Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Sorxores Aug 21, 2014 20:43:38	EDIT: I would really appreciate If someone could suggest a good specialization. (the specialization ability does trigger with spell casted from an other calss, like abjuarationw ill create the bubble, even ifI can shield from my EK spell known list?) I am hesitante between Abjurer for the bubble, Divination for Portent, but I won't use divination spell that often to benefit from the spell recycling mechanics. Or Necromancer for healing myself. I really doubt that I'll bring my Intellect to 20, so the spell DC of my spell won't be optimized, but Eldritch strike will give them disavantage on there roll   I need to optimize my build for an Eldritch knight.   First question: with the Eldritch knight war magic ability, when I cast a cantrip, I can do one weapon attack as a bonus action. So let's say I have 5 level of fighter so my regular attack action is 2 swing of my weapon. If I use War magic, to cast true strike for example, then I would swing my weapon only once? not twice?   2nd question, If I'm usin for weapon a heavy 2 handed weapon (greataxe) can I hold my axe in one hand while I cast a spell then with my bonus action grab the weapon with my second hand and swing it? or do I need to take the war caster feat?   3rd question: I know that with the rule of spell with bous action they say just one spell per round, but if I cast a spell as my action (or bonus action) can I cast an other spell as a reaction (like shield)   I want a melee fighter that will be played as a melee fighter. I need to be able to use Arcane magical item (like a wizard staff or wizards scrolls for example) since I'll be the only arcane caster of my group   I have 3 build at the moment competing and I was woundering if you guys could help me to choose (or maybe even offer  more optimized build all together.   1st build would be wizard2, fighter Eldritch knight 18 giving me 3 attack spellcasting level 8 6 feats Indomitable 3x Action surge 2x Arcane charge Improved warmagic (so I could give disavantage to 4 target before casting a spell lvl 4) Lot more HP then the other 2   2nd build would be Wizard 8/fighterEldritch knight12 giving me 3 attack with the fighter Spellcasting lvl 12 6 feats Eldritch strike to give disadvantage to up to 3 creatures   3rd build would be Wizard9 /Fighter Battlemaster 11 Giving me 3 attack with the fighter, 5d10 with 7 maneuvers 5 feats Spellcasting level 12   Witch wizardry school would be the best I'm hesitating between Abjuration to gain a bubble and the capacity to transfer the bubble to an ally in need. Or diviniation to control 2 dice roll with Portent, I will not use diviniation spell with my spell slot very often so I would not really benefit from the Expert Divination bonus) Or maybe I should tranfert the wizard level into sorcerer level, but then I would need 2 good casting stats (intellect and Charisma, uness I make sure my Eldritch knight spell (using Intellect) have no DC, save or anything, just self targeting spell. while my sorcerer with higher Cha can cast evocation and stuff, but then I loose the ability to do rituals for the group unless I take a feat for rituals.   Personnaly I think my 2nd build would be the most optimized since disavantage on 3 target against my next spell seems more powerfull then 5 maneuvers per short rest   What race would be good? I was thinking about half orc to get +2 Strenght +1 Con, darkvision and relentless Endurance. Savage attack is nice, but I'm not very lucky with crits.   any thought? any ideas?
#2 Polaris Aug 21, 2014 21:37:57	You may want to go for Wizard 8/EK-12.  This will get you an extra ability improvement over most characters, 2 attacks, most of your better fighter features, and ultimately 6th level spells and the ability to have considerabely better spells (and of better variety) than the EK.  Just a thought.   -Polaris
#3 abanathie Aug 21, 2014 21:54:57	Sorxores wrote:
#4 Swamp_slug Aug 22, 2014 0:08:59	Wizard 8/EK 12 or Wizard 9/EK 11 are probably the best combinations. The choice of which to use will depend on whether you want an extra feat (from EK) or true 5th level spells (from Wizard). Both would result in a 12th level spellcaster, giving you 6th level spell slots.   whichever you choose I would recommend starting as a Fighter. This will give you the early HP boost and more importantly, give you proficiency in Con saves. This is important if you intend to use Concentration spells in combat as it increases your chances of passing the saves to miantain Concentration when taking damage.   if you primary focus is as a melee warrior then you may want to delay multiclassing Wizard until you have Extra Attack. What level are you starting at?
#5 Prism Aug 22, 2014 2:21:12	I agree with everyone else that Wizard 8 / EK 12 or Wizard 9 / EK 11 are probably the best all round builds for this kind of character I also think Wizard 13 / EK 7 has some legs. You lose the third attack but might be able to get close to the same regular damage with war magic and something like shocking grasp. You will be able to cast up to 7th level wizard spells and scale up to an 8th level slot. Abjuration to help make up for the lower hit points and a bit of 4e swordmage protection thrown in. I also like the improved counterspell at 10th level which doesn't get in the way of your melee as its a reaction.
#6 Sorxores Aug 22, 2014 13:41:47	ok I'll probably go for wizard 8 EK12   Stat wise I was thinking of: Str:14+2 Dex:10 Con: 15+1 Int: 14 Wis:10 Cha: 8   For my race I would take half orc   Then my level composition (Edit: reorder some levels) 1- 1fighter (Great weapon fighting) 2- 1wizard : Acid Splash, Minor illusion, Mage hand, Detect magic, Identify, Feather fall, Magic missile, Find familiar, Fog cloud 3- 2fighter, 4- 3fighter (EK) True strike, blade ward, Shield, burning hand, protection from Evil/good 5- 4fighter (+2strenght) 6- 2wizard (Abjurer or divinor or transmuter?) Alarm, Comprehend language 7- 3wizard Magic Weapon, Misty step 8- 4wizard (+2 Strenght) Enlarge/Reduce, Invisibility 9-  5Wizard - Haste, Firevall 10-5fighter 11- 6fighter (Polearm master) 12- 7fighter 13- 8fighter (Great weapon master) 14- 6Wizard 15- 9 fighter 16- 10fighter (eldritch strike) 17- 11fighter (3rd attack) 18- 12fighter (Sentinel) 19- 7wizard 20- 8Wizard (not too sure, if I should go with battle master for some maneuvers or mage slayer)   Spellwise I'm not taking too many spell using DC (maybe some Big AoE like Acid splash, burning hand and fireball) to dispatch many small weak creature in one shot, and with eldritch strike 3 opponents will have disavantage.   Any spell that are a must have, that I cannot skip? is there a better race then Half orc? (I took half orc mainly for the stat bonus, human might be interesting using heavy armor master (+1str/DR3 VS non magical blud, piercing ans slash)) but I think relentless endurance and darkvision woul dbe better then a DR3
#7 Irithil Aug 22, 2014 5:30:44	Noting this again: For the battlemaster builds, the fighter levels do NOT count as 1/3 caster.  The only fighter that counts like that is the EK right now.  The Arcane Trickster is the only rogue which does.  Paladin and Ranger count as half casters.  Druid, Cleric, Warlock, Wizard and Sorcerer are our full casters.   I may have missed one or two (like the totem barb doesnt count as magical, or the elemental monk?).   But that's also RAW.   Feel free to have your table use whatever caster level improvement options you can agree on.  I don't think the EK is bad as is, but counting it and the trickster as a half caster isnt too broken either (gain 10 levels instead of 6 - which means that as long as your levels in rogue or fighter dont pass your full caster levels, you get full progression).  If the barb and elemonk dont count as caster anything right now, then they may want to slot into the 1/3 piece.      Or just give classes the fraction based on the max spell level.  5/9 for paladin and ranger.  4/9 for EK and Trickster.  The others, 3/9 or as you like.
#8 Yunru Aug 22, 2014 5:38:50	Or you could just, you know, use the written ones under the multiclass rules.
#9 Danny_Montanny Aug 22, 2014 6:18:27	#2. As the Two-Handed property only required two hands to use the weapon, I hardly think merely holding the weapon is using it. A character would have to put down/stow his axe to open a door, shake someone's hand, or scratch his head? If you look at the Heavy property it limits the disadvantage to attack rolls and uses the verb "use" in the fluff sentence synonymously with attack.   #3 Bonus action spells state "during the same turn", not round.   Consider using a polearm with the Polearm Master and Warcaster feats. You get the d4 bonus attack option (which you won't have many options at low levels) and variant human 4th-level EK will be able to use their opportunity attack granted by Polearm Master to cast Fire Bolt at the creature. At 4th-level it's less damage with cantrips than using your polearm, but at 5th and above it'll be more. Also, it doesn't have to be a cantrip, it could be Hold Person/Monster for instance, or any 1 action cast time spell for that matter. This option would make you more mobile and versatile in combat while only barely decreasing your average weapon damage, but increasing your overall DPR at higher levels.   For a truly nasty build go EK / Fiend Warlock with the polearm option above. You can Eldritch Blast with knock backs, Hex, and see through the Datkness you just cast on your weapon. This also gives you a weapon that can never be taken away from you, while allowing you to take either Tome or Chain pacts. Inleess you want to take Lifedtinker that is. It'll limit your known spells and slots of 3rd-level and above, but allow them to replenish with your short rests (which you'll need for Action Surge and Second Wind anyways).
#10 Danny_Montanny Aug 22, 2014 7:07:03	Did you miss a spell? How about the mother of them all for your build, Haste. You'll definitely want Warcaster for the advantage on the concentration saves, not to mention the opportunity attack option. I'd go variant human with 16, 8, 16, 14, 10, 8. Use the polearm build I talked about. Either way you go, you won't get Extra Attack + Haste till level 10 at the earliest. Sticking with EK till level 5, picking up Warcaster at level 4, would be what I'd say. Though Haste is rad and you could get it at level 6, essentially giving you your Extra Attack, you'd only be able to use it twice a day, wouldn't have Action Surge or a bonded weapon. Go EK at level 6 to get a stat bump, INT maybe, or possibly Great Weapon Master. Up to you, but I would say your best bet is to go EK till level 5 at least.
#11 Sorxores Aug 22, 2014 9:14:29	is Haste really that good on this build? it's just a single extra attack, the barbarian might benefit from it more then i would.   Being the only arcane caster of the group, I need to take a wizard level ASAP in order to get rituals, and start collecting scroll and arcane magical item?   Ithough about taking sorcerer or warlock, but I would then need to take improve my Charisma modifier and Warlock do not offer good AoE spell to clean army of weaklings
#12 Mrpagoda25 Aug 22, 2014 9:41:40	I see no reason why you cant take one hand off the axe as part of a spell. You arent stowing a weapon just removing your hand and then casting. The rules allow you to do simple things like that. You can even remove a potion for free. you can even toss your weapon to someone else for free. but its only one of those per action.
#13 Polaris Aug 22, 2014 9:56:54	Irithil wrote:
(Reply to #11) Danny_Montanny	Sorxores wrote:
#15 OrwellianHaggis Aug 22, 2014 15:21:01	So (still waiting on my PHB), does an eldritch knight choose a school like full wizards do?
#16 royinator Aug 22, 2014 15:38:03	OrwellianHaggis wrote:
#17 the_move Aug 25, 2014 14:41:03	Can you actually cast haste on yourself?
#18 IxidorRS Aug 25, 2014 15:01:39	the_move wrote: