Permanent upcast Shadowblade in Patch 8?

[michaeldescado]

In patch 8 I've been using the mechanic of having a hireling (Warlock, if that matters) cast Shadowblade on themselves, then dismissing the hireling while they're holding said shadowblade in their main hand, and then recruiting the same hireling again, thus giving me a permanent shadowblade that I can then give to other party members. I just reached level 5 and I was super excited about using the same mechanic, except upcasting shadowblade so the new "permanents" were now doing 3d8 instead of 2d8. However, I've tried this multiple times now, and the permanent shadowblades remain at the base cast level damage, (2d8). Am I doing something wrong? Or is this intentional to keep people like me from further exploiting this already overpowered mechanic? Anybody know?

[KRON]

I think there is a bug and shadowblade can lose the upcast in a number of ways.

[Balekai]

The bug/unintentional mechanic is that you can cheese it like Mage Armour in the first place. :)

Shadowblade cannot be thrown/dropped for a reason in PnP as it's connected to the player and dissipates upon trying to do so. Trying to give it away would do the same.

The description in game of the Shadowblade mirrors the PnP rules:

"The shadow blade can be unequipped and equipped again, but must remain on the spellcaster's person."

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Shadow_Blade

Thus the bug is the action of giving it away to save spell slots by abusing Hirelings, and needs to be restricted. :p

Losing the extra upcast damage is likely an unintentional glitch related to Shadowblade not intended to be traded.

[michaeldescado]

Originally posted by KRON:

I think there is a bug and shadowblade can lose the upcast in a number of ways.

Yeah, no kidding! I just upcast Shadowblade on my hexblade warlock, and the damage was initially showing 3d8. But as soon as I made it my Hexed Weapon, the damage dropped back to 2d8. :(

[Fang]

Yeah, it's amusing you cannot cheese it for shadow blade, but you can do it for flame blade.

[michaeldescado]

Originally posted by michaeldescado:

Originally posted by KRON:

I think there is a bug and shadowblade can lose the upcast in a number of ways.

Yeah, no kidding! I just upcast Shadowblade on my hexblade warlock, and the damage was initially showing 3d8. But as soon as I made it my Hexed Weapon, the damage dropped back to 2d8. :(

Actually, let me amend that. I tested it, and the damage remained 3d8 when I initially cast Bind Hexed Weapon on the shadowblade. However, if you cast Bind Hexed Weapon on it multiple times, (which I'm told increases the chance that the Hexed Curse will proc), the damage drops back to 2d8. So that one's on me for trying to cheese the mechanic. The question is, do I want the extra 1d8? Or do I want a higher curse chance? Hmmm...

[michaeldescado]

Originally posted by Fang:

Yeah, it's amusing you cannot cheese it for shadow blade, but you can do it for flame blade.

Ah, good to know! I didn't even realize you could upcast flame blade, so, thanks! :)

[causality]

Shadowblade is still good upcasted since you can add your spellcasting ability modifier to the already hgih base weapon damage with arcane synergy. Outdamaging GWM fighters with a wizard seems balanced.

[xposethedarkside]

Any status change to the shadow blade can cause it to revert to its base damage. I noticed it whenever id drop elemental weapon from it.
There is a mod in the mod manager that cures it, it's called like shadowblade bug fix or something like that. Solved all my problems.