Tweaking a character idea to see if it's feasible (Ftr/Sor or Sor/Ftr?)

[Finback]

So, I was inspired by a piece of art to see how I could build that character for play, as I'm sure many of us do. In this case, I can't think what would be better.

Fighter focus, mc'ing into Sorcerer, or a Sorcerer with a dip into Fighter? I'm clearly thinking of a Dex based build here, since that gives the Sorcerer a closer alignment, and is still a workable model for a Fighter. Fighter would probably mostly use archery builds, but keep a finesse weapon for combat. Also, how good is Phoenix soul, compared to others?

(specifically, I saw a genderswapped human version of the Transformers character Hot Rod - a charismatic, egotistical would-be leader, with a flame-motif. However, he's also been considered a Chosen One in some incarnations, so Favoured Soul could go well for him too. And hey, at least one toy of him came with a longbow, so archery HAS been a thing! Also, being the Face of a team would be totally up his alley, so Cha would work.)

I'm thinking half-elf for the Cha bump, plus a splash into Dex and Con, since those would work best for either of those two classes.

Thoughts?

(for reference)
https://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/a/a3/BadMoonRising-blahblahblah.jpg
(he is purple here because Reasons. Normally red and yellow)

[Citan]

Hi!

I can't help you decide whichever fits better to the character you want to recreate because I don't know it, so I will only give suggestions from a mechanical point of view.

On that note...

1. Phoenix Sorcery: IF your DM accepts it (it's UA) and the "fire element" is an important part of your character, don't even hesitate ONE SECOND.
It's frigging awesome, as long as you build up a decent level of Sorcerer anyways
For a "Sorcerer dip only", it is "just" good because thematics and the "damage on hit" for small-HP crowds and extra damage on GreenFlame Blade.

As long as you get at least Sorcerer 7 and as high as possible, it becomes very, very deadly.
Main reason for that? This bit of Mantle of Flame: "Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier."
*Whenever*. Frigging w*h*e*n*e*v*e*r.
You cast Scorching Ray? Damage on *each* roll.
You cast Flaming Shpere? Damage on *each* of your turn when you move it.
Wall of Fire? Extra CHA when you cast, and when you push a creature into the wall on your turn (making a Repelling Blast dip very interesting as well).

Basically, if you really want to go all the way into "fire thematic", I'd suggest you actually make something that is mainly Sorcerer with just a few dips in other classes to get Expertise (so you can Grapple/Shove people into areas of effects) and Undying Light (also UA) Warlock for another +CHA damage (only on cast though) and the "pull/push on Eldricht Blast" invocations.
And drop the idea of using anything other than GreenFlame Blade in melee and Eldricht Blast / Fire Bolt / Create Bonfire at range.
Something like Swords Bard 3 (-5-6) (extra damage+AC on GFB -short rest BI -Extra Attack although honestly I think it's redundant) / Undying Light Warlock 2 / Phoenix Sorcerer X.
>> Sorcerer 14 / Bard 3 / Warlock 2 works and you still have one level to adjust (one ASI, 2nd level short rest slots?).
You have the "face" covered pretty well (Expertise in a CHA skill + Jack of all Trades + Enhance Ability), the martial pretty decent (medium armor proficiency + BI to enhance AC + weapon cantrips + Expertise in Athletics) and the flame magic awesome (Create Bonfire, Firebolt, GreenFlame Blade, Chromatic Orb, Burning Hands > Fireball, Scorching Ray, Wall of Fire) + basic healing/utility from Bard (and Heat Metal which deals *fire* damage).
So that would be my prime suggestion here, as it seems to cover all your wishes pretty well. I'd go Sorcerer 1 > Bard 1 > Sorcerer 5 > Bard 3 > Warlock 2 > Sorcerer X.
Ideas behind being that...
- Warlock is not that useful until you have at least 2nd "grade" cantrips and enough good spells to make use of it.
- You can make do with Mage Armor until you get armor proficiency from Bard.
But you could go another way, like going Sorcerer 1 > Warlock 2 first to play with "Flame Create Bonfire" and push/pull Eldricht Blast. Or go Sorcerer 1 > Bard 3 to secure survivability.


IF, however, the flame thing is a part of your concept but not that major of a part, then going for an Eldricht Knight chassis on which you distillate a few levels of Phoenix Sorcerer to end as Eldricht Knight 13 / Sorcerer 7 for example (Fighter 1 > Sorcerer 1 > Fighter 5 > Sorcerer 3 > Fighter 11 > Sorcerer 7 > Fighter 13) can work equally well.

Or, you could even forget about high level spells and just pick Sorcerer 3 for some utility and cantrips although that would be a bit sad imo.

And finally, if fire is just one small aspect, you could go for Battlemaster 3 / Favored Soul Sorcerer 17.

[Unoriginal]

Any reason why Sorcerer in particular? Otherwise Celestial Warlock or Sun Soul Monk could work.