5th Edition: Blade Ward and True Strike?

[SmiloDan]

I'm trying to figure out how useful these spells are in play.

Blade ward uses your action to get resistance against b/p/s for 1 round. So, is it only useful when you can't Dash or Disengage and can't do anything else? Like when taking the Dodge action has proved ineffective?

The only time I can imagine using truestrike[I] is when you have a special attack option with limited uses. So, instead of swinging twice and possibly hit twice, you would use True Strike the round you used a fancy attack, like [I]chromatic orb, that has limited uses.

Am I right?

Are there any worthwhile bonus action spells on the spell lists that grant blade ward and truestrike? Or are they particularly good for sorcerers with the Quicken Spell metamagic secret?

[Petty Alchemy]

I think it's more of a trick for ValBards and Eldritch Knights, who weave cantrips with attacks.

Generally though, other cantrips are preferable.

[Mr_Outsidevoice]

Blade Ward lasts until the end of the caster's Next Turn. That means they get the protection for the Badguys' next turn which does not suck. It is a Cantrip, so a Character has it from the beginning of Their career.

True Strike is good if you are a patient player. Advantage on an attack every other round is cool. It also offsets Disadvantage for ranged attacks beyond the close increment which helps in sniping.

My Blade Singer has both and they work for him.

[Grey Lensman]

It's also good for the opening round of an Arcane Trickster, especially if you can manage a round of prep before attacking.

[SmiloDan]

Don't most (or at least many) Arcane Tricksters use Stealth to get Advantage on their attack rolls?

I can see Eldritch Knights using truestrike to ambush their foes.

[Grey Lensman]

SmiloDan wrote:

Don't most (or at least many) Arcane Tricksters use Stealth to get Advantage on their attack rolls?

I can see Eldritch Knights using truestrike to ambush their foes.

Always good to have more than one way to do something, in case one options gets closed temporarily.

[Four Horsemen—Death]

I love blade ward on Eldritch Knights/Valor Bards as mentioned previously. EKs in particular can be extremely thick by using it with their War Magic.

True strike doesn't work quite as well, sadly, because it explicitly only takes effect on your next turn rather than on your next attack, so I like it less. Very situational, not generally worth it.