantage on an Eldritch Blast (as a ranged attack within 5ft) until you managed to land one and toss them away.

[Yakmala]

Go Variant Human and you can have this up and working by Level 4.

[PitaChip]

Also with the wolf example, if they're 20 feet away and have 40 movement speed, you could totally negate their attack.

If it takes 20 feet to get close to you, they have 20 feet left. When they get up on you, you blast them away.

If you manage to only hit 1 eldritch blast, sending them 10 feet away and reducing their speed by 10 feet (lethargy), they'll still be able to get up to you, yes.

But say you're level 11 like you said. That would mean that you have 3 shots, and if you manage to hit 2 out of the 3, you're safe from attack

[PitaChip]

Note that if you're using a quarterstaff you only have a reach of 5ft so the creature will be within 5ft of you when you make the attack (it must be, else you wouldn't be able to attack it). Therefore you'd have disadvantage on an Eldritch Blast (as a ranged attack within 5ft) until you managed to land one and toss them away.

Oh fair, huh.

I suppose Crossbow Expert wouldn't help either lol
Well, I think that's probably the strongest counterpoint to this combo, but even with disadvantage you can manage to probably hit something with a low enough AC if you have decent magic items built for spell attacks. It's pretty easy to get a +6 or +7 by mid level if you play your cards right

[Kane0]

Oh fair, huh.

I suppose Crossbow Expert wouldn't help either lol
Well, I think that's probably the strongest counterpoint to this combo, but even with disadvantage you can manage to probably hit something with a low enough AC if you have decent magic items built for spell attacks. It's pretty easy to get a +6 or +7 by mid level if you play your cards right

Enlarge/Reduce will give you some extra reach, but uses your concentration.

[Yakmala]

Oh fair, huh.

I suppose Crossbow Expert wouldn't help either lol
Well, I think that's probably the strongest counterpoint to this combo, but even with disadvantage you can manage to probably hit something with a low enough AC if you have decent magic items built for spell attacks. It's pretty easy to get a +6 or +7 by mid level if you play your cards right

Crossbow Expert absolutely would help. It works with any ranged attack rolls. But it's not really needed. As someone else pointed out, you can benefit from the 10' reach of a glaive when using the Polearm Master / Warcaster combo without having to be proficient in it.

[Lavaeolus]

I suppose Crossbow Expert wouldn't help either lol

If I understand your concerns right: Eldritch Blast is a ranged spell attack. Crossbow Expert means that an enemy being within 5 foot "doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls". Ranged spell attacks are, never fear, ranged attacks.

It's a valid combination that some spellcasters could, RAW, take advantage of. If you're curious, Sage Advice does cover this specifically (https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf), clarifies it's intentional, and gives the following justification:

When designing a feat with a narrow use, we consider adding at least one element that can benefit a character more broadly—a bit of mastery that your character brings from one situation to another. The second benefit of Crossbow Expert is such an element, as is the first benefit of Great Weapon Master. That element in Crossbow Expert shows that some of the character’s expertise with one type of thing—crossbows, in this case—transfers to other things.

So hoorah, it works! But going this route there would be a significant feat cost, especially since you don't apparently otherwise use crossbows. This does, for what it's worth, make the feat kind of a funny choice from a narrative perspective, but such is the balance of rules, narrative and builds that most players must grapple a bit with.

[LtPowers]

It works RAW, but as a DM I would strongly consider requiring the Attack of Opportunity granted by Polearm Master to be taken with the polearm.


Powers &8^]

[PitaChip]

Interesting.

Crossbow expert doesn't apply to just crossbows. Who knew?
Yeah it's a pretty narrow use of the feat in general, I'd only get use out of the one ability, and it seems like a pretty hefty cost to eliminate disadvantage with just one attack roll. Assuming that hits anyways.

Maybe a DM could be nice to me and give me a magic item that does something similar, but I couldn't count on that anyways.

"It works RAW, but as a DM I would strongly consider requiring the Attack of Opportunity granted by Polearm Master to be taken with the polearm."

Honestly if you had a problem with it as a DM, you could flavor it by saying that you cast the eldritch blast out of the quarterstaff you're holding. I don't like the idea of using glaives because that means you'd have to hunt for proficiency with something like a Glaive, and that may take a feat just as well as Crossbow Expert could.

[sithlordnergal]

You are reading that perfectly right. I would suggest using a Reach weapon over a quarterstaff though. Its one of the few times I would recommend Pact of the Blade. You could go Cavalier 10 / Warlock 2, that way you can keep on making Opportunity Attacks whenever a creature moves within 5 feet of you.

[DrKerosene]

Have I broken this at any point? or can I just say STAY AWAY FROM ME just because I have a quarterstaff and polearm master?

The only potential issues I see are:
1. If your DM rules each creature can only be pushed 10ft total per casting of EB, despite how many of the rays hit the creature. They may point to Grasp Of Hadar for this interpretation.
2. If your DM rules EB is no longer a valid spell for Warcaster due to being potentially able to target multiple creatures at level 5+. This goes against some tweet by JC.
3. If your DM rules that PoleArm Master is supposed to use the PoleArm for the OA. This agrees with some tweet by JC.

Assuming your DM doesn’t rule any of those three isues as listed, you should be able to do what you’re asking.

[Edenbeast]

While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter the reach you have with that weapon.

Maybe I'm just not creative enough, but I fail to see how this means you can use another weapon or spell (i.e. other than "that weapon") to make this attack of opportunity...

[MoiMagnus]

Maybe I'm just not creative enough, but I fail to see how this means you can use another weapon or spell (i.e. other than "that weapon") to make this attack of opportunity...

Adding line breaks to group words:

While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear,
other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you
when they enter
the reach you have with that weapon.

"with that weapon" complement "the reach you have", letting "an opportunity attack" without any complement to restrict which object you have to use.

[Edenbeast]

Adding line breaks to group words:

While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear,
other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you
when they enter
the reach you have with that weapon.

"with that weapon" complement "the reach you have", letting "an opportunity attack" without any complement to restrict which object you have to use.

I don't see it that way. The weapon is part of the qualification. The weapon is the reason the attack of opportunity is triggered. The opportunity attack can only be made with that weapon.

[MoiMagnus]

I don't see it that way. The weapon is part of the qualification. The weapon is the reason the attack of opportunity is triggered. The opportunity attack can only be made with that weapon.

This reading is possible, but then it really depends on how you interpret War Caster.

War Caster is a nonsense from almost every perspective: how in the world have you the time to cast an additional spell between your two turns just because some was nearby you?
[Opportunity attacks are based on the fact that melee characters are constantly trying to attack each others, and that you only get one meaningful attack per turn (before higher level), unless your opponent is carefree and allows some weak attacks that should never have hit in the first place to actually hit. But you can't really apply the same reasoning here, because what's limiting spells is casting time, not how much the enemy is paying attention to your sword]
Are you magically distorting time whenever an enemy is nearby so that you can cast an additional spell?
Are you somewhat putting a spell inside your weapon so that when you do a melee attack, it casts a spell instead?
Are you sending a wave of untamed magical energy which, for gameplay convenience, is represented by a spell of your choice?

Out of all those questions, the one which is important here is "Is the weapon you're holding somewhat used when using Warcaster's opportunity attacks?". If you consider that yes, you're casting a spell in opportunity attacks thanks to your weapon, then you should be able to you use your reach property. If you consider you're casting a spell in opportunity attack despite the weapon you're holding hindering your moves, then you should not be able to do so.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

RAW this seems to work. However, as far as RAI goes I agree with Edenbeast:


I don't see it that way. The weapon is part of the qualification. The weapon is the reason the attack of opportunity is triggered. The opportunity attack can only be made with that weapon.

The attack of opportunity stems from your mastery of the weapon. You're swinging away, setting up your next attack, you see someone approach from behind and bam, you jab the other end of the staff into their face. Even if you were doing something other than swinging away this still works. You're casting a spell while holding the staff in your offhand, see someone approach and with a flick of the wrist hit them in the stomach. You might even be able to stretch it to where you're making attacks with the staff but have enough mastery to throw out a cantrip as an attack of opportunity in between the parts you really need both hands for. But it does not translate to a situation where you're casting a spell while holding a staff, see someone approach and through your mastery of the staff just hold it still while casting a second spell with the other hand.

But around an "optimize or bust" table, sure, why not?

[Arkhios]

You know what's even more fun about combining Polearm Master with a spellcaster. A staff is a Spellcasting Focus for Sorcerers, Warlocks and Wizards, and it counts as a Quarterstaff when used as a weapon!

[Edenbeast]

You know what's even more fun about combining Polearm Master with a spellcaster. A staff is a Spellcasting Focus for Sorcerers, Warlocks and Wizards, and it counts as a Quarterstaff when used as a weapon!

This is actually a good point. I must admit I didn't think of the arcane focus part. Channelling the spell through your arcane focus does sound cool!