Blade Ward
Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard - Cantrip Level Spell
School: Abjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self
Components: Verbal and Somatic
Duration: 1 Round
Attack/Save: None
Reference: PHB 218
You extend your hand and trace a sigil of warding in the air. Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks.
My Comments: Sure, it’s a cantrip so you can’t expect much, but still, I can’t say I’m impressed. Basically, you give up an action in one turn to reduce the damage you’re going to take for ONE round.
Personally, I think you’re probably better off using your action to do some damage.
I agree. Maybe if you could cast it on another target it would be worth using.
Or if it would at least last until the next time you get hit within a minute…
I mean, it’s got such a cool name, it seems like it should be more useful. 🙂
Most criticism I see is ‘you might as well dodge’, except blade ward lasts until the end of your next turn. So really you could stack dodge and blade ward together, or attack while blade ward is still active…but like you said it’s probably better to just do some damage both rounds if possible.
If you’re in the situation where you can’t do anything, but you know some action is coming your way, and arrow, or you are a warcaster…it might come in handy. I think I want it to be more useful than it actually is…if I just think hard enough, but i can’t. 🙂
or if you were attacking something really strong you could take the cost of every other turn (you still have bonus actions and opportunity attacks?) in order to take half damage even vs. magic weapons…but you only get half your turns…i’m still thinking 😛
Ha! Well, I’m impressed you put so much effort into it. 🙂