Shadow Blade

For the weapon created by this spell, see Shadow Blade (weapon). For the passive feature, see Shadow Blade (passive feature).

Shadow Blade is a level 2 illusion spell. It creates a Shadow Blade in the caster's main hand which deals ⁠Psychic damage.

Description

Weave a shadowy shortsword in your hand that deals 2d8⁠⁠Psychic damage.

When you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the Attack Roll with  Advantage.

The shadow blade can be unequipped and equipped again, but must remain on the spellcaster's person.^{[See: Bugs]}

Properties

Cost

 Bonus Action +  Level 2 Spell Slot

Damage: 2~16 + modifiers

2d8 + Strength or Dexterity modifier⁠Psychic

Details

 Range: Self

At higher levels

• Upcasting: When you cast this spell using a 3rd or 4th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d8⁠⁠Psychic.
• Upcasting: When you cast this spell using a 5th or 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 4d8⁠⁠Psychic.

Technical details

UID

Shout_ShadowBlade_Class

Spell flags

HasSomaticComponent, HasVerbalComponent, IsSpell

Item: Shadow Blade (weapon)

Shadow Blade  – Duration: Until long rest

Damage: 2~16

2d8⁠Psychic

Properties

•  Shortswords
•  Melee
•  Simple
•  One-handed

•  Price: 65 gp
•  Weight: 0.9 kg (1.8 lb)

Special properties

• Shadow Blade

  You have  Advantage on  Attack Rolls against Lightly or Heavily Obscured targets when using this blade.

How to learn

Classes:

• Class level 3: Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard
• Class level 7: Arcane Trickster (via spell replacement)
• Class level 8: Eldritch Knight

Granted by items:

• Shadow Blade Ring ( Recharge: Short rest)

Other ways to learn:

• There are no scrolls available for wizards to transcribe to their spellbooks.

Notes

• The caster has innate proficiency with the summoned weapon, so wizards and sorcerers who lack shortsword proficiency can still wield it properly.
• A Shadow Blade item produced by this spell remains in the caster's inventory until long rest or until the caster is knocked unconscious, even if unprepared. As such, it can be cast at the beginning of the day and then swapped for a more useful spell later. However, the Shadow Blade's damage reduces to 2d8⁠⁠Psychic upon doing so, treating any upcast version as if cast at 2nd level.

Bugs

• The spell is not properly included in Arcane Trickster's illusion and enchantment spell list, but can still be learned at level 7 via spell replacement.
• Having any hireling cast the spell, then adding any item to their inventory, immediately recalling their soul, and then hiring them again, creates a permanent  Shadow Blade in their inventory, which anyone can use. It is then possible to do this again to have two permanent Shadow Blades and dual wield them. If obtained in this manner, the permanent Shadow Blade only uses the spell's base damage, even if it was originally created via upcasting. These permanent Shadow Blades do not properly function with various effects, such as  Battlemage's Power.

External links

•  Shadow blade on the Forgotten Realms Wiki