New Spells: Arboreal Armaments
This content can now be found at its most updated version in The Elements and Beyond, a free 246-page compendium that you can download right here, filled with 23 subclasses, 8 spellcasting feats, 134 spells, 213 spell variants, 85 monsters, 30 magic items, 4 races plus 12 new subraces each with racial feats, and even more goodies for both players and DMs!
Links: PDF | D&D Beyond: Blades of Grass, Leaf Shield
Art Credit: Soul Sacrifice — https://blog.playstation.com/2012/08/15/the-monsters-and-magic-of-soul-sacrifice/
A ranger strides into a clearing without any weapons, just as all in the clearing agreed to — until the grass and leaves she produces from her pockets are transformed into weapons in her hands just as she reaches the target of her attack, to the surprise of everyone in the weaponless gathering. This scenario shows off the main identity of today’s two previewed spells. They’re both spells only available for the ranger class (other than certain subclasses which may or may not grant access to the spells), but they allow the ranger to outfit not only themselves, but also their allies with shields and weapons made from nothing but bits of plant and magic.
Blades of grass is modeled largely off of the 2nd-level spell that will often serve a similar purpose: magic weapon. Unlike magic weapon, this spell can’t be used to augment any existing weapons, and can’t be used to create magical maces, spears, slings, lances, or any other weapon that isn’t listed in the spell’s description. On the other hand, it grants the ability to create a weapon where one wasn’t, enabling a ranger to appear unarmed, then produce deadly weapons from simple blades of grass. It can even create magical weapons or ammunition for multiple combatants at once, as opposed to the single-weapon usage of magic weapon. Blades of grass doesn’t grant the bonus to attack rolls that magic weapon does, but it does keep the +1 bonus to damage rolls because these grass blades are quite sharp. We decided against giving druids access to this spell not because it did not fit the class themes, but because it would give druids a way to create magical weapons. Normally they don’t have spells like magic weapon, and we decided that was important to preserve at this level, but if you feel strongly otherwise you could add the spell to the druid class list and it wouldn’t be thematically out-of-place.
In a similar vein, leaf shield is modeled after mage armor and shield of faith, but it’s used by different kinds of characters and can serve different uses. Like blades of grass, it enables the ranger to create a shield when they appear to be unarmed, either for themselves or others to use. But the ability to wield the shield without using any hands means the spell can act as a +1 to AC for creatures that have shield proficiency but aren’t yet using a shield. Like any shield, you can’t stack the bonuses by wielding multiple, and you don’t gain the bonus if you aren’t proficient with the shield. And if you’re using any homebrew rules that deal damage to shields or wear them down over time, or if the shield is struck by spells such as shatter that deal damage to objects, the shield is intended to repair itself over time since its a living thing.
Links: PDF | D&D Beyond: Blades of Grass, Leaf Shield
