Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 XtheHunter Dec 10, 2014 19:06:35	Hi folks, I have a character concept that I'm having trouble expressing in 5e. The requirements:   1: Either human(any) or half-elf.  2: Extra damage from stealth: Basically requires a Rogue dip I suppose. 3: Fire blasting spells that are relevant even at high levels: Requires me to dedicate most of the character's levels to a full spellcaster class since,  unlike buffs/utility, damage requires scaling. 4: Useful, decent at dual-wielding in melee even at high levels: either get most levels on a martial class or go Warlock (blade pact) I guess. 5: Nimble, AKA light armor/no armor. 6: Arcane, Charisma-based caster: basically either Sorcerer or Warlock. 7: Sorcerer fluff: either take Sorcerer or refluff Warlock.     So, since the only caster with native gish support is the Warlock, the only way to go is to base the build around the refluffed Warlock and take a few Rogue dips. However, not all DMs allow full class refluffing of that magnitude, and I just love the Sorcerer.   So, the only question: Is there any way to pull that concept off without the Warlock levels?
#2 cowleymen Dec 11, 2014 4:40:41	Valor Bard is a gish, and so is the the Eldritch knight Fighter subclass.
#3 Dictum_Mortuum Dec 11, 2014 5:13:23	1: Alternative Human 2: Rogue level(s) 3: Scorching Ray scales perfectly. 4: Pick up Dual Wielder. 5: Boost Dex. 6,7: Probably sorcerer to get access to fire spells.   Build stub: Assassin Rogue 3/Vengeance Paladin 5/Fire Dragon Ancestor Sorcerer 3 with as high dex/cha as you can, get rogue first if your DM agrees that you get your proficiency bonus on initiative (due to proficiency in dex ability checks) and Alert. Vengeance paladin for hunter's mark in order to improve weapon attacks.   Obvious improvement: forget about dual wielding, it sucks and it's going to eat up your bonus action and most of the times you won't be using it due to having better things to do with it. If you want it for fluff reasons, just keep a weapon in your off-hand and pretend that the extra attack you receive with your main hand comes from that.
#4 bonethug0108 Dec 11, 2014 5:51:20	Sorcerer with brass, gold, or red dragon bloodline, with at least a level of rogue(maybe at least 2 so you can have the option of dashing in and out of melee). I'd possibly go rogue first for better proficiencies(though Con save is pretty good for a caster).   Eldritch Knight also gets you fire spells and would help with the TWF + room for feats with the extra bumps. Go dex based with light armor in that case. Downside is cha is usually the "dump" stat for a fighter, especially going EK and needing int. If you want to be a frontline fighter this is the way to go though.
#5 1eejit Dec 11, 2014 6:47:07	You've already got some advice, but for a tweaked version...   If you're not entirely married to arcane casting you can go Elemental Monk and use Fangs of the Fire Snake (scales with your melee dmg). It's obscene in an Assassin surprise round. Instead of dual wielding you'll have a weapon + martial arts/flurry of blows. Refluff the Elemental Monk powers as coming from the Sorcerer Bloodline of your choice.
#6 XtheHunter Dec 12, 2014 19:25:38	Thanks guys! Your hints allowed me to see many possibilities!       Going Valor Bard (6) + Sorcerer keeps the spell scaling up, nets me an extra attack and requires almost zero refluff/character fluff adaptation: The Sorcerer could simply channel his enchantments trough repeated mantras (music or speech / oration).   Going Vengeance Paladin (5) + Sorcerer gives me plenty of melee power and lets me have at least 7th level spells (assuming Rogue 3), wich is pretty decent blasting scaling. The fluff is more intrusive, but not on my particular character, since his personality already has Vengeance Paladin traits anyway.   Going Elemental Monk gets me to rethink a lot of the character, but gets the blasting and the nimble melee done in one single class, letting me dip into some caster class to get any utility/buffing I might want.   Eldritch Knight looks like it can't give good blasting scaling at first glance, but seems to make up for it trough Action Surge and maybe even War Magic + Fire Bolt. Also pretty fluff neutral too, since my concept wants CHA but is also INT friendly. Gotta beware of MAD tough.   Really people, thank you!     Now I'm gonna go sort trough the specifics of the builds...
#7 Yunru Dec 13, 2014 5:55:03	Sounds like a Sorcerer/Paladin. Scorching Ray with +Cha mod covers the blasting, dex based Paladin covers the rest. (Damage from Stealth comes from advantage from being hidden.)
#8 CariadocThorne Dec 13, 2014 9:37:12	Monk and light cleric works quite nicely. Shadow monk gives you great movement and stealth, decent combat abilities (and you can eventually use larger damage dice with your weapons), weapons are still useful at higher level as you get magic weapons. Cleric gives you shield of faith for a steady AC boost or faerie fire for advantage, and spells like burning hands, scorching ray and fireball for the blaster side of things, all using WIS as your casting ability, which should be high anyway as a monk for AC and stunning fist save. You will not be as good a blaster as warlock or sorcerer builds, but you make up for it with stuff like being able to run across walls, run insane distances (increased movement, dash as action then dash again as a bonus action), and get proficiency on every save. Or you can ditch the weapons, use your fists and call yourself Goku.