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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    NinjaGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2017

    Default Some Build Advice Please

    Hi there,

    My group has recently just started the Rise of Tiamat campaign. The party consists of the following members:

    8th Level Monk (Way of the Open Hand) Melee
    8th Level Cleric (Life Domain) Healer
    7/1 Level Bard/Rogue (College of Valor) Support/Melee
    7/1 Level Ranger/Bard (Hunter) Archer
    7/1 Level Fighter/Wizard (Eldritch Knight) Tank

    I am playing the fighter of the group and have gone for a mostly tanky build with the following current set up:

    Race: Human (Non variant, DM didnt want us using the variant version)
    Stats: (Dice Rolled)

    Strength: 17
    Dexterity: 15
    Constitution: 16
    Intelligence: 16
    Wisdom: 15
    Charisma: 13

    HPs: 87
    AC: 21

    Fighting Style: Protection
    Feats: Warcaster and Lucky
    Current Magic Items:

    Gauntlets of Ogre Power (19 Str)
    Sword of Sharpness (Longsword but DM is allowing me to change this to a Rapier version (Sword of Piercing!) at a cost.
    Adamantium Full Plate
    Sentinel Shield
    Night Goggles
    Ring of Protection
    Greatsword +1
    Spear +1

    So my roll in the party is tank. I dont really have much in the way of controlling anything and I do tend to use most of my spell slots on the Shield spell and using my reaction to protect my allies from attack which seems to work out ok.

    I was oringinally planning on going 12/8 fighter wizard to help boost my spell casting power but I am thinking of going 12/1/7 Fighter/Rogue/Wizard for the following reasons:

    12 Fighter:

    Second Wind
    Action Surge
    4 Feats/stat boosts (spent 2 on Warcaster and Lucky)
    3 Attacks per action
    1 x Indomitable Will
    4 Multiclass Caster Levels
    Weapon Bond
    War Magic
    Eldritch Strike

    7 Wizard

    1 Feat/stat boost
    7 Multiclass Caster Levels
    Arcane Recovery - 4 Spell levels on a short rest
    Abjuration specialist for the HP shield (since I'm tanky)

    1 Rogue

    Thieves Tools
    1 Skill - Will be Arcana as I dont have it currently
    Expertise in 2 skills - Athletics and 1 other
    Sneak attack

    I am planning on taking the Shield Mastery feat so I am pretty committed to sword and board and the expertise in Athletics should allow me to use my bonus attack to knock enemies prone/back with a +14 bonus (by the time I get it - maybe higher).

    Taking the level in Rogue costs me a feat/stat boost slot, but sneak attack and the skills and expertise is also very nice I think. the loss of the Wizard level doesnt seem to cost me much (Arcane Recovery stays the same, I lose so HP's on the shield but I am still able to cast 6th level spells.

    I would have 2 feat/stat boosts yet to pick, not sure if I should boost my Int for casting (although most of my spells are likely to be buffs) or using them on something else (Sentinel may be good for me). The DM may also be introducing a feat that allows us to have 2 extra attuned magical items so that may be an option as well. Also, be proficient in Wisdom saves may be nice to have (got dominated by a vampire once and almost killed the monk ... )

    If anyone has any other options or advice for things they would do differently on this build it would be much appreciated!

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2007

    Default Re: Some Build Advice Please

    First thing I'd ask is "why Gauntlets of Ogre Power?"
    You already have Str 17, and you're using a Rapier anyway, so this item is mostly wasted.

    I'd swap Str for Dex if you were married to using a Rapier, though I would personally use the actual longsword- it fits a Str character better, and you're using Full-Plate so your Dex is really only for Init.

    I'd then trade the Gauntlets for a Headband of Intellect or Amulet of Health, and raise my Str to 20 naturally.

    Actually, the more I look at it the more I feel like the entire concept is trying to do a little too much, and needs a little more focus.
    I'd drop the Rogue level entirely. You can get thieves tools without being a rogue.

    I'd then ask myself if I'm wanting to be Str based or Dex based, and focus there.

    If Dex- Move stats around, change the adamantine full plate to something light/medium. Use a shield. Drop the greatsword.

    If Str- Use the standard Sword of Sharpness with a shield, and drop the greatsword.
    -or-
    If Str- Drop the Sword of Sharpness, use the greatsword, and focus on GWM.
    Last edited by Mikal; 2017-08-17 at 07:22 AM.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    NinjaGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2017

    Default Re: Some Build Advice Please

    Thanks for taking the time to look at my post.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mikal View Post
    First thing I'd ask is "why Gauntlets of Ogre Power?"
    You already have Str 17, and you're using a Rapier anyway, so this item is mostly wasted.
    We had them as a random treasure from an encounter and they were more useful to me than anyone else in the party so I had them. If I increase my strength via other means then they will be passed on to someone else.


    Quote Originally Posted by Mikal View Post
    I'd swap Str for Dex if you were married to using a Rapier, though I would personally use the actual longsword- it fits a Str character better, and you're using Full-Plate so your Dex is really only for Init.
    I will be staying as a strength based character. I just thought that having a rapier instead of a longsword would be better as it gets me an extra 1d8 damage a round if I have a level in rogue. I can still use it as a strength based weapon I thought?


    Quote Originally Posted by Mikal View Post
    I'd then trade the Gauntlets for a Headband of Intellect or Amulet of Health, and raise my Str to 20 naturally.
    This is actually a really good idea that I hadn't considered. Will see if I can pull that trade off or somehow get a headband.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mikal View Post
    Actually, the more I look at it the more I feel like the entire concept is trying to do a little too much, and needs a little more focus.
    I'd drop the Rogue level entirely. You can get thieves tools without being a rogue.
    Thieves tools was just an extra, plus the bard in the group has that covered anyway. The main point of the rogue dip was for the expertise in athletics to make me really good at knocking people over.

    I can see what you mean about trying to do too much. I only really loose 2 things doing it from what I can see, a minor loss in the temporary shield health, but a big loss with a feat/stat point.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mikal View Post
    I'd then ask myself if I'm wanting to be Str based or Dex based, and focus there.

    If Dex- Move stats around, change the adamantine full plate to something light/medium. Use a shield. Drop the greatsword.

    If Str- Use the standard Sword of Sharpness with a shield, and drop the greatsword.
    -or-
    If Str- Drop the Sword of Sharpness, use the greatsword, and focus on GWM.
    I would be staying strength and would like to keep the shield since I have already invested choices into that which I am unable to change at this point in the character. The greatsword is another item that we randomly acquired which nobody else could actually use, so I had it for extra options in combat.

    Thanks for the advice though, definitely some things in there to have a think about.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Beholder

    Join Date
    Sep 2013

    Default Re: Some Build Advice Please

    It's d6 for sneak attack, Smites are d8. Unless your version is altered it doesn't go to 20. If you are sticking close to the stock module I'd go Fighter 12/Wizard the rest because I don't recall I going much past lv 15. Just my 2 bits.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Zombie

    Join Date
    Jul 2015

    Default Re: Some Build Advice Please

    I don't think the rogue dip is worth it.

    Sneak attack is just 1d6 extra damage per round, unless you get a reaction attack somehow, and it sounds like you already have plenty of reactions. That's not nothing, but it isn't very impressive either.

    Shield Master works fine without the expertise. You won't win every contest, but you'll still win plenty. You can cast enlarge to gain advantage if you like.

    You can use rapier with strength, yes.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Dwarf in the Playground
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Louisville
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Some Build Advice Please

    Quote Originally Posted by Infliktor View Post


    Thieves tools was just an extra, plus the bard in the group has that covered anyway. The main point of the rogue dip was for the expertise in athletics to make me really good at knocking people over.
    See if your DM will let you use the UA feat Brawny. It will get you a point of strength and essentially give you Expertise in Athletics without having to multiclass.

    My fighter almost never fails SM shoves.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2007

    Default Re: Some Build Advice Please

    Quote Originally Posted by Infliktor View Post
    Thanks for taking the time to look at my post.

    We had them as a random treasure from an encounter and they were more useful to me than anyone else in the party so I had them. If I increase my strength via other means then they will be passed on to someone else.
    Ah! I thought you had chosen all those! Based on your original post, I thought this was a new character being introduced into the campaign. If these are found treasure, that does make things different. I should have clarified.

    I will be staying as a strength based character. I just thought that having a rapier instead of a longsword would be better as it gets me an extra 1d8 damage a round if I have a level in rogue. I can still use it as a strength based weapon I thought?
    You can, but the 1d6 (not 1d8) is only once per round, and averages 3.5 damage. If you can somehow swing GWF (maybe make the sharpness sword a greatsword?), you'll reliably hit 5.5 with GWF more often (perhaps not every round, but multiple times per round against opponents you'd want to use the extra damage on and can still hit).

    This is actually a really good idea that I hadn't considered. Will see if I can pull that trade off or somehow get a headband.
    If you can great! Again, I thought you had chosen the item, not just received it.


    I would be staying strength and would like to keep the shield since I have already invested choices into that which I am unable to change at this point in the character. The greatsword is another item that we randomly acquired which nobody else could actually use, so I had it for extra options in combat.

    Thanks for the advice though, definitely some things in there to have a think about.
    Sounds good, thanks for the clarifications!
    Last edited by Mikal; 2017-08-17 at 12:11 PM.

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