Shillelagh

Shillelagh is a cantrip (Transmutation). It imbues the caster's weapon with nature power.

Description

Quarterstaff or Club Required.

Your staff or club becomes magical: it deals 1d8 + Spellcasting modifier⁠⁠Bludgeoning damage, and uses your Spellcasting modifier for  Attack Rolls.

Properties

Cost

 Bonus Action

Details

 Range: Self

Technical details

UID

Shout_Shillelagh

Spell flags

HasSomaticComponent, HasVerbalComponent, IsMelee, IsSpell

Condition: Shillelagh

 Shillelagh

Duration: 10 turns

Creature's weapon is magical and deals 1d8⁠⁠Bludgeoning damage.  Attack Rolls use the wielder's Spellcasting modifier.

How to learn

Classes:

• Class level 1: Druid and Nature Domain (Domain Spell)

Granted by features:

•  Magic Initiate: Druid

Other ways to learn:

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

Notes

• Despite misleading tooltips, a Shillelagh'ed weapon replaces Strength with the highest Spellcasting modifier for both Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls, no matter if learned as a Druid, Nature Cleric or even via  Magic Initiate: Druid.
• As it uses the highest spellcasting ability, Shillelagh might result in unexpected collateral effects with multiclassing. For example: a Druid 11 / Wizard 1 will use the higher of Intelligence or Wisdom for attacks, not always Intelligence as previously believed.
  • A character who obtains Shillelagh via Magic Initiate: Druid, with only levels in Fighter, will always use Intelligence as no other spellcasting ability is available to this character class. If this same character then takes a level in a class that uses another spellcasting ability (for example: Barbarian with Charisma) that new spellcasting ability will be used.
• It has the equivalent effect as the  Infernal Rapier and  Sylvan Scimitar, but into a staff or club of the player's choice.
• A simple Torch is one of the strongest weapons early game, as it can be enchanted with Shillelagh for 1d8 + Spellcasting modifier⁠⁠Bludgeoning + 1d4⁠⁠Fire damage.
•  Martial Arts: Dextrous Attacks overrides Shillelagh, causing attacks to use the Dexterity modifier even when Wisdom is higher.
• The enchanted weapon can be unequipped, but not thrown or otherwise removed from the inventory.
• The  Ironvine Shield provides a retaliatory damage effect when the wielder is hit with a melee attack while holding a weapon that has this spell active on it.
• An  Ironwood Club deals an additional 1d4⁠⁠Bludgeoning damage through  Ironwood Harmony if Shillelagh is cast on it.
• Shillelagh has the same two incantations as  Flame Blade: Canto Te, Latin for "I enchant you", and Para Bellum, Latin for "prepare for war".

External links

•  Shillelagh on the Forgotten Realms Wiki