Can You Use Green-Flame Blade with an Unarmed Strike?
The short answer is a definitive no. The popular cantrip Green-Flame Blade (GFB) from Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide specifies that it must be used as part of a melee attack with a weapon. While unarmed strikes are considered melee weapon attacks, they are not, themselves, weapons. This critical distinction is central to understanding why you cannot combine the fiery magic of GFB with your fists, feet, or headbutts. This restriction is not unique to GFB either; its sibling spell, Booming Blade, shares the same requirement.
Let’s dive into the specifics and explore the nuances of why this is the case, and what other options are available.
Understanding the Core Issue: Weapon vs. Weapon Attack
The language used in the 5th edition of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D 5e) is crucial. The core rules clearly differentiate between a “melee weapon attack” and an “attack with a melee weapon.”
- Melee weapon attack: This is a broad category encompassing any attack made in melee range that uses your Strength modifier (or Dexterity in some specific cases). This includes both attacks made with actual weapons, and unarmed strikes.
- Attack with a melee weapon: This is a more specific requirement that mandates using a dedicated weapon. This category excludes unarmed strikes.
Green-Flame Blade explicitly requires a melee attack with a weapon as part of its casting. The spell description states that “As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails.” This specific wording means that you need to use a weapon – a sword, a mace, a spear, etc. – to make that attack, you cannot simply use your fists or feet.
This distinction is a fundamental rule of 5e and isn’t an exception to the standard rule. Unarmed strikes simply do not meet the requirements for this spell’s execution. They count as a weapon attack, but not an attack made with an actual weapon.
The Impact on Character Builds
This restriction has significant implications for specific character builds. For example:
- Monks who rely heavily on unarmed strikes are unable to use GFB unless they use a proper weapon.
- Grappling builds, which often utilize unarmed strikes to initiate grapples, cannot leverage GFB’s damage boost.
- Characters with natural weapons like claws or talons, must check if they are explicitly considered “weapons” and not natural attacks. In most cases, natural weapons are also not considered weapons.
These builds have to rely on alternative methods to achieve the desired damage output, or make use of a weapon in the proper circumstances.
Why the Rule Exists
The design choice to restrict GFB and similar spells to weapons, rather than just weapon attacks, is likely for a few key reasons:
- Balance: Allowing GFB to apply to unarmed attacks could significantly boost the damage output of classes like Monks, potentially making them overpowered compared to other melee fighters, especially at lower levels.
- Thematic Consistency: GFB’s effect involves fire magically lashing out from a weapon and leaping to a secondary target. This makes more sense with a weapon as the conduit of the magical fire than someone’s bare fist.
- Clarity of Rules: While sometimes complex, D&D 5e rules benefit from consistency. Having a defined rule keeps interactions predictable and reliable.
Related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to the interaction between Green-Flame Blade and unarmed strikes, expanding on the initial discussion:
1. Can a Paladin use Divine Smite with an unarmed attack, but not Green-Flame Blade?
Yes. A Paladin can use Divine Smite on an unarmed attack because it triggers on a melee weapon attack. However, as mentioned, Green-Flame Blade requires an attack with a weapon, not just a weapon attack.
2. What classes can use Green-Flame Blade?
The primary classes that can learn Green-Flame Blade are Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, and Artificer. However, some subclasses also gain access.
3. Can you use Green-Flame Blade with natural weapons?
Generally, no. Most natural weapons (claws, teeth, etc.) are not considered weapons in the D&D rules, and therefore cannot be used with GFB. They still count as melee weapon attacks however.
4. Does Green-Flame Blade work with a weapon enhanced by Shillelagh?
Yes. The Shillelagh spell turns a club or quarterstaff into a magical weapon. You can use Green-Flame Blade with a shillelagh-enhanced weapon.
5. Can you dual-wield and use Green-Flame Blade?
No. You cannot use two-weapon fighting with Green-Flame Blade. Casting the spell is not an “attack action”, it is a “cast a spell action”. Two weapon fighting requires you to take the attack action.
6. Is Green-Flame Blade considered a powerful cantrip?
Yes, Green-Flame Blade is considered a very powerful cantrip, especially for “gish” builds (melee characters with magic capabilities), because it provides a significant boost to damage, especially for characters that only get one attack per action.
7. Does Green-Flame Blade stack with itself or other effects?
No. You cannot stack multiple instances of GFB, and you cannot use it with another attack as it is an action, not an attack option.
8. Can you use Green-Flame Blade with a Shadow Blade?
No. Shadow Blade is not a material weapon. Green Flame Blade requires a melee weapon worth 1 silver piece.
9. Can you use Stunning Strike with unarmed attacks, but not Green-Flame Blade?
Yes. Much like the paladin’s Divine Smite, Stunning Strike requires a melee weapon attack and can be used with unarmed strikes. But like other mentioned cases, Green-Flame Blade requires an attack with a weapon.
10. Can you use Green-Flame Blade with thunder gauntlets?
If your armor’s gauntlets are treated as weapons per class or subclass feature, they would satisfy the requirements for Green-Flame Blade and Booming Blade.
11. Does Green-Flame Blade require a second target to be effective?
No. If there is no other valid target within 5ft of the original, you will still deal the additional fire damage to the original target. The spell’s secondary damage effect just won’t occur.
12. Does Spell Sniper work with Green-Flame Blade?
Yes. Spell Sniper increases the spell range of Green-Flame Blade. And combined with a weapon like a whip, that has reach, it can increase your attack range.
13. Can Eldritch Knights use Green-Flame Blade?
Yes, Eldritch Knights can use Green-Flame Blade, though they may not be able to do it at the same time as making multiple attacks, unless they use other class features.
14. Does Polearm Master work with Green-Flame Blade?
No. The bonus action attack from Polearm Master is triggered by taking the Attack action. Casting Green Flame Blade is a Cast a Spell action.
15. Can Green-Flame Blade set things on fire?
Green-Flame Blade does not explicitly state that it can set things on fire. It does deal fire damage however, which is up to the DM for how that should be interpreted. It is generally agreed that it can not start a fire like other cantrips such as produce flame.
Conclusion
In summary, while unarmed strikes are considered melee weapon attacks, they don’t qualify as “attacks with a melee weapon” for the purposes of the Green-Flame Blade cantrip. This is a crucial distinction to remember when planning your character build and spell selection. Understanding these nuances will ensure you are using the rules effectively and optimize your character’s capabilities within the framework of D&D 5e.