Green Flame Blade 5e D&D Guide

Green Flame Blade is an intriguing evocation cantrip. The possibility of causing damage to 2 enemies in one shot.

There are many reasons it is among the most well-known attack cantrips. If you take a closer look will reveal the flaws contrasted with other options.

The regulations to play Green Flame Blade are found in The Sword Coast Adventurers Guide (page 143) and Tasha’s Cauldron of everything (page 107).

Green Flame Blade 5e

Evocation: Cantrip

Time to Cast: 1 Action

Range: Self (5-Foot Radius)

Components Include: S, M (A melee weapon that is worth at minimum 1sp.)

Duration: Instantaneous

You hold the weapon that you employed in casting the spell and then launch a melee attack using it on a creature that is within 5 feet of you. 

If you hit the target the target is affected by the normal effects of weapon attacks and you may cause green fire to jump over the target and onto another creature that is within 5 feet. 

The second creature suffers fire damage that is equal to the spellcasting ability modifier.

The damage of this spell increases as you attain certain levels. 

At the 5th level, the melee attack inflicts an additional 1d8 fire damage to the target after an attack, and the fire damage dealt with the second creature is increased to 1d8 plus the spellcasting ability modifier. 

The damage rolls are increased by 1d8 when you reach eleventh (2d8 as well as 2d8) and 17th level (3d8 and 3d8).

Its rules regarding The Green Flame Blade cantrip show it’s somewhat unusual as long as it uses an attack with a melee weapon using the use of a spell. 

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The most important thing to remember is that this is it is a Spell Action and which isn’t it’s an Attack Action- follow the rules for that. 

The spell’s rules also state that this spell is more effective in certain situations in comparison to others since you can cause damage to two targets in one cast if they’re within five feet of your original target.

Is Green Flame Blade Good?

Green Flame Blade (GFB) can be described as a damage-cantrip that is able to hit many enemies. 

This alone makes it a fantastic choice for many classes. Every class with one attack can benefit from this spell.

Casters may not be likely to be drawn to an attack with a melee weapon that is a cantrip spell. 

But, as every actor is aware, engaging in a melee is a given. In such a scenario, Green Flame Blade is likely to come into use.

The disadvantage of this is that it exchanges multiple attacks in exchange for one spell attack. 

Furthermore, the damage to the secondary target isn’t too much, even when the cantrip increases as the character. 

At first, it gives zero bonus damage to the first target and is likely to only provide just a few damages to the second target.

How to Sneak Attack by using Green Flame Blade?

Green Flame Blade 5e

When casting this Green Flame Blade spell that you cast, you perform an attack that is melee and satisfies the requirements of an attack that sneaks. 

This results in more damage at higher levels, or damage to a second victim prior to 5 th level.

The best comparison you can make with this spell is that of an off-hand attack using the use of a lighter weapon. 

Green Flame Blade does additional damage to the secondary target from early in the game, but it does no harm to its primary victim. 

A hand-to-hand attack by a rogue who uses daggers is 1d4, meaning hitting with primary or off-hand weapons causes higher damage than Green Flame Blade is going to do in all instances.

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In addition, the off-hand attack gives the rogue an additional chance to attack with an attack that sneaks. 

You could also strike a target that is nearby with your off-hand attacks.

Green Flame Blade isn’t going to carry much weight in most scenarios. The main reason for this is that it is a bright spot in a crowd of weak enemies in the beginning. 

When you get to the higher levels it’s very nice, but unless simply have a cantrip slot in your game, you will most likely find something more powerful.

Who will get Green Flame Blade?

As mentioned above that any class can use Green Flame Blade and see an advantage, however, the classes that are able to access the ability with no burning feats are Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard. 

The Eldritch Knight Fighter and Arcane Trickster also have the spell, according to the lists they utilize. The Artificer has the ability available as an alternative.

The Arcane Trickster rogue was touched on in the previous paragraph and has the same idea as an Eldritch Knight fighter. 

The other classes that could be considered are the full caster and the warlock. 

This spell seems like an unnecessary waste for the warlock unless you’re against the Eldritch Blast however, even if you are, there are likely better alternatives.

The classes of wizard and sorcerer could be the only classes that could be benefited from this magic spell during gameplay. 

This is a scenario that is the worst case when the caster needs to engage in melee. The ranged spells like Fire Bolt have a disadvantage in melee range. 

Green Flame Blade requires a melee attack to be part of the spell, therefore it could be the best option however it needs to strike to be effective.

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Green Flame Blade is not the most powerful spell however it has the possibility of a distinct flavor. 

Additionally, it has the capability to deliver a devastating hit that can make it a viable option.

Green Flame Blade: Sword Coast against, the Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

There were a few changes added in Green Flame Blade with the publication from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. 

The rules are the most current ones that were presented in TCE. The most notable changes included:

  • The range was changed between 5 and “self (5-foot circle).”
  • The spell can’t be Twin Spelled using meta magic because of the new self-spelling range.
  • The spell can be cast by using an instrument called the War Caster feat.
  • The spell is no longer compatible in conjunction with Spell Sniper Feats. Spell Sniper Featas the spell is limited to self-selection and isn’t able to be increased.
  • The Pact Weapon can be employed with the spell because the weapon that is conjured mimics the actual value of a weapon.
  • The player can choose the choice of taking a Green Flame Blade damage to jump to the second target.
  • The spell is no longer working when using Shadow Blade as the blade summoned isn’t an actual weapon and doesn’t have any use.

The Spell Sniper feat gives you a chance to trip, which will require the role of an attacker. 

Green Flame Blade meets these requirements. It is able to be employed in any other class which fulfills the requirements for Spell Sniper feat.

Final Words

In addition to being a tasty alternative, Green Flame Blade is damaged from booming Blade as well as being only a limited option in terms of flexibility. 

At first, it could be effective for crowds of weak foes but provides only a few options for solo combat. As you progress, more flexible cantrips are taken advantage of. 

In the end, Green Flame Blade may be one to skip.